Winter webs abound...

My wife went and vacuumed the spiders, eggs and webs from the back and front porches yesterday - she was in a cleaning frenZZy. Tonight after dinner I look through the newest web and say goodnight to the setting Sun. For, she never got them all, and they do fill the void as fast as we take them out of action. I once thought it was the Winter coming, Halloween webs and such, but have decided they don't really build webs any faster than they always do. What seems to be missing is the normal number of birds, eating, flying through the air going after the insects in flight. When the birds start departing, the cool is coming and the spiders have no more flapping, darting birds breaking up the webs.

The entire Gun Control debate (it is only being debated by fools so it isn't important) looks very much like the Keep Iran from getting Nuclear Weapons debate. No one is telling the Swiss they can't have nuclear weapons, nor Germans, nor Swedes. Are they? Just like the Gun Control debate thinks that as long as they don't have a nuclear bomb they will love Jews and Israel, just like all the drug lords and gang bangers will be wonderful non violent thieves and rapists if we just control the guns. Don't look at what you fear, look at what causes the fear. The problem is stupid people blaming their problems on a country that doesn't threaten their country - but the idea of that country does threaten their country, which hasn't any working effective ideas.

The idea that rich people are too powerful to control without the government is interesting, but probably just another bad idea. If they are powerful they will control the government, look at the United States and the two major political parties. No amount of taxing the rich to support the poor will ever make our country or its potential promise better. The potential promise is that if I go out and work hard, save, invest wisely and belong to no one that doesn't love me - I will be great. Unfortunately, the government really does get in the way of my dreams.

I am watching the television ads for more Math and Science teachers, and the programs to produce more of them, through the school systems (colleges and universities that have produced the current crops of too few, too poorly motivated, and in debt beyond the ability to repay student loans).  Better idea, hire off the streets.
Seriously, hire people willing, educated and experienced. It will work better than thinking that the certificate or idle notes from busy colleges looking for the next students to teach. If you think a teachers certificate means something, then take it away from the teachers that don't meet the standards of well educated students. That is the goal isn't it?

What we need is a scoreboard, bragging rights, a measure of success. A way to count coup. I know I can teach, but the system doesn't want my ability, until I meet all its artificial requirements. There weren't any, except for age for my becoming a student.