The Simple and Concise Way to Make The World Better

Imagine with me for a moment what the educational system would be like if it worked like this: students do all the question asking.

In class now a student is given material to read and then the teacher asks questions to verify the actual reading has taken place. What if the teacher was not allowed to ask questions of their students but only give answers? I believe that the focus of this would help the students more because it is helps more to ask a question than give an answer.

I don't presume to say that the teachers would be allowed and even required to test the students, but what if the focus was more on the answer side. Working for knowledge is an important aspect of life, reading and asking questions cannot steer you wrong, however the ability to get a clear and precise answer can sometimes elude a student. I know it has me.

So ask yourself have you in your body of experience at schools left with more questions when you left than when you arrived. If so there should be something done about that. The same holds true of government, a straight and concise answer should be given. What do they not want us to know? And why? All we want is the truth, the same truth we give when the government asks about us. Simple and concise.

Knowledge Restricted

So I was gone last week. Would you like to know where? Too bad, it's restricted. I'd like to tell you, it was important and you would benefit from knowing but you can't. Isn't this annoying? You have questions, I have answers but a restriction like the Patriot Act (they know where I was) is keeping you from knowing something. Oh but what if there is a guy who knows why, and you talk to him and get an account of where I've been. Do you believe him? Is the source reliable; it's not me and I'm the only one who really knows what happened. What do you think?

Not being able to get a straight answer to a question is something I think we all find disturbing or at least mildly annoying. People need to know what's going on around them in a timely manner, but what causes people to hide or conceal knowledge. The natural answer might be that they have something to hide. But why are they trying to hide something from the public. Military activities and CIA special operations aren't really our business, but if those same people are watching us and we're that special operation, don't we have a right to know?

Yes. We do.

Where Do You Get Your Knowledge?

Where are we getting our information? Television, Internet, newspaper or radio? Or secret answer No. 5, listening in on some else's conversation. I believe that we are all guilty of that last one. The problem is that the gossip is becoming as credible as all other sources of news.

I wonder how much of the story is being edited out before it reaches our ears and eyes? Is what we're seeing even news anymore? How are a people supposed to believe what they have been lied to so many times before? Now this isn't to cast blame on any current publication or government, the second the first one of you withheld information, or changed a story, you became suspect. You lost your credibility and out respect.

This is purely a lack of trust. I've been lied to ergo I don't trust you or anything you tell me from here on out. And it's not your fault, not directly. Someone did this before you and someone did this before them. And God help us, someone will be there to lie after you are gone.

Hard Copy, Hard Time

How is it that I was able to submit a payment of over $1,300 for classes at Califrornia State University Long Beach over the internet without even thinking, and yet when it comes to a $25 payment for a required writing test I am ready to cut my own throat?

The test itself is described as simple, requiring a mere five paragraphs to prove competency, requires paperwork and a form of payment that is either check or Money Order to sign up. Who uses these anymore?

Personal checks are becoming outdated as the debit card takes over. A check is something sent to a distant cousin on a birthday or at the holidays, not for a college campus that should look to pride itself on being up to date with technology.

The test I see as an insult. If by this level a student is not able to construct a well organized essay, then they need to be back in high school not wasting time and money in college.