Thinking Like a Teacher; LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH

As teachers, we want to have a positive classroom atmosphere. We want our students to look forward to coming to school in the morning, to love being in our classrooms, to enjoy learning. Any teacher who does not delight in those things has made a truly bad career choice. No one enters the teaching profession wanting to nag and criticize, but many teachers end up doing so every day. At the beginning of their careers, those teachers wanted to be positive. But, wanting to be positive and having the skills to pull it off are miles apart.

It is the undying hope of green teachers that if they just love their students and are nice to them, everything will turn out fine. That is the sweet dream of the uninitiated. It will get a smile from anyone more experienced in raising children. To succeed, you will need both love and skill. Love without expertise is powerless.
One of the key skills of successful teaching is meaning business. Any teacher can tell you that you have to mean business. But, how do you do that?

Meaning business involves your entire being. It is mental, emotional, and physical. In this segment, we will look at the mental aspect of meaning business. The mental part of meaning business centres on a clear understanding of consistency -- consistency when setting limits on children's obnoxious behaviour. Effective teachers and parents are consistent, but they are consistent within the context of nurturance. Perhaps a story about my mom will set the tone.

NO MEANS NO

My mum had been a schoolteacher, and I never doubted that she meant business. I have very clear memories of her meaning business. I remember one time bugging my mom for something to eat in the late afternoon after my little playmate had gone inside for a snack of gingerbread. I deserved gingerbread too. I opened my negotiations where all children begin their negotiations, at whine level number one.
"Mum, can I have something to eat? Tommy's getting gingerbread."
My mother turned from the stove and said, "Fred, I'm going to have this meal on the table in 45 minutes. Now, I don't want to ruin your appetite."
Naturally, I escalated the negotiations to whine level number two.
"But Mum, can't I have something? Don't we have some ginger snaps? I'm hungry!"
My mother said, "Fred, I am not going to give you a snack now and then watch you sit at the dinner table and just peck at your food."
My mother always used bird analogies when describing my eating habits as a child. But, I knew what to do.
I went to whine level number three without missing a beat.
"But this isn't fair! Tommy gets gingerbread. Can't I have something?"
My mother put down her spatula and turned slowly to face me. She looked at me intently as she wiped her hands on her apron and said, "Fred, I said no, and no means no."
I couldn't just let go of it. After all, life had been unfair.
"But why can't I? Tommy gets..."
I was cut off in mid-sentence. My mother, with eyes squarely focused on mine, said, "Fred, I am not going to stand here and listen to your yammering. ('Yammering' was my mother's code for, 'You are really pushing it.') You may either go outside to play, or you may open your mouth one more time and end up sitting on the stairs until dinner."
My sense of injustice must have been profound.
"But, why can't I..."

Those were the last words spoken. My mother stood before me with eyes fixed and finger pointing to the stairs. I felt something inside wilt. I knew it was over. I was silently ushered to the stairs to sit.

I must have been there for 45 minutes. Mother finished preparing dinner, and Dad came home from work. My older brother, Tom, came home from playing up the street and was given a quick gesture to leave when he started to ask me why I was sitting on the stairs. Mother set the table and called Dad and Tom to dinner. When they were all seated, Mother turned to me and, without a trace of upset in her voice, said, "You may join us now." I was grateful. And I learned that Mum was not fooling around when she said, "No."

I have no idea how many times I was sent to the stairs while growing up, but I am sure that it was more than once. From those experiences, I learned two very important lessons about parenting that served me well in later life:
Rule #1 -- No means no. Rule #2 -- I am not going to stand here and listen to your yammering.

CONSISTENCY

Consistency is a word that everyone knows but few people understand. We all know that it has something important to do with child rearing. But, exactly how does it work? Consistency permits only two conditions. You are consistent or you are inconsistent. There is nothing in between.
The irony of consistency is that the closer you come to being consistent before you fail, the worse off you are. If the parent cracks easily, the child does not need to be a world-class yammerer in order to succeed. But, if the parent does not crack easily, the child must learn to play hardball in order to win. By making kids work hard in order to win, we train them to be ruthless and persistent.

THINKING LIKE A TEACHER

If you want to act like a teacher, you must think like a teacher. For starters, you must be truly consistent. Very consistent won't make it. We all know how obnoxious brat behaviour is. We have friends and loved ones who have raised brats. We shake our heads when thinking about their weenieism and say to ourselves, "That will never happen in my classroom." But beware! Weenieism can sneak up on even the most experienced of teachers. It can easily go unnoticed.

You owe me a drink

At a bar, one patron to another: “Excuse me but I think you owe me a drink.”
Why?
“You’re so ugly that I dropped mine when I saw you”

Medical records

A worker from a Sydney hospital (Dee Why) came the following:

Well I would hate to poke fun at the medical profession because we all know, it is full of the most intelligent, well respected, broad minded, confident and worldly people, but here are some statements taken from the medical records which proves categorically that sleep deprivation and medicine do not mix!!!

1) The patient refused Autopsy.

2) The patient has no previous history of suicides.

3) Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital

4) On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.

5) The Patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

6) The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993

7) Discharge Status: Alive but without permission.

8) Healthy appearing decrepit 60-year old male, mentally alert but forgetful.

9) Patient has waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

10) She is numb from her toes down.

Dad Math

A new student had joined the class and the teacher asked him if he knew his numbers.
"Yes," he said. "I do. My father taught me."
"Good. What comes after three."
"Four," answered the boy.
"What comes after six?"
"Seven."
"Very good," said the teacher. "Your dad did a good job. What comes after ten?"
"A jack," was the response.

Helpful

Jim and Mary were both patients in a Mental Hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Jim suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom and stayed there. Mary promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled Jim out.

When the medical director became aware of Mary's heroic act he immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital as he now considered her to be mentally stable. When he went to tell Mary the news he said, "Mary, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're being discharged because since you were able to jump in and save the life of another patient, I think you've regained your senses. The bad news is Jim, the patient you saved, hung himself with his bathrobe belt in the bathroom. I am so sorry, but he's dead."

Mary replied, "He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry."

Bonnets

The Teacher's Messy Desk

My teacher's desk is piled high
With papers, books, and stuff.
And if it ever avalanched,
It'd kill a kid, sure 'nuff!
That's why I never like to
Stand by that dangerous mound
'Cuz if it ever hit a kid,
That kid would not be found!
Word has it that awhile back,
I'm not sure of the date…
A kid went in for extra help.
The teacher was stayin' late.
Well, all was going peachy,
And the kid was getting help,
But the mountain started moving
And the kid let out a yelp.
Turned out it was his final yelp.
No other sound he made
As all those books and homework
Made him a papery grave.
They say his Mumma came to school
To see if his body could be found,
But not even with a bulldozer
Could he be scraped up off the ground.
So, here's a word of good advice:
If you don't want to be mashed like that,
Don't ever ask for extra help unless
Your teacher's desk is flat!

Barber

A guy walks in to the Barbershop. Barber says, "What will it be today?" Guy says, "well I want it going with my waves on top, faded on one side, plug the other, and just make it all out of shape and messed up." Barber says, "Now why in the world do you want your hair cut like that."

Guy says, "That’s how you cut it last time"

Bonnets

The pressings in the bonnet leading up to the scoops themselves are curved on the Mustang as above.

Whereas they are straight on the Falcon.



But, are the actual scoop inserts identical ? Anyone know ?

The Top 10 Steps to DeStress

By Pam Woods*

Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your co-workers and/or boss make you crazy? Is your personal life less than blissful? If so, you've got stress. If you're like most people you've sought refuge from this situation by trying a quick fix or two like calling a friend, walking the dog, or going away for the weekend in an attempt to escape it all. While these strategies may serve as temporary diversions, nothing in your life changes when you return to your routine.

Stress is internal, which explains why it can wreak havoc on your health. It feels awful...it's the sense that you're not in control. The easiest way to mitigate its effect is to take charge of the one and only thing you have the power to control...YOU, and let go of what you can't control. The beauty of this recipe is that by taking control of your life, external or outside things will change in response to your internal changes. Here are 10 steps to destress for your present and future:

Heal yourself. Dr. Bruce McEwen, who wrote The End of Stress As We Know It, suggests that eliminating stress comes right from your grandmother's journal. He says the most effective steps you can take are the simplest: exercise, a healthy diet, regular sleep, moderate to minimal alcohol intake, and no smoking. This, he notes, is the most sophisticated, up to the minute, cutting edge science available!

Get organized. Physical clutter reminds us of things that need to be done and that's stressful. Remove your physical clutter and you'll eradicate your mental clutter, plus you'll feel energized.

Set boundaries. Boundaries act as a filter to keep you safe from the hurtful behavior of others while allowing in the love, support and nurturing actions we all need. Set your boundaries by: (a) determining what others cannot do to you or in your presence and (b) sharing this information respectfully with anyone who is stepping over one of your boundaries.

Take time for yourself. Put together a list of all the things you love to do but haven't regularly made time to do. Put your list in priority order and enter the top five to seven items into your daily calendar. Your list may include things as simple as journaling, reading a great book, taking a bubble bath, yoga, etc. You'll be more successful getting to these activities when you give them a time and place on your calendar.

Be positive. William James, the father of modern psychology said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind." In other words, what you say and what you tell yourself impact the present and create your future. Love yourself and use the power of positive words, pleasing thoughts and affirming beliefs to live the life you want to live.
Work in a career you love. If you're like most people, you spend the majority of your waking hours at work. You'll know you're in the right profession when: you wake up anxious to go to work, you want to do your best daily, and you know your work is important.

Surround yourself with a supportive community. You are who you spend time with. Hang out with people who love and accept you just the way you are, are interested in you (not what you can do for them), lift you up (not wear you down), solve problems quickly, don't gossip or complain, and know how to have fun. Anything is possible with the right support.

Learn to say, "No." We've all been influenced by people in our life who tell us we should do this or we ought to do that. As a result, we may end up living a life that others have decided for us versus living the life we want. So, the next time you think of something you ought to do or someone else suggests you should do, take a breath and ask yourself if it's something you want to do. If not, just say, "no" or "no thank you." When you say no to things you don't care to do, you are saying yes to you and this will free up your time and energy for the things you choose to do. Bottom line - you'll be happier.

Zap tolerations. A toleration is something that irritates you and drains your energy because it needs to be done, fixed, removed, or changed. If you're like most people you may be tolerating 100 or more things! Put together a list of all the things that bug you, e.g. a dripping faucet, money concerns, your weight, shopping and running errands, not enough time, computer files out of control, your hair, a room that needs to be painted, etc. When your list is complete, group like items and see if one solution will eliminate multiple tolerations. For example, if you have piles of clothing in each bedroom, dirty windows and dust bunnies on your floor, hiring a housekeeper will zap all three tolerations. Line up a housekeeper, today. Then, commit to spending a chunk of time each week to zap your other tolerations. If you have a toleration that you don't have the skill or know-how to fix, consider calling an expert or seek out a skilled professional to trade services with.

Get your needs met. A "need" is not an option, it is something you must have to function fully. It is differentiated from a "want" in that a want is optional. Unmet needs can drive you to distraction and worse. Determine what needs you have that aren't being met, if any, and then take the appropriate action to get them fulfilled. Example: If you've taken a big hit and are going through a career transition, ask a good friend to call you two or three times a week to check in with you and give you support. When you acknowledge and satisfy your needs, you will be free to focus on other areas of your life.
If you want to be happier and more successful, focus on the things you have the power to control.

Branding

A New York family bought a ranch out west where they intended to raise cattle. Friends came to visit and asked if the ranch had a name.
"Well," said the would-be-cattleman. "I wanted to call it the Bar-J, my wife favored the Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other son wanted the Lazy-Y. So, we're calling it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy_Y."
"But, where are all your cattle?"
"None have survived the branding."

Bonnets

Anything else ? Well, yes.



The Mustangs bonnet release latches are far closer to the front of the bonnet than the Falcon’s, reflecting the difference in location of the radiator support.

Workplace survivor

Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in a primary school classroom for 1 school year. Each businessperson will be provided with a copy of his/her school's curriculum and a class of 25 students. Each class will have a minimum of five learning-disabled children, three with ADD., one gifted child, two who speak limited English. Three students will be labelled with severe behaviour problems.

Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance, with annotations for curriculum objectives and modify, organise or create their materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document attendance, write referrals, correct homework, compute grades, complete report cards, document benchmarks, communicate with parents, arrange parent/teacher interviews. They must also stand in their doorway between class changes to monitor students.

In addition, they will complete fire drills, attend swimming carnivals, sport carnivals and be available to participate in after school activities. They must attend workshops, staff meetings and attend curriculum development meetings. They must also tutor students who are behind and strive to get their 2 non-English speaking children proficient enough to pass a basic literacy test. If they are sick or having a bad day they must not let it show.

Each day they must incorporate reading, writing, maths, science and social studies into the program. They must maintain discipline and provide an educationally stimulating environment to motivate students at all times. If all students do not wish to co-operate, work or learn, the teacher will be held responsible. The business people will only have access to the public golf course on the weekends, but with their new salary, they may not be able to afford it. There will be no access to customers who want to take them out to lunch, and lunch will be limited to thirty minutes, which is not counted as part of their work day. The business people will be permitted to use the toilet as long as another survival candidate can supervise their class.

If the copier is operable, they may make copies of necessary materials before, or after school. However, they cannot surpass their monthly limit of copies. The business people must continually advance their education, at their expense, and on their own time.

The winner of this Season of Survivor will be allowed to return to their job!

Rat cred

Three mice are sitting around drinking and boasting about their strengths. The first mouse says "Mouse traps, Ha! I do pushups with the bar". The second mouse pulls a pill from his pocket, swallows it, and says with a grin "D-Con Rat Poison". The third mouse finishes his drink, slams his glass on the table and starts to leave. The first mouse says, "Where do you think you're going?”
"Time to go home and chase the cat”

Bonnets

Back to the Mustang-Falcon comparison. Here are the bonnets.



Falcon



Mustang

The deep fore and aft ribs that separate the hoodscoops are further apart in the Mustang than in the Falcon and there is a more prominent crease line down the centre of the bonnet on the Australian car. The leading edge is more pointed so to accomodate the greater overhang of the Falcon’s bonnet in relationship to its grille.

The Omnipresent Principal

by Paul Young

To students in a school, the principal often seems to be everywhere. While we know that is physically impossible, there are things that any principal can do to make it seem that way. A principal’s omnipresence sets a tone for a school and gives it a personality.

When I left college and began my teaching career I saw that a school principal often seems to be everywhere. His or her presence is found -- or reflected -- in classrooms, hallways, the playground.

In point of fact, however, principals are not superhuman. They cannot be in more than one place at a time, so they must settle for the next best thing: influence. Most principals work to create positive expectations, set a tone for their school, and earn respect from students and adults. Even though they might not always be in their schools physically, their influence can still have a reassuring and positive impact on the school. To students, principals seem to be capable of being in three or more places at the same time. For staff members, a principal’s visibility and accessibility represent positive leadership attributes. But how can a principal create a sense of omnipresence? Here are a few of my ideas for how any principal can accomplish that.

Maintain visibility. Greet students and their parents in the morning as they arrive and get out of cars. Greet bus students as they step off the bus. Chat with the parents and bus drivers. Ask good questions, then listen and learn from the responses. Ask about needs, potential problems, or brewing issues. While showing visibility, the multitasking principal at the same time demonstrates concern for others’ welfare. That time invested in collecting information can prevent concerns from escalating and trouble from developing. A principal should be visible during lunch and dismissal times too. The principal’s visibility at special school functions and programs is essential.

Conduct walk-throughs, a great way to show presence. They keep teachers and students on their toes. Multitasking principals also use them as opportunities to reinforce professionalism and pride. When it infuses a school, pride is more important than money.

Teach classes. Give teachers a break. Better yet, encourage them to observe as you teach their classes. Use that time to model instructional practices: to teach the teacher and the kids. Later, reflect with the teacher on how the lesson worked and how the students learned. Observe the teacher’s depth and understanding of the pedagogy.

Eat lunch at different times and places. Negotiated agreements often stipulate that lunch periods are uninterrupted for certified and classified staff. But there is no such luxury for principals -- some are lucky to even eat lunch! But those who do eat often multitask while nourishing their bodies. They use the time to interact with children and adults. While they munch healthy food, they listen, learn, and get a pulse for what is happening in the school. Many conduct business during lunch, inviting key community members to join them for an enlightening school lunch with the students -- with results that often pay huge rewards.

“Principals influence everything that happens in their schools. Their omnipresence inspires people while it provides opportunities to inspect, direct, or correct.”


Serve food in the tuckshop. Want to observe students from a common vantage point? Help serve food or pass out milk during lunch. Observe kids’ behaviour in a less structured environment. Reinforce your expectations of manners and cooperation. Practice your mastery of associating names and faces; greet students by name when they receive their lunch. They’ll develop a special connection when they know you know them by name.

Frequent the playground. When multitasking principals visit their school’s playground, they use their eyes, ears, and sense of smell. They use all their senses to assure the safety and security of the play area. They observe how students occupy time and socialize with one another. They assess the effectiveness of the adults’ supervision techniques. All the while, they walk, talk, and enjoy the exercise. Some even play games and share a different side of themselves with students -- and adults.

Answer the phone. Surprise the public by answering the phone. That practice enables a multitasking principal to experience the realities of the secretary’s job and also set an example and establish standards by which all office personnel should perform when greeting the public.

Be involved in the community. Principals’ time invested in civic organizations can earn valuable benefits. It allows community residents the opportunity to get to know and hear their school leaders. It’s also a time when principals can promote and market their schools. Multitasking principals are always prepared to be the school’s cheerleader -- even when shopping at the convenience market.

Speak at school programs. Speaking briefly at school programs provides an opportunity to establish expectations or reinforce audience etiquette; share important information; publicly praise students, staff, and parents; and advocate for the school. Never pass up the opportunity to do so much in so few minutes at such an important time.

Principals influence everything that happens in their schools. Their omnipresence inspires people while it provides opportunities to inspect, direct, or correct. Omnipresence helps principals build strong connections with their school communities. Most of all, the omnipresent principal earns respect.

Terrible day

A businessman dragged himself home and barely made it to his chair before he dropped exhausted.
His sympathetic wife was right there with a tall cool drink and a comforting word. "My, you look tired," she said. "You must have had a hard day today. What happened to make you so exhausted?"
"It was terrible," her husband said. "The computer broke down and all of us had to do our own thinking."

Bonnets

What is even more interesting is if you consider this November, 1968 styling clay for the proposed new Ford Maverick.



The side profile, bonnet and tail panel and tail-lamp opening look awfully like what became the XA.

Painting

A husband comes home and sees his wife painting the living room, but she had her raincoat and her fur coat on. He asks her why she has her coats on. She replies, "I read the can, and it said for best results put on two coats."

Bonnets

However, it is intriguing and the generator of endless debate if you claim that the XB hardtop as being an amalgram of the front of a 71-73 Mustang and the rear of a 70-71 Torino.

Succeeding

"First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end." Aristotle

Please!

A sadist and a masochist were locked in a room together.
In a very short while the masochist began to freak out, begging "Hit me, hit me!” To which the sadist replied, “No."

Bonnets

There can also be seen that there was some influence from the US 1970/71 fastback Torino in the side profile shape of the hardtop Falcon’s rear side window.

Although it can be seen that the rearmost ‘break’ line in the glass is more angled, or nearer the horizontal, on the Falcon than on the Torino.

Knowledge

A mother is driving a little girl to her friend's house for a play date. "Mummy," the little girl asks, "how old are you?"
"Honey, you are not supposed to ask a lady her age," the mother replied. "It's not polite."
"OK", the little girl says, "How much do you weigh?"
"Now really," the mother says, "those are personal questions and are really none of your business."
Undaunted, the little girl asks, "Why did you and Daddy get a divorce?"
"That is enough questions, young lady, honestly!"
The exasperated mother walks away as the two friends begin to play.
"My Mum won't tell me anything about her," the little girl says to her friend.
"Well," says the friend, "all you need to do is look at her drivers license. It is like a report card, it has everything on it."
Later that night the little girl says to her mother, "I know how old you are, you are 32."
The mother is surprised and asks, "How did you find that out?
"I also know that you weigh 140 pounds."
The mother is past surprised and shocked now. "How in heaven's name did you find that out?"
"And," the little girl says triumphantly," I know why you and daddy got a divorce."
"Oh really?" the mother asks. "Why?"
"Because you got an F in sex."

Guard duty

The new army recruit was serving his first guard duty. He did his best for a while but about 5 a.m. she went to sleep. When he opened his eyes he found the day officer standing before him. Remembering the stiff penalty for being asleep on guard duty, this clever young man kept his head bowed for another moment, then looked upward and reverently said, “A-a-a-men!”

Bonnets

The XB Falcon is most often compared to the 1971-73 U.S. Ford Mustang. There was a perception that the front of the XA Falcon looked a bit ‘soft’ so the restyle to the XB was done to toughen the car up. Whether one looks tougher than the other is a matter of interpretation, but there is no denying that the restyle did bring the Falcon closer to a U.S. copy than before.

Or did it ?

A direct comparison, Falcon to Mustang.





It is apparent from the above that the Falcon is a wider car - although the 3 inches noted in specifications can most probably be attributed to the bulging rear wings - but it is also almost 4 inches shorter than the Mustang. The Falcon looks wider at the front due to the fact that the front wings stay much more square to the rest of the car in plan view, unlike the Mustang which squeezes inward to the front of the wings. This tends to push the headlights in closer together than in the Falcon.The Falcon also has much broader upper wing surfaces.

Time

"Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you." -- Shakti Gawain

Cheap

“Have you got any kittens going cheap?” Asked a customer in a pet shop.
“No, sir,” replied the owner. “All our kittens go “Meow.”

Bonnets

Styling Influences

One of the more interesting issues involved with the Australian Fords, especially the XA and the XB models, has been to spot the styling influences, especially in comparison to their U.S. cousins, and therefore try and deny their designers any credit for originality.

Lets examine some of the cues.

The car that the XA is most commonly referenced too is the 1968/69 U.S. Ford Fairlane as seen below.



And compare it with the XA Falcon.



The Falcon is a wider, lower car. It can be seen that the hump in the bonnet was probably derived from the similar, but wider, hump in the bonnet of the U.S. Fairlane and the sidelight/indicators in the leading edges of the front wings were a Ford worldwide styling cue - as also seen in the European MkIII Cortina and Taunus. But the larger 7inch headlights were undoubtably more effective than the smaller 5inch U.S. ones, and the addition of the driving lamps helped too.

As to which is better, well ... no contest.

Give Yourself the Best Gift: The Gift of Time

by Paul Young
Time. Busy principals always seem to need more of it. So why do they give so much of it away so freely? By gaining control of the time they do have, principals can save precious minutes every day and create more hours in a week for more important things.
If all practicing principals could be granted one wish, most of us would beg for more time. Beginning principals, in particular, get a sense very quickly of how unrelenting and overpowering the workload can be. The anxiety of meeting deadlines never diminishes. Stress builds as more and more people want the principal’s time -- to solve student conflicts, attend IEP meetings, write grants, or supervise lunchrooms. In addition, there are questions, reports, walk-in visits, phone calls, and emails that require the principal’s thoughtful consideration and response. It becomes a challenge to stay focused on any single task. At every level of experience, principals question how they can get more done, often with less support. When they go home -- often late at night after preparing a long ‘to do’ list for the next day -- many feel exhausted, scattered, and frustrated with what seems an unmanageable situation. For principals, time is, indeed, a precious resource. And most principals give it away too freely. We need to learn to regain control of our daily schedules. We need to learn how to create time for ourselves. Do you want to save precious minutes every day? Or create more hours in a week? Some of these practical ideas might help you accomplish that.
ORGANIZATION CREATES TIME
Know what you want to accomplish before you start. Always have a clear vision of what you hope to achieve. Keep notes about important commitments and goals on your calendar and anyplace else where you will be reminded of them often.
Keep a ‘to-do’ list. Refer to it often. Organize and prioritize tasks before you begin your day. Reflect on what you finish before you go home. You won’t get it all done, but if up keep x-ing items off the list you’ll see progress and create time.
Get organized, and know where things are. Create an accurate filing system, and clean out the files several times a year. Organize folders on your computer and be sure to label documents with accessible titles. If you or your secretary must frequently spend time searching for items, you both need to take time to better organize the office.
Eliminate clutter. Arrange the office so that essential things are in close proximity to where they are needed.
STRUCTURING TIME FOR EFFICIENCY
Get your office staff on the same page as you are. Invest time by setting expectations with your office personnel about how they should use their time -- and yours. Be sure timelines for work completion are clear. Teach your secretary how you want your schedule managed and how you want preparations made for meetings, conferences, and key events.
Structure time for routine tasks. Help your secretary increase efficiency by establishing times each day when you’ll be in your office for calls and visits. Likewise, schedule time to visit classrooms, hallways, the lunchroom, the playground, and other strategic locations. Structuring your time creates a daily agenda. Don’t allow others to derail your schedule. Share it with others so they can sync their schedules to yours.
Never handle mail or memos more than once. Don’t open your mail until you have adequate time to read it, sort it, delegate it, file it, deal with it, return it, or throw it away. Don’t read mail or memos and then place them in a pile for later reference. That pile will consume your desk. Reading the same mail or email a second time is a waste of time.
Turn off the bells on your email. Check email periodically, but you don’t have to react immediately or take action as each email arrives.
Don’t schedule a meeting unless there is a purpose. Envision the desired outcome of meetings while creating the agenda. Start each meeting by stating the purpose and desired goals.
Meet smarter. If it makes sense, assign important tasks -- facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, peacekeeper, and process observer, for example -- to individuals participating in the meeting. Doing so will help you conduct business in less time, and get better results. Be sure minutes are distributed to all those who attended, preferably by email because that saves time at the copier -- and paper.
Shut your door. Many principals hope to score points by adopting open-door policies. As a result, frequent interruptions prevent them from focusing. Build in quiet time so work can get done. Then shut your door and do it. Only the secretary can interrupt.
Take breaks and eat. The body needs nourishment, fresh air, and exercise. Schedule breaks for all those things. A short amount of time invested in those things will result in renewed energy, better focus, and increased productivity.
PROCRASTINATING EATS TIME
Make decisions. Procrastinating creates gridlock. Whenever possible, keep things moving by delegating.
Spend less time talking about problems. It’s easy to spend time describing a problem. But doing that wastes time. Redirect those who focus on detailing problems to instead identify causes and brainstorm solutions.
Skip consensus sometimes. Even though it is desirable to get input from everyone affected by decisions, consensus takes time. You can’t always afford to wait for everyone to agree.
When you delegate... Learn to describe what you want others to do, how, why, where, and when. Most people will perform adequately when they have the principal’s confidence, permission, and reassurance -- and when they understand the timeline for completing tasks. When you delegate, build in a schedule for progress reports.
LET GO OF TIME-EATING STRESS
Learn to shake off problems, criticisms, and disappointments. Principals must have broad shoulders and thick skin. Change is unlikely when everyone likes and agrees with the principal. Change requires a rub to occur. Be prepared to accept the fallout from that. Reflect with your mentor (or a peer) when you get stung by a remark, make changes when it is necessary, but maintain your self-confidence and shake off the disappointment. Don’t hold a grudge.
Know when you’re stuck. Don’t worry or allow stress and anxiety to build over problems, new tasks, or unpleasant human interactions. Know when you’re stuck or need to vent. Have your mentor on speed dial. A short conversation can help redirect your attention, calm your nerves, or brainstorm ideas. Investing time with your mentor is always better than stressing over brewing issues -- and it saves time.
Don’t let negative people dominate your time. Don’t allow yourself to get sucked into the abyss of the whiners, complainers, and attention-seekers on your staff. Ignore their idiosyncratic behaviours. Don’t allow their problems to become yours.
MAKING THE MOST OF “PEOPLE TIME”
Hire good people. It is better to hire people who are best-suited for a job than having to help them improve after they are employed. Spend time recruiting the best, put them to the test, and empower them to do the rest.
Teach people how to get to the point. How many times are you approached with the line “Do you have a couple minutes?” Use role-playing to teach people how to prepare conversations, get to the point, and deliver the bottom line. When the entire staff learns to get to the point, productivity increases.
Conduct walk-with-me meetings. Don’t allow a teacher or parent to make you late for a scheduled appointment. Inform them of your time constraint, then ask them to meet while you walk to the meeting.
Practice the Golden Rule. If you treat others the way you want them to treat you, you won’t waste precious time righting wrongs or patching-up soured relationships.
Cut the crap. Don’t beat around the bush for fear you might offend someone. You don’t have the time to waste. Without being aggressive or arrogant, make your point in a direct manner. Being indirect creates confusion and wastes time. People will learn to respect your forthrightness if you are sincere.

Robbery

During a robbery, one of the robbers mask slid down.
He looked at a man and asked. Did you see my face?
The man said yes! The robber shot him.
Then he asked a woman. Did you see my face?
She said no, but my husband over there did.

Brock EA Falcon

12 Things PMS Stands For:

1. Pass My Shotgun
2. Psychotic Mood Shift
3. Perpetual Munching Spree
4. Puffy Mid-Section
5. People Make me Sick
6. Provide Me with Sweets
7. Pardon My Sobbing
8. Pimples May Surface
9. Pass My Sweat pants
10. Plainly; Men Suck
11. Pack My Stuff
12. Potential Murder Suspect

Three dreams of a man:

To be as handsome as his mother thinks.
To be as rich as his child believes.
To have as many women as his wife suspects...

Brock EA Falcon

Handling Parent Complaints -- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by Max Fischer
Seasoned teachers will recognize all three types of parents -- the good, the bad, and the ugly Less seasoned teachers will learn from Max's experiences and from his tips for handling all types of parent complaints.

After chastising the student for deliberate disobedience and insubordination, somehow I knew a different story would work its way home. Sure enough! That very same afternoon the boy's father, a reputed bounty hunter, called me at school to demand an immediate conference.

The next day, I shook inwardly as the 6-foot-4-inch, 250-pound "paralegal" strode purposefully down the hall. After sitting, I attempted to share my side of the story, but the father raised his right hand like a crossing guard and stopped my speech. "No!" he said curtly, his moustache arched like a bullwhip. "You listen to me now; then I'll listen to you!" The man had my full attention. I let him talk. I listened as he spouted a litany of perceived injustices perpetrated against his son. Meanwhile, colleagues -- clearly concerned for my physical well-being -- periodically peered in the window of my closed door to be assured of my safety.

WHEN HE FINISHED...

When the father was finished, true to his word, he listened to me as I explained what had actually happened. His boy had been deliberately disobedient. He had refused to turn in his test at the prescribed time. When I challenged him after a casual warning, the boy became insolent. Forcefully, he thrust his test into my face. I stood up from my desk in a millisecond and issued a tongue-lashing that would have made any drill sergeant proud. By the end of our meeting, the parent was able to manage a smile as he shook my hand. He guaranteed me that his son would not get out of line in the future. The fact of the matter is that, after that meeting, the boy was a model student for the balance of the school year.

THE GOOD

That parent complaint and others I have handled through the years have taught me some valuable lessons -- lessons that have helped me in all my dealings with critical, rationally minded parents. These are some of the lessons I have learned:
1. Don't procrastinate. In most cases, when a parent raises a concern via a note or phone message, the simplest, most direct method of coming to a successful resolution is to meet with or call that parent as soon as possible. If the situation involves inappropriate action by a student, I have learned that doing nothing gives the student a distinct advantage; the student has every opportunity to lobby his or her position with the parent, increasing the chances that a small event will become a festering wound that colors all my future contact with that parent.
2. Genuinely acknowledge a parent's concern. Parents fear that their concerns will not be acknowledged, let alone handled fairly. I always allow parents the opportunity to vent, to express their protest first. I try never to be in a hurry to speak; I have learned to listen carefully. Some complaints are obvious and direct. Others actually mask underlying circumstances or conditions I am not even aware of. I also try to put myself in the parents' shoes and approach the problem from their perspective. And I always try to confirm -- and even affirm -- their perception of the problem before offering my own explanation of the situation.
3. Be assertive but not abrasive. If the situation involves a clear-cut breach of classroom or school conduct by the student, I carefully explain the rationale behind my action. I state clearly that classroom rules apply to each and every student, no exceptions. At that point, my adrenaline might be rushing, but I make a conscious effort to speak without losing my cool. An overtly defensive posture, punctuated by obvious non-verbal signals -- crossed arms, rolling eyes, a furrowed brow, a frown -- just end up pouring gas on the fire. So does a negative tone or statements such as "Your child is out of control!" or "Tough luck, that's the way it is."
4. Document all efforts. Just to be on the safe side, I make a note of any communication I've had with parents about any kind of complaint. In the vast majority of cases, the notes end up being thrown away. However, on rare occasions, the documentation has proven useful in establishing a timeline of events.
If I have met with the parent in a timely fashion, validated their concern with an authentic ear, and presented logical reasoning in a professional manner, in most cases the parent will desist, or at least grudgingly understand. Often parents don't get both sides of the story from their offspring; they relent with mitigating evidence. If a parent is still dissatisfied despite my efforts, it might be advisable to offer to set up a meeting with a building administrator. In those cases, I take great care to supply my principal with all details of the situation in advance of the meeting.

THE BAD

What about parents who are not so rationally inclined? Even usually well-mannered parents can come into school like enraged protectors, on the hunt for a pound of flesh. Surely their presence demands an immediate meeting. In those cases, all I can do is listen and try to keep them from bolting for the administrator's office to seek redress from the unknown, illogical way I've added insult to the initial grievance -- whatever that might have been. In those cases, I usually allow a day to pass before contacting the parent again. Then I might use a neutralizing statement -- such as "I don't think we really had an opportunity to communicate yesterday; perhaps we could try again" -- in an attempt to break the ice. The parent, having had time to reflect upon the previous day's scene, might also be in a more temperate frame of mind; a state more conducive to reason.

AND THE UGLY

Finally, there is the parent who is irrational 24/7; the parent who will not be satisfied -- in any way, shape, or form -- no matter what you do. Every teacher knows that parent. Barely a week into the school year, you wince at the sound of that parent's voice or the whisper of that parent's name. Fortunately, those parents are rare, but what they lack in numbers they make up for in their total lack of reason. I have experienced a few of those parents during my years as a classroom teacher. The best I can hope for in a meeting with them is to work in at least a couple elements of my four-point approach. Most often, though, those parents end up in the principal's office. I think some unknown paranoia convinces them that behind every teacher's door lurks a vicious plot against their child. The experiences (or psychoses) that have created that condition are as varied as the stars in the heavens. And all heaven knows when such a parent arrives at your classroom door!
My best success with a few -- very few -- of those parents has been to make learning such an enjoyable experience for their children that I never give them access to ammunition that might be used against me.

NO MONEY-BACK GUARANTEES

Handling parental complaints is a delicate challenge for any teacher. It's not as if we are discount stores handing out money-back guarantees. Teachers are the fulcrums that must balance the personal concerns of individual parents with the educational welfare of the entire class.

Golf perspective

One day, a grandpa and his grandson go golfing. The young one is really good and the old one is just giving him tips. They are on hole 8 and there is a tree in the way and the grandpa says, "When I was your age, I would hit the ball right over that tree." So, the grandson hits the ball and it bumps against the tree and lands not to far from where it started. "Of course," added the grandpa, "when I was your age, the tree was only 3 feet tall."

Brock EA Falcon

Perspective

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.

Old Age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother or father!), but I don't agonize over those things for long. I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less grey hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself.

I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's & 70's(and the 50's), and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love . I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not
break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect. I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning grey, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)

Meet the parents

A young woman visits her parents and brings her fiancé to meet them. After an elaborate dinner, the mother tells her husband to find out about the young man. The father invites the fiancée to his library for a drink.
“So what are your plans?” The father asks the young man.
“I am a Torah scholar.” He says.
“A Torah scholar, Hmmm,” the father says.
“Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in, as she is accustomed to?”
“I will study,” the young man said, and God will provide for us.”
“And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring, such as she deserves?” asks the father.
“I will concentrate on my studies,” the young man replies, “God will provide for us.”
“And children?” asks the father. “How will you support children?”
“Don’t worry, sir, God will provide,” replies the fiancé. The conversation continues like this, and each time the father questions, the young idealist insist that God will provide.
Later, the mother asks, “How did it go, Honey?” The father answers, “He has no job and no plans, but the good news is he thinks I’m God.”

Brock EA Falcon

Leadership

A recent study of beginning teachers in the USA has important messages for school leadership (Susan M. Kardos and Susan Moore Johnson, ‘On their own and presumed expert: New teachers’ experience with their colleagues’, Teachers College Record, Vol.109, No. 9, 2007, pp.2083–2106, http://www.tcrecord.org ID 12812).

The data show that many beginning teachers find they are expected to be expert and independent from the start, even though they want and need collaboration and even though collaboration is known to contribute to school effectiveness.

The authors conclude that schools need an ‘integrated professional culture’ which
1 promotes frequent and reciprocal interaction among staff with different levels of experience
2 recognises new teachers’ needs as beginners
3 develops shared responsibility among all teachers in the school.

They say: ‘Principals and school leaders could promote professional cultures that support new teachers by paying closer attention to the particular needs of the new teachers. New teachers need sheltered opportunities to improve their craft; they need access to additional help with their students, their teaching, and the encouragement to ask for this help from colleagues and administrators; and they need opportunities to contribute their special talents and skills to the school community. Principals and school leaders themselves could be actively engaged in visibly granting this sort of status to new teachers and deliberately creating the kind of professional environment where new teachers’ needs are recognized and met, both by establishing formal programs for new teachers and also by challenging the time-worn “sink or swim” approach.’

This is an under-researched area in Australia but the situation sounds similar. The loneliness of the beginning teacher needs more deliberate attention.

Success

This scientist was telling a colleague, "I have worked for many years
to develop an acid that would eat anything and I finally did it.” So I invested everything I had and could borrow into it.
“You must have made a fortune,” commented his friend. “No! I lost all my investments. I couldn't find anything to ship it in.” replied the scientist.

Brock EA Falcon

Listening

"Listening is such a simple act. It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don't have to do anything else. We don't have to advise, or coach or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen." --Margaret J. Wheatley

Penguin trip

A police officer sees a man driving around with a pickup truck full of penguins. He pulls the guy over and says, "You can't drive around with penguins in this town! Take them to the zoo immediately."
The guy says okay, and drives away. The next day, the officer sees the guy still driving around with the truck full of penguins -- and they're all wearing sunglasses. He pulls the guy over and demands, "I thought I told you to take these penguins to the zoo yesterday?"
The guy replies, "I did. Today I'm taking them to the beach!"

Brock EA Falcon

Peter Brock modifying Falcons ? Well, yes, he did. When HSV took over from HDT and Peter Brock was no longer able to build his Brock Commodores, along with some other ex-employees he formed a company called Austech Automotive Developments and he approached Ford about modifying and selling the EA Brock Falcon. The relationship lasted less than a year and ended when Ford took on Tickford as their performance supplier. Fewer than 200 Brock Fords were built, the most reliable figures being 126 Falcons and Fairmonts, 18 Fairlanes, 11 Mavericks and 5 top of the range SE’s.

Open to possibilities

"Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities -- always see them, for they're always there." -- Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

"One of the saddest lines in the world is, 'Oh come now - be realistic.' The best parts of this world were not fashioned by those who were realistic. They were fashioned by those who dared to look hard at their wishes and gave them horses to ride." -- Richard Nelson Bolles

"The world would have you agree with its dismal dream of limitation. But the light would have you soar like the eagle of your sacred visions." -- Alan Cohen

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -- Walt Disney

Grapes

Q: What did the green grape say to the purple grape?

A: "BREATHE YOU IDIOT, BREATHE!"

Dick Johnson XE Grand Prix turbo Falcon

One of the variables between the CDT and MVT built cars appears to be the position of the bonnet vent. Compare the vent on this car

Put Excitement in Your Lessons!

By Larry Bell
I hear a lot of teachers say, “That child is unmotivated. She doesn’t care.” To that teacher I have this response: There is no such thing as an unmotivated child. What that child is, is uninspired. Then I add, “And I believe that an empowered teacher -- a teacher who believes he or she can reach all their students -- inspires young people.”
The main thing I have found for inspiring the un-inspirable is this: Teachers must put excitement in their lesson plans. I propose that it is hard to inspire anyone by boring them to death. The best way to excite students is to be excited yourself about what you are teaching. We educators must be excited every day we walk through that door. My gosh, if we are teaching it and can’t get excited about it, how do we expect students -- especially our most challenged students -- to get excited about what we are doing? All teachers need to create lesson plans that are going to inspire their students. But there are some other things teachers can do to make their classes inspiring.
Guest speakers. When I was in the classroom, I often generated excitement in a topic by inviting guest speakers to speak to my science students. I invited professionals in their fields to speak on their topics of expertise. Some people think guest speakers are a waste of time, but I see them as a way to achieve my state standards. I see them as a way to inspire students while keeping the academic integrity of my classes intact. One year, when my students were studying weather, I invited a local TV meteorologist into my classroom to bring life to our unit. I watched the excitement happen as kids listened to her, asked questions, and related her talk to relevant curriculum material we had covered. This speaker proved inspiring. It was time very well spent. I also invited former students to be guest speakers in my classroom. Students who went on to college and are taking classes relevant to my curriculum can get my current students excited by telling them about how the information I’m teaching is helping them in what they’re doing in college. In addition, my students need role models and former students who are having success in college are great role models.
Academic Games. Games like “Jeopardy” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” are popular with students who -- let’s face it -- spend a lot of time in front of the tube. I contend that it is possible to use games such as those and keep the academic integrity of my curriculum intact. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not advocating that games be used in the classroom every day. If you did that, the games would quickly bore students too. But, from time to time, why not spice up your class with an academic game? Knowing there will be a game tomorrow might inspire students to do some class-related reading tonight.
Interviews. If you’re planning to teach about a topic that relates to everyone’s life in some way, why not have kids go home and interview their parents or neighbours about the topic in question? What was the worst weather incident a family member or neighbour can recall? Where were they when they learned that Martin Luther King, Jr., had been assassinated? What book read as a child brings back the happiest memories? Have students share the responses they collected as others take notes. Even your most resistant students might tell about things they learned by interviewing family and friends. The interview technique can also be used to collect data to be graphed in math class. It can be used to help students collect information as they write their autobiographies in language arts. Interviews can be used to generate many different and inspiring lessons.
Competition. Another way to get kids excited is to use friendly competition in the classroom. Arrange students into teams and have them compete against each other as they gather information, answer questions, or complete assignments. When I was in the classroom, I created at TV show called “It’s Scientific” that I modeled on a local TV game show called “It’s Academic.” I chose four representatives from each of my classes and had them compete during our school’s club time. I videotaped the game and showed that video to all my classes. It was so exciting as kids watched and joined in on the fun.
Guest speakers, academic games, interviews, and friendly competitions can get kids excited about learning. But the most important thing of all is for teachers to model excitement and enthusiasm.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm.” We educators must show every day what we want our students to feel.

Relationship help

Subject: Computer Hard and Software:
Dear Tech Support:
Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0. I soon noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of space and valuable resources. In addition, Wife 1.0 installed itself into all other programs and now monitors all other system>activity. Applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Football 5.0, Hunting and Fishing 7.5, and Racing 3.6 no longer run, crashing the system whenever selected.

I can't seem to keep Wife 1.0 in the background while attempting to run my favorite applications. I'm thinking about going back to Girlfriend 7.0, but the uninstall doesn't work on Wife 1.0. Please help!
Thanks,
A Troubled User. (KEEP READING)
______________________________________

REPLY:
Dear Troubled User:

This is a very common problem that men complain about.
Many people upgrade from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0, thinking that it is just a Utilities and Entertainment program. Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and is designed by its Creator to run EVERYTHING!!! It is also impossible to delete Wife 1.0 and to return to Girlfriend 7.0. It is impossible to uninstall, or purge the program files from the system once installed.
You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is designed to not allow this. Look in your Wife 1.0 manual under Warnings-Alimony-Child Support. I recommend that you keep Wife1.0 and work on improving the situation. I suggest installing the background application "Yes Dear" to alleviate software augmentation.
The best course of action is to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE because ultimately you will have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the system will return to normal anyway.
Wife 1.0 is a great program, but it tends to be very high maintenance. Wife 1.0 comes with several support programs, such as Clean and Sweep 3.0, Cook It 1.5 and Do Bills 4.2. However, be very careful how you use these programs. Improper use will cause the system to launch the program Nag, Nag 9.5. Once this happens, the only way to improve the performance of Wife 1.0 is to purchase additional software. I recommend Flowers 2.1 and Diamonds 5.0! WARNING!!! DO NOT, under any circumstances, install Secretary With Short Skirt 3.3. This application is not supported by Wife 1.0 and will cause irreversible damage to the operating system.

Best of luck,
Tech Support

Dick Johnson XE Grand Prix turbo Falcon

This is a Psychopath Test

Read this question, come up with an answer and then scroll down to the bottom for the result. This is not a trick question. It is as it reads. No one I know has got it right.

A woman, while at the funeral of her own mother, met a guy whom she did not know. She thought this guy was amazing. She believed him to be her dream guy so much, that she fell in love with him right there, but never asked for his number and could not find him.

A few days later she killed her sister.

Question: What is her motive for killing her sister?

[Give this some thought before you answer. See below]

Answer:
She was hoping the guy would appear at the funeral again.
If you answered this correctly, you think like a psychopath. This was a test by a famous American Psychologist used to test if one has the same mentality as a killer. Many arrested serial killers took part in the test and answered the question correctly.
If you didn't answer the question correctly, good for you!
If you got the answer correct, please let me know so I can take you off my email list..

Drunk philosophy

This guy goes up to a bar located at the top of the Empire State Building in New York. It looks like a nice place, and he takes a seat at the bar.

"This is a nice place. I've never been here before," he says to the guy next to him.
"Oh, really?" the other replies. "It is a nice place. It's also a very special bar."
"Why is that?" the first guy asks. "Well, do you see that painting on the far wall? That's an original Van Gogh, and this stool I'm sitting on was on the Titanic."
"Gee, that's amazing!" says the first guy.
"Not only that, but you see that window over there, fourth from the right? Well, the wind does strange things outside that window. If you jump out you'll fall about 50 feet before the wind catches you and you're pushed back up."
"No way! That's impossible," the guy scoffs.
"Not at all. Take a look," the other man replies, and with that he walks over to the window and opens it. He climbs over the sill and falls out. He drops 10... 20... 30... 40...50 feet, comes to a stop, and whoosh -- he comes right back up and sails back through the window. "See? It's fun. You should try it," he says.
"Try it? I don't even believe I saw it!" the first man shouts.
"It's easy. Watch, I'll do it again." And with that, he falls out the window again. He drops 10... 20... 30... 40... 50 feet, comes to a stop, and whoosh -- he comes right back up and sails back through the window. "Give it a try. It's a blast," he says.
"Well, what the heck, I'll give it a try," the first man says, and proceeds to fall out the window. He falls 10... 20... 30... 40... 50...60...70...80...90... 100 feet and splat -- he ends up as road pizza on the sidewalk.
After watching this, the second guy casually closes the window, heads back to the bar and orders a drink. The bartender arrives with the drink and says, "You know, Superman, you're a real jerk when you're drunk."

Dick Johnson XE Grand Prix turbo Falcon

Really be there for another

Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. You can see that when you think how the friends that really listen to us are the ones we move toward, and we want to sit in their radius as though it did us good, like ultraviolet rays." -- Brenda Ueland

How well do we communicate with others? Often, when we are interacting with others, our attention in both speaking and listening is focused on meeting our own needs.
Our communication skills improve when we can open to be aware of the needs of the other person. When we listen, we can release the filters that serve our own needs for security and receive the message with our compassionate heart. And when we speak, we can choose words that the listener is able to receive. True communication happens when we harmonize with the other individual.

"So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it." -- Jiddu Krishnamurt

The first duty of love is to listen." -- Paul Tillich

Perspective

With his ball and bat in hand Little Pete walked to home plate in an empty baseball field.
As he threw the ball up in the air, he announced, “I am the best ball player ever!” He swung with all his power, but missed. He did the same thing and missed again. He picked up the ball, tossed it up one more time, said “I am the best ball player in the world!” Then he swung and missed again. “Wow! He said. “What a pitcher!”

Dick Johnson XE Grand Prix turbo Falcon

Answers

Below, are examples of sixth grade research projects.
1. Ancient Egypt was inhabited by mummies and they all wrote in hydraulics. They lived in the Sarah Dessert. the climate of the Sarah is such that the inhabitants have to live elsewhere.
2. Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread which is bread made without any ingredients. Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandments. He died before he ever reached Canada. 3. Solomon had three hundred wives and seven porcupines.
4. The Greeks were a highly sculptured people and without them we wouldn't have history. The Greeks also had myths. A myth is a female moth.
5. Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock. After his death, his career suffered a dramatic decline.
6. In the Olympic games, Greeks ran races, jumped, hurled biscuits, and threw the java.
7. Julius Caesar extinguished himself on the battlefields of Gaul. The Ides of March murdered him because they thought he was going to be made king. Dying, he gasped out Tee hee, Brutus.
8. Joan of Arc was burnt to a steak and was canonized by Bernard Shaw.

Kid maths

A boy was teaching a girl arithmetic, he said it was his mission. He kissed her once; he kissed her twice and said, "Now that's addition." In silent satisfaction, she sweetly gave the kisses back and said, "Now that's subtraction." Then he kissed her, she kissed him, without an explanation. And both together smiled and said, "That's multiplication." Then her Dad appeared upon the scene and made a quick decision. He kicked that boy three blocks away and said, "That's long division!"

Dick Johnson XE Grand Prix turbo Falcon

With the demise of the Ford V8 as fitted to Falcons, it appears that Dick Johnson took the trouble to investigate turbocharging the six cylinder engine to make up for the loss in performance. The actual production of these cars is somewhat clouded in obscurity, but some of the information that has emerged is that there may have been 36 produced, of which all but six were blue, the other being red. Some may not have been turbocharged. While Dick had input, the initial batch of cars were built by CDT Performance Vehicles. Some years later, after the XE had left production, another company refurbished XE Falcons and sold them as turbocharged cars. It would appear that these cars built by MVT used twin Strombergs and had interiors trimmed similar to ESP’s.

Over the next few sessions I'' display some photos of what we believe to be an MVT produced car.


Dick Johnson XE Grand Prix turbo Falcon

The Mouse in School

"Vermin! Vermin!" Our
Teacher's voice was shrill!
And that much exuberance
Gave us kids a thrill.
Since our school isn't noted
For having much excitement,
We take what we get
And turn it in-to an event.
Teacher scrambled on top her desk.
My, but she could scoot!
And Johnny started throwing spitballs
As fast as he could shoot.
Betty grabbed the dustpan,
And Larry poked the broom
Behind the dusty bookcase
Which caused that mouse to zoom!
Kids were tipping over desks
And books were in the air.
You'd of thought a grizzly bear
Could cause so great a scare.
Finally, though, the game wore down.
The mouse tore out the door.
And teacher crawled down off her desk
And stood upon the floor.
"Now, Children, like I was saying
Before I climbed to get a view,
Find your notes, dust off your books;
It's time for our review.
Who can tell me, children,
If your brains have got calmed down,
Is 'vermin'… liked I used it…
An adjective or noun?"

Diplomat

Q. What is the true definition of a diplomat?
A. It is a person who can tell someone else to go to hell in a way that the other person will thank him for it!

XD Phase5 Falcon

The XD Phase5 was developed by a company called Phase Autos in Melbourne, and featured extended wheel arches, deep front spoiler, boot and roof spoilers, and a bonnet bulge. Phase Autos also offered a package of engine modifications, and the upgrading of the interior with Recaro seats and Momo steering wheel. Centreline wheels were also offered. It is not known how many were actually sold, but the figure five has been mentioned. While, with figures like this, no-one could consider the Phase5 a success, they sold many of the fibreglass components in kit form, and the wheel arch extensions in particular were used by most Ford teams for their XD and XE models competing in the Australian Touring Car races.

Honour for first wind-powered school

By Richard Garner, Education Editor The Independent, London:

A village primary school was celebrating last night after bringing a new sense of pride to a former mining community devastated by a pit closure. The 107-pupil Cassop Primary School in Durham has become the first in the UK to be wind-powered through a wind turbine located in the school grounds. It also became the first to win an award for the country's greenest school as part of the prestigious National Teaching Awards – screened live on BBC2.

The school's dedication to teaching about the environment, which has led to a host of educationalists visiting from abroad to see what they can learn from it, stems from a biologist, Jim McManners, becoming its headteacher thirty years ago. At that time the local colliery was the main employer. It closed abruptly in 1983 – a year before the miners' strike – on safety grounds because of flood fears. "I thought there were great possibilities about using the environment because I thought it was something that people in the village could be proud of," said Mr McManners.

One of the school's first initiatives was to campaign for part of the pit heap to be turned into a nature reserve after pupils discovered its natural habitat was being destroyed by tipping. One pupil, Leanne Gott, wrote to the body left in charge of colliery land, saying: "I'm writing to say please would you help save the wildlife because a very cruel man is destroying important land and we need all the help we can get. The animals that are there are in great danger." The quarry is a now a nature area often visited by the children. The school introduced measures to save energy years before climate change and sustainability became major issues. It has solar panels on the roof for heating, while the school boiler uses recycled wood chips. It also has its own "green team" – pupils who make sure lights are turned off and energy is saved. A gadget also shows how much carbon dioxide is being produced by the school every hour – enabling the "green team" to watch the figure falling as they work.

A report last week produced by the Cambridge academic Professor Robin Alexander, noted that today's seven to 11-year-olds were anxious about climate change, but that in schools that involved them in tackling the energy crisis that fear evaporated. Mr McManners believes this is the right approach. "You don't want to frighten them to death so they think there's no point in doing anything," he said. The school also encourages the green team to come up with their own ideas – and one adopted recently has been to extend the school's recycling scheme to include papers.

Pupils are also being encouraged to grow their own vegetables at the school. Cassop Primary received its award at the London Palladium from Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls, who said: "We are lucky as a society to have such a talented group of people working to improve the lives of our children. The value they bring to our society is priceless." The school is even trying to persuade parents in the village to conserve energy. "One dad has made a wind turbine out of old car parts," said Mr McManners. It has also achieved another of the head's aims as the local community has something new to shout about. After the pit closure, pupil numbers plummeted. Now the school is oversubscribed and people are moving back into an area that is considered to be one of natural beauty.

One kiss

At a fabric store, a pretty girl spots a nice material for a dress and asks the male clerk: How much does it costs? “Only one kiss per yard,” replied the male clerk with a smirk.
“That’s fine,” said the girl. I’ll take ten yards.”
With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the clerk quickly measured out the cloth, wrapped it up, and then teasingly held it out. The girl took the bag and pointed to the old man standing beside her, and smiled, “Grandpa will pay the bill.”

XD John Goss Special

Also of some interest is that there were XD John Goss Specials. These were not factory cars but dealer specials, offered by a Sydney firm, Trad Trim and Sunroofs. They featured revised suspension, and fibreglass wheel arch extensions, bonnet bulge and rear wing, plus JGS striping and badging. For anyone interested in these cars there is a letter about them in Issue Five of AMC magazine, including a photograph and a reproduction of the advert.

An XD JGS recently came up for sale in Australia. Here are some photos. It is nice to see it still used Aunger wheels.

Learn from experience

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him." -- Aldous Huxley

What was your peak experience of this past week?
What was your most challenging experience?

Stepping back to review your week can offer many insights. Normally we can’t see the forest for the trees. Now back away and see the whole forest. Review your week. Now write a short summary -- whatever comes to mind for you. If action is required, plan how you will accomplish it in the next week.

"Ask the experienced rather than the learned." -- Arabic proverb

"Experience is that marvellous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again." -- Franklin P. Jones

Trade vs professional

A very well dressed and dignified lawyer called a plumber to fix his flooded bathroom. When the plumber arrived, he was carrying an extra set of overalls and took off his cap with the words “Blue Collar Man” on the brim. The dapper, impeccably groomed and expensively dressed lawyer smirked in a condescending way and said: "Interesting cap! And do you usually need a change of OVERALLS?"

The plumber just smiled. When he was done the plumber gave him the bill, and told him he had to get some more equipment from his truck. He explained that he needed a new assistant because of all the work and was short-handed. He asked the lawyer if he knew of any friends who might want the job.

The lawyer raised his eyebrows and pointed at his suit, his shoes and his office: "Now, do I LOOK like someone who would have a plumber for a friend?"

"You're right. A high class white-collar guy like you would never know plumbers." said the plumber apologetically.

"Exactly! After all, I have high standards!" sneered the upper-crust lawyer, as he checked his shoes to make sure the shine was still perfect and carefully tightened the knot of his tie.

When the plumber returned, he entered the lawyer's office and there in the garbage can were the lawyer's brand new mirror-polished $700 Brooks Brothers capote business shoes, with the black silk socks rolled up and tucked neatly inside.

On the floor was the hand-tailored $2,000 Armani pinstriped business suit the lawyer had been wearing, with attached paisley suspenders, as well as the natty Hermes silk tie and the matching pocket square, monogrammed gold cufflinks, starched white shirt, silver tiepin and Rolex. His law degree and briefcase were also piled up next to them.

The plumber went in and the first there was the lawyer in overalls, lying under the sink with his bare feet sticking out. The plumber tapped on the soles of the lawyer's feet. The lawyer looked out, with the “Blue Collar Man” cap on top of his hundred-dollar haircut and sweat streaming down his face. He pointed at the bill and said, "You found your assistant".

Bowdens photos

Shortcuts

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." --Beverly Sills, opera singer

Giving thanks

At a Sunday school class the teacher asked a child; do you pray to God before lunch or dinner?
The child said, “No ma'am, my mum's a good cook!”

Bowdens photos

Pea Sea

Pea Sea

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me straight a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.