Good luck, xnera.

He was very respectful and deferential, even when trying to prod him a little on the whole idea of defining decency for different generations.

Yeah, exactly. I think it's great that he actually practices what he preaches -- he neither yells at people nor just lets them get away with shit.

Happy teacher day to the teacherly!

My folks are in town and we were talking about my 5 year old niece's (private) junior kindergarten, which she adores. My parents were telling me that at her school, the teacher organizes and disciplines the class by turning the lights off and on, and when the lights go off, all the kids stop what they are doing, are silent and raise their hands in the air. I've volunteered with young kids and I know that they make cat herding seem smooth, but the flickering of the lights just gave me the oog. No real reason, but it just struck me odd and creeped me out.

I've heard of that technique before, JS, so it's not just this one teacher being oogy, though. Apparently it's an attention-getting technique that works across the board, and is an easy cue for even small persons to stop talking and get ready for a change of activity.

Timelies. I am so full of gronk this AM I still haven't made coffee, though I've been up an hour. Thinking about a nap--five hours wasn't quite enough sleep.

I had a number of teachers's that would do that to get controll of the classroom without shouting. Actually, by giving the kids an expected behavior - it should work even better.

Yeah, exactly. I think it's great that he actually practices what he preaches -- he neither yells at people nor just lets them get away with shit.

They are broadcasting a piece on Fareed Zakaria on NY1 all week (not conincidentally, I dreamed about him this morning). They showed a clip from his TDS appearance and Zakaria said something like, "it's not that you're funny, it's that Jon is a witty, interesting guy who makes you seem funny."

Also, last night's chat between Colbert & Stewart had me screaming with laughter.

Also, last night's chat between Colbert & Stewart had me screaming with laughter.

Oh my yes, that was hysterical. Couldn't stay around for Miller, but I may have to watch it on the re-run toinght. Jon's rant on the "runaway bridge bride" coverage was hysterical as well.

My folks are in town and we were talking about my 5 year old niece's (private) junior kindergarten, which she adores. My parents were telling me that at her school, the teacher organizes and disciplines the class by turning the lights off and on, and when the lights go off, all the kids stop what they are doing, are silent and raise their hands in the air. I've volunteered with young kids and I know that they make cat herding seem smooth, but the flickering of the lights just gave me the oog. No real reason, but it just struck me odd and creeped me out.

One of my teachers early on flicked the lights off and on (quickly) to get our attention. I think it was to avoid yelling. It wasn't scary, because it was daylight, so there was still light in the room, from the windows, and it was quick. She didn't sentence us to darkness or anything. It was off-on-off-on, as quick as that. I've never been scared when bartenders did it, either. *g*

My kindergarten teacher, who was possibly the loveliest person ever to have gone into teaching used to play three notes on the piano we had in our room, and we knew that meant to be quiet.

At assemblies at Ben and Julia's school, the teachers and parent-helpers will clap like: Clap Clap Clapclapclap.

I think it's great that he actually practices what he preaches -- he neither yells at people nor just lets them get away with shit.

And he seems genuinely curious about understanding where people are coming from Whether it's an act or not, I don't know, but I like it.

In related news, you know how dismayed Jon Stewart always is with CNN? I'm getting to be that way about the NY Times. There was an article in the science section today about, I shit you not, doughnuts, and how unhealthy they are. People! Doughnuts being bad for you is not news! It's not even entertaining filler!

I see from news other than CNN that my state is planning to overhaul Medicaid. The overhaul is projected to remove about 24,000 children from Medicaid. Lovely.

The NYT needs more articles about how beer is good for you.