Have We No Pride?

The news stories coming out of Washington this week bespeak a terrible arrogance on the part of those that have been elected to represent us.

There has been a great deal of talk about the Big Three automakers and the failure of their business plans. Like they have for many of the business failures lately, those inside the beltway are eager to lay the blame for the failure soley at the feet of capitalism, as if the automobile industry had been operating in the free-market. Their response is that government must "do something" and right away, too, in order to save Detroit.
Sorry, pols, but I think Detroit is already too far gone, and I think government had something to do with it. As did the union bosses, whose main interest is maintaining power, not taking care of the "little guy."
Undoubtedly, bad business decisions also contributed.
It's damn hard to make a business plan at all, let alone a good one, when your faction has lost influence in Washington, and the regulations and pull-peddling go against you.

The thread that runs through this whole sad story is one of arrogance. Arrogance, but not pride.
It was disgusting to watch the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed lording it over the auto executives in the weeks prior to Thanksgiving, as they came hat in hand for their share of the bail-out. There was plenty of arrogance to go around. It was displayed by the union bosses and the political apparatchiki there to make political hay over the shame of the auto execs.

There was plenty of arrogance, but I had to wonder about the auto execs: Where was their pride?
I was waiting for one of them to stride into the hearings like a reincarnation of Howard Hughes to tell the Pols exactly where to shove it.
I was sorely disappointed.
No one with an ounce of pride in their company and its product would have gone begging to Washington for a handout, willing to sell out to a Car Czar for the privilege of surviving to ask for another handout a few months hence.
Better to stand up and take it like a man, while filing bankruptcy proceedings in order to get out from under the insane job-destroying union-contracts and contradictory government regulations, the better to start again under Chapter 11 reorganization.

Have they no pride?
I imagine that they sold that to the pull-peddlers long ago.

Instead they humbly kowtowed to the most ridiculous grandstanding by the Clowns from Congress . . .er, excuse me, the Honorable So-And-So's.
This might be understandable, though still disgusting, if such a bail-out had a snow-ball's- chance-in-hell of saving the companies.

But we saw this week exactly why it won't. It can't.
It's the unions, stupid! (Apologies to Bill Clinton).
Or more accurately, it's the union bosses.
We saw them doing the same thing to the Senate that they have done to the automakers.
These guys don't bargain in good faith. They don't bargain at all.
They demand.

Some of our senators do have some pride.
When the UAW refused to consider any concessions, the Senate said: No deal.
And this is the right response, because it will not matter how much money the Federal government takes out of our pockets to prop up these companies, if the companies cannot make cars that will sell at the prices people are prepared to pay. The companies will continue to sink into the red.
We will be sending good money after bad.

But now the President of the United States has said that he will subvert the decision of the Senate. In doing so, he is subverting the United States Constitution and Rule of Law.
He is perjuring himself as well, because he has taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
This is the same offense that caused Bill Clinton to be hauled before the Senate for an impeachment trial.

Many Americans were calling for the impeachment of the president when he began the unconstitutional war in Iraq. And many more were doing so because of the unconstitutional provisions in the Patriot Act.

I have just one question: Where are those voices now?
Have we no pride?

On A Snowy Evening

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

On Tuesday, December 9, we had a snowstorm, and a snow day . . .

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Over 500 Posts and Butterfly Fun!

Wow! I just noticed that my post on Sky Magic was my 500th post on this blog.

I started blogging on Sunday, December 3, 2006, and my first post was Why I Homeschool: A Response to Dr. Phil. When I re-read my first post, I was both amused and amazed. I have certainly learned a lot about formatting, posting, and blogging since that day just a little over two years ago when I started this blog.

I am also amazed by what has happened in our personal lives since that day, and what changes have come to us and the world since then. I am also impressed by the amount of learning that I have done, thanks to my fellow bloggers! Long life to you all!

I am now sold on the power of journaling!

And now for some fun!

Frankie, over at Kitchen Table Learners has given me a Butterfly Award. I know I have received some other awards during this very busy fall, but I kept delaying my response until I forgot altogether. So I am not going to make the same mistake with this one.

The rules are to link to the person who gave you the award, post the graphic, and name ten blogs for the award in turn.

Ten is hard for me, but Frankie named a few that I had already named.

Here are my ten:

Boy Story . . . And Beyond!

Homeschooling the Doctorate!

The Thinking Mother

Corn and Oil

Junkfood Science

Mom in Madison

Deliberate Wanderer

Magpie Ima

Rational Jen

NeuroLogica

Some of these are mothers, one is a dad, some are homeschooling, and some of these are about science. Among them, there is quite a diversity of ideas: religious, non-religious, scientific, and political. I like something about each one, and none of them reflect my ideas and opinions completely. That is why I have learned so much!

One more thing: each of these blogs links to a whole world of blogs. Following links can bring you to more blogs that I'd like to put here, but then I'd go over the limit.

Enjoy!

Klezmer from Chicago!

This year, one gift the Engineering Geek and I gave to each other is a pair of donor tickets to the Eight Nights of Joy CD release party here in Albuquerque.

We were looking forward to seeing The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band from Chicago, with whom Rabbi Joe Black made this CD. Although we thought the concert was too much of "the Joe Show," and the first set was extremely pediatric, we were very excited to see such a famous Klezmer band up close and personal right here in Albuquerque. Our donor tickets afforded us a reception (complete with latkes) with the band prior to the show, and reserved seats for the show, as well as the satisfaction of making a donation to the synagogue general fund.

Klezmer music is Jewish "Soul," brought over by the European Jewish immigrants in the early part of the last century. The word "Klezmer" comes from the Hebrew: K'lei zamir -- literally, 'instruments of song.' The music is an incredible testament to the musical talents of European Jews, of which the Fiddler on the Roof music is just an appetizer.

Here is Chicago Does Klezmer!, a short montage of some of The Maxwell Street Klezmer's work.

The music during the film montage is from "The Lark."

The second bit is from Ocho Candelikas, a Ladino (Spanish-Jewish) Hannukah song.

The third is part of a performance of the "Teichel (Handkerchief) Dance, a traditional dance in which a handkerchief must be used for a man and woman to dance together.

Fourth comes the Benny Goodman piece, And the Angels Sing, with a Klezmer surprise in the middle.

Last is a bit of Litvaker vs. Galitzianer (Lithuanian v. Poland), a great rivalry in the Ashkenazi Jewish world of pre-Shoah Europe.

Although we did not hear enough of Maxwell Street, what we heard was wonderful enough to make our evening. Imagine being in the second row for this music! Our hands were together, our toes were tapping, and there were moments where it was all we could do not to get up and begin a hora.

At the end, we were all on feet shouting "More Klezmer! More Klezmer!"

We were treated to two encores, the last of which was a "Compote" of classical, klezmer, and holiday tunes. This is traditional to klezmer as well.

At our wedding, we were fortunate to have The New Shtetl Band for both the ceremony and the celebration. They are another well-known Klezmer revival group, from right here in Albuquerque. For a sense of what our dance was like, take a look at the Wedding Workshop video from the Maxwell Street website.

Ah, but we had a good time last night! It was a welcome respite from the stresses and concerns of this season and this year of uncertainty. And the wild, joyous, humorous and plaintive Klezmer music took us out of it all, as good music is supposed to do.

Sky Magic

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

We've had some wonderful sky magic over the past three days here in Sandia Mountains.

The storm from California seemed to blow through in waves, and after the snow on Thanksgiving Day, it brought bands of cloud across the Sandia Mountain Front.

Dawn, Saturday November 29, 2008.







Mid-afternoon, Sunday, November 30, 2008.
Even as winter approaches, the New Mexico sky retains its stark color contrasts. Cerulean sky, white clouds, and deep blue shadows on the mountains.










Sunset, Sunday evening.
Another band of cloud catches the last light of the sun, high over the Sandias.










During the past days, the waxing moon has been visible in the western evening sky near the conjunction of Venus (above right) and Jupiter (below left). We will not see them as close as this again in our lifetime.

Taken Monday evening, December 1, 2008, my camera was on a tripod.






Before the Engineering Geek got the tripod, I snapped this picture. It was quite windy, so the moon and planets are blurred.
But You can see the horizon and the lingering pink of the December sunset.

Taken Monday evening, December 1, 2008.

School Update: AS, Academics, and Advocacy

I can't believe that the Boychick's first semester in high school is almost over!
When did December sneak up on us?

Since we are almost to the halfway point of the Boychick's freshman year at EMHS, I think it's a good time to post a school update. (I meant to do so at the quarter, but we were in the middle of the High Holy Days).

This semester has been one of adjustments, testing, social triumphs and tragedies, and learning.
It has been a good semester!

That the Boychick is an Aspie has definitely had an impact, more so now that he is in school.
Although I did a lot of teaching of strategies to compensate academically during our homeschooling days, some of the sensory and social issues were more easily dealt with at home, and some did not rear their pointy little heads.

Now that he is in school, the Boychick has had to deal with being overwhelmed by sensory stimuli and emotional drama--his own and that of others. In some cases he has shut down, and in others, he has become hyperkinetic and contributed to the overall problem in the classroom. He has a skilled special education teacher to whom he can go when he needs help coping. Just today, for example, he left his Humanities homework on his desk in his room. He had worked on it with a friend last night, as was proud that he had completed it without Mom's help or reminding. But then he forgot to put it into his backpack.
So he called, sounding wrung-out and near tears to tell me to bring it with me when I came over to the school. I teach on Tuesday afternoon there.
He told me exactly what to bring and where to find it on his desk.
Bless his pointy little Aspie head! His visual memory is very exact!


When I arrived at school for my weekly volunteer duty (I teach a writing workshop for 6 special education students), the Boychick was in the Resource room. I was surprised to see him, since he is not in the group I teach. I said: "You are the luckiest boy in the world! You forgot your homework for the first time on a Tuesday."
He seemed better then, and took it immediately to his Humanities teacher.
Later, Ms. R., the special education teacher told me that the Humanities teacher did not believe that he had done it. This upset the Boychick, and he shut down and had to go sit in the Resource room to clear his head.

The case of his math class was more difficult. There, he was placed in a class composed of boys with a new albeit very enthusiastic teacher. In the first weeks of school, this group developed a synergy that made them one of those proverbial classes from hell. The problem for the Boychick is that he is very distractible and has great difficulty focusing on his work in a relatively quiet classroom; the drama of this class meant he was not learning.
But the Boychick is perseverative, and easily influenced by others. So he would pick up the pencil tapping or whatever and then continue it long after the others had gotten tired of it.
We have been working with the Boychick on understanding this about himself and developing strategies to cope and prevent the perseverations.

Finally, the day one of the other boys spilled iced tea all over the Boychick's homework, the Boychick had enough.
He got up. He wrung his papers out in the sink.
He put them on the corner of the teacher's desk.
And he left the room.
Permanently.
He told the Educational Assistant that he was not going back there.
Period.
The math teacher invited him for a conference, and the Boychick stuck to his decision.
But he also explained to her why he could not learn in that environment.
They switched his schedule and moved him to another group for math.
Problem solved.
The Engineering Geek and I, Ms. R., the EA, the social worker and the dean of freshman, were all overjoyed at his self-advocacy! This is a giant step towards self-understanding and independence.

There have been other social challenges: dealing with bullies, other freshman boys, upper-classmen. And girls. Oy! But he is finding his way and even met a girl at the Homecoming dance.

Academically, there have been challenges as well.
We told the Boychick that we were not concerned about grade percentages this year, as long as he is passing his courses. He needs to maintain at least a 70% in each class to pass. Otherwise . . . Dum, da dum dah! . . . it's credit recovery a.k.a summer school.
There is also homework every night, major projects and high expectations for performance.

This has been difficult for the Boychick.
This fall, he was re-evaluated for Special Education, and the testing shows why he has difficulty. Once again, no valid IQ score could be calculated.
He had the classic Asperger pattern: very high verbal comprehension (does not require language pragmatics), very high perceptual organization (requires good visual-spatial skills); very low working memory (requires auditory input), very low processing speed.
In the academic testing, he shows large discrepancies between his potential and performance in math calculation (it's the working memory and processing speed), as well as in writing organization and mechanics. He has auditory processing deficits, and considerable visual strengths.

I do expect that we can improve working memory, but only marginally, if we have passed the known critical period of development. We will need to work with him on organizational skills, as well as on compensatory strategies for his deficits.
He also needs to be challenged in his areas of considerable strength.
Like reading: I am so glad that he is a reader!
The IEP will have social and transition (to adulthood) goals as well.

Sigh. I had really thought that we might not need the IEP given the great progress the Boychick made while homeschooling. But because of his social deficits and mind-blindness, as well as his considerable difficulties with auditory processing, he needs interventions to even out his skills and succeed academically in the school setting. He also needs accommodations such as extra time on written assignments, small-group testing, written instructions, and the use of a calculator for speed work in math.

Overall, though, I appreciate that the Boychick's considerable intelligence makes it much easier to compensate for and circumvent his considerable learning disabilities.
The same is true for the social-communication disability which is at the heart of AS.
Cognitive methods can be used to teach social skills and language pragmatics because the Boychick is smart enough to use them.

The Boychick can have a good and productive life.
His considerable intellectual skills may even make it a spectacularly successful life.
But he (and we) will have to work much harder to make it so.

Fortunately, I think we up to the challenge.

Mumbai: For the Sanctification of the Name

Even as we have been fulfulling our obligation to give thanks for all of the good things that we have this Thanksgiving Holiday, we have also been watching with great concern the terrorist attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai. As the Editorial in The Albuquerque Journal stated today:


". . . Just as chilling, though, is the growing realization that in Mumbai we are witnessing a deadly progression in terrorist strategies and capabilities . The global disease of terrorism has metastasized since Sept. 11, 2001. This attack on innocent civilians, or "soft targets," in Mumbai will be remembered as a multiple-day event: Nov. 26 - 29, 2008.
It is as if al-Quaida, instead of blowing up the Twin Towers, had decided to take and hold Manhattan. . .
The challenges facing the incoming administration of Barack Obama have just been ratcheted up. "

--In Mumbai, World is Seeing Terrorism 2.0,

The Albuquerque Journal, Saturday November 29, 2008 p. A6

The challenges are grave indeed: There is great evil at work in the world, and it must be countered, as the Indian Army and Special Forces did over the last three days. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for those soldiers to confront the enemy in one of the great cities of their country; to see a city of progress and business transformed into a war-zone, where innocent civilians died and tourists fled their hotels in terror. These soldiers were the force standing between their country's desire for peace and economic progress and the terror and destruction of property brought by men with bombs and guns.

We were particularly saddened by the murder of our fellow Jews at the Chabad-Lubavitch Outreach Center. We watched with great fear as the commandos were lowered to the roof of the building and we prayed that the lives of Rabbi Gavriel Noach and Rebbetzim Rivkah Holtzbert, z"l (may their memories be for a blessing), would be saved by those brave men. Alas, they were brutally killed, although the quick-thinking cook saved the life of their two year old son as she fled the building.

But what are the lives of six more Jews to terrorists? What of their work to men who carry such hatred of their fellow human beings? The terrorists have a mission: to spread anger and death and destruction among human beings in order to destroy what they refuse to become. They claim that they do this in the name of G-d.. But they do not worship G-d. For by their actions, they demonstrate that they worship at the altars of such idols as hatred, destruction, and terror.

But Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg spent their lives in the work of Tikkun Olam--the Repair of the World. As our New Mexico Chabad wrote to us yesterday:

"Chabad's 6000 emissaries throughout 3500 centers worldwide are in their respective countries primarily to be of service and help, to each and every one of their Jewish brothers and sisters unconditionally, no matter what their affiliation or background, with whatever is needed, physically and spiritually, and to help all humanity with goodness and kindness in their respective cities, states and countries. In short, the Lubavitcher Rebbe sent the emissaries to help make every city, state and country and thereby the entire world, a better place for all mankind. Unfortunately there are those who try to hinder and destroy good."

--e-mail communication from Rabbi Chaim Schmuckler

sent Friday afternoon, November 28, 2008/1 Kislev 5769

And the Rabbi and Rebbetzim Holtzbert were murdered, as so many many of our people have been, because they were Jews. In contrast to the claims of their murderers, and of those who incite murder and destruction in the extremist madrassahs, it is the Holtzbergs who died al Kiddush ha-Shem, for the Sanctification of the Name.

Terrorism must be fought and evil must be countered.

The Indian Army fought terrorism with guns and force, and this is necessary.

But it is not sufficient.

The evil must also be countered. As Rabbi Schmuckler said in his e-mail:

"Chabad's answer is, as Gavriel and Rivky would have said, to bring more goodness and more kindness into the world. This is the lesson of the Chanukah candles. Just like the Chanukah candles, when it is dark, that is when we light the candles, and we are not content with just one candle, but we continuously add a light each night, ultimately illuminating the world with G-dliness, kindness and goodness."

In a few weeks, when the moon of Kislev wanes to new, Jews will celebrate Channukah, the Festival of Dedication, the Festival of Light. And at Channukah, we will, as we do every year, dedicate ourselves to lifting the sparks and bringing light into a darkening world. That is the job of all Jews, as it is the job of all menschen, all real human beings.

Here at Ragamuffin House, we are deeply saddened to learn of the senseless, violent murders of Jews, once again killed only because they were Jews. We did not know them, but we know who they were.

Here at Ragamuffin House, we also pray for the leaders of our own country, in whom we place the responsibility for our own defense against the destruction at work in the world.

And here at Ragamuffin House, we are also thinking about what small things we can do to raise the sparks here as Americans, and to build up the House of Israel everywhere, as Jews.

"And I tell you the good in us will win,

Over all wickedness, over all the wrongs we have done.

We will look back at the pages of written history and be amazed,

and then we will laugh and sing,

And the good that is in us, children in their cradles will have won.

Here I stand, the Jew, marked by history, for who can count how long?

Wrapped in compassion as in a Tallit, staring every storm in the face.

Write songs of pain, sing prayers of torment, refresh yourself with suffering.

Too much for one people, small and weak --

it is enough to share out among the whole human race.

But G-d has planted in me goodness, compassion, as a mother loves her children,

So I sing and weep, sing and weep,

For the blood knows the heart of the world is not made of stone . . .

And the heart knows that there is a day and an hour, and a Mountain,

And then all the sufferings will gather there and will all become song,

Ringing out into every corner of the earth from end to end,

And the nations will hear it, and like caravans in the desert will all

to that Mountain throng.

". . . Pour down, O heavens, from above and let the sky rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that deliverance may flourish, and let righteousness spring up."

--Siddur Sha'arei T'filah, The New Union Prayerbook, Gates of Prayer

CCAR Press, 1975, p. 707