Full funding for education? It may be too late - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: Full funding for education? It may be too late

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Multitasking
"What's the one for women applying make-up while driving a car? Can't remember now but I think it was added to the vernacular in 2000 or so."

Blonde?

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"But "where y'at dahlin' " is perfectly correct -- in New Orleans. That's why they call some folks down there "Yats" as for Mike Lott, I always give the benefit of the doubt to people being quoted in the newspaper. The quotations are not always completely accurate."

Some quotations are less accurate than others so let's not give too much "benefit of the doubt":

"Southern Miss is the largest university in the state."

"Southern Miss has the only accredited bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in economic development in the country."

"The Trent Lott Center will be the first and only center dedicated to economic development."

"They committed felonies."

"We're not having any trouble recruiting."

"The drop in rankings was caused by some paperwork not being filed."

"The SACS probation was caused by some paperwork not being filed."

"Faculty are lazy whiners."

"Southern Miss is a 'world class' university."

Date: Jan 7, 2005

Let me now acknowledge -as was quite obvious last night in our posts - that I was the person who invited Mike Lott to respond to the comic relief we often need to vent in order to keep ourselves sane. What's key about "mal" is that he is a person who has a background in education and had the good sense to send his daughter to Ole Miss!! He's a talented man who demonstrates educational ethics - the fact that he responded speaks volumes. And I know that no one was really picking on him per se, but we've just gained another member to this board - and a good one at that.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: educator
"Let me now acknowledge -as was quite obvious last night in our posts - that I was the person who invited Mike Lott to respond to the comic relief we often need to vent in order to keep ourselves sane. What's key about "mal" is that he is a person who has a background in education and had the good sense to send his daughter to Ole Miss!! He's a talented man who demonstrates educational ethics - the fact that he responded speaks volumes. And I know that no one was really picking on him per se, but we've just gained another member to this board - and a good one at that."

Let me just add that there are not many for whom I would give up my favorite nickname. That should attest to my desire that he continue to visit the board. Next time, let's hope that he brings all his friends!

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Malapropism
"Let me just add that there are not many for whom I would give up my favorite nickname. That should attest to my desire that he continue to visit the board. Next time, let's hope that he brings all his friends!"

We've got to become more political. I hope he is now aware of the intellectual power of this Board and will invite his "friends" to read what those of us, in the trenches, are dealing with! (I am ending this sentence with a preposition because I CAN!!). Mike Lott is a great guy and an entrenched educator. These people need to hear our cry.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

Joan Exline's self-proclaimed authority speech to USM Senate included included seven references to "accreDitation" --I saw several senators and members of audience actually wince.

why has the press not questioned the fact the SFT has not been "coronated"? does this mean he is still a "tyrant in waiting"?

Tim Robbins character from "Shawshank Redemption" was thrown in solitary for a month for calling the warden "obtuse"--there are real hazards in institutions for being too educated and sounding too "high falootin"

septic think tank

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"Getting back to the important stuff, I doubt that the legislator in question has any real commitment to getting a higher percentage of each education dollar into the classroom. Otherwise he would be calling for tracking and reducing administrative spending--something legislators do very little of. Robert Campbell"

The legislator in question is from Petal, where one of the first "polymer science training in secondary schools" programs was established, so it wouldn't surprise me if Rep. Lott isn't already a fan of SFT.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: David Johnson
" It's so nice to see folks having fun on this board occasionally."

Is it all right (now morphed into "alright") to admit that language is fun?

I am going to question whether irregardless will ever make it into the mainstream. My thought is that it is a corrupt combination of irrespective and regardless, and I hope that the sufficiency of those two standard words will forestall the adoption of the non-standard. Yeah, and I still clap for Tinkerbell, too.

"Irregardless" is a common error, of course. I will presume to share a few other "combinations" I have collected over the years, with contemporary examples for their "proper" use:

"Squell" (squelch and quell?) -- Jack Hanbury sure managed to squell the uproar, didn't he?

"Debaucho" (debacle and fiasco?) -- The Thames administration has been a debaucho from the beginning.

"Monopolate" (monopolize & dominate?) -- One bad experience can monopolate your thinking later on.

"Mysterical" (mysterious & hysterical?) -- There is something mysterical about Jay Grimes's new policy.

"Excrusion" (excrete & extrusion?) -- There is a new plastics excrusion factory in Hattiesburg.

"Tirage" (tirade & rage?) -- When Dr. Thames does not get what he wants, he goes on a tirage.

"Insinuendo" (innuendo & insinuate) -- Too bad they don't teach tact in polymer science; maybe then Dr. Thames would know how to use some subtle insinuendo.

I have seen and used the coined word "bellignorant" (belligerent & ignorant?) to describe one who knows nothing about a subject but is willing to fight about it anyway. A google search results in thirty-six hits, at least two on this board (soon to be three). This word may have legs.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: already gone
" The legislator in question is from Petal, where one of the first "polymer science training in secondary schools" programs was established, so it wouldn't surprise me if Rep. Lott isn't already a fan of SFT. "

That was in the day of White Flight from Hattiesburg. Rep. Lott speaks for himself. BTW, any locals seek out some people in Petal and ask if they thought DT was a member of any substantial matter when she was on the school board at Petal. They jumped at some stuff at the time, but that was before the slime was revealed. The administrators at Petal "put up" with Dana, but she was long gone after her daughter graduated. I disagree that he is a fan of SFT. His daughter is at another university in MS!!! He should not be easily dismissed.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: RE: RE: Full funding for education? It may be

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: educator
"That was in the day of White Flight from Hattiesburg. Rep. Lott speaks for himself. BTW, any locals seek out some people in Petal and ask if they thought DT was a member of any substantial matter when she was on the school board at Petal. They jumped at some stuff at the time, but that was before the slime was revealed. The administrators at Petal "put up" with Dana, but she was long gone after her daughter graduated. I disagree that he is a fan of SFT. His daughter is at another university in MS!!! He should not be easily dismissed."

I'm sure Mike Lott is a good guy & all that, but he is a former educator. He is currently a politician. (And since he doesn't appear to be an especially old guy, one must wonder why he switched, but I digress.)

Since he is a politician, I would offer that whether or not he is a fan of SFT, he would never let on either way. When he's talking with Shelby, he probably seems to be quite a fan of Shelby. When he's talking to someone who obviously doesn't like Shelby, he probably seems to be quite the opposite. This isn't saying anything good, bad, or indifferent about Mike Lott. It's just stating the obvious about politicians.

Yes, he talks a good show here on a message board that is generally pro-education. The proof of the pudding is how he talks -- and the trade-offs he is willing to make -- when he's dealing with legislators & constituents who aren't pro-education. And trust me, folks, there are plenty of folks who are opposed to quality public education in the Great Sovereign State of Mississippi.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Gnome Chompski
""Tirage" (tirade & rage?) -- When Dr. Thames does not get what he wants, he goes on a tirage."

I thought the word was "triage" & that it was what EMTs did at the scene of a disaster.

SACS follow-up = academic triage

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: Full funding for education? It may be too late

Date: Jan 7, 2005

I'd give Mike Lott the benefit of the doubt as well.

Robert Campbell

Date: Jan 7, 2005

Welcome Mike Lott to this conversation, he cares a heck of a lot about education, and be glad that he represents those that he serves. With that said, I go back into identity withdrawal. Let's get political.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: RE: Full funding for education? It may be too

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: RE: Full funding for education? It may be too late

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: RE: RE: Full funding for education? It may be

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: David Johnson
"

But...if he really cares about education, let's see him stand up in the legislature and call for hearings into the accreditation debacle at USM. Let's see if he will put his political capital to work for the university.
All the benefit of the doubt talk is fine. If Mike Lott is a friend, then it is time for him to show he is a friend, and not just by coming back on this board. This is a time for serious leadership. I pray he, and others, will exercise theirs."

Well put, well put.... as in "put up or shut up"
We don't want to alienate anyone at the state level who could be a friend, but absolutely we must insist that actions speak louder than words.

LVN -- a registered Republican

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: Full funding for education? It may be too late

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: RE: Full funding for education? It may be too

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" Yes. There are a lot of other things the legislature could look at. Messing with accreditation at USM, though, could have terrible consequences for MSU, Ole Miss & all the other institutions. We really do not want that kind of thing to happen again like it did in the '30s. One thing the legislature should do is read the IHL report that I excerpted this morning elsewhere on the board. It needs to rethink "economic development" & ask itself if we have been sold a bill of goods by the high-tech boosters. We need investments in long-term strategies (i.e., education) rather than short-term snake oil quick fixes."

Small portion of the article in today's Clarion Ledger about economic development incentive...explains a number of things.

"Momentum Mississippi members want to change the state's current economic development incentive package to include businesses, such as data processing centers, call centers, corporate headquarters, research and development and high-tech enterprises."

Date: Jan 7, 2005

RE: Full funding for education? It may be too late

Date: Jan 7, 2005

Sounds like this group wants Mississippi to become the new India....does that mean we get the nuclear bomb too? Does that mean we will have to let cows run amok in the towns and cities? Does that mean that folks will get paid 30 cents on the dollar for the mind-numbing work they do?

Date: Jan 7, 2005

mal,

Let me say this. We are often sarcastic, increasingly cynical, and sometimes downright silly. At heart, however, we are educators who believe - truly believe - in the value of education for Mississippi students. We LOVE the University of Southern Mississippi and we are dedicated to making it the best that it can be. At the same time, we are angry at what this administration has done to its history and its potential. We often feel frustrated in our inability to effectuate the necessary change so occasionally we simply vent on this website. When you visit, please try to view us in our entirety and don't take our individual posts or threads out of context.

Thanks,

Malapropism

Date: Jan 7, 2005

did you really mean the university of mississippi?

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"did you really mean the university of mississippi?"

Sh@#, and it was so profound! Webmaster, if you can change my above post to say the University of Southern Mississippi I would truly appreciate it.

Date: Jan 7, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Malapropism
"We LOVE the University of Mississippi and we are dedicated to making it the best that it can be. Thanks, Malapropism"

Looks like somebody is ready to join the IHL board. If Malapropism can be converted there is no hope. Time to move on!

Date: Jan 7, 2005

I've got a question about call centers. Aren't they best suited to countries and areas that have a well educated population but a limited market for labor? Places like India, Ireland, Iowa, and the Dakotas come to mind. Given the low reading level in Mississippi and the accent in rural areas, wouldn't call centers in Mississippi be a bad idea?