April 20, 2012 – Daily Brief

Not helping a ship in distress is a major violation of the Law of the Seas.

I’m not ready to jump to conclusions. Seeing a tiny fishing boat out on the open sea is not a given. To my knowledge, there has been no news that the passengers that sited the boat notified the staff. I’ll wait until the investigation is complete before I load my pitchfork.

It wasn’t in the SCVNews version but the AP version reports just that: “That same day, March 10, birdwatchers with powerful spotting scopes on the promenade deck of the luxury cruise ship Star Princess saw a little boat adrift miles away. They told ship staff about the man desperately waving a red cloth.” http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/fishermen-die-in-elements-as-cruise-ship-passes_2012-04-21

The NPR coverage of that story on Friday had interviews with the birders who spotted the boat, and they had quite a bit of detail as to the effort they put into notifying the ship’s crew, including having one of the crew join them on deck where that crew person was able to spot the boat as well. They even followed up with Princess after the fact, trying to find out what happened, and were told that the captain had contacted that boat, been asked to steer wide to avoid fishing nets, and that the boat’s occupants were waving their shirts to say “thank you” for missing them. Now, months later, they hear the story about this little boat being adrift for weeks, and only one person surviving – they did some investigating and discovered that this little boat was in fact the one they’d spotted, and that all three had been alive the day they saw it, and notified the captain. That captain, or whoever made the decision not to turn back, is at the very least partly responsible for the deaths of those two men…

Does that fishing boat look it like has a radio that could communicate with Princess Cruises?

Not to me. These guys were on the Gilligan’s Island trip – they were planning on going out for a few hours max, and didn’t even have supplies for overnight, let alone 14 days. Must feel terrible for those birdwatchers to know they tried their best to get something done and were basically ignored!!

My dad was just in the Galapagos in October… and he said that this type of fishing is quite common. Little skiffs (comparatively) go off for days at a time out there. Princess’ story seems plausable. They were notified, sent out a radio call saying something like “vessel off our starboard bow, this is the SS Big Ass Cruise Ship, do you need assistance?” Then another boat (not the one they were referencing says “No, thank you, but please turn left to avoid our gear.” “OK, NP. Kthxbai.” And that was the end of it. Yo no soy marinero, but I’ve had enough time on small craft as a kid at the family’s cabin in Canada to know that if you’re in open water, you’d better have a few basic communication, safety and signaling devices, like a radio, flare gun, a signal mirror, etc. Waving a red shirt (and I’ve seen conflicting reports of shirt color… too) does not necessarily constitute a distress signal that I’m aware of. In fact, reviewing all of the list of international distress signals, a waving red shirt doesn’t appear at all on the list… Not saying that I can make a judgement on who’s right or wrong… but there is (shockingly, I know) and apparent rush to judgement involved on many who weren’t there and don’t know what really happened.

Is a copy of the picture available?

It’s at the SCVNews link but here’s a full report from an English-speaking blogger in Panama http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20120413184536993

If this is true and the ship’s captain left these folks to die adrift at sea, he should be brought up on criminal charges and prosecuted to the full extent of international maritime law thereby sending a strong message that this inhumane behavior will not be tolerated.

That video interview was heartbreaking. I don’t know how the man could be so cavalier, interviewing the survivor.

Isn’t that par for the course for radio/tv interviewers?

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/19/150897139/cruise-ship-didnt-aid-drifting-boat-passengers-say There you go Phil

Thank you.

Yeah, Petz – let’s not be concerned about the education of the children of Santa Clarita. Let’s focus on clear skies and star gazing instead.

So if we don’t support a parcel tax we hate the children? You have to be “kidding” me.

Petz it is not a parcel tax, which would almost be better since at least it is at a fixed rate and not loaded with deferred interest and built in increases. This is a TAX DEFERRED bond.

This is a terrible bond measure. Interest costs are 4 times principal. They don’t start paying for half of the amount borrowed for 14-17 years resulting in huge negative amortization (interest on interest). Payments run till 2064. Sure I care about schools. But I don’t want my kids, grandkids and potentially great grandkids having to pay for this measure. That just isn’t fair or right. And the Hart Board endorsed it without ANY discussion of the costs to taxpayers. Steve Sturgeon will appear as a bond proponent on the ballot.

I’ll vote for school bonds and parcel taxes until the cows come home, but I think this trend of deferring repayment is an awful idea.

You are right, Mike. And when the alternative is to simply vote “No” who ends up suffering?

How does voting “no” help” the shortfall that the school districts are facing? That may be an alternative, but it certainly is not a viable alternative. Until the idiots in Sacramento take responsible budgetary action, self help in the form of a local bond is a realistic and, unfortuneately, necessary alternative.

Completely agree with Mike and NFIC on this. I hate the idea that bills like this are presented as a “for the kids” or “against the kids” choice, when both choices are bad. School bonds = good. Drastically deferred payment and negative amortization = bad.

The children of Canyon Country love your support, Berta. Way to go!

Berta, technology obsolescence is an obvious concern and is at the forefront of discussions at the Newhall School District as I am sure it is at the other local districts. Like other writers, you have raised the issue of adminstrative costs. Pray, tell, what do you think our local administrative costs are and what do you think that they should be. Just saying that they should be less does not show the clarity of thought that I am used to from you. Also, would you mind elaborating on how our local school funds are being abused? Thanks.

Phil I do not recall saying school funds per se were abused. I said taxpayer funds are constantly stolen and abused. GSA, Solyndra, $500 toilet seats for the Pentagon, and too many other examples to keep track of anymore. The waste and abuse of taxpayer funds, regardless of the supposed intended uses, makes folks suspicious and leery of putting even more money into the kitty. As far as administration costs, how about four different school districts each with superintendants, school boards, etc., and each school with a slew of administrators too, nothing that makes LEARNING better or more cost effective. Many of our kids still are graduating as functional illiterates. Better student results; sign me up to pay more money. Ask me to finance stuff for 40 years that will be worthless in two years, I pass. Convince me I am wrong.

Berta, without numbers, your comments are meaningless and speculative at best. With budgets we should be talking dollars. Do you not think that more supervisors would be needed in a larger district such as LAUSD. If you had any real familiarity with the actual funds spent.

Are sixth graders going out into the job market looking for computer engineering jobs? How about the third graders. Technology is a tool in the classroom. It can add and detract from the teaching and learning that gets done. It is no substitute for a good teacher and family support. I always thought elementary schools were for teaching fundamentals. Since when did computers become a fundamental? Is this so kids can just run things through the spell checker rather than knowing how to spell?

The issue of multiple school districts in the Santa Clarita has been debated a number of times. The fact is that bigger does not automatically mean better or more efficient. You don’t have to look any further than LAUSD to see that. Many of us moved up here to escape such “efficiency.” In Santa Clarita we do a lot more with less money per child and we do not have hordes of kids graduating as functional illiterates. And certain services such as food and transportation are shared by the various districts. As to the importance of computer skills, you don’t need to be computer engineer to need them. Take a look at the want ads sometime and see for yourself that every employer wants people who are familiar with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Children in elementary school are being taught to type and to use these programs so that they can go on to function in junior high and high school where they will be required to turn papers in online. Walk into a computer lab at your local elementary school sometime and see for yourself what is being learned by children.

Linda just because a topic has been “debated” multiple times does not mean that we all agree. Your argument comparing any potential consolidation of school districts in Santa Clarita to LAUSD is a false argument since regardless; there is no comparison of the population in the SCV and therefore number of students in the Santa Clarita Valley to the millions of students in the giant behemoth school district that is LAUSD. I personally think one elementary school district, one junior/middle/senior high school district would work very well given our student population, and that consolidation would cut administration and other costs by at least 50%. As to computer skills, I agree that teaching computer skills is important, but neither at the expense of reading, writing, and arithmetic, nor at a financed cost spread out over 40 years. There are other avenues in which to learn computer skills such as the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs, our local libraries, at home, etc. I would prefer to have a one-time voter approved assessment specifically for technology upgrades say every five years, than pay interest on these bond funds over many years. If you do not believe that we have local kids graduating as functional illiterates, I can only surmise that you have not had to read any job applications or resumes in the last few years.

I never asserted that because the subject has been debated before that we all agree; only that it has been argued ad nauseum and no one who believes fervently in this idea has made any effort to pursue it. In the meantime, school boards are left to cope as best they can. What you personally think the savings would be is of significance only if you are going to lead the charge to see it done. As has been discussed before, the process of consolidation is not simple and would take considerable effort by a large number of people, not to mention voter approval. And I’m doubtful Valencia voters would approve consolidating NSD with Sulphur Springs. Likewise, I never suggested that computer skills be taught at the expense of reading. My remarks in that regard were directed at NFIC who appears to question the value of computer skills in elementary school. Further, I make no assertion that SCV has NO functional illiterates amongst its graduates; merely that we have do not have the tremendous problem with it that other districts do.

Linda I can have an opinion even if I am not “ready to lead the charge”. I think we will simply have to agree to disagree on this issue.

Do you think those persons with a degree in Computer Science have an issues with any of the subjects you mentioned Berta? No. This lack of desire to excel in computers/technology is why when employers like JVC hire for hundreds of positions here in the US, those positions are filled by persons on work visas. We will continue to lag behind Asian countries when you insist that its more important to be able to use a notepad than a netbook. You have to change with the times Berta

JP I never said that folks should not learn computer skills. Quite the contrary, however, in order to program and write computer code, create software applications, repair, create the next great invention, or even acquire computer skills in the first place, etc you have to have math and language skills first. If this country is granting many visas to foreign workers with better computer skills, then instead of handing out free checks we should tie those benefit checks going to able bodied workers to job training or minimum school attendance requirements. Perhaps, if folks believed that they are no longer going to get a free ride, you would see more folks motivated to acquire marketable job skills including computer and other technology proficiency. Of course, those good paying jobs need to be there for anyone willing to work and in this economic climate it does not appear to be happening. Furthermore, as I said I am willing to pay for technology upgrades for our schools, I am just not willing to finance the purchase for more than 40 years. Moreover, if believing that the priority must be teaching the fundamentals first makes me an old fogey, fine.

Berta, even as a teacher here in the SCV who is being laid off, I’d say there’s no “slew of administrators” at every school. Even if every administrator in every district were laid off, it wouldn’t begin to make up for the budget cuts we are facing. I truly wish more people could spend even one day on the inside of a school to see what’s really going on. Regarding technology, it absolutely IS needed in elementary school today. We no longer use blackboards and chalk; we’ve moved on to pencil and paper. We no longer use rocks and chisels; we have books. Well guess what, we’re moving on from pencil and paper and books to digital. We don’t use paper encyclopedias anymore, we use online versions. The old ones were obsolete every year anyway. Books wore out anyway. Teachers don’t use reel-to-reel projectors anymore, they use computers and LED projectors. We need to replace what wears out and what gets used up, and we need to keep up with the digital information age we live in. We’d need to spend the money on something even if it were new blackboards. The fact is there’s no money for anything. Tech has become a basic school supply.

You missed the point. These visa workers aren’t getting handouts and bring already mastered skills to the table. Companies don’t have time, nor patience, in training people. They want instant skills. This is why you see some American companies even partnering with community colleges to teach workers/students these normally not learned skills. We are behind the power curve when it comes to how Asia operates.

No, that doesn’t make you an old fogey, but if you don’t beleive that the students are being taught the basics, then it shows your lack of understanding as to what is being taught.

Are you suggesting that our local schools are teaching computer skills at the expense of reading, writing and arithmetic. You have a serious lack of knowledge of what goes on in our local schools and what are kids are learning.

Phil you say that without actual budget numbers that I am simply speculating. You also state that I have a serious lack of knowledge and understanding about what goes on in education. You assume quite a bit. I was employed by LAUSD for several years, and am very familiar with the issues involved in educating children. If there were any consolidation of schools in the SCV, I repeat, no comparison is possible between any school district in the SCV and LAUSD since the student population numbers are not even in the same universe. So, to answer your questions directly, no I do not believe there would be a need for more administrators in any possible SCV school district consolidation. Yes, I know what students are being taught. Yes, I know what most students are learning, and what many are not learning. I understand that if money is tight you prioritize need. I prioritize the educational needs of our children as having access to qualified teachers who are at least teaching the fundamentals and able to maintain discipline in the classroom. I believe education today has far too many administrators and layers of bureaucracy, which do not enhance the learning experience. I also believe that teacher tenure should be abolished, and schools should have the ability to fire underperforming teachers. If budget cuts must be made, they need to be in areas that do not directly affect basic educational requirements such as in administration, plant upgrades, and extra curricular activities. I also understand accounting principles. I have managed small businesses for others as well as a couple of my own too so I understand bids, contracts, budgets, amortization schedules, depreciation, profit and loss statements, deferred interest, legal requirements, tax implications, etc. Since I live in the Sulphur Springs School District, I am the one being asked to approve this bond, not you Phil. I do not like deferred interest, especially when it spread out over many years since it usually winds up costing far more than it should. I do not support financing things that will be obsolete long before I finish paying for them. I also understand that folks are weary of paying more taxes whether we call them bonds or whatever and that in this economy many folks are barely hanging on. We all want a good education for our citizens but many of us are tired of paying to educate citizens of foreign nations who have no right to be in the USA. As I said, I would rather pay a direct assessment every five years or so for a specific expenditure such as technology upgrades, new roofs, HVAC change outs, etc than approve a 40-year bond with interest. I understand that you are a NSD board member, I am not. I asked you to convince me that I am wrong and should support this bond, you have not.

And what exactly was your job with LAUSD, Berta?

Berta, LAUSD and our local school districts are hugely different animals when it comes to administrator staffing and waste. I’ve worked in both districts. Can’t say it enough– so not the same you might as well be in two different countries.

Well, if you think that working for LAUSD makes you an expert on the local schools, there is no convincing you. ALso, how can I convince you that we do not have excessive administration if you cannot even explain what the proper number should be. I can’t argue against only that “it is too much.” How about, I say “it is too little” and you convince me I am wrong.

school just isn’t all about book learning….

And do schools test this other thing, this other than book learning? And why do we need schools for this other thing? Isn’t this other thing called life, which happens everyday, everywhere, without anyone imposing a contrived and arbitrary lesson upon students? Harper’s ran a great essay in September 2003, titled “Against School: how public education cripples our schools and why,” by John Taylor Gatto. Here’s a little snippet: “I taught for thirty years in some of the worst schools in Manhattan, and in some of the best, and during that time I became an expert at boredom….” Sound familiar? If you have a Harper’s subscription, you can read the essay here: http://www.harpers.org/archive/2003/09/0079746 If not, then you can read the essay here: http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/john_gatto2.html

I read his ‘Weapons of Mass Instruction’ last summer. I read it in a little minnie book club with my sons first grade teacher! “Whatever an education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges; it should allow you to find values which will be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live and how to die.” I read quite a bit of it out loud to my kids one day at the beach- they were seriously cheering!

Taking two exam questions from a test in New York and extrapolating that “our” school system is “ineffectual” is quite a leap, Lori. I learned reading, writing and math skills in school. I also learned to type, sew, cook, organize a library, operate a film projector, mend books, research subjects of interest to me, complete research papers, give speeches, drive a car, debate, speak a modicum of Spanish, sing and deal with multiple kinds of personalities. I can and do earn a living using many of the skills I learned in California K-12 schools, and my life is richer for many of the experiences I had, including field trips to see Shakespeare plays, museums and sites of cultural interest. While I have enormous respect for the work you do as a home schooling parent, and I appreciate some of the flaws you expound upon with regard to public education, I grow weary of hearing the constant negativity, when clearly there are a whole lot of people earning their livings in this god-awful economy and reading this blog who wouldn’t be doing so were it not for their publicly funded education. The funding mechanism for our schools needs to fixed. Part of the solution is to make better choices in who we send to Sacramento (not Patricia McKeon, please!)

I 100%, fully support public education. I may disagree with many of the methods and practices, but public education should be protected and uplifted. School reform is a subject that fascinates me. I don’t have any answers, for the large scale, but am infinitely interested in the theories and mechanisms of public education. Sounds like you learned vastly more in public education than I did. I can honestly say that I learned reading and math, and parts of speech, and that’s about all. And I was college prep/AP/salutatorian/tons of activities/sports/etc. Sure, I had fun, but learning? Not so much. Anyway, I’ll step out of the conversation now. I didn’t intend to bash those who benefit from public education, but to rather challenge some common assumptions.

TOTH not that I believe that you actually care but, I was teaching, coaching, and volunteering at an award wining LAUSD public school in the San Fernando Valley. Amanda please read the above comment.

You ever “teach, coach, or volunteer” at an SCV school? Do you have children who currently attend an SCV school? If not, shut your trap, Berta.

TOTH I am not concerned with comments made by anonymous bullies so make me, if you can…

I love how you don’t answer questions, Bertha. Again, have you ever worked at an SCV school? Do you have children who currently attend an SCV school?

TOTH when you stop disrespecting my name and actually are interested in my answers as opposed to taking it as another opportunity to get nasty, I will consider having further discussion with you. Until then…

The District would prefer a different method of funding as well, however, they have to play by state law. Also, you never offered why the schools have too many administrators. You offered no opinion as to what that level should be. How about, for instance, a percentage of employees, or on a per pupil basis? Do you truly think that you can have any size school district with just one Superintendent and four assistants and have no other adminstrative needs? Until you define too many, your opinion is speculative at best. How can anyone improve on too many, if too many is undefined. You sound like those who say the rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes but are unable to quantify what a fair share should be. A little thought before painting something with such a broadbased brush would be more conducive to a conversation.