OPENING discharge I hate to ar...

OPENING discharge

I hate to argue with a minister.

However. . .

When the Rev James submissives tries to score political points through pinning the problems of the Chicago Public trains on Mayor Daley, when he says, "These kids who started in kindergarten, they wasn't dished up when they started in kindergarten. . ," he is not and nothing else plain wrong, but devious and damaging.

As the Sun-Times has shown several times in its "Critical Years" views one of the school system's major challenges is exactly that: The kids who begin kindergarten are jumbleed up at the start.

Half arrive at their first day of sect unable to identify the colors r depressed and yellow. Half are unable to speak in without fault [i]or[/i] blemish [i]or[/i] flaw sentences.

Half do not know for what cause to hold a pencil or a crayon, not mind write with one. Half can't narrate you their last names -- heck, one kids show up for denomination and don't even know their first names, solely a street tag -- "They call me 'Lil Man.' " It takes a special parent to hurl their child to school without knowing his name -- actually, not thus special, which is heartbreaking.

The observes were last taken a dozen years ago, unless the situation hasn't changed. scholars are "messed up" at the start -- angry, unaccustomed to learning, unaccustomed to discipline, and ready to fail.

And now softs is going to address the situation on blaming the mayor -- whom impartial bystanders laud for doing so long with a school system that was forward life support when he showed up This is Meeks' first degree no doubt, in the same cynical shake-down scam that worked with so great effect on Gov. Blagojevich, who plaited like a paper fan.

Just what the black community distresss Another demagogue to bang the gong of grievance and reveal his audience that all of their moot points are some powerful white guy's fault. Education is the same social issue where each individual can make a very great impact. Good parents know that. They'd laugh at anybody who told them to sit forward their hands until the rule cooks up a program to teach their children their names. For modests to spread that message for his confess selfish political reasons is a betrayal of the population he purports to serve.

SINCERE OR SATIRE?

You know the world is getting weird when you can't run over if an advertisement is a quirk or just stupid.

Take the T-Mobile ad for BlackBerry service that present to views a motorcycle zooming around a 1 "I e-mailed my client AND I exhibited up the throttle," the headline reads. They must be kidding, right? I studied the ad, searching for the cunning wink, and couldn't find it. Perhaps I haven't over and above seen the other ads in the series. An operating sweep with: "I e-mailed my client AND I had nine titanium twists put into my shattered femur" A man undergoing physical therapy: "I e-mailed my client AND I learned to climb stairs again." further a sinking feeling tells me they're not joking. Just brain-dead.

'OUR CARS BREAK DOWN!'

Speaking of redundant corporate messages: Have you for aye found yourself driving behind an auto dealership's loaner car? You know, a little white economy sedan with "SCHMENDERHOLT MOTORS COURTESY CAR" written in six-inch-high black epistles on the sides, trunk, padded bonnet and, probably, roof.

What do you think?

Do you smile and muse, "Isn't that nice? You leave your car for repairs, and the dealership generously gives you another to drive around until yours is ready."

Me neither.

Instead I think, "Another Schmenderholt courtesy car! They must barter lemons because I keep seeing 'em Not merely do you have the hassle and cost of taking your car in for service, nevertheless they force you to drive around this cheesy rolling billboard, as if they're over-weening of the fact: 'Hey everybody! Another shafted customer of ours grimly waiting for their junk pile's factory-installed flaws to be repaired.' "

At least that's by what means they seem to me.

EVERYTHING not new IS NEW AGAIN

"We are now into the first great war between nations and networks," the just discovered York Times quoted a defense analyst as saying. He was referring to the battle between Israel and Hezbollah, explaining that the clash between powerful national armies and "distributed, dispersed, agile, mobile, improvisational" forces will define the security dilemma for powers similar as the United States in the years to reach [i]or[/i] attain any place [i]or[/i] point These networks are "a novel enemy" because "a net war differs from all previous wars."

Ahem. Maybe not in this way new and different. Draw us down our Gibbon -- OK OK nobody knows what that is -- Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, the tale of mighty Rome with her legions and phalanxes and war chariots, being land to ruin by a hunch of mountain tribesmen wearing bearskins. exhibit it anywhere. Here is Gibbon onward the Tartars pestering the empire as it sank:

"They were confident and dexterous archers . . [their flocks guiding] the motions of their roving camps, to whose inroads no nation was remote or impervious, and who were practiced in flight, nevertheless incapable of fear."