From History we learn man learns nothing from History

Oh how gullible the masses are.

As I read through the news internationally I am amazed at how many people have swallowed the HAMAS "we are the victims" propaganda. HAMAS has intentionally attacked Israel. Their stated objective is to remove Israel from the world. They do not have the man-power to do it directly so they stage terrorist attacks daily against Israel - killing a few here and a few there. Launch a few rockets daily. For what purpose? To get Israel to respond with force so HAMAS can display dead and injured civilians to the world and proclaim "Look at how bad Israel is. They are hurting innocent children and civilians".

Oh how gullible the masses are.

World-wide people are demonstrating against Israel's use of force to stop the attacks. Why? Because the news media shows citizens and children being injured and killed.

Abraham Lincoln wouldn't have fallen for it.

He reminds me of the man who murdered both his parents, and then when sentence was about to be pronounced pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he was an orphan.

The HAMAS has intentionally created the situation. They intentionally dress their terrorists as civilians and when one is killed exclaim "Look, Israel killed a civilian". They hide their weapons in hospitals and mosques and schools. And if Israel bombs one to destroy the weapons, HAMAS exclaims "they are bombing the hospitals, they are bombing our schools. NO place is safe." Propaganda.

Wise-up people. HAMAS wants innocent blood shed. That is why they place weapons and their fighters among the civilians. They want to show people that innocents are being killed and cast the blame on Israel. If Israel doesn't kill enough innocents, HAMAS isn't above killing them and laying the blame on Israel (such as the attack on the UN aid supply driver). Propaganda.

All of these tactics have been used before. William Lederer and Eugene Burdick wrote about it in a book "The Ugly American". That book illustrates how disinformation can be used as a weapon. It illustrates how gullible people can be.

Innocent people are suffering in Gaza even as I write this. They are suffering not because of Israel but because of HAMAS. Israel was much more patient in responding to the atrocities of HAMAS than any of you that are casting stones at Israel would have been. They have averted casualties to civilains as much as possible while at the same time attempting to take away the terrorist threat to their country.

How many of you would support a terrorist group conducting suicide bombs in your city, against your schools, your places of worship, your restaurants? How many of you would be quiet if a terrorist group was established just outside your city and launched rockets daily in the direction of your homes, schools and businesses?

Not a one. I write this with a certainty. You would be demanding that your government take action and protect you.

Yet, is this not what Israel is doing? Yes. And you dare to cry out against them. You hypocrites! You in your glass houses casting stones at Israel.

Grow-up. You are either for terrorism or against it. If you are against it, then you should not be ranting and raving against Israel. You should be applauding them. They knew that many of you would believe the HAMAS lies and propaganda when they took the heroic step to stop them. Yes Heroic. It is easy to do the right thing when people support you. It is difficult to do it knowing it will not be popular.

The people of Gaza deserve better than the world is giving them. They desrve to live a life free from hatred, free from fear, free from bullies. So do the people of Israel. That will not happen as long as HAMAS is allowed to attack Israel.

There will never be peace in the Middle East as long as people advocate the destruction of Israel and attack Israel just as there would be no peace where you live if some terorist organization sought to destroy your nation. HAMAS needs to be removed from power. They need to be treated for what they are: terrorists. They are not victims.

The cycle of hate in Gaza also needs to be broken. Get the younger generation out of the cesspool. Start a program that will let them live and learn abroad. Let them see there is another side of life. It is amazing how travel and education can break down barriers of prejudice.

Get economic reform into Gaza. They need infrastructure and jobs. Yes I now the world economies are reeling. But employing people to rebuild and advance Gaza will aid both Gaza and the economies of countries participating.

Stand up for the rights of the people of Gaza, not HAMAS. The people of Gaza can coexist with Israel and live in peace. But not while HAMAS attacks Israel and seeks to destroy them.

HAMAS is hoping you believe their lies and propaganda. They hope you blame Israel for the atrocities in Gaza and not the real culprit - HAMAS.

JOe the Plumber has it right. http://tinyurl.com/9ettf8

For a broader view of the Israeli - Gaza conflict, read the news from different sources. I maintain a news site on my website http://timnew.com/news

I currently read the Jerusalem Post, The Middle East Times, The BBC, Fox News, and the Jordon Times. The Middle East Times has some intriguing editorials and opinions. One is http://www.metimes.com/International/2009/01/09/a_way_out_of_gaza/4659/ and another is http://www.metimes.com/Opinion/2009/01/08/a_plan_for_gaza_demilitarization_and_internationalization/5110/

Don't fall for HAMAS propaganda. That is all it is. There can be peace in the Middle East, but not while organizations like HAMAS gets your support.

Back in Miguel Alemán - another ESL year

I arrived back in Cuidad Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas, México yesterday. The 700 plus mile trip was made longer by the torrential rains along the way. I stopped in Houston long enough to shop for posters and other class room materials at Mardel's.

Today I went to Eagle College and learned that there are currently three teachers for the six grades of English (I'm not sure what they have planned for 7th grade). The new teacher Erin will be teaching First and Second grade while I will have Third and Fourth Grades. Melina will again teach Fifth and Sixth Grades.

It is anticipated that I will have a dozen students in Third Grade (8 who were in Second Grade last year at Eagle College and four who will be attending Eagle College for the first time) and a baker's dozen (13) in Fourth Grade all of whom I had last year in Third Grade. Unfortunately two of my better students from last year moved over the summer along with two others. If I am lucky one more will also not show. He shouldn't be in Fourth Grade as he was unable to function in Third Grade. Why the school promoted him is beyong me. He doesn't need to be in a higher grade.

Classes start Monday, but I suspect that will be more of an orientation day. I know going in that the text books will be more advanced English than any of the students have to begin the year. My challenge will be to build their English WHILE also getting them through the text books. Science will be the most difficult for them.

And while they are learning English I hope to be learning Spanish. Time will tell.

It's been awhile

It has been awhile since I updated my blogs. So today I hope to update at least a couple - this one and my fantasy sports blog. If you are into fantasy sports be sure and visit by website http://timnew.com/fantasy_sports I am adding content but there is plenty there now for fantasy football enthusiasts.

On other matters, I am back in Three Creeks for now. School at Eagle College (that is an elementary school) in Cuidad Miguel Alemán, México ended July 4 - that is when final grades were available for parents. Classes really ended a week earlier and I left a day earlier so I wouldn't be on the road July 4. When I left, I was not sure if I would return for another year or not. I needed to see how things were at home with my father and mother before deciding. I also needed to decide if I could afford to return. Teaching English at Eagle College isn't something you do for money but I don't want to be in the red either.

Anyway, I plan to return in early August to Miguel Alemán and teach a full year. I hope by starting the year rather than coming in the middle I can help elevate the English of the students to near or above the US levels. It will be a challenge since the students will begin the year below the US level for their grade. I do not yet know which grade or grades I will be teaching. But I know 3rd, 4th and 5th grades will all start behind the US levels.

So I am in 3 Creeks for about another 3 weeks. I have a ton of clean-up work to do in that time and hopefully will start some lesson planning also. Anyone out there who knows of a good test to measure elementary English proficiency, drop me an email or comment. I haven"t been able to find or devise a test that will tell me at what level a student is in their English. I can only tell they are not at the level they need to be.

Fourth Grade

Here are my fourth graders:

Latest update - 4th grade added; chicken pox - varicella

It's been awhile since I posted on here and I apologize. Eagle College (it still seems weird to me to refer to a k-6 school as college) had its spring break from March 14 through March 31. I returned to South Arkansas for most of that time and then returned via Austin, Texas and Big Bend Texas. My search for blue bonnets around Austin was a bust, but I enjoyed my day in Big Bend. I should have photos online sometime of Big Bend.

Back to Eagle College.

Upon arriving back in Cuidad Miguel Alemán on Sunday, March 30 I discovered that one of the teachers was not returning after the break. On Monday I discovered that another teacher was not returning. The teacher who had been teaching 4th grade had a sister involved in a serious car accident in San Antonio and stayed in San Antonio to be with her. The teacher teaching 2nd grade also had some family problems and, if I understood correctly, is in Florida.

So on April Fool's day, I added 4th grade to my class schedule. I now teach 3rd grade English from 8 until 10:30 every morning and after the 10:30 to 11 am break (recess and brunch) I teach 4th grade from 11 until 2.

There are only 8 students in 4th grade compared to my 17 in third grade but they are in a similar situation to my third grade - they need their vocabulary built up before they can learn 4th grade material in English. Plus I have 1 student who is ADD. His parents have decided they do not want him medicated. To say he is disruptive to the class is an understatement.

Added to this mix is chicken pox and 100 degree weather with no AC - at home or in my car. We do have AC at school thankfully.

This is the first time since my return that I have a sense of not being behind although in truth I am still a little behind. But most of my tardiness now is on projects unrelated to third or fourth grade. In addition to teaching I am also doing video for the local church. That includes funeral services for the Pastor's mother of which I have so far made 50 DVDs. I currently have one " 2 1/2 hour" video to get burned to DVD of a Church dedication (March 14) and this past Sunday's service. Once I have those on DVD, I will finally be caught up on DVDs except for making any copies requested. I am hoping a lot of people want the church dedication since the money from those could pay for my Car's AC.

Back to Chicken Pox or varicella in Spanish. One of the first graders had it when we returned from Spring Break. She did not come to school because of it. Another first grader soon had it. A replacement teacher came down with it and just this past Thursday one of my third grade students left class with it. As I understand from the internet, it takes 10 to 21 days after exposure for chicken pox to manifest itself. A person is contagious beginning 2 days before they show the itchy red welts (in other words before trhey even know they have chicken pox) until all of the welts are scabbed over. Chicken pox can be transmitted by both direct contact and by air. So I may have more students in a couple of weeks with chicken pox. Thew good news is my student had been vacinated for Chicken pox so her case hopefully will be milder than normal. About 2 out of 10 people vacinated once for chicken pox still contract the disease. Now they usually give a double dose of the vaccine - 2 different times - and that seems to be near 100% effective.

Normally a person does not get chicken pox more than once in a lifetime. I had them when I was a baby so hopefully my immunity is still good. Time will tell.

Oh and the Spanish word makes more sense than the English. Chicken pox is from the varicella zoster virus.

New picasa page

A group is coming down from Michigan this month to do some volunteer work at the school. Talking to one of the volunteers who is already here, I thought creating a separate picasa page just for photos of the school or related to the school would be a good idea. Anyone from the group is welcome to post their photos to the page and I'll be posting some of mine. In fact, I posted quite a few tonight and divided them by schol year (more or less).

The new picasa page is: http://picasaweb.google.com/eaglecollege.mx

I'll try to get an updated posting about what is happening here tomorrow. It's late now and I have a test to create and some other work to do. So check back in the next day or two if you are viewing this around the 20th of February.

104 degrees in February

When I returned from classes today the computer showed that the temperature in Roma, Texas was 104 degrees. That was at about 2:30 P.M. It is now almost 5 P.M. and the same computer shows the temperature outside to be 101. It is only February 5! And if you are thinking that I live in Cuidad Miguel Alemán, Mexico and not Roma, Texas I am not sure that 30 yards across the Rio Grande River makes it any cooler here.

Today is the anniversary of the Constitution of Mexico. Schools and businesses celebrated the holiday yesterday so today was the first day back to classes. Last week I tested my Third Graders on their knowledge of English pronouns. We also began studying 16 words from a list of the most frequently used words in the English Language. I had each students select a word from the list of about 260 words. I did not tell them when they were choosing that they would have to learn those words - learn how to spell them and learn what each word meant. Even my best students often have no idea what the word they spell or read means. For example, today they were learning the Scripture verse "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved ..." from Acts 16:31. I normally try to use more modern language such as "you" rather than "thou" and "will" rather than "shalt", but this verse was in their school material. Several students had memorized the verse in just a few minutes and could recite it to me very well. When I asked if anyone knew what "believe", "thou" or "shalt" meant, no one had a clue.

That is typical of my class. They can read words and spell words but at the same time have no understanding of the word. So we have began identifying each key word and identifying it. Often this means identifying the Spanish word that has the same or similar meaning. Today we did that with the 12 pronouns - he, she, it, you, me, us, which, I, we, they, her, him - and their 16 chosen vocabulary words. The vocabulary words are: about, be, big, black, color, friend, from, have, next, open, play, present (which can be pronounced 2 different ways and has combined about 4 meanings), run, some, they and under. Not a bad selection to learn first. I will have them chose 16 or 17 more words either tomorrow or Thursday. One student was absent the day they initially selected words, but abcteach.com handles 16 words well but 17 not so well. I may stay with 16.

Back to the 104 degrees. Last Thursday night/Friday morning it was about 36 degrees here. The forecast for tonight is a low of 52 degrees - 50 degrees cooler than the high. And you think the weather where you live is unpredictable? Since it was so hot today, I decided to go ahead and take my VW Jetta into the local dealership to have the AC checked. As my luck would go, it began "acting up" about a week ago. Everytime I switch on the AC there is a loud rumble. I am hoping it is not an expensive repair. If it is too expensive, I will just forego the AC and drive with the windows down. I am old enough to remember when lots of vehicles did not have AC and driving with the windows down was your air.

I'll close with another photo. Ok. Two photos.

I hope to begin adding photos to my picasa album soon - maybe tonight! Feel free to visit and bookmark my album - http://picasaweb.google.com/timdnew