Could be worse

I guess it could be worse.  Just look at what the union is doing to Stockton schools.

In a nutshell, the union demanded that the superintendent be fired because he spent a few million dollars on a new reading program in an attempt to turn around the “Dropout Factories” that the schools in Stockton had become.  It might have worked too, but the greedy union saw that money and lusted after it.

And the gall of the union is unrestrained if you check their website they are “doing it for the children.”  They want to pick the next superintendent “because they know best.”

It’s awfully nice to be able to pick your boss and the guy you have to negotiate with; that makes life a lot easier.  But that’s the prescription for building a Dropout Factory.

See the video from the Stockton Record, it makes the MUSD meeting look tame.

Recordnet.com Video | Amato fired after unanimous vote by SUSD trustees

Another great video here.  Setting aside that everyone looks like they were sent from central casting, (Mexican Businessman has great hair!) toward the end Bitter Union Organizer explains, couched in language that sounds better, exactly what I outlined above in a nutshell.

p.s. I won’t even get into this “anonymous” blogger called “Chocolate” who was so “concerned.”  It turns out that was a disgruntled employee of SUSD who was fired for some reason, although I hate to think of how bad of a job you would have to do to be fired from a Dropout Factory.

TEA party

Here's a view of the "TEA party" 15 Apr 2009 in Stockton, California.

Kids: Do not try this at home!

Youngsters enjoy Stockton Opera

We were pleasantly surprised by the Stockton Opera Company's performance of Madama Butterfly. It was performed at the Faye Spanos Concert Hall in Stockton. The voices were all outstanding and the orchestra, though small, did a yeoman's job. The guy on the drums was especially enthusiastic.

I noted from The Record article that "the audience for opera in San Joaquin County... has been aging and shrinking." Judging from the audience at Sunday's performance, this observation seemed confirmed.

Well, we went with two enthusiastic youngsters aged 10 and 14. A few we met there spoke with us and more than one was curious how we were able to "get" the youngsters to come out to the opera. (i.e. how were we able to drag kids to the opera or how did we "get them interested" in the opera?) The nature of the implied question reveals a fundamental misunderstanding about both classical music and young people.

In fact, the kids begged us to take them. Surprised? Read on...

The simple answer to the question is that young people love the opera and classical music! That probably sounds surprising to some. We think we live in a new age of iPods and Internets and mp3's, and that youngsters can't possibly be interested in something like the opera. But I don't believe that. There are several lines of evidence for this belief I won't go into depth about here; but briefly I've read movie review forums and often someone would remark how this or that movie wouldn't interest young people because it was "slow" or "boring" and didn't have enough explosions, etc. And invariably, a young person, someone like 15 years old or so would remark that is was one their favorite movies. Likewise with classical music and opera.

One fellow during the intermission did express concern that we (they) weren't doing a very good job at passing on the love of opera to the next generation. So, I thought I'd share with you "Joe's tips for how to pass on the love of great music:"

Joe's tips:

First, and most important, don't ever assume for one second that a child won't like classical music. This is simply not so. I can't say every kid will instantly love the opera or classics, but to assume "they won't like this" is the worst mistake you can make. You've lost your connection with the next generation before you even start if you believe that! In my experience, in almost every case young people find something appealing about classical music.

Start by introducing classical music when they are young. Have recordings playing in your home. In the modern world, if you have computer (and I presume you do if you're reading this, duh), there's a vast amount of music of all types available to you. If you're a cheapskate, you can stream classical music for free.

Of course, it helps if you have a love of classical music and "know something about it." However, if you don't, it's never too late to start. The secret is knowing that classical music varies widely, some is hard to listen to (so don't) and some is readily accessible. So start googling for what's good.

We found the kids loved the videotapes and DVD's of operas, particularly Puccini. When the kids were just "hanging out" we would pop in a DVD of Turandot or Madama Butterfly. Without any fanfare, and without any lectures on how you should watch this, you should like this, how much better this music is than that stuff they listen to today is, etc. Just let it play and see who's drawn in. It helps if you know something of the story and can relate it to the modern world when they ask -- and they will.

Which leads to the next important tip: Never denigrate your kids music or "the stuff they listen to." Instead, ask about their music. Who's that singing? What band is that? What's your favorite? Or "what's the popular thing kids at school listen to?" I asked that and to my horror, the answers were things like "My Humps" and "My Chemical Romance." However, avoid the urge to make a face or degrade that choice in any way. We've been through this "generation gap" thing before. In my view, we should be thankful if your child shares with you. So appreciate it! Every generation listens to music their parents hate. Just accept that. It's fine. There's no reason to make a "choice." Kids don't have to give up their music or make any choices, they can like both modern music and the classics.

Lemme digress a bit with another example...

I used to annoy my brother, who didn't have the slightest inclination or appreciation for classical music, by setting the buttons on his car radio (in the family van) to the classical music stations. I had to do it a few times, which of course annoyed him to no end, but fortunately, his wife liked the idea so I had an ally. After a few years of complaining to the family how they should never let me sit in the front seat because "he'll change the buttons on the radio." (I actually only changed the last button, the one to the extreme right so it would be easy to find) one day he said to everyone at the family dinner that something odd had happened. The youngest, a toddler, had asked when they were driving around to put "that music that feels (something I can't recall)?" And he was perplexed by the request and went through the buttons till he found the one, as you can probably guess, was the one I had set on the classical music station. She exclaimed "that's it." He was shocked by this. I wasn't.

Now I can't promise this to everyone, I think this is a quirk, but that child, just a few years later, started playing classical music on the piano. I mean, without ever taking lessons. And she was like 5 or 6 years old. And she played with some astounding skill. It was like some kind of thing you see in the movies about an idiot savant, except that she was otherwise normal. When dad asked "how do you know how to play like that?" She responded, "I can just 'see' (or feel) the notes in my head" or something to that effect. And as she grew, her talent advanced 'till she was some kind of world class pianist. I don't know if she'll ever be famous or anything, but I found it a fascinating event and a great source of pride for her parents. Guess what, I never had to explain or apologize for messing with the car radio buttons that's for sure.

To be fair, the other child didn't do any such thing, and I've never seen this phenomenon in any other child since then even if they were exposed to classical music. So I speculate it was some pre-disposition of talent that she had. But I wonder, would it ever have expressed itself had she not been exposed to classical music? You never know, maybe you have the next budding Mozart in your family!

But I digress...back to the opera

Jackie wondered if the girls were interested in Madama Butterfly because, well, they were girls and it's the story of a young girl, etc. Maybe. So that got me thinking, what would be some good classics for boys? I wouldn't rule out Butterfly or Turandot. (stories of Yankee imperialism and a heroic prince who fights the odds and gets the girl) But also, maybe something like Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, maybe Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf? And for an opera, maybe La Fanciulla del West? Heheh. Yes, that's some stereotypes. (The story of war, hunting trips, and a "western" about an outlaw set in gold rush California). I'm sure there are others, maybe some of you have some suggestions? Share them here!

Stockton to Manteca: Raise your taxes, please!

The Record's endorsement: Stockton is telling us to vote for Measure M because it's good -- for Stockton!

The Record is a fine large city newspaper published in Stockton. However, I must respectfully disagree with the editorial opinion for the Measure M tax increase. (Or, as they put it, "seize the opportunity" to raise our taxes.) Before simply accepting their editorial opinion, consider:

First, Stockton would love it if Manteca would raise their taxes higher than Stockton's. If Measure M passes, Stockton will no longer have the highest sales tax in San Joaquin County! Stockton found out the hard way what happens when they were tricked into voting for their own Measure W. They raised their sales tax to 8 percent. They were promised a utopia of new police and fire protection, a safe, prosperous city.

Reality: After passing measure W, Stockton didn't really hire any more police or fire personnel than the normal number (more or less). The city spent the money on a sports arena, cinema, and a fancy restaurant. And I mean "fancy." The gift to the restaurant, $2.5 million is almost exactly what would have cost to build a fire station. Violent crime increased 14% or more, more than the rest of the nation. Stores and businesses closed under pressure from high taxes. Crime, poverty, joblessness, business failures, hopelessness. That is the legacy of Stockton's Measure W tax increase. And now they are telling Manteca "you should do the same!"

If the Stockton campaign sounds familiar, it's because it's being orchestrated by the same image consultants that Manteca hired. They tried exactly the same technique in Stockton. Promise them "Make Stockton Safer!" was the slogan. In fact, if you're curious, check out the "Arguments" for the measure from 2 years ago. Sound familiar? Stockton doesn't want to say they made a mistake, were duped, etc. Instead, they tell us in their endorsement that we'll be safer because the tax money over the years, will eventually, someday, make us safer. Just like Stockton.

In addition:

1. "In the quirky world of municipal finance in California..." and they say, this is our best chance. Translation: Politician squanders money. Politician needs money. Politician asks for help... from a public image firm. Image firm tells politician "people of Manteca are stupid, we can manipulate them with fear and promises of safety." Politician says "Great! Here is $160,000, make it so!"

Shouldn't we fix the "crazy way things are funded" instead of simply raising the tax every time a politician messes things up?

I love the way they call it an "opportunity." Like, it's not every day you get the opportunity to raise your taxes!

2. The editors are taking at face value the theory that more taxes = more safety. If it were that simple, we would be living in utopia by now, and Stockton would be leading the way.

3. There doesn't seem to be any consideration of the unprecedented campaign of propaganda funded mostly by tax dollars. Almost to a person, everyone touting the new tax is someone or some group that will be personally enriched by it. This is the best "community support" that money can buy. There is no public safety "crisis." There are no shortages of police and the extra fire crew needed can now be funded with existing surpluses.

4 .Why aren't the editors trying to cut through the nonsense, and not to simply echo "the party line." The campaign, on it's surface, seems simple, but is actually complex. Anyone can state the simple answers and just tell the people to "vote for it, it might do some good." The Record should have looked a little deeper into the issues.

5. Where do they get the idea that the community supports anything? See the massive spending noted above. If anything the ordinary citizen is overwhelmingly against the measure. Consider "letters to the editor" are running 8 to 1 against. People feel they are being lied to, are being blackmailed, threatened, using scare tactics, loopholes let the tax be misspent, etc. That 8 to 1 figure is based on excluding letters written by the paid consultants submitted by paid supporters.

If we're going to play the "who supports it" game, take out a paper and draw a line down the middle. Write "yes" on one side and "no" on the other. List the groups that support the measure under "yes" and those against under "no. Now, scratch out all the groups that are paid by the city, or somehow get money from the city, or are required to ask the city for money each year, or will be personally enriched if the measure passes. You will now have: under "yes," just about no one! (except a few fellow travelers if they haven't figured out how they are being used yet.) Under "no" is about 78% of the people of Manteca including me, and all of the non-incumbent
candidates for all local elections (fire board, school board, city council). That doesn't sound like "has community support" as The Record puts it.

Furthermore, why, does it matter, technically, if community groups support it. The readers want to know if the editors think if it's a good idea or not.

6. Note the error in the impact of the tax. Their math is off by a factor of ten. I'm sure it will be corrected. But it does suggest a mindset that had already decided "it's not much money." How else could that ridiculously low cost per person have gotten past the editors without noticing the error? The actual cost per taxpayer is ten times higher than what is listed.

From the time the sales tax was 2.5 percent to now, every increase has "just been a few pennies." And now the tax is 7.75 percent. And now they are asking for 8.25 percent. After all, "it's just a few pennies," we are told. One proponent actually asserted sanctimoniously that you're "letting your kids down" if you don't increase the taxes (paid by future generations!). And yet it will take $4 million or more from the people of Manteca.

Why would Stockton want Manteca to raise its taxes higher than Stockton's? Think about it!

Stockton fights crime with propaganda

Others are glad to see the city and Police Department doing something,
regardless of whether it works.

Note that this is the same Stockton that we are being told we should emulate. Stockton passed a special "safety tax" a few years ago. The new tax promised to hire new police officers, etc, etc.

The result? From the same article:

Stockton had the highest violent crime rate in the state ... and is among Central Valley cities with high car theft and robbery rates.