[21boat]

How are we going to get our U.S city streets back and stop the 3rd world mentality of crime and actual trash blowing that a street cleaner can't keep up with. We are losing millions no trillions of dollars because of real estate value drops so quick when a neighbor hood goes bad.. The U.S. will never make this study nor will you see that study in public. So how are we going to get this done??

[450donn]

1) Return to a moral society
2) Return to family values and the family unit.
3) Stop allowing people like the ACLU fostering a "Not my problem" attitude.
4) Give the police the respect and support they need and deserve in dealing with criminals
5) Make our streets a place where criminals are not welcome.
6)Place prayer back in the schools.
7) allow the principals to spank unruly children.
8)Stop drugs at the border and make drug dealing a capital offense.
9)Get crooked politicians out of office.
10) Return the pledge of alegence to our schools.
Is that a good start for you?

[450donn]

Sadly this is a minority suggestion. Or at least it seems so based on the outspokeness of too many people.

[21boat]

I knew this would touch off some fireworks.
Kaytee When we use the word CORPAL PUNISHMENT it does sound serious. So every spanking is that. We obviously are still animals " cave men with cars" And hopefully the teacher or principle aren't strangers. I do understand what you said but The odds are look where we are now with kids in stores and public places. So the NUNS are bad people cause they practice CORPAL PUNISHMENT. I respect your thoughts seriously! Nothing perfect but operantly it worked for 231 years in the U.S. there are casualties in all we do but the many out ways the few. Thanks again.

[N0help4u]

Almost everyday at least one or two people get killed where I live.
They have vigils and say 'Take our streets back' but it is all mouthing words.
I believe there really isn't anything that can or will be done because nobody cares. Not only do they have a 'not my problem' mentality but it has a 'let them all kill each other' attitude. I hear it all the time.
The government doesn't really care. In fact they allow the drugs for the most part. How often do you really hear of drug busts compared to all the drug dealers that they KNOW about and don't do anything?

[JudyKayTee]

I knew this would touch off some fireworks.
Kaytee When we use the word CORPAL PUNISHMENT it does sound serious. so every spanking is that. We obviously are still animals " cave men with cars" And hopefully the teacher or principle aren't strangers. I do understand what you said but The odds are look where we are now with kids in stores and public places. So the NUNS are bad people cause they practice CORPAL PUNISHMENT. I respect your thoughts seriously! Nothing perfect but operantly it worked for 231 years in the U.S. there are casualties in all we do but the many out ways the few. Thanks again.

Yes, Nuns - or anyone else - who walk around smacking kids left and right at their discretion, are, in my eyes, bad people. If you are a teacher, unable to control your classroom, you're in the wrong profession.

And who draws the line on the people allowed to hit other people's children? If my neighbor's kids do something I don't like, do I get to "smack" them?

I don't understand the 231 years part - I assume you mean 232 (1776 to 2008) but you are arguing against yourself. Corporal punishment began to be banned about ten years ago so I can't get the figures to fit together.

[JudyKayTee]

Almost everyday at least one or two people get killed where I live.
They have vigils and say 'Take our streets back' but it is all mouthing words.
I believe there really isn't anything that can or will be done because nobody cares. Not only do they have a 'not my problem' mentality but it has a 'let them all kill each other' attitude. I hear it all the time.
The government doesn't really care. In fact they allow the drugs for the most part. How often do you really hear of drug busts compared to all the drug dealers that they KNOW about and don't do anything?

Part of this is because it's about the numbers. I'm a ex-Fed employee. We dealt in the numbers of arrests. Ten small street sellers were ten arrests. One big dealer was one arrest.

Not too hard to figure out.

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, I can remember, myself and my boys, if one got spanked in school, they got another one when they got home.

But schools are closer to war zones now, I have worked the worst prisons in the area, Federal and Ill State and Ga State, and my years as a sub teacher, were more fearful walking the halls of some school than the worst prisons I have ever been in.

[JudyKayTee]

Yes, I can remember, myself and my boys, if one got spanked in school, they got another one when they got home.

But schools are closer to war zones now, I have worked the worst prisons in the area, Federal and Ill State and Ga State, and my years as a sub teacher, were more fearful walking the halls of some school than the worst prisons I have ever been in.

I went to Catholic schools - the Nuns hit kids, called the parents, the parents hit the kids. And in my parents' eyes the Nun couldn't possibly be mistaken about the behavior or identity.

I agree - today's schools are totally out of control. Many of my friends are teachers and I hear the stories of male teachers getting "approached" by middle school females all the time - to say nothing of the problems with behavior, kids with knives, the language, the pregnancies.

I see cases transferred out of Family Court on a frequent basis because of the severity of the crime - and the kids are 13, 14, etc.

[21boat]

From what I am reading I see that people really do care and that's how things can get better. Ie teachers are there to teach and are in grave danger of life and not getting shot!but our media, and law are against us Now how are we going to address this? The difference is when I was young I feared my parents and my teacher in a healthy way. Didn't want to get my but spanked at school or at home. Could it work that a spanking at school is witness and recorded like the police have rec. video to show no cop abuse. Or like a nurse has to be present for certain visits to the doctors office. Kids need the good fear of authority!! So I ask Who else wants the old U.S.A. I know this is a help forum and I don't want to abuse it and be an Email thing But I needed answers to things Thank You!

[JudyKayTee]

from what I am reading I see that people really do care and thats how things can get better. Ie teachers are there to teach and are in grave danger of life and not getting shot!but our media, and law are against us Now how are we going to address this?? The difference is when I was young I feared my parents and my teacher in a healthy way. Didn't want to get my but spanked at school or at home. Could it work that a spanking at school is witness and recorded like the police have rec. video to show no cop abuse. Or like a nurse has to be present for certain visits to the doctors office. Kids need the good fear of authority!!! So I ask Who else wants the old U.S.A.? I know this is a help forum and I don't want to abuse it and be an Email thing But I needed answers to things Thank You!

Interesting - and, yes, the secret is respect for authority. Now that kids have legal rights, respect seems to have slipped away.

However - whenever I talk to older people they tell me nothing is new. Same problems, different time.

My Great grandmother used to tell us - to our GREAT amusement - that when she met my Grandfather he was wearing a black shirt and one of those snap brim caps, sort of like a baseball cap but with a narrow brim, and she thought he was a "hoodlum." My Great grandfather would respond that SHE powdered her nose and he could prove it and so he had his doubts about her.

When one of my cousins got pregnant very young and single and everyone ran around like a chicken with its head cut off my Grandmother said that this was nothing new in the World. Only difference is now people talk about it. Everyone was pretty much condemnation and shock - except my Grandmother who couldn't figure what the big family meeting was about - or why.

And of course, there's been the question of just who destroyed the youth of the country - Rudy Vallee, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis (no last name needed), Tom Jones, the Beatles, rap in general?

Different generations, different viewpoints.

Same with Wars - get a bunch of Veterans together and see which one was the worst. I'm sure 75 years ago the debate was Civil vs WWI.

Good post - lots to ponder. Wonder if this could/should be its own thread?

[Wondergirl]

If you improve the schools, change will come to the neighborhoods and attitudes will improve.

1. Restore the basics (spelling, times tables, grammar, penmanship, phonics, geography--all PROPERLY taught) to elementary schools and find ways to sneak in regular classes in art and music appreciation PLUS recess. Yes, there's enough time in the school day. I did it.

2. Fully involve the parents in their children's education.

3. Build a volunteer corps at each school to help with hallway monitoring, paper correcting, small-group reading, playground monitoring, one-on-one tutoring, etc. Not all of the possibilities have to be done during the daytime.

4. "Go green" in schools with regular projects for cleanup of property there and elsewhere, learning where and how to properly dispose of trash (recycling) and doing it, plant a garden (even some inner city Chicago school have small ones), teach (and practice!) more efficient use of resources such as with paper and food.

5. Improve/fine-tune teacher education in colleges and bring in with special teacher certificates more people from the community who have other backgrounds but want to teach, say, for two-year stretches.

6. Have a year-round school schedule.

7. Offer a morning-afternoon school schedule and also an afternoon-evening one.

***ADDED: I don't think kids should FEAR authority, but certainly should respect it. I was never afraid of my parents or teachers, but then I was a sweet and adorable little girl. I think if parents truly care and become involved in their children's lives and education, the respect will be there too.

[JudyKayTee]

[QUOTE=Wondergirl;1440131]If you improve the schools, change will come to the neighborhoods and attitudes will improve.

1. Restore the basics (spelling, times tables, grammar, penmanship, phonics, geography--all PROPERLY taught) to elementary schools and find ways to sneak in regular classes in art and music appreciation PLUS recess. Yes, there's enough time in the school day. I did it.QUOTE]



Well, you hit a nerve here. When I read the posts on this board - and I'm not talking about typos because everyone makes them - I cannot believe the spellings. There are whole postings I cannot decipher. If it's phonetic I have a shot but most of them are not.

As a side note one of the regulars got a "reddie" from some 13 year old who, in the course of the disagreement, called the regular a whore. "Whore" was just about the only word she spelled correctly in the whole reddie - and her original post!

And I'd like to see a requirement for volunteer work of some sort in the schools. I think it builds responsibility.

Are you a teacher? How to you cope with the kids who seem to be shuffled along, grade to grade, maybe they understand the material, maybe they don't, and then suddenly they hit your classroom - ?

[Wondergirl]

Well, you hit a nerve here. When I read the posts on this board - and I'm not talking about typos because everyone makes them - I cannot believe the spellings. There are whole postings I cannot decipher. If it's phonetic I have a shot but most of them are not.

As a side note one of the regulars got a "reddie" from some 13 year old who, in the course of the disagreement, called the regular a whore. "Whore" was just about the only word she spelled correctly in the whole reddie - and her original post!

And I'd like to see a requirement for volunteer work of some sort in the schools. I think it builds responsibility.

Are you a teacher? How to you cope with the kids who seem to be shuffled along, grade to grade, maybe they understand the material, maybe they don't, and then suddenly they hit your classroom - ?

Well, you found me out, Judy. I was doing exactly that as I wrote what I did; I was looking at the horrible spelling and grammar that has been posted in this thread as well as remembering all the other terribly composed posts I've read on this site and on others.

I too saw the 13 y/o's post and had answered her nicely, figuring the deed (pregnant dog) was done so why not put the best construction on it and try to reframe her thoughts about the future of the dog and eventual puppies.

I'm no longer a teacher, but note that most of the poorly written posts are done by people under 30 or so. I am a librarian and supervise court-ordered community service workers. Part of what I have them do to earn time, especially if they are teens, is diagram sentences, write essays and correct them, and do spelling projects. One arrogant fellow is 17 and has dropped out of h.s. because he was bored and is much too smart for that sort of thing (he told me). There's no time or space here to tell what wringers I've put him through. He hasn't burned down the library yet... (Btw, I have the probation supervisor's permission and encouragement to do this kind of thing with these kids. In fact, Probation was quite excited by it all. The kids also do large-muscle work around the library to earn time.)

[21boat]

Wonder Girl / Judy Kay Tee Not to get off the subject but I get corrected buy my wife about my grammar many times. (ha-ha)I only had spelling up to 6th grade (ouch) I did finish school and diploma. Iam border line Mensa with common sense to balance it. Just yesterday our borough was sued by apt. owners over a $30.00 charge on leases for rental Apt. They lost in City court. Apt owners then took it to the Pa Supreme Court. The ruling was overturned because, Get this. The state LAW that was written pertaining to this suit was a page and a half long written buy are paid U.S. tax dollar attorneys. The wording was a page and a half , and get this, it was ONE LONG SENTENCE no periods or any pucation. So how does that happen?! Good point on grammar though especially mine. On the other side half of my friends parents growing up were collage professors and excellent on crammer. But boy DR. hea... was one of the worst driver you you'd want to see among many other things. But it he was fantastic to talk to and learn! I can expostulate and articulate when needed.

[JudyKayTee]

Wonder Girl / Judy Kay Tee Not to get off the subject but I get corrected buy my wife about my grammar many times. (ha-ha)I only had spelling up to 6th grade (ouch) I did finish school and diploma. Iam border line Mensa with common sense to balance it. Just yesterday our borough was sued by apt. owners over a $30.00 charge on leases for rental Apt. They lost in City court. Apt owners then took it to the Pa Supreme Court. The ruling was overturned because, Get this. The state LAW that was written pertaining to this suit was a page and a half long written buy are paid U.S. tax dollar attorneys. The wording was a page and a half , and get this, it was ONE LONG SENTENCE no periods or any pucation. So how does that happen???!!! Good point on grammar though especially mine. On the other side half of my friends parents growing up were collage professors and excellent on crammer. But boy DR. hea... was one of the worst driver you you'd want to see among many other things. But it he was fantastic to talk to and learn! I can expostulate and articulate when needed.

Some people are just "better" at spelling at others. I think my point is posts that make no sense to begin with, in battered English I cannot believe. I work for Attorneys - many of them are brilliant but can't spell but they CAN string thoughts together.

People lately seem to be posting in battered English and at the end of it all I have no idea what the question is - ?

So I will give you an A for effort (and a B+ for spelling), an A for content - and you will move on to the next grade - :D

[Wondergirl]

... but only after diagramming 10 sentences and passing our 25-most-important-words-to-be-able-to-spell-on-AMHD spelling test.

[N0help4u]

I have noticed the spelling/txt talk has gotten a lot worse here in the past week or so. Maybe spending Christmas break from school here?

[JudyKayTee]

I have noticed the spelling/txt talk has gotten a lot worse here in the past week or so. Maybe spending Christmas break from school here?

Noticed the same thing - and I noticed some really good answers in text speak so I don't know, maybe it's also adults.

No what I mean, people?

[N0help4u]

Noticed the same thing - and I noticed some really good answers in text speak so I don't know, maybe it's also adults.

No wat I mean, ppl?

People?

Me tinks you mean peeps! :D

Yes I think there are some in their 20-30's too.