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Fukking bitchy taxpayers, how greedy can people be? The money's going for EDUCATION!!!!

fubar? what is this? first post?

I hope this doesn't mean it's over! I was looking forward to a blossoming Mac culture in metro Atlanta as a result of this program.

A workmate's wife is an educator for Cobb County and she already has an iBook given to her by the county school system. No suprise to anyone here, but my workmate says she loves the new laptop.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!

J, are you asking what the acronym "FUBAR" means?

fubar |ˈfoōˌbär| adjective: out of working order; seriously, perhaps irreparably, damaged : the Cobb County iBook plan is fubar. ORIGIN 1940s: acronym from fucked up beyond all recognition (or repair).

>"Superior Court Judge S. Lark Ingram ordered an immediate halt to a groundbreaking laptop computer program Friday>

Wot a bloody lark, Judge Lark Ingrown.

MW-board, as in back to the board.

Once again proves that Southerners aren't very bright.

Get over it. If the terms of this deal were not a part of the special referendum, and voters approved the sales tax under perception that the money would be used for other purposes, then the judge can and SHOULD shut this thing down. Public officials shouldn't be running around willy-nilly in the public trough without some sort of accountability. If I were a taxpayer and voter in Cobb County, I'd be pissed as punch too. iBooks for the kiddies is a great dream, but I'm sure $25 million could go toward MUCH better things to enhance these kids' educations. Like more teachers, smaller classrooms--and I know the idea is quaint, but how 'bout more books?

Oh, STFU OnlyMacs. All you have demonstrated through your bias is that _you_ aren't very bright.

I live in a school district which has the only high school laptop program in the county. I have 3 daughters who have gone to, or are currently in this school. After talking to several teachers, they all agree that this laptop program has not lived up to everything the school board and teachers thought it would be.

In fact, some of the teachers who had the honors or accelerated classes have switched to non-laptop courses because they feel the program has actually proven to be detrimental to learning. The feeling I get from those teachers, is that the students are not yet mature enough to be responsible "owners" of the laptops, and some treat them like toys.

It has also been said that this upcoming school year will be the last of the laptop program.

What I don't understand, is that 90% of the desktop computers in every school in my district are Macs. But they accepted a deal from Dell, and then IBM for the laptops. I know us Mac fans could point to that as the reason why the program didn't work - we all know that iBooks would be more reliable then any other Windows based laptop.

But the answer is more complicated then just what brand of laptop taxpayers' money is spent on.

Well put Hemorrhoid Rage. I am all for Macs in schools, but this case became an issue of public accountability.

Done properly, you don't need any physical textbooks or back-breaking backpacks to lug them around in — if you have the Apple iBooks. Physical paper and bound textbooks are a complete waste of money. Therefore, Cobb has probably already placed their $25 million textbook order. Rubes.

>> Like more teachers, smaller classrooms <<
That's funny. We've been throwing money into that black hole since I was a kid and I'm now old.

Want a better education for Cobb students? Spend the $25 million on breaking the back of the fucking NEA and get some real teachers who can't coast along pulling their puds for 25 years until they can retire.

Sorry for the reality burst. I now return you to the rose-colored fantasy world of Hemorrhoid Rage, where everyone hugs trees and listens to 55-minute Dead tunes.

"Get over it. If the terms of this deal were not a part of the special referendum, and voters approved the sales tax under perception that the money would be used for other purposes, then the judge can and SHOULD shut this thing down. Public officials shouldn't be running around willy-nilly in the public trough without some sort of accountability. If I were a taxpayer and voter in Cobb County, I'd be pissed as punch too. iBooks for the kiddies is a great dream, but I'm sure $25 million could go toward MUCH better things to enhance these kids' educations. Like more teachers, smaller classrooms--and I know the idea is quaint, but how 'bout more books?"

.......or here's an idea why don't you right wing neo-fascists just throw that 25M. into the pockets of those Bush buddy charlatans that ALREADY get a far too large a slice of the education pie, yes that tragic farce called "No Child Left Behind" "program" and the expensive testing services sold by none other then corrupt Bushites !!! As I have said before future cannon fodder doesn't need all that fancy equipment like computers a whittling knife and a stick will do.

The dammed truth.

If the laptop program is cancelled maybe the money will be spent on buying new iMacs or Minis for all the schools instead.

Either way Apple will get the cash and the students will get education on computers.

Whilst a lot of people here getting angry with one stance or another, I'm more curious to find out whether programs like "leave no child behind", laptop programs etc are helping to improve education in this country.

Fact is kids are being left behind in education. I saw it happen when I grew up (in the UK) and hear of it happening here in the US to too many kids. These kinds of experiments are need cos the current system is failing for sure.

So whether it is yearly testing, smaller class sizes, multimedia teaching, we certainly need to find a way to improve the system.

Fact is though, government puts little resources into education and teachers salaries are a joke. So it is no wonder that we are in this trouble.

I'm tickled pink by your lunatic left-wing rambling. Referring to Apple iBook-advocates as "neofascists"...priceless!
You're a fabulous advocate for anti-Bush sentiment. Whatever you do, don't stop "speaking out"--express yourself!!
XOXO
Kate

Hey Mr not so bright "Hemorrhoid Rage" the special referendum was for "technology" meaning the money can not be used for teachers or books. This is simply a case of one asshole whining because he didn't want it passed in the first place.
It's to bad that are childrens education has to be slowed down because every idiot with an opinion can file a lawsuit these days.

Note* as some who has worked in k-12 education technology I can positively say this is the best way to spend the money. Desktops would spend 99% of the time sitting unused in a empty room.

Kate, there is no need for left wing rambling when Pres Bush flip-flops his way through the next three years. By the end of his term, the USA should be well on its downward spiral (which began the day Bush was elected 5 years ago).

on to my left wing rant...

This country is filled with people who have no problem with their tax dollars funding an outlaw style war based on lies, but are too greedy to fund education. This sickness of mismanaged anger and a "fatter is better" philoshophy dominated in this culture is at the heart of many problems. It's just here that we see a sore out in the open. Very few have the ability to see more than five inches in front of their face, and as such see no need to invest in education, the environment, renewable energy sources, etc. Instead they give you all kinds of excuses to spend your money on a bunch of shit no-one needs. After all, remember it's your money. Wasn't that one of Bush's major campaign themes? This should come as no surprise then.

Is this the same Cobb county that wanted to teach God created the world in 6,000 years rather than evolution?

To: NEA-loving cretins
Re: No Child Left Behind

The 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress, released last week, shows 9-year-olds had their best test scores in reading and math in three decades. The results for older students were a mixed bag and included a clear indication that more attention needs to be paid to secondary students.

On the elementary front, this seems like pretty clear evidence that the much-criticized No Child Left Behind Act has accomplished at least part of its goal. Although there were flaws in the law, especially in the way some states chose to implement it, the emphasis on concentrating on core subjects and testing to measure progress has proven to be successful.

Another result that can be partially attributed to No Child Left Behind is that the test score gap between races also is narrowing.

The increase in test scores should have a positive effect on education for years to come. If more 9-year-olds are better at reading and math, that should result in more opportunities for learning at higher grade levels and a corresponding increase in test scores as these students get older.

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2005/07/20/news/editorials/1009069.txt

President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" blueprint:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/reports/no-child-left-behind.html

Bush will go down in history as one of the most effective and transforming U.S. Presidents. Let's see, the Libs have the impeached joke that was Clinton (What else did he do besides get sucked off in the Oval Office? He ran polls to determine his stance on various issues, demonized the opposition, passed on Osama Bin Laden, blathered on and on about 100,000 police officers that didn't exist, tried to ignore his screeching dyke wife, and bombed an aspirin factory) and, of course, the abject failure Jimmy "Peanut Farmer" Carter (I can drive 55!) as their two "gems" of the last 3+ decades. We'll take Reagan, Bush and Bush over those two awful failures any damn day of the week.

And while we're taking something, we'll be taking the Supreme Court, too! Have a happy day, tree hugging socialists!

Nothing's FUBAR about the iBook program here.

The local newspaper seems to be floundering constantly, always in search of something with which to make news. The editors appear to be reactionaries at best, anxious to retain whatever power they can manage within the community. Without local sports and legal notices, I doubt they could survive.

To make news and to demonstrate their power, they object to what is the very best for their own children. Bombastic to extremes, in my opinion, they appear to me to thrive on superstitions, ignorances, and outright prejudices to mount a scare program to bully the public. There's a history of such tactics here. It is a matter of public record.

Well, they once strung a guy up here at a nearby street corner. That's about what these power brokers are trying to do to the School Board today. Reactionaries; remember this.

We remember, no, we can't forget the KKK, either.

It's time to drum up the right spirit here to quell these heathens. Check out the history behind the tune of "A Mighty Fortress..." and spread the word.

Oh no, not again!!! I hate to hear this kind of news!!!

Students fail because the parents are failing them. It's not the kids fault (usually, unless he/she has a learning disability) it's parents who are to busy with their own hobbies and goal to put time and effort into making their children go to school, pay attention, and do the work. Children can't just be made to learn by a teacher, the child needs the parent to seed the work ethic and drive to succeed.

Why are the citizens of Cobb county getting a fair shake when it comes to the government spending their tax dollars? Here in NC our great government leaders spend my money like it's going out of style, and there isn't anything anyone can do about it. Except vote, which I do.

(Yes, I read the referendum. Yes, I agree with the judge. No, I don't think they should stop the iBook program. They can find another way.)

And why does MDN draw all these crazed short-sighted left-wingers?

Yes, of course this is the very first time any government has ever passed a tax claiming it was for one purpose and then using it for another.

Get screwed OnlyMacs.

Good decision why don't you cry babies by your own computer for your kids. Not only do I have to pay for the school the teacher and the books now you want me to buy the video game machine. Get real 6 grade kids will lose the computer, or some of the enterprising youths will go in the used (hot ) computer business.

"because school leaders did not tell Cobb County voters what they wanted to do with a voter-approved special sales tax,"

uhm... there was no agreement to release that information..

the monies were ALREADY APPROOVED..

This Judge is obviously paid off or just plain stupid.. or controled by local politics from someone who is paid off or just plain stsupid..

"...It's to bad that are childrens education has to be slowed down because every idiot with an opinion..."

Holy crap - anyone who writes a sentence like that has no business even discussing education -

FUBAR is similar to SNAFU- Situation Normal All Fukked Up which is what has happened here!

Wasn't this the case where the money would go to replace "obsolete workstations", and they decided to replace them with laptops. And now some say that they weren't informed that laptops will go to every kid. But what's the difference with buying iMacs and eMacs or iBooks? Seems to me some just weren't that happy with the "obsolete workstations" being replaced with Apple computers. Or do these people just have genuine preference for computer labs over laptops in the regular classroom - if so, then their call is justified. But I wonder, would this case also exist if the "obselete workstations" would be replaced with regular PC laptops from Dell or HP?

Does anyone believe that this judge would have even opened it's mouth if these were Dell machines ?

BOTTOM LINE: There is a tanker load of "money" out there protecting Microsoft & Dell through channels you cannot imagine. Follow the money trail.

These school districts around the country spend money like water. No one says a word 95% of the time. Notice all the Apple laptop backlash lately ? Not a coincidence my friend.

Don't get too high and mighty "Educational Experts" . If anyone actually gave a darn...there would be no band, no sports, no stupid trips to Europe...it would be small schools, many more of them I might add...a "one room school house atmosphere" where kids would be taught by people who had earned the right to teach...topics would be politically neutral...technical issues would reign supreme. Actually learning would be the goal. Kids would not be built up in some self-esteem workshop, but would be trained to speak, write, calculate...etc.

This is all Political/Money/Lobbying garbage.

The whole system is on a pogo-stick, with circus music in the background.

>Students fail because the parents are failing them. It's not the kids fault (usually, unless he/she has a learning disability) it's parents who are to busy with their own hobbies and goal to put time and effort into making their children go to school, pay attention, and do the work. Children can't just be made to learn by a teacher, the child needs the parent to seed the work ethic and drive to succeed.>

It's the bloody unions, stupid. Give all parents/kids a voucher, then we'll see the education of the kids thrive and get back to where it was before the unions decimated it. Tenure my rear end.

Bring corporal punishment back and discipline the precious kids, and their soft parents.

Verbose (formally The Duke),

I agree with you, parents are failing their kids on the education front. My wife is an elementary school teacher and she spends so much time dealing with issues parents either will not address or refuse to acknowledge.

She is also furious at the teachers that coast through their days to retirement. The "it's the unions' fault" is a cop-out to taking personal responsibility.

In my town, the taxpayers were furious about spending more money on schools about 10 years ago - until a bunch of them were dragged into classrooms on a rainy day and witnessed the dozen or so buckets collecting water leaking through roofs, the water-stained walls, and generally crappy conditions that they wouldn't work in themselves. Magically, the taxpayers started to turn their attention to their schools.

However, it is the taxpayers who bear ultimate resonsibility. Spend some tim to get to know your childrens' schools and teachers. Search out the good ones and pressure the bad ones. It's hard work, but nobody said being a good parent was easy.

Those poor Southern kids.

And American public education falls further behind, as politics rolls through the classroom like an ugly steamroller.

But it's not all depressing. I mean, at least they can still read about evolution in their school books, right?

Right?

The problem is not politics, or the unions, or the parents, or any of those ideas. The problem, if you can call it that, is that the priorities of our societies have changes. Wisdom, knowledge, respect, dignity, artistry, and other great society-building ideals are no longer important.

So, what is important today? BLING! That's what's important. "How do I get to the money? What's the shortest route to the money?" Screw improvement. "I want MORE! And I want it to be flashy and impressive and better than yours." That's what the kids are focused on today, because that's what we've taught them. Our mantra in the 20th Century (and now the 21st) that getting an education leads to better jobs is very narrow and is simply about money.

Any questions, class?

It is funny that these people want accountability, yet they helped re-elect G.W. Bush and his gang.

"To: NEA-loving cretins
Re: No Child Left Behind

The 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress, released last week, shows 9-year-olds had their best test scores in reading and math in three decades. The results for older students were a mixed bag and included a clear indication that more attention needs to be paid to secondary students.

On the elementary front, this seems like pretty clear evidence that the much-criticized No Child Left Behind Act has accomplished at least part of its goal. Although there were flaws in the law, especially in the way some states chose to implement it, the emphasis on concentrating on core subjects and testing to measure progress has proven to be successful.

Another result that can be partially attributed to No Child Left Behind is that the test score gap between races also is narrowing.

The increase in test scores should have a positive effect on education for years to come. If more 9-year-olds are better at reading and math, that should result in more opportunities for learning at higher grade levels and a corresponding increase in test scores as these students get older.......blablabla"

What a big BUSHel of Fascist Fries !!!! You neo-cons and your Corporate Communists will lie about the results like you and your President lie about everything, do I hear impeachment sounds?, remember there are lies, damned dirty lies and then there is republican double speak. You can get numbers to say anything you want especially when you control every aspect of a program and that's exactly what you fascists do. Hell you even PAY off supposed neutral pundits to sing the praises of such a corrupt machination to steal public moneys for their conservative corporate welfare bums.

Anyways these Americans are soooo egotist that their own children's needs are just a burden to them and why not they are perfectly ok with the prospect of handing them in to the Bush crime family as cannon fodder for their bloody oil money.

Just the damned truth.

"I'm tickled pink by your lunatic left-wing rambling. Referring to Apple iBook-advocates as "neofascists"...priceless!
You're a fabulous advocate for anti-Bush sentiment. Whatever you do, don't stop "speaking out"--express yourself!!
XOXO
Kate"

Thank you Kate, I was not "rambling" about iBook-advocates but your brand of totally ignorant red state religious neo-fascist drivel we occasionally read on these feedback pages. The fact is that what was the bastion of progressive democracy in the world "America" has been hijacked by an oligarchy of criminals that stretch all the way back to the Nixon administration and maybe back further. Their and your delusional mind set of the "self made man" and "freedom at all costs" and "no tax is a good tax" is just neofascist propaganda made to protect the Corporate Communists right to make self destructive profits no matter who dies. Wake up and smell the corpses.

The damned truth.

Hi all,

Intelligent Design My Ass is correct. A little time spent on Google confirms that the same Cobb County is responsible for both the iBook fiasco and for one of the many debates on Creationism versus Evolution. Why must people be so afraid of ideas? If children are exposed to both ideas, then they can form their own opinions... what a concept!

Concerning the iBook issue, I smell the stink of a money trail leading back to Dell and/or Microsoft (as another poster here has already suggested).

Regarding whether or not the South is as behind the Times as a taxicab behind a magazine truck, please read this article from CNN’s archives:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/05/02/separate.proms.ap/

Best Regards,

Linuxlover

I smell a rat!

Hi all,

Oops... make that a newspaper truck. :~)

Regards,

Linuxlover

Good bye Supt. Joe Redden, Asst. Supt Beers, and CIO Kimberly Quinn. You had a chance to improve the world and you blew it...

This could also be SNAFU.... or TARFU...

The moanings of self-loathing haters like Slyrobber is why the the Left in the country is on the rapid decline. Talk about living in denial!

A person who doesn't even know what the word "Fascist" (c.f. nationalistic socialism) means but slings the term around with abandon, doesn't merit even the slightest consideration from the serious thinkers who peruse these pages. Let me give you a little lesson Sly. NeoCons (not to mention real Conservatives) are generally all about giving parents CHOICE in what school to which they send their children. OTOH, a Fascist would be more interested in nationalized public education. Fascists love anything State controlled. Even better if they can do it while vociferously proclaiming their patriotism (which everyone around them knows is just faux).

NeoCons and their conservative cousins would be most interested in making sure that if they have to pay into a State controlled "education" system that at least it should teach the basics first and then if there is money left teach the Earthday/AIDS awareness/Republicans are evil/nationalized health care is good/we evolved from monkeys crap after that then so be it. But noooo. The folks who control State sponsored education institutions can't abide an educated citizenry. If they allow that then they would never win an election, get a judge appointed, or generally control anything but Warner Bros. and Apple Computer.

The Left needs to wise up. The majority of Americans are wise to your antics! We don't like your public education programs, we don't like your nationalized/socialized health care programs, we don't like the MoveOn histrionics, the "Bushite" loony conspiracy theories, the endless blathering about "non-existent" WMDs (when everyone with a brain knows that Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and Syria all had or have them), we don't buy it anymore (if we ever did).

The quality of public education in this country is seriously declining and it has been doing so, not under Bush but under the dominance of the Left. So get over yourselves Sly and GSpank. You are losing the battle of ideas and you prove it everyday with the comical anti-Bush diatribes. Public education will not be helped by a few iBooks. Of course, it will be further HINDERED if those are Thinkpads but that is a different issue.

Private education and charter schools are the solution. Yes, the free market. It works for higher education and it will work for K-12. The only thing that is lost by going this direction is that the Left no longer can mandate children to regurgitate Al Franken musings. Other than that, there is no downside. A democracy can only survive if it has educated and virtuous citizens. The current public education quagmire contributes to neither of these attributes.

And THAT'S the real truth.


-D

P.S. Sly and G, feel free to ignore the advice above. The Right is winning precisely because of the kind of hatred and bigotry embodied in your posts.

I can't believe that no one has told the poor guy what FUBAR is...

F'ed
Up
Beyond
All
Recognition

Well here come the right wing brown shirts. It was just a matter of time before they came around to spew their ignorant diatribe about something they live every day but obviously know nothing about. First look up fascism in an unbiased dictionary. Please nothing "American" for even dictionaries have been modified to fit the conservative frame of mind today. Fascism from the Italian "Fascismo", is a "RIGHT-WING" system of government characterized by extreme nationalistic beliefs (GO USA) and strict obedience to a leader (four more years, BUSH) or state.
Oxford dictionary of current english.

Sorry dude your right wing 1984-ish double speak doesn't work here. Stop pushing your Corporate Communist agenda at the expense of your own children's future. NO cost is too great for THAT you egotist self centered avarist. Except human life itself. THAT'S reserved for your buddies oil blood money right ?

P.S. The grip of your FASCIST cronies is fast coming to an end we "Left Wing Winers" or is that winners are in office everywhere in the world that have REAL democracy and Liberty at heart. That's why most if not all of the world loathes America. Well at least it's slurried government and the ones that support and encourages it. Remember Nixon ? HE also thought he would never get caught. His crimes were mere misdemeanors compared to the crimes against humanity this gang of thugs and miscreants are perpetrating. Your times will come, the Canadian head of the international crimes tribunal has lots of work ahead of her if there is ANY sort of justice in this world.

Wake up and smell the corpses.

THAT's THE DAMNED DIRTY TRUTH !!!

via MacDailyNews.com
Sly,

I laugh at your pseudointellectual attempt to redefine what constitutes fascism. Most modern dictionaries define fascism as "right wing" because modern dictionaries originate in left-wing universities where they imagine their brand of government as non-totalitarian. As Hillary once put it, "socialism has gotten a bad rap because the right people haven't tried it". Hmm, I wonder who the "right" person would be?

The modern political definition of Left and Right is Left = more State control, Right = less State control. Thus, the far right would be people who do not believe in ANY government (i.e. anarchists) while the far left would be people who believe in total State control (i.e. totalitarianism).

I don't buy the label that "right wing"=total state control as it is not born out in modern political discourse. Talk to any conservative or libertarian and you will find that, to a person, they are backers of limited government. This belief is the defining characteristic of modern conservatism. On the other hand, Fascism is a form of socialism with a nationalistic twist. This is not precise but it does closely describes the modern Left in Europe and the U.S. If fascism was limited to a definition of nationalism with a "strict obedience to a leader" then we would have to consider Democrats under Clinton to be fascists (possible), the and certainly all Americans under George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to be fascists (not possible). However, the defining characteristic of fascism is its promotion of an all-powerful federal government, something that Oxford conveniently leaves out (which is just one more reason we know that their definition was written by a lefty).

What makes for a fascist is that they believe in an all powerful State that controls all aspects of a person's life and then wraps that in an elitist attitude that says that their control of our lives through government edict is really the best for the country. Find me a conservative ANYWHERE who is interested in an over-reaching Statist system of government. OTOH, who came up with the ADA, the public ed system, the endangered species act, Kyoto, and the recent public takings decision on the supreme court? Who wants to raise taxes, take our money to give to others who did not earn it, fund the NEA, pass more land use restrictions, ban smoking, etc. etc. etc? Not conservatives, that's for sure. That is the stuff of fascism, something we are trying to turn around despite your efforts. The Europeans like to call it "democratic socialism" but a rose by any other name still has thorns. Yes, we know that the Left loves to redefine the term Fascism but that dog just won't hunt.

Sly, you can call us brown shirts all day long but it's clear you're simply projecting (and by the way, it is also an admission that you've lost the argument). Calling someone a NAZI should generally be reserved for people espousing NAZI beliefs. Find me a conservative who is promoting an all powerful government, or who wants to see the destruction of Israel, or who would like to see the government take over private business. If you can find one then we'll talk. Until then, methinks you doest protest too much.

Good day,

-Beeblebrox

P.S. I don't understand your "Corporate Communist" comments. It makes no sense. Communists and Fascists are both oriented toward nationalizing corporate interests (the greatest fear of small and large business alike) so this "insult" is a lame non-sequitur. Furthermore, all it takes is a quick look at the funding sources for the respective major parties to see that small and medium sized businesses are the primary funding groups behind the GOP while large corporations keep the Donks alive. This makes sense if you think about it. As long as the GOP remains the party of limited government then small and medium sized businesses will continue to support the it. If the GOP goes the way of the Dems and starts punishing small business then the support dollars will dry up. Meanwhile large corporations are always looking to consolidate their control of their respective markets and this is often best done by seeing that your competition is regulated out of existence.

What I never read about in relation to all these laptop initiatives is what planning is actually put into what is going to be done with them irrespective of who provides them.

It's all well and good providing all this tech but if they're just gonna plonk them down in front of the kids and teachers what is the point? To me it's got to be something more involved than people just being able to wordprocess stuff, there needs to be proper intranet support, a proper email contact structure.

Apple would surely have the lead with the advanced way in which all their stuff can network and integrate but I don't get the feeling that any manufacturer or in turn the schools are really doing anything with these machines.

I hope I'm wrong but really these school boards need to put more effort into what they're then going to do with machines (irrespective of who provides them) before they then write the thing off.

hey ron, how is this the kid's fault?

"It's not the kids fault (usually, unless he/she has a learning disability)"