that would explain a lot of things in USA

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: slowdime
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
No need to use your brain or work hard, just let tax payers support you.

No need to have any idea what life is actually like for someone else, just make bombastic posts about them on the Internet.


+1


+2

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Trav, can you not tell the difference between idle philosophical musings and actual policy suggestions, or did you just not read the original article fully?


Its still wacko

 

[d00df00d]

And I'm sure you never ever entertained a wacko thought in your life. Right?

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
And I'm sure you never ever entertained a wacko thought in your life. Right?


Well some of my thoughts are wacko to some. As they range to what our country's founders thought (with the exception of slavery and suffrage).

 

[DoubleWasp]

I find it absolutely amazing how many times throughout history, the same dubious prophecies of human destruction can be repeated.

TV was supposed to have wiped out human competency more than 60 years ago.

 

[d00df00d]

As was the telephone.

And sound recordings.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Well, yeah. This isn't unique to TV; any time you spend idly being entertained, without using your brain, will sap certain aspects of your cognitive abilities.

The brain is pretty efficient at getting rid of skills it doesn't need, so if you don't use something, you lose it.


Am I using my brain if I read BITOG posts 6 hours a day?

 

[d00df00d]

Depends if you're just passively reading or actively looking for things to be outraged by.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Am I using my brain if I read BITOG posts 6 hours a day?

Judging by the posts you make, very little.

 

[BRZED]

Many people here prove that you can post without ever thinking at all. I myself garnered a commendation for dumbest thing ever posted here.

 

[Mystic]

I don't think there is much question that young people are not reading enough books and there certainly seem to be some serious issues in the schools. If people can graduate from high school and hardly be able to read, write, and do mathematics, there are problems somewhere.

I also think it depends on what sort of TV a person is watching. Game shows and soap operas all day long will hardly do a person any good. But there are some good shows on TV, some shows about history or science and so forth, that would be worthwhile to watch.

In addition to TV, I don't think people are benefitted by playing video games all day long.

And my next door neighbors text each other on their smartphones rather than talking to each other.

A big move forward would be if more parents spent more time with their kids rather than using the TV as a babysitter.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
I don't think there is much question that young people are not reading enough books and there certainly seem to be some serious issues in the schools. If people can graduate from high school and hardly be able to read, write, and do mathematics, there are problems somewhere.

I also think it depends on what sort of TV a person is watching. Game shows and soap operas all day long will hardly do a person any good. But there are some good shows on TV, some shows about history or science and so forth, that would be worthwhile to watch.

In addition to TV, I don't think people are benefitted by playing video games all day long.

And my next door neighbors text each other on their smartphones rather than talking to each other.

A big move forward would be if more parents spent more time with their kids rather than using the TV as a babysitter.


I am of the opinion that so called "smartphones" cost us FAR more as a society than they give back.

 

[slowdime]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
I don't think there is much question that young people are not reading enough books and there certainly seem to be some serious issues in the schools. If people can graduate from high school and hardly be able to read, write, and do mathematics, there are problems somewhere.

I also think it depends on what sort of TV a person is watching. Game shows and soap operas all day long will hardly do a person any good. But there are some good shows on TV, some shows about history or science and so forth, that would be worthwhile to watch.

In addition to TV, I don't think people are benefitted by playing video games all day long.

And my next door neighbors text each other on their smartphones rather than talking to each other.

A big move forward would be if more parents spent more time with their kids rather than using the TV as a babysitter.


I agree that some programming is better than others. Nova is without a doubt going to make you think more than spongebob or whatever the kids watch these days. As for schools graduating people that can barely read and write, look no further than pressures placed on schools by the govt and helicopter parents. If little Billy doesn't quite get algebra then maybe he should be held back. Or if little Billy can't read or write a cogent, grammatically correct sentence, maybe the school system deserves a better look. Overcrowding, underfunding, and pressure on schools to perform hardly fosters an environment where kids can actually be engaged and learn.
Everybody seems to like to gripe about kids today, but very seldom do they actually look for the root cause.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Trav, can you not tell the difference between idle philosophical musings and actual policy suggestions, or did you just not read the original article fully?

The simple fact that anyone could even put these thought on paper is evidence enough that what they believe is true and without a doubt acted upon if it were feasible.

Anyone who works and pay their taxes never pays enough, a smart kid in school has had unfair advantages and this needs to be corrected, on and on.
Just listen to these lying nut jobs, its all there. If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor, nuff said.

 

[Mystic]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Trav, can you not tell the difference between idle philosophical musings and actual policy suggestions, or did you just not read the original article fully?

The simple fact that anyone could even put these thought on paper is evidence enough that what they believe is true and without a doubt acted upon if it were feasible.

Anyone who works and pay their taxes never pays enough, a smart kid in school has had unfair advantages and this needs to be corrected, on and on.
Just listen to these lying nut jobs, its all there. If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor, nuff said.


The one thing I know about Trav is that he is the real deal. He is a real, very good mechanic. He gets things done. And what this world needs is people who get things done. Somebody just pontificating somewhere and not doing anything achieves nothing.

I was told by somebody I know and trust what a good mechanic Trav is. That is good enough for me.

If we had teachers in the school getting things done we would not have such a problem with students graduating from high school and not being able to read, write, and do mathematics.

I think my spelling is pretty decent. Occasionally I misspell a word. I almost never look up a word in a dictionary.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: slowdime
As for schools graduating people that can barely read and write, look no further than pressures placed on schools by the govt and helicopter parents. If little Billy doesn't quite get algebra then maybe he should be held back. Or if little Billy can't read or write a cogent, grammatically correct sentence, maybe the school system deserves a better look.

There is a huge amount of barely literate and innumerate people in North America, but it's hard to tell if it's actually worse than it once was or not. I certainly agree that teachers are passing people who probably shouldn't be passed, but these days, a high school diploma doesn't mean much, anyhow. As long as they're not being given the grades to take up a valuable university space, I'm not terribly concerned. Nonetheless, if one cannot do the task, one should not pass.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Trav
They don't want parent reading to their kids because it gives them an unfair advantage.

The biggest lesson that children and parents need to learn is that life isn't fair. I thank the heavens above every day for my advantages in life, and yes, they're not fair. We don't squander or misuse what we've been given.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Trav, can you not tell the difference between idle philosophical musings and actual policy suggestions, or did you just not read the original article fully?

The simple fact that anyone could even put these thought on paper is evidence enough that what they believe is true and without a doubt acted upon if it were feasible.

Well, you threatened to harm them several posts up. Are we to assume you're therefore a violent person?

 

[Trav]

You assumed trav style justice involves violence, i didn't say that. It could mean i would subject them to listening to endless hours of Limbaugh or Savage or something else.
Think whatever you want but that's your own imagination, i would never admit to anything.

 

[Nate1979]

Strange but they were saying the same thing about TV 30 years ago. That there were kids graduating barely able to read and do math was also happening when I was in school 20 years ago.