Alabama – A Haiku
Yellow-hammer state
Pecan the official nut
Longleaf pine the tree
2013 Albert Moyer, Jr.
Posts Tagged ‘United States’
Veteran’s Day – A Haiku
Posted: November 11, 2013 in PoetryTags: Haiku, Haiku and Related Forms, Poetry, The Japanese Haiku, United States, Veteran, Veterans Day, World War I, World War II
Veteran’s Day – A Haiku
Honored for service
Celebrated sacrifice
Remembrance for all
2013 Albert Moyer, Jr.
Giving failing students a passing grade
Posted: October 28, 2013 in EducationTags: College, Education, Education in the United States, Grade inflation, High school, parenting, Student, Teacher, United States
In almost all public schools across America we are suffering from grade inflation or changing grades. Often, teachers find out after the fact that administrators have passed their failing students on, or the teachers are ordered to inflate grades to maintain employment. It is dirty secret. A large portion of American students are learning absolutely nothing, except the latest new game on their cell phone.
Schools are also stating that more students than ever are prepared for college. If we are passing them all on, how are they more prepared? 57% of college freshmen not prepared for college because they have been passed along. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/sat-scores-continue-decline–57-percent-of-incoming-freshmen-not-ready-for-college-001618038.html
We enroll a huge amount of students to college so that colleges collect the first year freshmen tuition from the impoverished students scholarships only to fail them out. It keeps money rolling, professors working, and a colleges in business. It makes high schools look great, because they claim,”We are sending students to college more than ever.”
Students are allowed to tell teachers things like,”Fuck you bitch! I don’t have to do shit.”, and often these students are warehoused, disrupting, making the teachers day miserable, and other students miserable, only so the school can collect federal dollars to keep a school open. These same students are often given scholarships. I know you are asking yourself,”How?” I ask myself the same question.
America’s education system is in deep trouble because it is plagued by corrupt people who are lying. This should be on the front of every newspaper in American along with the evening news. Many of the leaders are over-paid so they will stay quiet about the truth.
Here are a few examples, but if you research on your own, you will see there are thousands of examples. It’s like a modern standard.
http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/28/bronx-high-school-changed-grades-to-graduate-more-students/
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/01/20/grades-were-changed-too.html
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/04/14/remaking-the-grade.html
Find Your Kayak
Posted: October 23, 2013 in Resource LinksTags: Canoes and Kayaks, Kayak, outdoors, Sea kayak, Sports, United States
I love to kayak when I can, and I love kayaks. Periodically, I get asked,”What is your favorite kayak?” My answer,”The one that get’s me on the water.” Here are some link of my favorite kayak brands.
http://www.advancedelements.com/
http://www.perceptionkayak.com
http://www.wildernesssystems.com
Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish
Posted: October 20, 2013 in FoodTags: Catfish, Conroe, Conroe Texas, Fish and Seafood, Food, Greater Houston, Houston, Lake Conroe, Restaurant, Texas, Travel and Tourism, United States
Just to the North of Houston is a small town called Conroe. Conroe is home to Lake Conroe, one of the best fishing and recreational lakes about 40 miles north of Houston. Right off Hwy 105, in Conroe, is one of the best catfish restaurants in the state of Texas. This restaurant is called Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish. http://www.kuntrykatfish.com/
Not to be long on words, I will let the photos do the talking, but I can tell you this, you will not find better prices, and better catfish anywhere in Texas. The green tomato relish and hushpuppies are out of this world. Oh, and the waitresses and staff, fantastic!
Brown Pelican Above Water
Posted: October 16, 2013 in Birds, PhotographyTags: Bird, Brown Pelican, Digital photography, Pelican, Photography, Texas, United States
Brown Pelican Above Water
2013 Albert Moyer, Jr.
A Big Alligator!
Posted: October 16, 2013 in ReptilesTags: Alligator, Brazos Bend State Park, Digital photography, Photography, Texas, Travel and Tourism, United States
A Big Alligator!
I took this photo at Brazos Bend State Park.
I estimate the size at about 12 feet and 500 plus pounds.
I was 30 feet away when I shot the photo. Brave or stupid? LOL
2013 Albert Moyer, Jr.
Monarch Butterfly On Flower
Posted: October 13, 2013 in Insects, PhotographyTags: Butterfly, Digital photography, Houston, Houston Zoo, Monarch, Monarch butterfly, Photographer, Texas, United States
Monarch Butterfly On Flower
2013 Albert Moyer, Jr
Photo taken at Herman Park
American Skills in Decline
Posted: October 10, 2013 in Education, News CommentaryTags: American decline, business, Educators, employers, K through 12, news, news commentary, Student, Teacher, United States
Being a teacher, I am consistently worried about the quality of future workers. It is quite amusing to me that we have a society that does everything to encourage failure. We no longer hold students accountable for their actions, or their work. Students have learned that they can “CHILL” in class and still be passed. Hundreds of thousands of students across America are allowed to disrupt classroom instruction, turn in no work, and they can still earn a passing grade. It is an epidemic!
It is not the teachers fault either. Teachers are told what to do on most occasions, rule followers with less thinking outside of the box, and are often asked to pass students along. If they fail them, they are threatened with repercussions, or loss of employment. Administrators enjoy six figure salaries while knowingly lying about the very quality of their schools. All of this decline is implemented by our government through policy. Does it make sense? I do not think so. It is alarming! Our financial system is also built on fuzzy math, debt, and much dishonesty.
The sad part of it all is that we keep telling ourselves we are #1. The best in the world. The best in the world cannot operate on dishonesty without it catching up. The alarm bells are ringing all around, but I am afraid nobody is listening. The attitude of the average American is,”If it’s not affecting me, then I am not worried about it.” Unfortunately, fire spreads, and eventually those who do not care will get burned too. We are so worried with other countries and terrorism, but the reality is we are our own worst enemy, because we our not taking care of our own backyard.
Albert Moyer, Jr. 