pbrownie

Setting up a New Iphone is Daunting

2009-12-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

Sue got a new Iphone.

There were certain requirements that she had to have.

It had to be red.

It had to retain the photo of fassie.. or Maffsa the cat we lost two years ago. A photo on her flip phone was the last remaining daily photo.

It took the people at ATnT, (3) of them, 30 minutes to do it. The phone that Sue had been using was one of the first "pink" flip phones. It was rather unique because it was made half of one run that had one color of pink and the start of another that used another color of pink.

Its day was over since we are now more into texting. Having to sort through the triad of letters to pick out the best one was slowing her down.. and limiting her responses. She has also wanted to have wiki power in her pocket. So.. she was playing the martyr, mom is always the last to get the cools stuff.. Yeah but mom is the first to say.. I like it the way it is.. plain food! Ha!

The problem was that the photo was not contained in the sim or memory chip. It resided deep within the memory of the phone itself.

It was accomplished.

As for the red portion.. the cover for the phone was much more to her liking with a slim pink one. So she was happy with the hot pink cover that was silicon based.

Then the battle began to get this phone come capability.

All of my ITunes purchases and choices sync right over to her phone as we were use the same Itunes account. The facebook account was anothe matter.

As I registered her up for facebook, They needed a unique email account for her registration.

I signed her up for a g mail account through google. That worked out rather quickly. The only problem then was to get the Iphone to recognize the email for gmail and not the mail from the pac bell account. That had to come from eliminating my email account from her phone and selecting the banner with google as the supplier and then it worked.

So after a little bit of configuration, Sue is has her own email account and her own facebook account. I have been recommending many of you to her as friendss,

: ) Pat

A Story that left us Rolling on the Floor at Lunch

2009-12-02T16:28:00.001-08:00

We have a crazy lunch time group and sometimes we are really out of control. We are loud and we have too much fun for a therapy session.

Today's topic took us out. We read the story in our local Sun Star and the implications just drove us over the edge.

Now you have a chance to do the same:

Merced County Main Jail inmate's stashed 'shank' is surgically removed
Prisoner had hidden the weapon inside his body cavity.
By VICTOR A. PATTON
vpatton@mercedsun-star.com

Don't try this at home -- or in jail.

An inmate at the Merced County Main Jail had a homemade knife surgically removed from his body cavity last month, according to Merced county Sheriff's officials.

He now faces concealed weapons charges.

This 5-inch plastic weapon was recovered from Rance Johnson, a prisoner at the Merced County Main Jail, after surgery at a Modesto hospital.

The inmate, 19-year-old Rance Johnson, approached corrections officials Nov. 18, complaining about an item stuck inside his rectum, causing pain, according to Deputy Tom MacKenzie.

Even worse, Johnson told deputies the improvised weapon -- known in jailhouse slang as a "shank" -- had been inside his body for three weeks.

He was taken to an emergency room in Modesto, and the 5-inch-long plastic shank was surgically removed, MacKenzie said.

"The taxpayer money does cover actual stupidity; hence this guy did have to have this surgically removed," said Sheriff Mark Pazin. "It's unfortunate, but it's a mandated surgery."

MacKenzie said Johnson told investigators he had no idea what the item was, that he'd found it in an interview room and tried smuggling the weapon by inserting it into his rectum. The item was wrapped inside tissue paper and placed in a sandwich bag before it was inserted, MacKenzie said.

Johnson is being held at the jail on suspicion of shooting a 17-year-old male near Castle Airport in September.

In addition to the concealed weapons charges, Johnson is facing an enhancement for allegedly committing a crime while participating in a criminal street gang.

My additions:
Yes the poor Dr, that took it out.. he didn't know sh
The defense attorney. " He didn't know..."
The jury.. Listening to the details
The judge.. trying to keep a straight face

New Situations for Dialog Day

2009-11-29T22:09:00.000-08:00

Dialog day for my students is Thursday.

Here is a list of situations that could be used as a content piece for some of these days. I have borrowed heavily from Warm up Exercises Calisthenics for the Brain by Rita Kisner and Brooke Knowles Book 2.

You are about to have the last piece of pie when three friends drop by.
Someone keeps copying your paper
Your at the check stand at the supermarket and you realize that you left your money at home
You have invited to a pool party and it starts to rain
You loaned someone your ipod but you can’t remember who
You are doing your homework but you don’t understand the assignment
Your friend has borrowed some money from you and he hasn’t paid it back
A friend invites you to a party and you don’t want to go
A friend asks to borrow something that you don’t want to loan.
A date wants to see a movie that you’ve seen and didn’t like
You just got your hair cut and you don’t like it.
Ask a friend for a ride home from school
Ask a friend if you could join the group for lunch
Ask where he got the new jacket
You need a pencil for the next class, ask your classmate
Ask directions to a party from a person who is also going
You meet your teacher at the mall
You have to break an important date that you made weeks ago.
You need someone to help you move furniture.

New Word- Eponyous

2009-11-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

In reading a review for Sin Nombre a movie made in 2009 regarding a group of people making the move into the US from Honduras on the top of a train, the reviewer mentioned the next project for the producer of this movie was going to be Jane Eyre.

The reference here is that the movie will be named after the character. It is therefore an eponymous work.

officially:
eponymous
adj [ɪˈpɒnɪməs]
adj
1. (of a person) being the person after whom a literary work, film, etc., is named the eponymous heroine in the film of Jane Eyre
2. (of a literary work, film, etc.) named after its central character or creator The Stooges' eponymous debut album
eponymously adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 6th Edition 2003. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Fall Music

2009-11-21T21:43:00.000-08:00

New Music for the Walk each morning:

Eva Cassidy- Somewhere- Eva was known for her technical ability to sing in any genre and make it distinctively hers. What a voice! She died in the 80's of melanoma. She was in her 20's. I heard her songs being played in the local Starbucks and used shazam on the Iphone to find out who she was. My emusic only has her paired with others in albums. I looked her up on the Wiki because someone commented in the Emusic review how when she recorded one song.. songbird she was already losing it.. or rather was almost gone. Her local familiarity was in the DC area. After her death she was very popular in the UK.

Norah Jones, the daughter of with some musical linage has issued a new album for the fall. On ITunes it comes with about 5 bonus tracks. She plays the piano and comes in rather understated.

I downloaded the soundtrack from Sleepless in Seattle. Its been a good companion on the trail. Its got some Jimmy D and some Louis Armstrong. It even has one by Joe Cocker, a new friend of Francisco's in Rome. He took him around the sights last week.

I down loaded a selection from the sound stage that commemorates the chick films. It had 50 songs not from the original artists that came from various "chick"films. On those they charge off 12 of your monthly selections for the actual download of 52 cuts.

Blaine Larson has been downloaded for the country fans. He has some interesting songs.

I ran into the group "Train". There new songs have several that reference the Bay Area. Its nice to hear some contemporary that is not rap. They have a very nice full sound.

These songs and songlists are hitting the road with me each morning. If I start early I can hear the songs the entire way. If I wait a littel and do not hit my 5:30 wakeup and and the road mark, they have to accompany me on the quiet residential side of the trip.. the last half.

I thought that I would share my playlist with you! In this forum.

Have a great weekend!

Pat

Vets Day 2009

2009-11-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

Its veteran's day 2009.

Again we are at war.

Someone that graduated from one of my high School's was killed this week in Iraq. His Humvee flipped. He was sitting on top.

It seems such a waste to put our military at risk for every pot shotting cook to try to take them out. So we run humvees up and down the territory.

Our mission in Afghanistan started out to get Osama Bin Laden. Now we are there to seems to be a change in the mission. We are after the Taliban, their drug trade and rebuilding a country with infrastructure that doesn't want it. Again we think know best.. I hate that attitude.

In the US we are having to deal with our own fundamentalists. Will it ever end? Captured by the grip of an entire TV network these folks do not listen to reason because they heard it from Rush. They spew out crap that they are sure is true but was mainly designed to get people to fear and by extension hate.

We really do not need to waste our resources and the blood of our strongest in a far away land. We need to think of our military as part of the agency they serve.. the department of DEFENSE. I don't think the military is the proper agency to give countries new governances. We should not be training the world's policemen or training the world's armies.

Love to All.. Pat

Clover at Starbucks!

2009-11-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

In Foster City.. I took my walk this morning. The old mall that used to be covered with a fiberglass tent is no more. The Ice Challet is there. No food court but there are a few restaurants that have taken their places.

In this outdoor "mall" was the only business outside of Verison that was doing any business. Starbucks. Inside there was line that almost reached the door. Signs touted their one year anniversary of their clover machine. If you go back through my blog archieves you will find an article I copied and pasted that talked about the innovations of the clover machine. (November 24th 2007) Each cup is individually brewed. It takes a little longer and that some places were charging a premium for this treatment. Heather has a nice report on what she thinks of it in response to the Clover aticle.

I did not think that I would find one of these machines in a Starbucks with their fast turnover and their carmel machiado lattes. But here it was.

I ordered one up... no significant surcharge. 2.95 for a tall. The robot like machine sprung to life after the barista individually ground the Guatemalin Medin Antiqua... yada yada yada.

It brewed a beautiful cup of coffee that I compared to the regular "Thanksgiving" blend coming off the boil system. It was a little brighter and less watery. It did not have the punch of an espresso but it did have a soft after taste that you may get when the espresso is so bitter that it sweetens out.

During the time that I was in the store I was the only one to order a "clover" everyone else seemed in such a hurry that that took their drinks and ran to get back in their cars and head for work.

Would I do a clover again... sure.

: ) Pat

Waking up in the Crowne

2009-11-06T06:43:00.000-08:00

This morning we wake up in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City.

Its Friday and we are taking the day off to do a little touristing. Sue's brother has flown in this week to do some training or be trained on the the latest compliance issues for banks and credit unions. He has some time so here we are.

I conjured this place up off of Hotwire. It is one of the Hotwire exclusive suppliers. A four star in the Bay Area for 68 dollars. Thats pretty good. We are on the fourth floor.

The last time we were here I was in a lot of pain. We had booked this place as the landing area for the retreat night 6 years ago. I had a huge blistery area on my stomach from spilled coffee at a 49er game. We left early from the reunion to get some recovery time at the hotel.

The industry has changed somewhat and so has this hotel. Its still pretty bland in terms of design.. business tan. The beds have been changed to their comfort set. They are pretty nice. The Tvs are now flat screens and bigger.. all the better to show you HD movies that you may buy off the box. Its a bigger TV too.

What is really interesting is there is free network access to the internet and free access to the wifi connection for my Iphone. There is even a cmputer in the room that is free to use (no printer of course) and it has a DVD in it. The monitor is not a mac monitor but it fooled Sue when she walked in. Oh there is an IMac. Well no the tower is just mounted uner the desk.

The had a nonsmoking handicapped room for us at 9:30 pm when we arrived. The fitness area looks cool. The location is great.. just off the San Mateo bridge.. now if I had only remembered to pack my Iphone charger.. there is always something.

Love Pat

Halloween is Over

2009-11-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

There is such anticipation at school over Halloween.

The students plot their schemes to do their year "crawl" for candy. One would think that they never get candy during the rest of the year. Success is measured by the bags of candy they drag home.

Almost all of my students still participate in the yearly ritual. They all have an idea of what they will dress "as." Some dress up to help their brother and sister experience the event. There is no sense of danger that once accompanied trick or treating.

In the students eyes they expect teachers to "seed" their quest before they make the rounds. Handfuls of candy are often distributed and we are asked who we are going to be for Halloween. I refrained from such a practice.

Its over now. There a tales the students want to share.. thats a good thing if you are a speech teacher.

There is also a sort of stillness in that the really hot weather is over and sense that it is time to get down to business.

The class is still crawling through the "Rookie" and every little non verbal nuance is getting examined. We are working the state standards in literature except its not in reading but understanding. New words this week will be some of the "academic words." like sort, describe, explain, select.. you know the ones that always show up in the test maker's arsenal.

Forge on.. Christmas is not that far away.
: ) Pat

Dialog Day and a New Idea

2009-10-23T15:59:00.001-07:00

Thursday is my dialog day. Its a chance to do some role playing and to work on real life scripts. Some students of mine like to be "funny" on this day and say some pretty cazy things in the situation. Thats okay because they often come back with the serious dialog after.

This was particularly interesting this week. My class was intercepted by a favor that I did for the sectretary of the school. One of the substitute teachers for the afternoon resource math class decided not to come. The secretary needed a place with a credentialed teacher to house the three students that were left. They had a para helper but of course that is not good enough. She asked me if I could take them into my class. Sure I said. They came with their math work. It was hard for them to concentrate on their math class as we were going into the scripts.... sooo I decided to included them in. They joined in with the scripts and had a great time.

One female student specifically wanted one of the scripts that had the mother talking in the problem.

That got me thinking...

Maybe I need a whole batch of "Mother" scripts for the students to try out.

On my walk today I got to thinking about it and came up with three categories:

Momma says.. in the present tense.. Momma will actually be a character in these scripts.

Momma said, Moma will be a source of guidence in these scripts

And then Momma said, will repesent a reporting of what momma actually said in a remembered situation.

Draw the card do the dialog.. it should be fun to work on this project>

Anyone out there in bogland have a scenario that would fit any of these situations>

Post a response and I will add it to the frey.

Thanks
Pat

Therapy is Therapy

2009-10-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

When I do small group therapy, the first thing that I do is allow them to talk with me. I had a student talk to me about finding her birth mother and then the birthmother rejected meeting her today. She is Autistic.. wanted to know whether the Autism was caused by her birth mother dropping her on her head.. well no... So I had to pull out the psych tools. Look ahead not back.. You love your adapted mother and your birth mother probably didn't deserve you. That changed the picture and the tears dried up. I could have consumed the whole period. One of the other girls who "hates her" picked up a tissue and handed it to her.

That is the stuff that keeps you in this business.

A couple of boys are stinking up the place pretty bad. They became the "winners" of Mr. Brown's wierd contest. Each of four winners received a box of Irish Spring soap. What a prize.

Sometimes its just the little things. Every try to buy soap with food stamps.. it doesn't happen.

: ) Pat

The Band's Visit

2009-10-10T20:01:00.001-07:00

This is a great movie.. put it on your netflix que or see it instantly if you can.
Imagine an Egyptian Police Band sent over to Israel to do a "hands across the country lines" kind of thing and then be abandoned in a far off outpost.

This movie strikes some familiar chords with those of us that have been sort of stuck in a foreign country that kind of speaks our language. That is one side of it. There is a great generational sequence with an inventive hostess. What do people in abandon like cities do.. they imagine their park.

This movie has great development of character. The actors are pretty real. There is a little response a Egyptian hostility from a younger person. Most of the movie was how based on how these fish out of water interacted with the hosts and how did they survive.

The younger Egyptian member shows an inept town member how to comfort a depressed girl at the roller rink. Its a great sequence.

There is a very soft rhythm to this movie.

I have been trying to track down this movie since it came out on Redbox last spring. This movie has won several awards and most of it is in English. This seems to be the language that transcends the plot. It would be interesting to watch this movie with Reza or his family to find out what the Egyptians are really saying.

So there is one for you.. The Band's Visit. You won't recognize the actors but you will relate to their struggles. : ) Pat

Merced's Hidden Cottage Industry

2009-09-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

It was a very slow night in the local restaurant business.

Sue didn't want to go out to eat.. but I did. I headed for a place that she is not really too fond of.. Hometown Buffet.

Out in front were two rather new looking "Arrow" brand buses. Inside were two bus loads of French tourists delicately and selectively eating at the buffet restaurant. This happens quite often in Merced. The manager knows when they are coming and ropes off a section for their group. They really seem to enjoy the chance to talk to each other as much as eat.

I always think of my friend Fransico in Italy when I see these groups. He has lead many of these groups throughout Europe and landed in foreign places like Home Town Buffet must seem to these visitors.

Merced must make a good profit from these groups. There are at least 50 people in each bus. Tonight there were 100 people eating. at 11 dollars a crack it surely adds up.

Interesting observations to the cultural differences follow.. Many of these observations may need to be tempered by the fact that it was 8pm and these people have been on the road for a good bit of the day. Where? Maybe Yosemite.. maybe running from the South to the North or the North to the South on the quintessential (I love my spell checker in this blog) California trip.

They were a little astounded by the soda machine. The females would come up and look it over and maybe try to get some water out of it. Only one male was successful getting the machine to vend some coke. He took a "shot full" and wrinkled up his nose. One could only believe that the recipe for Coke was completely different in France.

No one seemed to be going after the salad. One female member headed for the fruit for desert (cut up) but most took a long and hard look at the deserts and finally picked up a little soft serve and a think slice of cheese cake. No one went after the coconut cream pie.

The big station for the French was the slicing station. One bold member found out that the roast beef they were slicing was brisket. That pleased her. She told the carver that the brisket looked good and that she wanted a piece. Most were after the steak. None of them wanted the ham. A few picked up some french fies and one went after a little fried fish.

Overall I really don't think that they got their money's worth. But considering the exchange rate, they probablly felt they had.

: ) Pat

Recently Hit with Dr.s and Dentists

2009-09-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

One day off to see the dr.. to establish a new service.

We are switching to a Dr. group. It has about 35 Docs in the practice along with the other support folks.

We will get appointments with the dietitian. Sue with the pain specialist. I am following up with my breathing dr.

I just had my teeth cleaning and so did Sue. We established a patient realationship with a rheumatologist in Modesto.

Last week we got the chair back from the body shop. Sue is pretty happy with the work that he did. There was a lot of gusseting that had to be done to accommodate the new hardwood platform the the chair is mounted upon.

So we have been busy running around.

Classes have settled down and they are ready for their first tests of the new words in my construction oriented curriculum.

No one in my classes could related enamel to paint. A couple of the students recognized it as a dental word. Its been a pretty rocky start. Most students at the end of last year were certain that they would not have me on their schedule for this year. For some of them it was a misplacement when they discovered that they once again had "Mr. Brown." So finally we have all of the kids off that needed to be off and we can finally focus the climate of the class to cooperative learning.

And so it goes.. only a few more weeks and the first reportcards go out... or rather in. The are held hostage as the parents come in to get them and talk to the teachers about the basis for the grades.

Have a great week... : ) Pat

Finally a break in the weather

2009-09-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend was gift

Some worry about thunder and lightning. It was wonderful to see it come and change the weather pattern here.

There are always those that don't like it. Our farmers with the raisins on the ground are not too happy about rain this time of the year. The almonds are still being brushed up off the ground and the farmers are concerned with the mold that may develop.

It made for great weather to be outside. It thundered and carried on all weekend. Monday was too rainy in the morning to walk. Today it was just right.

The last of the pluots are still on the tree. They are the Queens. They stay on the tree ripe from the middle of August until now. When they are picked now, they are still very crisp. The queen pluot is a cross that includes the green gage plum. They are great when they are green and they are great when they are yellow. As with all of the pluots here this year the crop was significantly smaller. The nectarine crop was much smaller too.

Its been a pretty hot return to school this year. We are on our 6th week already. Deficiency notices have already been prepared. The RSP teachers are digging into their caseloads and trying to help the kids who thought that they were doing great without a lot of support. Its always a big surprise to them that teachers follow up on them and will make sure that everything is in place to get them to pass.

Another Back to School Night

2009-09-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Last night the ritual was again enacted.

The second "Back to School Night." I had two students show (one briefly) and the no parents.

Other parents came. I could not find a parking space so my little escape had to generate one.

My classes are 5th and 6th period... most everyone had gone home at that point of the "follow you student's schedule." format.

It started at 6:10 and was over at 8:00. Another 2 hours.

Very few special ed parents showed up to any of the classes.

The school grounds are really torn up and not very safe at night. The paving company has ripped up all the infrastructure and putting down huge cement causeways and school must go on as though nothing has changed. Students in this very crowded 2800 student high school are braving the 90 degree temperatures and are funneled into narrow walkways as the construction continues.

At night.. not enough light to keep even the outdoor lockers safe. I saw one student using her cell phone to light up her combination and open her locker for her parents who were curious.. as most parents are of this other life their students are living.

I zen approach is called for here. You cannot change it. But it worth the contemplation as to why they didn't start and finish all of this heavy construction work in the summer.

: ) Pat

Target Date

2009-09-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

Traditionally this was the date.

The day, Labor Day, was the day that we had to be back home form our summer trip.

Growing up in my family we traveled extensively every summer. Growing up in the Bay Area my parents longed to reconnect and to help with grandma Nellie's and grandpa Bayard's peach farm. My parents also discovered that the world out there was less expensive to live in than summer in the city.

We camped as we traveled. I grumbled but enjoyed the sights. There were always new people to meet as we traveled. We enjoyed the campfire nights in the national parks and the fireside chats at the state parks. When we are stopped at a KOA or some obscure park we camped and set up a family sing a long that invited others with kids to come by and join in. We traveled with guitars and sometimes dad would pull out his harmonica. In the early days I had to practice my trumpet and a certain amount of embarrasment went along with that as at least on hour of practice was required.

Dad imposed the no write no eat law on me early on. I had to produce a page of writing before I could eat dinner in the evening. I was responsible for cleaning and folding the tent to just the right shape so that it would fit directly into the Ford Falcon in just the right place. It had to be that small so that the camping stove and the fuel and the legs to the camping stove would fit there also. I am not sure where our clothes went when we were in the Falcon days.

As I grew up my mom was in a terrible accident. We were smashed into from a stop sign on a rainy day going up the hill to our house. The result of this was several weeks in the hospital for her and a new kind of car that we could carry her around lying down in a cot. It was an International Harvester Travel All. Dad had always wanted a truck. This was the ultimate station wagon truck.

It also became our puller for a trailer that mom and dad bought. Dad romanced it all winter down in San Carlos. Finally he bought it. It could only sleep two. The travelal became the bedroom for my sisters and I pitched the old family tent (8 x8 exterior tent poles) wherever we went.

Tonight would be the night that we had to be home. Mom would be washing the white shirts furiously and dad would be looking over what he needed to do. All white shirts has to be pressed and of course they had to have a hankie to go in the pocket.

The first month of school is always tough on school families. There are enormous things to adjust to. Schedules, new teachers for the kids and lunch boxes. Teachers kids generally don't get new clothes until October.. the first real payday.

Times have changed. Our first day with students was quite awhile ago. August17. Teacher were paid the end of August. And white shirts are no longer the required dress at our school. We are lucky to get the teachers in long pants and polo shirts.

Love to all
Pat

Going out of my Mind

2009-09-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

Just a degree over normal and we are reduced to craziness.

Its amazing that the our personal comfort is so tied to human body temperature.

I have the flu. They took the ubiquitous nose sample. And then every person that came in contact with me had a mask on.. including me.. check the grim photo in facebook.

So I am home a couple of days. I don't really feel like being home. I don't really feel like doing anything.. but doing nothing is not comfortable either.. so here I am adding to this blog.

I see my sister has added a facebook "badge" to her blog and I have done the same too. We both use this medium to write a little longer communication than the little facebook updates.

The Iphone has changed the communication ideas and modes of my life. I didn't know that it would be easier to check the stuff that I usually check with my computer right from my bed before I wake up or at Starbucks when I am halfway through my walk.

I know what a lose Cammie is going through when her Iphone took a swim in a bucket of red squirt. I hope Apple cuts her a deal.

Its still hot over there. I don't know what I was expecting.. after the first days of September we would really have fall? Silly boy.

Take care
Pat

First Day Back August, 2009, Water issues

2009-08-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

It looked to be a miserable day.

I was pushed in to classrooms at both schools that I wasn't sure the teachers that usually occupy the room knew I was coming.

In the morning I had envisioned the varsity basketball coach arriving with an gigantic load of new basketball shoes that needed to be distributed.. no it didn't happen. The students all went to the old classroom and we walked all together to the new one. Everything worked okay. That happened in the 2nd period as well.

At the other school, I had not met the teacher that I was sharing the room with. I had envisioned "pushing in" with my class to a full class. That didn't happen. She taught a 0 period class and was on a shortened schedule, so she was out of their by 4th peiod when I would consider starting my pull out schedule. So that is going to work too.

The afternoon class is impeccably clean. I found out later that she is the daughter of the HR director. So all it well. The room has a smart board and a overhead LcD projector. It is way back by the football field but that won't be in issue once I am there.

The big problem arrived when I got home.

Their was a leak somewhere in the water supply coming into the house and it has continued to pour. There is a moat of 3 inches around our house and the neighbors are concerned that it might take out their carpeting. I call the plumber at 4:30 today and they will be out at 9:30 tomorrow. I hope they can find the issue. In the mean time we are again without water. : ( Pat

Outsourced !

2009-08-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

I just watched a great romantic comedy on Netfix instant.

Judging from the title of this expose.. its Outsourced.

The plot is simple: A call center worker saves his job and his "stock options" by leaving the US and traveling to India to train the Indian call center the nuances of American culture. The central figure falls in love with a smart aleck Indian girl who is promised in an arranged marriage to someone else.

The beauty of this film is in the minor details. The ironic twists. Watch for the boat scene where she speaks "American" and he speaks "Indian." Its a laugh out loud sequence. Sue was wondering what was making me laugh. it is priceless.

The cinematography is wonderful. The acting is authentic. The plot is shallow but it moves right along.

If you don't have instant "play it on your TV" put it on your cue.. This is the one romantic comedy of the Summer that really hits its target.

: ) Pat

Incentives for Good Kid Work

2009-08-07T15:04:00.000-07:00

This comes from Smalldog.com. Their email info had this gem in it:
“I’ve been teaching 1st grade for 31 years… love technology and LOVE Apple! Last year, one of my students was autistic, and difficult to motivate. None of my usual rewards would work and get him to complete his work or improve his behavior. That is, until I offered to let him use my iPhone as a reward!

Once I realized THAT using the iPhone was an ultimate reward for him, I added some games to the iPhone. He also LOVED music and was quite the singer, so I added an entire playlist on it for him, too. (Silly me—I added the bowling game app on it and it quickly became one of his favorite games to use—until my iPhone was sent flying across the room when he accidentally ‘let go’ of it while bowling.) It was then I realized I cold no longer let him use the iPhone and I wrote a grant for an iPod touch. He never knew the difference!

He was allowed to earn the reward 2x/day, and for the last 6 months of the school year, he worked hard on his school work and behavior in order to use the touch. After I added a few 2-player games on the touch, I allowed him to choose a friend to play with him during his reward time with the touch and I started to notice his social interactions with classmates improved tremendously, too!”

It might be time to get out the grant writing stick and look for some Itouches.

: ) Pat

It all Starts Again Tomorrow

2009-08-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

The break is over.. well almost.

This year instead of heading down to UCLA for some CTA training, I am doing roundup at Buhach Colony High School tomorrow. Roundup is the only time that speech and language people have a chance at earning some comp time credits. Tomorrow we will start at 8 and finish at 10. Which really translates into 7:30 to set up and catch some early hearing folks and then 10:30 to catch the stragglers coming in. Its a mad scene and pretty intense in some high school venues. At other times the students just don't come in and we wait and wait.

The four main schools have over 2000 students each attending. All 10th graders are required to be screened for hearing. So at best we have 5 audiometers humming as we quickly seat students, drop on earphones, test through 3 frequencies at screening level and get appropriate responses. A form is checked off and earphones are removed and the next student is ready to sit down and the procedure continues one after another. A good prodution audiometrist can see 30- 40 in an hour. So with five going.. that means 200 students can get their hearing screened in an hour.

For students it is often a social time. The herds of girls come in together and have to be admonished not to talk during the testing. Guys come in a try to blow off the event. We catch the ones that have been trap shooting and not using ear protection.

The tough ones are the mohawlk hair styles and the huge hoops. We spend time cleaning the hair goop off our earphones and try to keep the lines moving. We pray for cool days and rooms that are cool without air con (sound distrations).

So there is no doubt that it is work. But it is interesting work none the less and our bodies and their bodies are not used to doing chairs and production and crowd control.

So think of me Tues morning and the job that starts the year.

: ) Pat

When the Minority controls the Destiny

2009-08-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

We are in serious times.

It seems to me that at the national level and at the state level the minority is calling the shots.

Its predictable that our state, with its 2/3 requirement to pass a budget that the minority would carry such unpredictable power. The point of a super majority is that you have bipartisan support for any serious expenditure. With the Republican minority holding to no new taxation, and the state in dire need, the predicted results follow. Still a minority should not have that kind of power.

The same thing is happening at the national scene. Health care reform is being held up by a minority with little support. It is still championing its conservative causes through this important legislation. Our survival as an economic force is controlled by a few that want to limit any possible support at the federal level for women's health. This is not fair. The voters voted this kind of thinking out when they elected Obama and congress people in the last major election.

How can we not afford the health care that we have to have? The minority voices should be heard but the majority voices should rule.

: ) Pat

Doctor Side of the Healthcare issue

2009-07-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

Dr. Nelson is a well respected family Dr. in Merced. Linzi went to school with her sons. She was there to help Sue along when Dr. O was recovering from arm surgery during Sue's pregnancy with Linzi. The following was published in our local paper the Sun Star on Tuesday.

Lorraine K. Nelson, M.D.: How to fix health care

When I first started private practice, my partner and I employed two full-time employees who easily handled all the office services from nursing through billing.

Now, for the two doctors in my current practice we employ almost five full-time employees for the same services. This increase was not due to government programs. It stemmed from private insurance industry changes making it more and more complicated to see the patients and provide the appropriate care.

Patients I had been seeing for years were told by their insurance companies to see someone else with whom they had a better contract. Specific procedures and referrals were delayed while authorizations were sought, denied, and appealed.
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The paperwork inside the office and the frustration for patients, staff and doctors increased, all the while as reimbursement declined for the doctors and profits increased for insurance companies.

Contrary to the assertions of health insurance industry lobbyists, the biggest risk (and cost) for a bureaucrat interfering with your appropriate care is the insurance bureaucracy itself, not your government.

In the current system approximately 31 percent of every health-care dollar is spent on advertising, public relations (lobbying), paperwork, administrative overhead, related salaries and profit for the insurance corporations.

These insurance companies are currently spending more than $1 million per day in lobbying and PR to oppose and delay any meaningful health-care reform that would cut into their jobs and profits.

For every dollar of private health insurance premium, only 83 cents goes to actual health care. Contrast that with the 97 cents on the dollar of patient-care benefits Medicare (our government funded program) provides.

Many Americans cringe when they hear the "R" word -- rationing. Please be aware, we already ration. We ration on the basis of whether the patient has money or insurance and whether the care results in a profit for the insurance company instead of need for service.

Furthermore, the current system actually rewards over-utilization rather than appropriate utilization of services and procedures.

Your doctor, nurse, hospital and pharmacies get paid a fee for service. More "service," needed or not, means more profit. Why else would you be seeing advertisements for costly nongeneric drugs on television.

We need to change the way we reimburse for services to get the most for our money.

There are more than 46 million Americans without health insurance. More than 14,000 people per day lose health-care coverage as they lose their jobs or their employer decides to no longer provide an expensive health plan.

Despite the fact that we pay an average of more than $7,000 for every man, woman and child for health care, our country performs poorly compared to other industrialized countries which provide universal access to care at about half that cost.

Unanticipated health expenses is the single most common reason for bankruptcy in our country.

Our system is broken. We are all at risk. It is time for change. You can help. The answer is universal access to health care for all using a single-payer delivery system. It can be done. The example is Medicare: our government provided tax-based universal health access program for seniors.

This Thursday, California Central Valley Journey for Justice is sponsoring a 40-year birthday party for Medicare with a rally and information picket on the corner of M and 21st streets starting at 3 p.m.

Following the rally, we will march to Rep. Dennis Cardoza's office to show our support for a single-payer system. Please join us and let your voice be heard.

If you can't be there, tell a friend and or call or write Cardoza and ask him to support HR 676, which would extend Medicare-type coverage to all Americans. We can afford this cure. We cannot afford to let the current system fester. We all suffer from this illness and we must all work together to heal it by providing basic health care for all.

Lorraine K. Nelson, M.D., has practiced family medicine in Merced for 30 years.

My involvement in the Healthcare Issue

2009-07-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

So what is it to you? People ask. I am a negotiator for our local teacher's union. Every year for the past 8 years there were two big questions that faced us at the table. What is the state going to provide to the district in the way of support. Also what was our Health Care plan going to charge us in the form of an increase for our health care and who was going to pay for it.

In the past 5 or 6 years the healthcare cost has significantly increased beyond the cost of living. The cost of living is the amount the state can reasonably collect in state taxes to support the cost of education.

Two years ago there was a significant jump of our costs compared to other members of the healthcare pool. We went to the source and discovered that we were cut out of the experience pool of the larger group because our costs had risen higher than others in the pool. We were in our own pool. With a little digging we discovered that the main reason was that our county pool was not shopping wisely. Our members were headed north and were getting services in the with the Sutter Health Care providers that were costing the plan much more than the providers south in the Fresno area. As much as 1/3 difference.. with much better results across the board.

We have been working to advertise this difference among our members. This cost savings has led to one hospital withdrawing from our choices in the North. Turlock's Emmanual Hospital is no longer serving our members.

Would this happen with single payer.. probablly not.

Our district support for every employee is 9200 dollars a year. That should buy the health plan.. shouldn't it.. well no.. It takes another 4000 dollars to get the standard plan with some co pays and limits.

We pay another 525 so that we don't have co pays and don't have to fight with the pharmacy about formulary.. etc. Also who is covered with a co pay and who is not..

The pharmacy techs are always amazed at our insurance.. maybe they wouldn't if they were paying out of pocket 6k for the priviledge... and their employer were kicking in 9.2K a year.

You could say I am pretty passionate.

: ) Pat