US 2018 November elections

[pErvinalia]

"Third party voters are like someone drowning and rejecting a life preserver because it's not their color."

third party voters reject the whole 2 party system man... sure, bot the crazies and the dems are so entrenched it's like pissing in a fiddle, but voting for either of them is only comforting them in their positions... I reject the main parties in France and generally vote either null or canidates who have no chance of being actually elected, but I know what I'm doing, those lying pig dogs will never have my vote again, period.

I agree. Unless people embrace third party voting, you'll always have shit and shitter.

[Joe]

My morning paper had a screaming headline, "Blue Avalanche." The Dem's did well here in Colorado, winning governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Treasurer. They already had the State House, and picked up the State Senate. I'm sorry to see the current Secretary of State go, he's been doing a good job.

On balance, we passed initiatives to strip the Legislature of State and Federal redistricting power. That ought to be interesting.

Now, I guess we get to see what the Democrats do with the US House. Maybe, we'll finally see Trump's tax returns, if they decide to further lower the bar.

Oh, who am I kidding! Of course, they'll lower the bar. It's easier than lowering healthcare costs.

Yeah, I've considered moving to Colorado Springs. But you don't pay teachers very well. It's not the worst, but there are better. I wonder how your education is ranked? Missouri pays its teachers the least. Wasn't Trump huge there too? In fact, holy shit, the lowest paying states are Trump states. --huh

Yeah, our teacher pay is awful. It used to be better but funding cuts and declining enrollment have really taken their toll. It's too bad because this is a nice place to live.

[JimC]

Teachers are always viewed suspiciously by politicians, because they may actually cause children to think...

[Hermit]

Teachers are always viewed suspiciously by politicians, because they may actually cause children to think...

And some of them carry weapons of maths instruction at all times. Even if they don't use them they know how to inflict grievous pain with a carefully aimed and forcefully thrown cream Pi.

[Tero]

”Wins by diverse candidates are stoking fears that more Americans willing to elect candidates who represent them.”
https://politics.theonion.com/key-takea ... HKsSO0fwX7

[Forty Two]

Teachers are always viewed suspiciously by politicians, because they may actually cause children to think...

Not in the US. Teachers and journalists tend to be, intellectually, on the approximately the level of used car salesmen. It's a crying shame, actually. Teachers in the high school level and below in the US are, for the most part, not in any position to cause anyone to think. They are trained to present material given to them. Hardly any have any background in "how" to think, because their education requirements to become a primary school teacher doesn't require (generally speaking) higher level mathematics, sciences, logic, grammar/structure of language, semantics, philosophy, rhetoric, classical coursework, history, geography, and the like.

There are, of course, exceptions, but if you go to any American high school and talk to the teachers, you aren't going to find brilliant thinkers. Hardly any of them have deep knowledge of core courses, and hardly any of them would understand basic logic.

It may be a defect peculiar to the American system.

[Animavore]

”Wins by diverse candidates are stoking fears that more Americans willing to elect candidates who represent them.”
https://politics.theonion.com/key-takea ... HKsSO0fwX7

As long as they are united against facism and madness.

[Sean Hayden]

Teachers are always viewed suspiciously by politicians, because they may actually cause children to think...

Not in the US. Teachers and journalists tend to be, intellectually, on the approximately the level of used car salesmen. It's a crying shame, actually. Teachers in the high school level and below in the US are, for the most part, not in any position to cause anyone to think. They are trained to present material given to them. Hardly any have any background in "how" to think, because their education requirements to become a primary school teacher doesn't require (generally speaking) higher level mathematics, sciences, logic, grammar/structure of language, semantics, philosophy, rhetoric, classical coursework, history, geography, and the like.

There are, of course, exceptions, but if you go to any American high school and talk to the teachers, you aren't going to find brilliant thinkers. Hardly any of them have deep knowledge of core courses, and hardly any of them would understand basic logic.

It may be a defect peculiar to the American system.

Sure, it could be better. Some states have better requirements than others.

I wonder if this isn't just more of your teary eyed idealism though. I mean, you don't expect to find brilliant thinkers? Are you fucking high?

[Sean Hayden]

btw - the requirements in Texas: Bachelor's Degree, Complete an Educator Preparation Program (Where you learn that your job is definitely not to just pass on information), Pass certification exams, Submit a state application and finally complete a national criminal background check. Plus you have to student teach or do an internship.

To major in biology you're taking history, philosophy, math to calculus or higher if you can and want to, definitely biology up to genetics or another higher level option, chemistry, physic,s or geology, yadda, yadda.


Now, none of that makes for a brilliant thinker. Why should it? More importantly, why should a teacher have to be a brilliant thinker? Can you imagine some brilliant thinkers who might have been horrible teachers?

[laklak]

It's not a particularly highly paid profession, average salary in Florida is about 50K. You get a bit of time off, and there's a good benefits and retirement package, so you'd have to factor that in. Also, Florida has lower average salaries across the board, you pay for the weather.

[Sean Hayden]

Yeah, you don't get into for the money.

[Sean Hayden]

I went to Clearwater High School way back in the day lak.

[laklak]

Just down the road from Pasco County, the Meth Capital of the World.

I worked in Houston for about 6 months, on contract to Enron.

[Forty Two]

Teachers are always viewed suspiciously by politicians, because they may actually cause children to think...

Not in the US. Teachers and journalists tend to be, intellectually, on the approximately the level of used car salesmen. It's a crying shame, actually. Teachers in the high school level and below in the US are, for the most part, not in any position to cause anyone to think. They are trained to present material given to them. Hardly any have any background in "how" to think, because their education requirements to become a primary school teacher doesn't require (generally speaking) higher level mathematics, sciences, logic, grammar/structure of language, semantics, philosophy, rhetoric, classical coursework, history, geography, and the like.

There are, of course, exceptions, but if you go to any American high school and talk to the teachers, you aren't going to find brilliant thinkers. Hardly any of them have deep knowledge of core courses, and hardly any of them would understand basic logic.

It may be a defect peculiar to the American system.

Sure, it could be better. Some states have better requirements than others.

I wonder if this isn't just more of your teary eyed idealism though. I mean, you don't expect to find brilliant thinkers? Are you fucking high?

No, I don't expect to find brilliant thinkers. JimC apparently does.

[Jason]

Thinking back, I can remember one Mr. Hitchenson who taught me 10th grade history. His lectures on Hitler's 'orgasmic rhetorical style' were particularly good. He was intelligent, perceptive, knowledgeable, funny, and witty. He was also in his late 20s and quite good looking.