It seems there is a growing trend among schools with high dropout rates and low attendance to reward kids that actually show up to class like they’re supposed to. Lately, schools have been working with car dealerships to offer a car as incentive to attend school.

It seems there are things like federal funding that can be effected by dropout and attendance rates, so schools are left with no choice but to reward what used to be an expected, required behavior.

Districts also have a lot to gain and little to lose by holding car drawings. The vehicles are usually free, donated by a local dealership. And in Wyoming, even a one-student increase in average daily enrollment means another $12,000 in state funding for the year.

I don’t know about you, but I believe it’s the parents and not the kids which promote poor attendance. How many families do you know that take their kids out of school for family vacations during required school days for one, sometimes two weeks straight? Increasingly, it seems Hawaiian vacations and family cruises take precedence over education. I’ve known some parents who sometimes keep their kids home for a day “to give their kids a break”.

I feel it’s this kind of attitude that promotes truancy and dropout rates in schools. Kids are simply not given the proper guidance from their parents with regard to education. There are some that feel it’s less important to do well in school and more important to participate in outside activities. It’s almost like they don’t want their kids to feel any pressure at all to succeed academically…even though later in life that is what will help them gain success. In fifteen years, potential employers and business associates aren’t going to care that they took that fabulous cruise or spent the day resting up to participate in the “big game”. Or that they threw the winning pass or were voted most popular student. All they will care about is their job experience and where they got their degrees and in what…not how much fun they had in middle and high school.

Unfortunately, in an effort to coddle their kids and advance their own personal agendas, I think many parents have lost sight of the big picture for their kids’ futures. So now schools are left holding the bag and looking for ways to incentivize kids to do what is required. Real school funding dollars are at stake here.

In short, I blame the parents – not the kids for this. And I have to commend the schools for at least trying to step in and cajole kids to do what they’re supposed to in the absence of good parental guidance.

So what do you think? Is a chance to win a car for simply attending class a good idea?

I knew those winter coats I was given as gifts while working for a company in Utah would come in handy some day…But can I just say this sucks? Well, it sucks. There I said it. Time for more coffee….

You know….your Christmas holiday cards.

And your Christmas holiday letter.

And the shopping for your spouse’s presents.

And the shopping for your parents and step-parents’ presents.

Have you? Got them all done?

Well, I have. It’s been a productive couple of days. Now I get to go have some wine.
Yippee!!!!

1. Why do I lose my Internet connection just as I’m publishing a post?

2. Why do politicians (on all sides) give the wrong answer to a question just to make a political statement, and then later when they are called out on it their reps backtrack and say they “misheard” the question?

3. Don’t they know everyone sees through this?

4. Why do people, when they are coming down a four lane divided highway and intend to turn right, absolutely REFUSE to use their turn signal so people are left there waiting for them to pass, and then lose their chance to turn left because the idiot didn’t signal his intentions so I others could make my their turn turns?

5. Why did my dryer bearing break when only one of four loads is dry?

6. Why?

7. Why am I strangely disappointed that I had a good customer experience with Sears, as their site revamp allows one to schedule repair appointments on line without having to talk to a CSR?

8. Why didn’t they have a repair appointment available until Friday?

9. Did everyone’s dryer quit on them recently?

10. Why do they have to start the SAT test so damn early on a Saturday morning? (Note: The Boy takes the SAT with high schoolers this Saturday and of course we are going, so of course I have to ask why they have to start so damn early).

11. Why does The Boy have to max out on the state tests for his grade and qualify for the 7th grade talent program that allows him to take the SAT with the high schoolers so damn early this Saturday?

12. Why is it going to be in the 30s this Thursday morning?

13. Doesn’t Mother Nature realize this is TEXAS, for God’s sake?

14. Why can’t I decide whether to have a beer, a rum and coke, or a glass of nice Argentinian red?

Anyone?

Wow. Poor Kerry. You know, I actually feel sorry for him. He ranked dead last in this poll.

On the upside, Guiliani (whom I would vote for in a heartbeat despite some differences I have with his positions) ranked FIRST. Yeah!!! However, Obama’s right up there in the results. I do think his lack of experience will weigh heavily on his chances though.

In the new likeability survey, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ranked fourth with 56.1, followed by former President Bill Clinton, 55.8, and Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, who won re-election this month as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, 52.7.

I’ve always liked Lieberman, and if he’d run against Bush, I may have (I say may) voted for him instead. He holds many positions I agree with. In fact, he’s probably the only democrat in recent memory I’ve ever thought of seriously for my vote.

Hmmm….Giulaini and Rice. That would make for an interesting ballot. More likely it will be McCain and Guiliani. If Hillary runs, they just might win. She ranked like 8th or 9th though. But you have to consider who was answering the phone. She’s a stone cold bitch in my opinion. Which will be good for the Republicans if she’s the nominee.

I really would like to know the political leanings of the survey participants and how the questions were positioned. I don’t think surveys can be always accurate, given the way they are conducted and the types of people who actually answer the phone. When was the last time you actually took the time to answer a political survey? I really can’t remember the last time I actually answered an incoming call when I wasn’t familiar with what showed up on the caller I.D.

Anyway…nevertheless this is an interesting survey, no?

Yup, that’s right. The cat is in the bag….literally. He’s sniffed and even licked bags before, but he’s never actually gotten in one and made himself at home before. He must be in the Christmas mood early this year.

Did you hear about this one? Katrina evacuees who were given a house free and clear by a church in Memphis decided to flip the house for a profit and move back to New Orleans.

“Take it up with God,” an unrepentant Joshua Thompson told a TV reporter after it was learned that he and the woman he identified as his wife had flipped the home for $88,000.

Unfortunately, it’s the underhanded actions of people with ulterior motives seeking “help” that will deprive those truly in need as real stories of hardship might not be taken at the face value they deserve.

It’s just sick what some people will do to take advantage of tragedy.

Oh…hope your turkey day was good. Ours was. The turkey was fried superbly, thank you very much (Tommy)!

Yes, that’s what the deal’s been around here the past few days. I’ve had a lingering allergy headache and I’ve been cleaning out closets and cupboards because I just couldn’t stand it anymore. Once I’d cleaned one closet, the whole thing snowballed and before I knew it every single closet and cupboard in the entire house was clean.

Except, of course….Tommy’s bookcase and desk. I would never dream of it.

Word of advice….don’t immerse yourself in dust and dirt when you have an allergy headache and you’re allergic to various things found in these two items.

Alcohol helps…a little. After a long day of closet and cupboard cleaning, I discovered if I drink until my face gets numb that usually does the trick.

Anyway, so that’s what I’ve been doing. The Boy is officially on Thanksgiving break. I even let him have a friend sleep over last night in the pristine house. Yeah, he’s spoiled.

And now the stage is set…Tommy’s parents made it in safely…..the turkey is defrosting…the pool is heated (it will be 77 degrees here tomorrow – perfect Thanksgiving weather)….and tomorrow Tommy will inject the turkey with a Cajun concoction and fry the yard bird in pure peanut oil. Mmmmm turkey. Yippee! Swimming!

Excuse me while I go dream of a cold beer by the pool and deep fried turkey which I won’t have to fry.

Oh…wait. Want to know the whole menu for tomorrow? I’m sure that you do. So here goes:

1. Deep fried turkey.

2. From scratch sage bread stuffing (and some cornbread Stove Top for Tommy).

3. Mashed potatoes with gravy.

4. Green beans braised in chicken stock, then sauteed in olive oil and garlic with salt and pepper.

5. Yams.

6. Grands wheat biscuits.

7. Leftover apple pie that I made today (it’s yummy).

8. Cheesecake pumpkin pie that I don’t have to make (Tommy’s mom will make that).

As you can see, we really don’t do a lot of side items. Ever since we started frying the turkey, we’ve discovered that it really IS all about the turkey.

I hope y’all enjoy your Thanksgiving! I’d love to hear what you’re having…if you have time.

You remember that older guy that plowed into a farmers market and killed a bunch of people? Well….he got probation.

Just because he’s old and sick, that doesn’t make those people any less dead. I wonder what will be said when the guy rises from his sick bed, gets into a car, and kills more people? I’m just sayin’…it could happen. As long as he’s free.

A travesty, that’s what it is. I feel sorry for the victims” families. This ruling ain’t right.

Anyone who works has, I’m sure, has planned and/or attended a company party around the holidays or to celebrate a significant corporate event. There’s an article on msnbc about issues surrounding such parties. Mainly they deal with alcohol – whether to serve it or not and how to deal with those which imbibe too much.

Many of the problems at parties are the result of someone having too much to drink. The most innocuous incidents might involve employees, customers or other guests spilling drinks or behaving a little outrageously and making fools of themselves. But, if someone is offended or physically hurt as a result of their poor behavior, it becomes the business owner’s problem.

Yup. I’d agree with that. The small company I worked for threw an in-house party on IPO day which included champagne. I was in charge of planning and execution since I had a background in such things. Some of the admins were supposed to help with execution. We had t-shirts and flyers printed up, we sent hourly email updates, and we had someone walk around with a boom box and signs announcing the stock price every hour. We had cake. And we had champagne.

One problem…most of the company’s employees were under the age of 25 and…well…acted their age. I literally had to guard the champagne so people didn’t just walk off with whole bottles of the stuff. The idea was they were to come in three shifts to have a piece of cake and ONE glass of champagne to toast the IPO. WRONG. Those idiots had the idea that it was to be a full-on drinking party in the middle of the work day.

I stayed as long as I could guarding those coolers…but I was also trying to get a press release on the wires and was negotiating quotes and content with legal and our senior execs. Plus, my co-worker in marketing who was dating one of the founders was nowhere to be found and the ad agency kept calling to get answers on her various projects. So I was handling her calls as well. Never in my life have I seen a group of people try to take such advantage of what was meant to be a nice gesture on the company’s part. Their lack of business sense and maturity shone brightly that day.

Lucky for me, one of the more responsible admins walked in and saved me from my plight. She took over guard duty so I could get back to my desk and complete the press release. Others that were supposed to help me had magically disappeared with the other jerks to the parking garage to smoke and celebrate. Lovely. Did I get a glass of champagne? Of course not. I didn’t even get cake.
Oh, they learned their lesson. Never again did they have alcohol on the company premises. They did plan outside parties elsewhere that had alcohol and music and activities and they were quite lovely. It’s amazing how much better people behave at an evening event outside the office vs. a party with a one drink max at the office during the work day.

So my opinion on company parties is yes, it’s a good idea to have them. But if you’re gonna serve alcohol you should take it off-premises outside of work hours.