Reading about various securities breaches in US airports makes a person wonder if current security procedures are truly implemented.
For instance since when an older guy in wheel chair or a toddler are security threats and must be patted down? While on the other hand we look the other way afraid of "profiling". Some might ask why Shadi you are from Middle East that means you will get profiled?
When I talk about profiling our TSA personal need to be trained at spotting people that would stand out and at the same time use technology to aid in that. I understand getting all technology scanners all over the nations airport can be costly but if you think about it the cost is alot cheaper the going to war and acting after the fact.
Why cant we:
1) Look for passenger that fit profile of age group that commit those unspeakable crimes.
2) Create a national registry for passengers that are welling to go thru background check and provide them with ID to enable ease of travel for them and have a specialize lane (this is being done but on small scale)
3) Create a conveyor for passenger to step on, get scanned and read their vital signs for any signs of stress or out of ordinary and flag them.
4) Create a harsher punishment for anyone that trespass security lanes, by longer prison sentence and fines that equal amount of damage caused by flight delays and extra security at airport.
4) eliminate the 3oz rule and have machines that can scan the liquids inside
Just few of my thoughts, looking forward for additional ones.
5)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Schools juggling Obama speech
Why are we afraid of education? Is it because when our kids have education they become better leaders in our society? Or is it a future president might be among them that can be affiliated with one party or another? Or is it because this is America the land of the free, hence we choose to have our kids fail and lag behind industrial nations?
The overblown debate about The President of the United States speaking directly to our kids is without merits. How could anyone truly debate or form an opinion regarding words he has not spoken or even read the transcript of his speech.
After reading the speech transcript on Monday (September 07, 2009), I was truly shocked about President Obama and his choice of words, shame on you Mr. President for telling our kids that education matter and how dare he tell our kids that each and every one of them has something to offer to his country.
I have to agree with North Gibson County Superintendents (Tom Miller) not podcasting the speech; the speech is full of political agendas which I will give examples of:
1) President talks about the important of education to our kids; he must be pushing
his education policy. OR encouraging them to stay in school?
2) President talks about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain
cancer but still overcoming it and now he is going to college, this is defiantly a push
for his health care reform. OR giving example of working hard no matter what
obstacle life throws at you?
3) Let’s not forget when President mentions Jazmin Perez from Roma Texas and not
speaking English but she worked hard to get education and will be Dr. Perez. This is
for sure a push towards immigration issues OR is it another example of working
hard to reach ones goal?
To our educators who fails to see that an important figure, a person that the majority (I would hope ALL is the answer) of our children know who he is, will be speaking directly to them and gives them encouraging words about the importance of education, should take this opportunity as a positive step and build on it. We should give thanks to Tom Shelton the superintendent from Daviess County who is taken this opportunity to build lesson plans around it. Tom Shelton is a true educator in my view.
I can think of few things I can do after the speech, how about encourage our school kids to “write” (this might be a new word for few educators) about their future goals OR have an exercise of asking the class to come up with different ways they think they can improve education and make learning FUN. How about send their input to the President after a healthy debate in class regarding his speech. At minimum our educators could talk about the different branches of the government and the importance of each branch after the speech.
To quote the President: “So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?” I think these questions are for all of us not just our kids.
Let us encourage our future generation to Dream Big and Work Hard to reach their dreams and goals while we support them along the way.
The overblown debate about The President of the United States speaking directly to our kids is without merits. How could anyone truly debate or form an opinion regarding words he has not spoken or even read the transcript of his speech.
After reading the speech transcript on Monday (September 07, 2009), I was truly shocked about President Obama and his choice of words, shame on you Mr. President for telling our kids that education matter and how dare he tell our kids that each and every one of them has something to offer to his country.
I have to agree with North Gibson County Superintendents (Tom Miller) not podcasting the speech; the speech is full of political agendas which I will give examples of:
1) President talks about the important of education to our kids; he must be pushing
his education policy. OR encouraging them to stay in school?
2) President talks about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain
cancer but still overcoming it and now he is going to college, this is defiantly a push
for his health care reform. OR giving example of working hard no matter what
obstacle life throws at you?
3) Let’s not forget when President mentions Jazmin Perez from Roma Texas and not
speaking English but she worked hard to get education and will be Dr. Perez. This is
for sure a push towards immigration issues OR is it another example of working
hard to reach ones goal?
To our educators who fails to see that an important figure, a person that the majority (I would hope ALL is the answer) of our children know who he is, will be speaking directly to them and gives them encouraging words about the importance of education, should take this opportunity as a positive step and build on it. We should give thanks to Tom Shelton the superintendent from Daviess County who is taken this opportunity to build lesson plans around it. Tom Shelton is a true educator in my view.
I can think of few things I can do after the speech, how about encourage our school kids to “write” (this might be a new word for few educators) about their future goals OR have an exercise of asking the class to come up with different ways they think they can improve education and make learning FUN. How about send their input to the President after a healthy debate in class regarding his speech. At minimum our educators could talk about the different branches of the government and the importance of each branch after the speech.
To quote the President: “So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?” I think these questions are for all of us not just our kids.
Let us encourage our future generation to Dream Big and Work Hard to reach their dreams and goals while we support them along the way.
Monday, August 24, 2009
EVSC and Artificial turf; real beauty
On Aug 22, 2009 Evansville Courier & Press published an article titled: “Artificial turf; real beauty”
Link provided below:
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/21/artificial-turf-real-beauty
On June 3, 2007, Vincent Bertram (EVSC Superintendent) said his Harvard experience showed him how "education policy decisions have long-term consequences for children." Also on March 17, 2008 he said "Educating all children to high levels requires a community effort."
I fail to see how spending $800K on fake grass that last only 10 years ($80K/Year) is a step forward towards education!
While the five $1,500 scholarships recently awarded to EVSC high school graduates who are furthering their education are a great reward for those kids; we just showed them though that spending more on fake grass supersede their future.
EVSC could have spent the $80k/year wisely such as awarding a full scholarships to high school graduates who excel not only academically but in sports, what a great news article that would been seeing for example 8 of our future kids have a $10K scholarship. OR, not charging the $70/year for the new Netbooks, or hiring more teachers. Instead I read about $800K fake grass and how it will be green in October!
Well the grass will not be greener when the US slips again in ranking in science, math and reading. On August 18th, 2009 the U.S. Students' Rankings on International Assessments were released and to no surprise other countries are passing us. According to U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan :”… while other countries' students are swimming faster and farther. Our students have stagnated educationally, putting our long-term economic security at risk.” In math, our 15-year-olds' scores now lag behind those of 31countries. In science, our eighth graders' scores now lag behind their peers in eight countries that had also participated in the original assessment. In reading, five countries have improved their performance and surpassed our 4th graders.
So yes Evansville Vanderburgh SPORT Corporation, let us reward those 3 schools that are on either Academic Watch or Probation and tell our students its OK you are failing academically but we will have a green grass in October. EVCS needs a new leadership with longer term outlook that enhances our future generation and propel us to the 21st century and stop our dependence on migrating our technical expertise overseas.
Link provided below:
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/21/artificial-turf-real-beauty
On June 3, 2007, Vincent Bertram (EVSC Superintendent) said his Harvard experience showed him how "education policy decisions have long-term consequences for children." Also on March 17, 2008 he said "Educating all children to high levels requires a community effort."
I fail to see how spending $800K on fake grass that last only 10 years ($80K/Year) is a step forward towards education!
While the five $1,500 scholarships recently awarded to EVSC high school graduates who are furthering their education are a great reward for those kids; we just showed them though that spending more on fake grass supersede their future.
EVSC could have spent the $80k/year wisely such as awarding a full scholarships to high school graduates who excel not only academically but in sports, what a great news article that would been seeing for example 8 of our future kids have a $10K scholarship. OR, not charging the $70/year for the new Netbooks, or hiring more teachers. Instead I read about $800K fake grass and how it will be green in October!
Well the grass will not be greener when the US slips again in ranking in science, math and reading. On August 18th, 2009 the U.S. Students' Rankings on International Assessments were released and to no surprise other countries are passing us. According to U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan :”… while other countries' students are swimming faster and farther. Our students have stagnated educationally, putting our long-term economic security at risk.” In math, our 15-year-olds' scores now lag behind those of 31countries. In science, our eighth graders' scores now lag behind their peers in eight countries that had also participated in the original assessment. In reading, five countries have improved their performance and surpassed our 4th graders.
So yes Evansville Vanderburgh SPORT Corporation, let us reward those 3 schools that are on either Academic Watch or Probation and tell our students its OK you are failing academically but we will have a green grass in October. EVCS needs a new leadership with longer term outlook that enhances our future generation and propel us to the 21st century and stop our dependence on migrating our technical expertise overseas.
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