And please do not misunderstand me; the left has its share of zealots also. Just read the Sunday paper and some of the local columns to get a taste of "screw America". The media is alive and well on the left; the far left. So both sides have its good and its bad. Seems at this point in our time that the bad are running wild on ALL sides?
Now last week, I was talking with a guy that stops and chats to me every so often. Guess the yap, yap, yap at home becomes a tirade to an old mans ears? In any case, I told him I was not too happy with his wife. The previous trip, he had asked me for some information and I did not quite remember it. In fact was this website and my blog. I have a desktop icon that gets me right in so don't have it memorized for a person coming in from Google or Bing as an example.
In any case, I called his house to give him the website. His wife says to me "He is praying and can't be bothered". Well, I am not very smart and admit it very easily; but know when someone is shining me off. Was the second time she pulled this on me, so I told her husband I did not appreciate her behavior. He then said he has had fights with her because she talks about me like a dog as I am such a bad person?
Now, two things here; one, she does not know me very well to begin with and is listening to some others here who think I am the Devil incarnate because I have repeatedly pointed out how your Tax Dollars and Votes are being wasted.
Very few in Vienna really know me. I can walk up to you anywhere in the Community and talk to you for several minutes and never mention my name. Why, you ask? Because I am not a publicity hog as some have alleged, who is just looking for a street, bridge or lamp post to be named after me.
My whole purpose here is as has been my way for decades to help people and fight corruption at any level. People deserve better many times than what they get from their Elected/ Appointed Government Employees. Vienna is unfortunately by and large no exception.
Secondly, this lady is a dyed in the wool Bible thumper. She goes to Church with great regularity and is constantly trying to get my wife to go with her. My wife wants no part of the way she is in that matter. We both respect the choice of anyone to go and Worship as they see fit and choose. God is a good thing in one's life and some for sure need more from Him than others. But when a person claims to be so sanctimonious and on the way out of the Church or place of Worship they have chosen and than turn into a bigot, hypocrite and tale teller; well, I would suggest they missed the Sermon?
So few seem to remember "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". One does not have to love or even like me, but at least tell the truth as I would about you if needed.
This goes also back to my favorite Executive Editor at the local paper. She wrote the U.S.A. is no longer a Christian Nation. We are only 70% or so today; with 6% Jewish, 23% something else? Where I come from 70% would be a strong majority and constitute a for sure whatever group; in this case Christian. Just another example of tearing down the Religious Fabric of which our Nation was woven. Does one laugh or cry at her?
Now I do not bake cookies; I am a meat and potatoes kinda guy. But here for a change of pace is something I like to throw together and it sure tastes good:
1 or 2 HOT Italian sausage links or ground as is available. For some reason I like the links.
2-3 medium or 2 large potatoes. Diced and of course pan fried.
Than add the sausage. I like to dice it up but can be a bit messy; so slices are fine too.
chopped onion, pepper and for me non salt seasoning to taste
during the last few minutes of frying, add frozen mixed vegetables. I use green beans, carrots, peas, lima bean mix. But like peas or corn alone.
Add a slice of plain whole wheat bread per person.
And a plain cake donut for dessert per person.
This will feed 1 to 3 easily I think. And for me "yummy to the tummy".
WOW, State down 2700 Students? Only 9 of 55 Counties saw increases? Betcha a lot of those are in the Northern areas close to where the real action is? And most of losses maybe out of the coal mining regions where folks are fleeing new poverty and hardship for other jobs in other locales?
100 from Wood County but no decisions on staffing till next fall. Here is time worn and non acceptable one. Keep the line folks; teachers, cooks, maintenance. Get rid of a couple of Vice this and Asst. that. Shortage becomes more manageable; and most of all, those who really don't earn that much to begin with don't get ran crazy doing too much with too little.
Maybe, the School District could do a chart to show who is affected by what starting with staff from the top down. An organizational chart by supported bodies versus a title. As one goes down the chart, they begin to quickly note the decreases in certain programs by the number of students in affected areas.
Now one goes back UP the chart to find the closest point where there is the infamous overlap of responsibilities and see who is most expendable? Who would absorb what additional duties as needed? There is your Asst. this and Vice that who is removable. Some duties could even go to the next levels down or up not just across?
Where this gets sticky is that once any administrative level person reaches down at the last level above the current front line employees as I call them; the politics will kick in to save the demoted/ realigned person by getting rid of a current front line one. No, it is most imperative we keep as much as possible those aggressive, motivated and with the freshest ideas on teaching.
Let us be honest here; people who choose to move up do so for: 1 Money, 2 Power, 3. They are burnt out as teachers and want to quit teaching. The students still have the necessary teachers to keep class sizes down; maintenance can still do same and maybe a better job and last but not least kids are also fed safely as examples.
This is NOT a perfect solution and is a rough suggestion, but I think has merit for the kids? Of course for one or two (and I still think about 5 or 6 is a hell uva good number), being demoted/ retired or dismissed; well the kids come first folks. I am fully aware this is not going to fly. There is little or no way anyone higher than a clerk, secretary, cook, teacher or maintenance person is going to go? After all, we must take care of "our people". In fact, as noted, the decrease in students will be between $500,000 and $700,000 in funds for the School District. This as stated is the $5k to 7K allotted for each child. So I am coming back with at least 4 of the Asst. this and Vice that or other equivalents? Can't do much for the rest of the State, but quite happy to help here. What is ours is ours. 'nuff said