A waking thought....

Flags are meaningless to the few
who control the wealth and fate of nations

Power is the source of their global pride;
the blood, sweat and tears of the multitudes
just currency - a means to an end.

Will justice ever rise above iniquity
without a jackboot to their powdered necks?

without a pitchfork in their foyer door?

without a revolting demonstration of our dogged determination?

We'll bear our teeth for now,
and growl in the electronic fog
until one day we'll scare them back into their gilded caves
for fear of their very lives
and peace will
be ours
again

for another short little while.

Riffing On The Times 4-11-06

As always, the Headlines are taken directly from NYT online, but the subheads are entirely made-up.

Top Stories:

Immigrants Rally In Scores of Cities for Legal Status

- Make real Americans look lazy and apathetic by comparison.

In France, an Economic Bullet Goes Unbitten

- French youth refuse to eat lead in lieu of cake.

In Attics and Rubble, More Bodies and Questions

- Like, "Who fled the city without cleaning up their mess first?"

World:

Chirac Will Rescind Labor Law That Caused Wide French Riots

- Said he was only kidding about joining the much ballyhooed "Global Economy".

Chinese Turn to Civic Power as a New Tool

- But Japanese sub-compact still no match for Red Army tanks.

Italian National Election Remains Too Close to Call

- Will Silvio Berlusconi win, or will he have to kill his rival?

U.S.:

Moussaoui Jury Hears From Grieving Families, and From Victims Themselves

- Judge rules expletives and death threats valid testimony.

Wrongful Conviction Prompts Detroit Police to Videotape Certain Interrogations

- Will air on "Punk'd" if they get it wrong. "Yo, yo, yo. Just kiddin' dog!"

In End Run Around Legal Challenge, California Gives Out Stem Cell Research Grants

- When you order the double-mocha latte' with a vanilla biscotti before 9 a.m.

Business

Skilling, on the Stand, Implies Fraud Was Unnecessary

- When good old fashioned theft worked out just dandy.

The Long-Distance Journey of a Fast-Food Order

- Happy Meal shot into space to rendezvous with shuttle.

Wal-Mart Promises to Limit Its Banking

- Will stuff billions of dollars into mattress - just in case things go sour in the American economy.

Decoding Dr. Robert's Edu-Speak

In an attempt to understand a recent newsletter sent by my my superintendent of schools, Dr. Robert O'Brien, , I will attempt to deconstruct his Edu-Speak into plain old, cynical, working-class English. You see, when you start making $350,000 a year, you leave the language of the hoi-polloi behind and start speaking in tongues designed to seperate the rubes from their cash. This is especially important when all other jobs in your district are making wage and benefit concessions and you keep getting fat raises.

Dr. Robert's Plan To Attain Focus, Purpose & Direction in our public schools:

1. EDUSPEAK: Successfully complete the Superintendent transition plan. ENGLISH: Secure Golden Parachute with the help of the incoming superintendent. I'm outta here....
   
   
   
2. EDUSPEAK:Successfully integrate Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in all buildings, including defining and clarifying PLC results for all stakeholders. ENGLISH: Get all the PLCs (also known as "schools") in our district to teach the same things at the same level and then test all students in a way administrators, teachers and students understand what it "means". For example, does Johnny's "A" mean he'll have access to a college education? Hell no! You still need cash and political connections for that. That's what an "A+" means.
   
   
3. EDUSPEAK: Fully implement the contractual student initiatives. ENGLISH: Even though contracts with minors violates state and Federal laws, lets pretend a signed "contract" for thier expected behavior is legal, appropriate, and above all, unquestionable. If they don't live up to our high expectations for a future workforce, punish the little bastards....er, rather, I mean fully implement the contract.
   
   
4. EDUSPEAK: Maintain our excellent financial rating, build a balanced budget for 2006-07 and limit the impact on teaching and learning. ENGLISH: Continue paying the bills on time while somehow managing not to piss off the teachers when you reduce their pay & benefits, try not to piss off the students when you eliminate programs they actually enjoy, and try not to piss off thhe parents when you charge them for things that, until now, were paid solely by their tax dollars. In the meantime, "recommend" to the board that The Superintendent get another fat raise. It's good to be the boss.
   
   
5. EDUSPEAK: Redefine and strengthen the "Challenge of Change" employee involvement program. ENGLISH: Employee pay and benefits are going to be reduced while employee roles and responsibilities are going to be expanded. If you complain, the new security guards will show you to your vehicle. In the meantime, "recommend" to the board that The Superintendent get another fat raise. I'd make twice this amount if I worked for Enron.
   
   
6. EDUSPEAK: Implement the student data system including developing a "dashboard" of options. ENGLISH: I just received a new top-of-the-line Mac with the Tiger operating system and I think it's really, really cool. Why can't our school system be as cool as my new expensive computer? Maybe it can. I could use the dashboard widgets to access student records whenever and wherever I want. (The preceding was a paid PRODUCT PLACEMENT from Apple Computers to Robert O'Brien, Superintendent of Schools - and will be appearing over urinals and in bathroom stalls district-wide.) You know, if I made $600,000 a year, I wouldn't have to be makind side-deals like this. Recommend to The Board I get a raise.
   
   
7. EDUSPEAK: Evaluate and improve our student intervention programs. ENGLISH: Are we doing enough to control the little bastards while they're in school? Give 'em detention if they act up. Failing that, call the cops and prosecute. I'm done screwing around.
   
   
8. EDUSPEAK: Clarify, improve and implement a stronger, more specific internal and external communication process. ENGLISH: Teachers: speak up at the staff meetings or shut the hell up in the teacher's lounge. Oh, and by the way, we have the right to record your conversations in any district building, no matter what your union says. Note to self: crush the union.
   
   
9. EDUSPEAK: Complete the implementation of the International Academy. ENGLISH: Exclude hoi polloi from the priveleged fast track to educastional success and lock the doors behind you. This is what our president calls "pleasing your base". Exclude, divide, discriminate. It's the American Way.
   
   
10. EDUSPEAK: Review our high school curriculum and program offferings. ENGLISH: Find ways to save money while increasing test scores. Recommend to the board The Superintendent get another raise.
    
    
11. EDUSPEAK: Complete district goals at highly successful levels. ENGLISH: Duh.
    
    
    
    

.; )