With temperatures staying at or well below zero for over a week, it's forced many of us to curtail our routines to the basics. This is true for me too, as it's dark when I attend barn chores in the mornings, and dark when I get home. In the mornings I drive up with the hottest tap water to make up the mash for the old stallion. He gets a hello, and couple scritches and a pat, and a large feed pan of mush, plus some of that imported hay to keep him busy. So far, the composition of the diet is perfect-he's round over his back but not tubby. Of course, the colder it gets, the more he hangs out in the stall, so I'd say his activity level is about nil, haha I'd get him a toy of some sort but truthfully there is nothing he can't tear up, rip apart, or destroy if he chose. This is probably my last winter with him, as his leaky heart valve continues to worsen.
Next door to the horse is the turkey stall and run. Gosh I just love my turkeys, they provide a chorus of squeaks and pops and soft calls every time they see me. They're getting some size to them now, and in about a month or so, I should start finding eggs from the hens. These are heritage birds that will breed true and I have found them to be incredibly tough. We erected a small shed roof out from the barn for them, and put some boards up for roosts. They do not require heat, or additional lighting, just unfrozen water and feed and that's it-very easy compared to chickens.
Next to that is the chicken pen, with stall and hen house. The house is insulated and yes, I provide heat and additional lighting. The stall is covered, but open on three sides, with the feed and water, and we're using the deep litter method in it like we did last year-it's working very well. In the hen house, deep straw on the floor and six laying boxes to handle the 14 or so hens. Also in with the chickens are six more turkeys, a couple months younger than the others-too small to be added to the other group. I think they think they're chickens, because I sometimes find the younger hens staying inside the warm coop, up on the roost with the layers. The mix included Buff Orpingtons, Giant Cochin crosses, Golden Sex links, and Red Rangers. The rangers were the four smallest pullets that we did not send to freezer camp this past fall. And, I have a rooster. A very colorful one, but I can't decide if he's Ranger, or Sex Link. Well, it doesn't matter because whatever he fertilizes, they will all be meat chicks this coming year. There for a while I was getting nearly a dozen eggs a day, every single day. I manage to keep friends and family in eggs, and still have plenty for our own use. Today's chore that cannot be put off: More grit.
So to keep myself occupied, I have been surfing away online, looking for specific seeds. I have a hunch that hobby gardeners are going to be terribly shocked when they see the prices this year. Not only are the seed counts down in the packets, but the prices are higher. I have a few specific things I am going to try this year that are new to me, but a couple of items had crop failures, so I have been looking for replacements that will perform here. This year, I hope to put melons inside my covered raised bed, just to try it out. I have never tried a melon outdoors before so it will be fun to see what kind of results I get. And, due to the height of the hoop, it will be pretty much impossible to get in there and trellis anything-so, I found a short season, bushy type that I am hopeful will work.
A few tomatoes are proving hard to locate, and the ever elusive broccoli that everyone wants, the same. It's rather like a long, drawn out treasure hunt, but I need to have these orders completed fairly soon, since it's nearly January. Which means-onions, celery, and hot peppers by the end of the month. Eeeks!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
More information on the Sun
This is a concise video, you may need to watch it several times to "get" the science behind their claims, and those of the scientists quoted at length.
C(Lie)mate # 3
There are a number of blogs and websites that have very solid information posted. I prefer those that tend to give a broad overview, as opposed to those that have a narrow focus.
Some of the authors are amazing researchers, whose curiosity has lead them to startling conclusions, such as WUWT (wattsupwiththat) and here is a link to a related article on our solar neighborhood:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/09/04/svensmarks-cosmic-ray-theory-of-clouds-and-global-warming-looks-to-be-confirmed/
Another place read in depth, is:
http://iceagenow.info/
Another chronicler of earth changes can be found here:
https://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/
My own journey into the science and theories, began with reading this one particular entry:
The Coming Celestial Convergence
There is a lot to learn about the earth, the sun, the solar system, and what is currently taking place. I often wonder if the authors of the above blogs and sites, take into account the "Magnetic Fluffy Ribbon"?
I have no answer, but instinctively, I know something is amiss. Really going sideways, you know? I read a blurb just the other day, that says they expect the sun's magnetic field to flip within the next couple of weeks.
C(Lie)mate # 3
There are a number of blogs and websites that have very solid information posted. I prefer those that tend to give a broad overview, as opposed to those that have a narrow focus.
Some of the authors are amazing researchers, whose curiosity has lead them to startling conclusions, such as WUWT (wattsupwiththat) and here is a link to a related article on our solar neighborhood:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/09/04/svensmarks-cosmic-ray-theory-of-clouds-and-global-warming-looks-to-be-confirmed/
Another place read in depth, is:
http://iceagenow.info/
Another chronicler of earth changes can be found here:
https://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/
My own journey into the science and theories, began with reading this one particular entry:
The Coming Celestial Convergence
There is a lot to learn about the earth, the sun, the solar system, and what is currently taking place. I often wonder if the authors of the above blogs and sites, take into account the "Magnetic Fluffy Ribbon"?
I have no answer, but instinctively, I know something is amiss. Really going sideways, you know? I read a blurb just the other day, that says they expect the sun's magnetic field to flip within the next couple of weeks.
The Great Deception
In this modern age, the time of email, social media, cell phones, the Cloud, instant messaging, skype, tweets, twitchy and new forms of information sharing to come-we are continually buried under more and more information, data, news, images, over run with sensory input to the point where even a modestly reasonable person can barely think straight.
Run on sentences be dammed, the above is true. Are your ears not deafened by the cacophony of sound? Are your eyes not blinded by myriad images? Is your attention not splintered into a dozen threads of thought? Do you not feel your voice is lost among the sheer volume of electronic noise?
Yes, of course.
Not only is it sometimes difficult to gather our own thoughts into coherent order, it is even more difficult to sort out the threads of truth, lost among the advertisements, the opinion pages masquerading as hard news, the constant squawking of the media machine with no volume control, and with precious little time to one's self, it is nearly impossible not to be overwhelmed by it all. Personally, I find respite at home, in the quiet times at work, on a drive here or there. I value the quiet-no radio, no TV, no internet, no cell phone....I make a point to carve out some time, every single day. I am pretty sure many of us do this, without realizing it. It goes without saying that there are plenty of those who thrive on the chaos, including the latest generation born into the "computer age".
If you are finding it difficult to suss out the truth these days, you are not alone. It does, indeed, appear as though there is complicit behavior on the part of the main stream media, to "obfuscate the facts". Ahem. The most recent example, that has nearly everyone buzzing, is the uproar over a man's opinion, an opinion that is not treated as "mainstream" these days, but is labeled as "vile and reprehensible". Ah yes, politically correct labels run amok, headlong into a man's belief and voila'! He is both a villian and a good example to many. My apologies to Mr. Robertson aside, here is something to ponder upon, if you can find space, or quiet, or time:
Who cherry picked his statement? And why? And why now?
After all, it was one of a number of comments included in his near verbatim quote from the Bible. The interview took place weeks ago, did you read that? Just who reported this "affront" in such outrage? And why? GLAAD did not do it, and neither did any group advocating alternative lifestyles. If I remember correctly, this was a snippet picked up by the Huffington Post, wasn't it? Now why would they basically pluck this one partial comment? And that still leaves us with "why now" unanswered.
I'll make an educated guess for you. The main stream media, who were once revered for their dogged pursuit of the truth, however far it lead, has become nothing but the public relations mouth piece for the President. With the distraction blowing up into a fierce debate, they managed to not only pit those with Christian, conservative views against the more liberal, progressive ideals-and in doing so, neatly distracted almost everyone from some rather inconvenient truths:
The number rose to nearly 200, of the top military officers in our armed forces, ousted for one reason or another in the past three years. Think it through-almost 200 of our best, most capable commanders no longer serve our country. You might check into just who is replacing them-and it may lead you to a rather unnerving conclusion. It will permanently disabuse you of any notion that politics has no function in the military branches.
Congress quietly passed the 2014 NDAA bill. It's a sure bet it will be signed-and you, we, I, we let it happen. We ignorantly allowed Congress to continue to steal our freedoms, in the name of "security".
The President also, again, broke the law by ordering the Obamacare sign up date to be moved back one day. Hey, guess what? We are *not* a dictatorship. He cannot do this. It is an impeachable offense, every time he chooses to "change the law" or "make law" without Congressional approval. The mechanics of how he can do this, I have not been able to discern, but I do know this: He does as he likes, with no regard for the law or the Constitution, period. This, people, is called tyranny. Look it up.
So the distraction has served its purpose quite well. In a week or two, something else will come along, and incite everyone into an uproar.....allowing yet more illegal acts to be foisted upon us, the duped citizens of these once, great, deceived..... United States of America.
Run on sentences be dammed, the above is true. Are your ears not deafened by the cacophony of sound? Are your eyes not blinded by myriad images? Is your attention not splintered into a dozen threads of thought? Do you not feel your voice is lost among the sheer volume of electronic noise?
Yes, of course.
Not only is it sometimes difficult to gather our own thoughts into coherent order, it is even more difficult to sort out the threads of truth, lost among the advertisements, the opinion pages masquerading as hard news, the constant squawking of the media machine with no volume control, and with precious little time to one's self, it is nearly impossible not to be overwhelmed by it all. Personally, I find respite at home, in the quiet times at work, on a drive here or there. I value the quiet-no radio, no TV, no internet, no cell phone....I make a point to carve out some time, every single day. I am pretty sure many of us do this, without realizing it. It goes without saying that there are plenty of those who thrive on the chaos, including the latest generation born into the "computer age".
If you are finding it difficult to suss out the truth these days, you are not alone. It does, indeed, appear as though there is complicit behavior on the part of the main stream media, to "obfuscate the facts". Ahem. The most recent example, that has nearly everyone buzzing, is the uproar over a man's opinion, an opinion that is not treated as "mainstream" these days, but is labeled as "vile and reprehensible". Ah yes, politically correct labels run amok, headlong into a man's belief and voila'! He is both a villian and a good example to many. My apologies to Mr. Robertson aside, here is something to ponder upon, if you can find space, or quiet, or time:
Who cherry picked his statement? And why? And why now?
After all, it was one of a number of comments included in his near verbatim quote from the Bible. The interview took place weeks ago, did you read that? Just who reported this "affront" in such outrage? And why? GLAAD did not do it, and neither did any group advocating alternative lifestyles. If I remember correctly, this was a snippet picked up by the Huffington Post, wasn't it? Now why would they basically pluck this one partial comment? And that still leaves us with "why now" unanswered.
I'll make an educated guess for you. The main stream media, who were once revered for their dogged pursuit of the truth, however far it lead, has become nothing but the public relations mouth piece for the President. With the distraction blowing up into a fierce debate, they managed to not only pit those with Christian, conservative views against the more liberal, progressive ideals-and in doing so, neatly distracted almost everyone from some rather inconvenient truths:
The number rose to nearly 200, of the top military officers in our armed forces, ousted for one reason or another in the past three years. Think it through-almost 200 of our best, most capable commanders no longer serve our country. You might check into just who is replacing them-and it may lead you to a rather unnerving conclusion. It will permanently disabuse you of any notion that politics has no function in the military branches.
Congress quietly passed the 2014 NDAA bill. It's a sure bet it will be signed-and you, we, I, we let it happen. We ignorantly allowed Congress to continue to steal our freedoms, in the name of "security".
The President also, again, broke the law by ordering the Obamacare sign up date to be moved back one day. Hey, guess what? We are *not* a dictatorship. He cannot do this. It is an impeachable offense, every time he chooses to "change the law" or "make law" without Congressional approval. The mechanics of how he can do this, I have not been able to discern, but I do know this: He does as he likes, with no regard for the law or the Constitution, period. This, people, is called tyranny. Look it up.
So the distraction has served its purpose quite well. In a week or two, something else will come along, and incite everyone into an uproar.....allowing yet more illegal acts to be foisted upon us, the duped citizens of these once, great, deceived..... United States of America.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Here comes the sun, little darling.......
As winter solstice approaches here in the North, we can look forward to ever so slowly increasing daylight hours. It will only be a few seconds to start, and eventually work up to over five minutes gain a day over the coming months. I love it. I love that knowing our "long dark time" is nearly over, and I love knowing that the longer days will bring heat back into the sunlight, and trigger the eventual annual event we know as "break up".
That is what we know from history, that is what we expect, and what our instincts tell us will occur, regardless of what happens on this planet. The Earth will continue it's journey around the sun, and its axial tilt produces the seasons we know. Pretty simple science, agreed? Yes, yes, who cares, that's boring *yawn*
Well, not so fast there.
Things are changing with our sun. I noticed this back about 2005, 2004. In fact, I entered into a great discussion with an online friend about it, who had begun to notice something just slightly off with the sun. Back then, a person could find anecdotal articles about "solar dimming" if a person dug around, but it has long since been buried by the hype and hysteria over global warming. Or climate change. Or whatever you want to call it, if you pay any attention at all. Paying attention or not, it matters a great deal, what is happening on our sun.
You should consider the sun, in all its lethal glory, the engine and the guardian of our solar system. The complexities are substantial as scientists continually learn new things about our sun, bringing new theories and more questions every decade. But some basics are helpful to know. In no particular order, think of the sun as casting a monumental shield around the entire solar system. This is called the heliopause. It extends in a basically spherical shape, with a bow facing the direction of travel, and a tail behind. There are some very cool YouTube videos showing some of this science, worth some time if you care to watch. Think of the heliopause as the sun's own solar winds, protecting us, as it were.
Our own earth provides amazing, complicated protection from the energies blown off our own sun too. That is called the magnetosphere, in case you are wondering. Magnetic currents generated from the core, and extending well beyond the atmosphere, protect us from excessive solar radiation that would otherwise fry us in a nanosecond or three. The stronger the solar winds, the denser the magnetosphere, isn't that handy? It can be large when little is happening, and shrink rapidly when CME remnants strike. Now, it can't handle everything from space, far from it. This is why we see the aurora, for one. And why the Carrington Event occured, and even the 1989 Montreal black out. It's pretty good, but not 100%. (And no I won't get into the various particles and energies and densities of solar winds, CMEs and filaments and so on, all that information is readily available online for anyone to learn about)
But what you should know is that nothing is static in our universe, in our galaxy, in our solar system, and not in our sun either. It's all in motion, for one. And for another, our sun is in the midst of a polar reversal. This is an expected event, by the way, and you've likely never heard about them and that's okay too. But what you are not hearing much about, is the solar dimming. That is, less energy is reaching the earth. How do we know this? Why, by sun spot activity. Right now, we are supposed to be in the midst of a very active solar cycle 24. At the peak, the scientists say. But no, we are not. The sun is quiet. Very quiet indeed, and no one knows why.
And so by now you are rolling your eyeballs, thinking, what the heck is this about? And why should I care? Allow me to stitch it together for you-
The Egyptians were not all wrong, and neither were the other sun worshiping peoples of the past-and present. All life relies upon what emanates from our sun. Any serious disruption is going to have effects we cannot easily calculate, but we can deduce and speculate based on what we know has happened in the past. I urge you to look up on Wiki, the phenomena known as "The Maunder Minimum". The crib note version is basically this: No or very low sunspot activity, caused a whole heap of change on this world. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maunder_Minimum )
And another, oft overlooked period(s) in our past, known as "The Little Ice Age" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age ) You will note that the dates do not coincide exactly, but there is no question that the intensity and composition of the energy we get from the sun, is directly related to conditions on earth. Less energy, colder temperatures. Sure, toss in a couple huge volcanic eruptions, or a rapid warm up, and things will vacillate between the extremes regularly. So we have a couple things going on here. The sun is switching polarity, but not in the expected, projected manner, cause unknown. There are not enough sunspots, and no one knows why this is happening, either. The entire solar system is moving through an area of space that is both electrically charged and full of plasma, effects unknown (Look up the NASA IBEX mission report on YouTube and watch all 40 plus minutes if you dare) The sun and the Earth are connected in more ways than most know, notably the portals as described here: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/mag-portals.html#.UrDfyeJqyos
I think global warming is going to be the least of our worries.
Something wicked this way comes. And come it will.
And our survival will depend upon our amazing ability to adapt, to shape the world around us, our innovation, our creativity, our hard headed pursuit of life. Will this challenge happen this year? Oh very doubtful. Next year? Not sure. This coming decade? It's a possibility. Within my child's lifetime? Yes. Most definitely yes.
That is what we know from history, that is what we expect, and what our instincts tell us will occur, regardless of what happens on this planet. The Earth will continue it's journey around the sun, and its axial tilt produces the seasons we know. Pretty simple science, agreed? Yes, yes, who cares, that's boring *yawn*
Well, not so fast there.
Things are changing with our sun. I noticed this back about 2005, 2004. In fact, I entered into a great discussion with an online friend about it, who had begun to notice something just slightly off with the sun. Back then, a person could find anecdotal articles about "solar dimming" if a person dug around, but it has long since been buried by the hype and hysteria over global warming. Or climate change. Or whatever you want to call it, if you pay any attention at all. Paying attention or not, it matters a great deal, what is happening on our sun.
You should consider the sun, in all its lethal glory, the engine and the guardian of our solar system. The complexities are substantial as scientists continually learn new things about our sun, bringing new theories and more questions every decade. But some basics are helpful to know. In no particular order, think of the sun as casting a monumental shield around the entire solar system. This is called the heliopause. It extends in a basically spherical shape, with a bow facing the direction of travel, and a tail behind. There are some very cool YouTube videos showing some of this science, worth some time if you care to watch. Think of the heliopause as the sun's own solar winds, protecting us, as it were.
Our own earth provides amazing, complicated protection from the energies blown off our own sun too. That is called the magnetosphere, in case you are wondering. Magnetic currents generated from the core, and extending well beyond the atmosphere, protect us from excessive solar radiation that would otherwise fry us in a nanosecond or three. The stronger the solar winds, the denser the magnetosphere, isn't that handy? It can be large when little is happening, and shrink rapidly when CME remnants strike. Now, it can't handle everything from space, far from it. This is why we see the aurora, for one. And why the Carrington Event occured, and even the 1989 Montreal black out. It's pretty good, but not 100%. (And no I won't get into the various particles and energies and densities of solar winds, CMEs and filaments and so on, all that information is readily available online for anyone to learn about)
But what you should know is that nothing is static in our universe, in our galaxy, in our solar system, and not in our sun either. It's all in motion, for one. And for another, our sun is in the midst of a polar reversal. This is an expected event, by the way, and you've likely never heard about them and that's okay too. But what you are not hearing much about, is the solar dimming. That is, less energy is reaching the earth. How do we know this? Why, by sun spot activity. Right now, we are supposed to be in the midst of a very active solar cycle 24. At the peak, the scientists say. But no, we are not. The sun is quiet. Very quiet indeed, and no one knows why.
And so by now you are rolling your eyeballs, thinking, what the heck is this about? And why should I care? Allow me to stitch it together for you-
The Egyptians were not all wrong, and neither were the other sun worshiping peoples of the past-and present. All life relies upon what emanates from our sun. Any serious disruption is going to have effects we cannot easily calculate, but we can deduce and speculate based on what we know has happened in the past. I urge you to look up on Wiki, the phenomena known as "The Maunder Minimum". The crib note version is basically this: No or very low sunspot activity, caused a whole heap of change on this world. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maunder_Minimum )
And another, oft overlooked period(s) in our past, known as "The Little Ice Age" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age ) You will note that the dates do not coincide exactly, but there is no question that the intensity and composition of the energy we get from the sun, is directly related to conditions on earth. Less energy, colder temperatures. Sure, toss in a couple huge volcanic eruptions, or a rapid warm up, and things will vacillate between the extremes regularly. So we have a couple things going on here. The sun is switching polarity, but not in the expected, projected manner, cause unknown. There are not enough sunspots, and no one knows why this is happening, either. The entire solar system is moving through an area of space that is both electrically charged and full of plasma, effects unknown (Look up the NASA IBEX mission report on YouTube and watch all 40 plus minutes if you dare) The sun and the Earth are connected in more ways than most know, notably the portals as described here: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/mag-portals.html#.UrDfyeJqyos
I think global warming is going to be the least of our worries.
Something wicked this way comes. And come it will.
And our survival will depend upon our amazing ability to adapt, to shape the world around us, our innovation, our creativity, our hard headed pursuit of life. Will this challenge happen this year? Oh very doubtful. Next year? Not sure. This coming decade? It's a possibility. Within my child's lifetime? Yes. Most definitely yes.
2013 in closing
I had vowed to take a long break from blogging, figuring nobody was reading anyway. Funny thing about that, people are reading-and yes, some are messaging privately.
They want more of the story I posted in part here-but nope, that story served its purpose. It was truly nothing more than an exercise in mental problem solving, to a large degree. No need to drag it out for another 20 or 25 rambling posts, right?
Right.
In fact, I have withdrawn from much online interaction recently, with one exception locally. I find myself so overwhelmed by the state of our union, that I can barely stand to read the next folly, crime, or tragedy. I make the occasional comment on Facebook, but in truth, it is not real discourse, conversation, or discussion. In all it's purported ability to bring together and grow a circle of friends of similar likes, I find that it polarizes most people-including me. I don't accept requests with abandon like I used to do, and have weeded down the list to a manageable size for the news feed-and there it is. Boring, predictable, inflammatory rhetoric and all. If I see one comic or saying I take delight in, it is a sure bet I will see it dozens of times in the coming weeks-and it's enough to annoy anyone. Especially me.
If you need a soap box, a blog is a much better choice. For me, who has little conversation in real life, the blog medium is perfect. Facebook is a snore compared to what I can convey here, on this page, with whatever topic, with whatever emotion I chose-and not have to worry about how some one person or segment of friends will be offended. Or angry. Or amused. Or, resort to that most childish of all insults-blocking. Well, surprise, surprise. I do have a few people blocked. One young gal for her threats. Another because she's a tool and clueless and she took glee in belittling me to her "friends". In fact there are several who fit that description, and they're about to be blocked or defriended too. Who cares?
Not I.
Not I, indeed. In short, I have spent a number of years now, on Facebook, and find it just about the most dehumanizing electronic interaction around. I am constantly constrained to apply a filter that seems instinctively appropriate, instead of explaining what I would really like to say. Oh, I enjoy some of the games, but that is nothing but a way to fill idle time, time I could spend...blogging :)
So, back to writing. Whether it is ever read-or not.
They want more of the story I posted in part here-but nope, that story served its purpose. It was truly nothing more than an exercise in mental problem solving, to a large degree. No need to drag it out for another 20 or 25 rambling posts, right?
Right.
In fact, I have withdrawn from much online interaction recently, with one exception locally. I find myself so overwhelmed by the state of our union, that I can barely stand to read the next folly, crime, or tragedy. I make the occasional comment on Facebook, but in truth, it is not real discourse, conversation, or discussion. In all it's purported ability to bring together and grow a circle of friends of similar likes, I find that it polarizes most people-including me. I don't accept requests with abandon like I used to do, and have weeded down the list to a manageable size for the news feed-and there it is. Boring, predictable, inflammatory rhetoric and all. If I see one comic or saying I take delight in, it is a sure bet I will see it dozens of times in the coming weeks-and it's enough to annoy anyone. Especially me.
If you need a soap box, a blog is a much better choice. For me, who has little conversation in real life, the blog medium is perfect. Facebook is a snore compared to what I can convey here, on this page, with whatever topic, with whatever emotion I chose-and not have to worry about how some one person or segment of friends will be offended. Or angry. Or amused. Or, resort to that most childish of all insults-blocking. Well, surprise, surprise. I do have a few people blocked. One young gal for her threats. Another because she's a tool and clueless and she took glee in belittling me to her "friends". In fact there are several who fit that description, and they're about to be blocked or defriended too. Who cares?
Not I.
Not I, indeed. In short, I have spent a number of years now, on Facebook, and find it just about the most dehumanizing electronic interaction around. I am constantly constrained to apply a filter that seems instinctively appropriate, instead of explaining what I would really like to say. Oh, I enjoy some of the games, but that is nothing but a way to fill idle time, time I could spend...blogging :)
So, back to writing. Whether it is ever read-or not.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
An Open Letter
To Governor Sean Parnell
Dear Governor Parnell:
I am writing to inform you of my grave concerns regarding the implementation of SBAC as agreed to in the MOU signed by you, and Commissioner Hanley earlier this year.
I am a parent of a child attending school in Alaska's failing (and expensive) education system. When I first learned of SBAC, and began reading about the program, I was appalled. There are numerous documents on the web, showing the content of the curriculum in various grades and subjects. In addition, I have read a number of testimonies regarding the program from educators and parents in other states. I am quite sure that a little research on the part of your office, sans the input from the SOA education department, will provide volumes of information to support my concerns.
Foremost, I am concerned that my child enter the workforce with the skills and drive necessary to succeed here in Alaska's volatile job market. Whatever industry he eventually settles on, it is my duty to prepare him for the challenges he will face in the real world, apart from the schoolroom.
As a parent, how can I help my son with class work, when the student is not allowed to take materials home, and the teacher is not allowed to discuss course content? How am I going to review the standards, when none are known because the test does not exist, and the materials are secret? How can I help correct misconceptions, aid in solving problems, and guide my son to a good future, when all is hidden?
Please tell me how collective problem solving (in mathematics, no less!) will help him? If he passes a grade because all the other students agree that a 2+2=5, how is that method and answer going to work, if he's on the Slope in a technical position? What if he chooses engineering or science? How will this method of problem solving advance his skills in the modern workplace? The short answer is, it will not. It has no relevance to "critical thinking" or nimble problem solving. It is passing a subject by peer pressure to arrive at one, acceptable answer-and any answer is the correct one. A cursory look at the content of the SBAC (as leaked by concerned teachers and administrators) will prove that the "education" being offered, does not reflect the history, or the lessons, that you and I know.
I am very upset that the State has entered into this agreement, with no input from anyone outside your administration-and the vendors of this "program". For all the many thousands spent on each student here every year, I have often lamented that I could easily hire tutors and provide a focused, solid education for the same money. With no additional burden to the state in the form of maintaining those huge monuments (schools), transportation, and all the rest, either.
If the goal is to prepare students only for college, the State is a dismal failure. You only have to look at the statistics that prove the large percentage of freshmen who must take remedial "language arts" and mathematics. Why? Because they are not getting the lessons in high school.
And that is the point of this letter, Governor Parnell.
I'm sure that the educational Phds and professionals, who signed on to this program, would disagree with this one mothers' assessment. However, as a product of the American educational system myself, this quashing of logic and reasoning is outrageous. As a kid who attended a one room school in Bush Alaska back in the 60s and 70s, who then attended the larger institutions, I have a rather wider view than most parents here. I have experienced education from students at a teachers' college, the one room environment where you were free to work at your own pace, to the modern cattle herding from one subject and room to another. But through it all, my parents were involved, knew what course content was being taught, and this knowledge was freely shared and used. Facts were not filtered through an Agenda21 prism, and America's excellence, history, and potential were not "dumbed down" for expediency and funding.
This will not be the case with SBAC. It is fact that most classes are taught to the lowest common denominator today, that teaching to the exit exam guides teachers and administrators anxious to surpass the low bar set by the state and feds, that no one is accountable for Alaska's failing graduation rates, and that we are churning out students who are woefully unprepared for the work force. I do not want my son to become another data point in the failure that is Alaska education today.
I strongly urge you, Governor Parnell, to rescind the agreements reached thus far, as regards to Common Core and SBAC. The State of Alaska, can do better....must do better, for it's future rides on the shoulders of these students.
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