For info on how one thing beats another (Enlarge)

K, thanks for that

Confused... Confused Gandalf???

You're words have touched me in special places and now I feel like hang gliding. Bravo sir. Bra-vo

and of course my gif takes a shit on me. Nice.

yup a thumb for you

/:insert"TicTacToe.scrpt"=true
.;/run1-1-0/11-11/22
/convert/

\hmm

what are you trying to do

well apparently if you put a \ and then a - it goes a bit crazy
-test

/:insert"TicTacToe.scrpt"=true
.;/run1-1-0/11-11/22
/convert/

that went horribly wrong, it was supposed to be a big x
-/
-X-
/-\

\hmm

what are you trying to do

well apparently if you put a \ and then a - it goes a bit crazy
-test

/:insert"TicTacToe.scrpt"=true
.;/run1-1-0/11-11/22
/convert/

Is it weird that I nostalgia'd over a stick?

or one of these

Is it weird that I nostalgia'd over a stick?

Every person should have a basic ability to read, write, speak on an adult level, and do basic arithmetic. Out of the 600+ people in my graduating class about 80 didn't graduate. Out of the other ~520 there were people who had just skimmed by with D's in basic algebra and English courses (as well as other classes,) which required little more than the ability to read and write a one to two page report. I understand that my mechanic doesn't need to know calculus the same way I know my college professor doesn't need to know house wiring to be professional, however without basic skills people can't be expected to survive and a lot of people are graduating from public schools (and private as well,) without these skills. Clearly there is something wrong with the public education system, however I don't think it's the lack of adaptation to the student's prospective field of work (which most high school students don't know anyway.) The real issue, I believe, is the constantly increasing student:teacher ratio and the difficulty of teaching big classes, especially in urban areas. All of the blame doesn't fall upon the school system though, I believe at least part of the blame falls on the student and parents. The emphasis on education is no longer there. In the 60's and 70's parents had very high expectations for their children and children felt the need to live up to those expectations, regardless of sex or race. In today's society students tend to think that they can just work their way up a ladder and education, especially among the young urban poor is not valued highly thus students don't try as hard. I've actually had people in my old high school classes say that after graduation that they wanted to live off of welfare with a serious face.

I kinda rambled for a while and might have lost focus at some point, sorry if that's the case.

I don't shy away from the ramblings, I do quite a few long winding posts myself.

I agree with most of what you are saying, there are many, many severe and serious problems with education in general. One major one Is the idea that people of the same age should automatically be placed on the same academic level. The difficulty involved in getting extra help where you need it and moving ahead in areas you don't is another. I have a 134 IQ myself, but I was a low C student because I was bored senseless and slept through most of my classes. One of my teachers actually gave out the unit tests before she taught the unit to assess the students' understanding of the subject so she knew what to focus on. I aced these pre-unit tests consistantly. With zero prior classroom learning I scored consistently 95-100% and then despite my clearly demonstrated grasp on the subject, had to sit through lectures, fill out worksheets, write essays. The education system fails the gifted just as equally as it fails the below average, mainly because, as the comic above states, it tries to produce functional adults in a factory like environment, no room for variation or individuality, everything standardized, either fit in or fail out. I did more learning outside of school then I ever did in school.

I agree that people need certain basic skillsets for survival in the world, and you get most of what you NEED before you reach highschool, but many of what I consider basic life skills were not taught in my school. Filing taxes, filling out applications, writing resumes, interview skills, we spent a single 45 minute class covering these topics, but we spent 4 entire weeks learning to diagram sentences (and you use a diagonal dotted line to show the adverb connected to the verb that it modifies) but at least these critical skills did get a passing mention, some that were completely ignored were changing a tire, CPR and other basic medical knowledge, field survival skills.

I got it while picking up demonic tickets.

Yeah, I have 21 books of rape. I'll send you one.

I can just give you the book, I think I have one..

you dont eed any items for the fiend itself. If you offer me something good I can provide the book of rape.