I'm calling bullshit on the whole handwriting thing. Why we spend an entire 3rd grade year focusing on cursive seems to be a waste of time.

Handwriting is important because research shows that when children are taught how to do it, they are also being taught how to learn and how to express themselves.

Seriously? Keyboarding wouldn't have the same effect? Quite frankly in a world where, outside of on-demanding writing, most completed compositions are typed, cursive handwriting is not as useful.

A new study to be released this month by Vanderbilt University professor Steve Graham finds that a majority of primary-school teachers believe that students with fluent handwriting produced written assignments that were superior in quantity and quality and resulted in higher grades—aside from being easier to read.

Just because teachers believe it doesn't mean it's true. Sure, teachers grade work higher when it looks neat. But I can attest that in middle school, typed work is given much higher grades than handwritten, no matter how neat the handwriting is.

The College Board recognized this in 2005 when it added a handwritten essay to the SAT—an effort to reverse the de-emphasis on handwriting and composition that may be adversely affecting children's learning all the way through high school and beyond.

ARGH! That is NOT why the College Board added a written essay. It wasn't to test the fucking handwriting. How backwards and uneducated must one be to believe that. The CB instituted an essay because the task of on-demand writing (in the SAT, the CAHSEE, and college level writing placement exams) gives an idea of how one handles composition, rhetoric, and writing. Not if someone can write neatly.

Moreover, most test prep places ask people to PRINT on essays because printing, not cursive, is significantly more legible.

I think this stupid software build is going to give me a RSI.

And possibly make my head explode.

I used to have nice printing. Now it is chicken scratches.

And speaking of the thing, what is with people! and their total lack! of basic reading comprehension?!?

People are very special snowflakes. VERY. SPECIAL.

No exploding heads. Though, that article is raising my blood pressure. And my pedometer is reaing every 100th step, which makes it not so effective.

I recieved horrible grades in penmanship as a kid, and was graded poorly because I held my pencil wrong. I continued to have sort of messy, ugly handwriting all through school.

For some reason, I now have the most legible handwriting of anyone I know, especially at work. Because I print-- or mostly print. But it is very clear.

I am *starving*. Despite having had two Luna bars this morning.

I was starving too, so I got out my lunch early and am eating it now.

I had excellent handwriting in school, but too many years of typing instead of writing have turned it to crap. Oh well.

Also, my work is really f-up right now.

We are no longer allowed to take credit cards over the internet because our site was not secure (I tried to point that out several years ago, but...)

We are no longer allowed to use the official credit card slips that go in that ch-ching machine OR to use the ch-ching machine that swipes cards.

My department is only allowed to use the credit card terminal between 8 am and 8 15 am.

This has lead to the REALLY secure method of me writing the person's number down on a post it note, charging them the next day, and then shredding it. This is rather ridiculous.

My handwriting was quite good until I got to college and had to take notes in class--it went downhill rapidly.

Free electronic recycling locations (mostly - not NY) nationwide on Earth Day 4/19

Wonderful idea! To bad nobody in Illinois is taking TVs, the one electronic thing I have to recycle. Oh, well, I guess it's going into the dumpster this week.