President OBAMA Rocks on Education!

"In his speech Tuesday, Obama vowed that education is among the top priorities of his administration and urged Americans to take advantage of the promise of an education.

"In a global economy, where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity. It is a prerequisite," he said.

"It is our responsibility as lawmakers and as educators to make this system work, but it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it." he said.

"So tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be a community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma." " CNN reporters

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/24/sotn.bethea/index.html

To me OBAMA is saying "take education personally, get some more!" Where President Kennedy called on us to do something for our country, President Obama calls on us to do something for ourselves and become more well educated which will in turn make our country richer and a more fun place to be! Actually we don't even know where it could lead us ...

Spock on "Education" what you get slinging around your degree

Captain, why do I have to dust the bridge every night before I go to bed? I have a college degree!

Zulu, show Spock how to use the dust cloth

Yes Captain!

Ideas Worth Spreading * Bill Gates * How Do You Make Education Better? What Makes a Great Teacher? malaria and other challenges :-)

http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2009/02/15/bill-gates-on-education-reform-in-feb-2009/

Dynamic interest, the economy ... 20 mins worth the time ... Minority students drop out rate is 50%, they are more likely to go to jail than to get a higher education. Bill said he's sending the attendees a free copy of the book - Work hard, Be Nice -

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/451
Scroll in a little to cut right to Bill's speech.

Linda Lane, Secretary of Change in a Democratic Society

Today I accepted my nomination as the Secretary of Change in President Obama's cabinet, a position which he had not opened up even though he ran on a platform of change. As a representative of the Ministry of Change I appointed, anointed, and nominated myself this morning and accepted on behalf of everyone.

That's what the Secretary of Change does --act! It's everyone's job.

My second action today was to take a walk and look for evidence of change. As its spring, and after a hard rain fell for an entire day it wasn't difficult to find.

We have a centrist population, which is likely good to come back to the center, but we need to supply that little extra view to the future, and a willingness to change. To seek change we must become uncomfortable with our old unsustainable ways -- we've misabused ourselves, other people and species in this world, and mistreated the only planet we know harbors life -ours.

That evidence in photos will appear shortly on the Wonderlane Flickr photo stream http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/ under a Creative Commons License.

We can change, we can't even stop if we wanted to. I've always loved that old saying, "Baby you're the greatest, don't ever change!" cause it's so funny!

HOLA! The Magic Has Started!

Well the recession has recessed me right out of living in California, so I am driving down Mexico way to stay with friends who offered to put me up for a spell. Goal? document the ongoing effort to save endangered species, and the social changes in modern middle class Guadalajara. In the turtle spawning grounds the locals earn $1 an endangered egg for soup. The last time I visited we were threatened by men on horseback with rifles. They bullied me into not photographing them; this time I will shoot them (so to speak!).

When the economy comes ROARING BACK! I'll take that job, and complete my masters degree.

Hey lets face it nearly $0% interest loans? A rocking great new president of the US? Americans don't like depressions. Americans don't believe in failure. People of the US don't like second place, won't stand for dead rats in the peanut butter, bankers with their hands in the public till, an old man freezing to death in his own home as he donates a 1/2 million to a hospital, a widow shooting herself in despair of loosing her home - these are the kinds of things Americans can not abide.

If we don't have people robbing grocery stories with shotguns, and riots in the streets we will have peace in two years and an expanding economy.

Things are going to change and they will change swiftly - but not fast enough for me to remain in San Mateo... My friend Ariel said I should bring another gringo to ride shotgun meanwhile.

12 story woman "En la Ciudad" by Mezcal Cedron using a Wonderlane photograph of Seattle

En la ciudad by ~jiiiiiij on deviantART

Click again on the second image at deviantart to see it large size. Mezcal did a lovely job on the coloration and light I think. Pretty believable 12 story tall woman.