The Commercial Appeal this morning covers a new approach to developmental (remedial) courses in our state’s community colleges and universities.  I was shocked, however, at the opening statement:

More than half of all students who enter college in Tennessee are not academically prepared and require at least one remedial course, according to the Tennessee Board of Regents. The problem is growing.

Further down, the article clarifies that 70% of the students enrolled in remedial courses are at community colleges, which is really the appropriate place for such instruction.  Given the increase in enrollment in our universities due to the lottery scholarship, most of the state’s  4-year programs can be more selective in their admissions process.

The News-Sentinel reports this morning that one-third of UT’s applicants last year carried a 4.0 GPA in high school.  Some with a GPA as high as 3.5 were turned away.  At the same time, enrollment is up — so we’re getting not only more students into college, but more of the most able students are staying in-state.

There is a place for developmental coursework, which may be particularly necessary for people who start or return to college after several years in the workforce.  However, technology should be utilized wherever possible to assist in the remedial instruction, since it ought to be a refresher course for anyone enrolled.

Assuming it’s true that the skills for college-readiness and workforce-readiness are the same (as oft-stated by Gary Nixon, Executive Director of the State Board of Education), high schools are going to have to improve the delivery of instruction in the areas where remediation is most needed.  Usually, that’s math; sometimes English.  In order to do so and still graduate these students in four years, it seems rational that some of the currently required courses (wellness, for example) should be waived for those needing additional instruction in a college-readiness area.

It’s been our tradition to start looking for an appropriate “learn to drive” vehicle toward the end of the 14th year, so that the initial driving lessons can occur on the vehicle that the teen in question will be driving.

When I heard that the Tumormobile might become available for purchase, Hubby and I were in complete agreement that an older Volvo sounds like the perfect teenager car.  Status and refinement to make her happy, but lots of metal and an outstanding safety record for our peace of mind.

Tonight, we traded paper and ink to bring home what will be Gamma’s vehicle.  She’ll get her learner’s permit in the early summer, and this is what she’ll learn on.

Since I drove it home, I can attest that it’s just perfect.  And she loves it.

Just the other day, while pondering the high cost of heath care, I wondered to myself why so many medications are available by prescription only. For example, a decongestant that my doctor once prescribed for me is nothing more than pseudoephedrine and guaifenesin (both available over the counter as Sudafed and Mucinex), but the generic prescription was about $3.50 — lower than my insurance deductible. The equivalent amount purchased separately, over the counter, would be closer to $25.

I don’t mind having to sign for it, but to have to see the doctor first? It seems silly. The same could be said for silver sulfadiazine — the world’s best burn ointment, which is a really handy thing to have around.

Boots pharmacy, in London, will begin selling what’s been termed the greatest recreational drug of our time without a prescription (though with a BP check and quick medical history review by the pharmacist) on Valentine’s Day.

Obviously, there are many meds that need to remain by prescription only, but I suspect that many could be reasonably sold OTC even if they carried a signature requirement.

Now, let SK2 go to work on the comments section!

AT complained on Sunday that I haven’t written much lately — at least not much besides education stuff. He’s right. Although it’s no excuse really, I’ve been just about as busy as can be.

Last summer, I sort of pushed a dear friend over the edge, persuading her to quit her job working for someone else and go out on her own, with her own company. I knew she was ready, and she was; I’m just not sure that I was.

Ready to deliver the help that I promised, that is. I promised that I want nothing to do with selling anything, but I can file, keep books, build and maintain a website, design ads, take pictures, measure houses, and all sorts of things that don’t involve actually selling stuff (and don’t require a license).

I’m learning every day.  Being on the periphery of the actual transactions, I’ve learned that the old adage about “location location location” is absolutely true — often, the lot itself (like this one) is far more important than any structure that might be on it.

I’m learning that my role is not only to be organized — a tough enough challenge — but to be able to keep someone else organized.

These two things alone keep me occupied, but throw in the demands of a couple of families (because stress from one spouse or kids affects the other, as we used to be able to balance each other’s work and family demands) and it can be chaos.

I’m still doing some outside consulting, but am not at all certain how long that can continue.  This little company is getting busier, and I very much want to keep it growing.

BTW, the lakefront above has an offer with contingencies, but at the moment, is very much still on the market.  If you want it, call the realtor in the link.  I just wish we had something like this to market in Oak Ridge, but that’s a post for another day.

Every once in a while, it does a body (and mind) good to just take off and realign one’s inner compass. Everyone has their own place to find solace; mine is out in the wild.

When we arrived at Beech Mountain this morning, it was seven degrees. Fahrenheit. At two p.m. — even with the sun shining brilliantly — it was still just seven degrees.

The snow was so perfect that it squeaked with each footstep. It was uncrowded (being Monday, and really cold). And, being Ladies’ Day, it was FREE. (Woot!)

Southern Star, one of my two favorite slopes there, was vacant and untracked for most of the day… open for me to unleash the inner hooligan and tear screaming down the steeps with speed-crazed fury, skidding to a hockey stop at the bottom just to see how far I could throw snow.

My treacherous right knee, undoubtedly a victim of age, genetics, and years of abuse, performed like a champion. Actually, it feels better tonight than it did when I awakened this morning.

We weren’t completely irresponsible; during the three-hour drive each way, the lappy was cranking on our to-do lists for the week: ads to design and submit, updates to her website, forms and filing and accounts to balance, how to market the various properties she has listed. On the way home, we brainstormed better ways of doing the backoffice things to make the front office work better.

I’ve never been to a better staff meeting in my life.

Now, just how many of you who celebrated the Super Bowl with us last night really believed that we’d be up, ready, and on the road by 6 a.m.?

O ye of little faith.

Yeah, we were there.

Taking the day off today.

Bill Hobbs seems to have been the first to pick up on HB0136, which would introduce a whole new (non) standard of guilt for bloggers and website owners in the area of libel.

Tennessee State Rep. Rob Briley has filed legislation that could, if it becomes law, require bloggers and other website publishers and writers to remove within two days from their website any statement that someone alleges is defamatory – and if they fail to remove the statement within two days that failure will “create a presumption of malice intent.” The contested statement does not actually have to be defamatory for the web writer to be required to remove it or face that legal presumption of guilt.

Briley filed it by mistake, but it was actually Sen. Jamie Woodson (R-Knoxville) who thought this up, asking Briley to carry it in the House.

The City Paper has a good summary this morning; Kleinheider has a wrap up as well.

– – –

Briley and Woodson are both lawyers; in my view, they should know better than to think up something with such a flimsy standard of proof as the mere fact that someone doesn’t like what is said about them.

Briley says that he’ll withdraw as sponsor today. I’m still waiting for Woodson’s explanation.

2 C nonfat dry milk

1 C sugar (I use Splenda instead)

1/2 C cocoa, unsweetened

1/2 C non-dairy creamer

1 dash of salt

Mix together, then sift. Store in a tightly-sealed container — a 1-qt canning jar fits just right. Three level tablespoons with hot water makes a perfect mug. For myself, a dash of peppermint schnapps tops it off perfectly.

Delta woke up at 5 for her shower, asking if it snowed.  She peeked outside, and saw white.

The next step, of course, was to turn on the TV and see if Oak Ridge is included in the list of closings.  We watched the news for about 40 minutes, hearing “Oak Ridge” a couple of times before we saw it included on the scroll… but yes, school is out for today.

When I got home from Monday’s school board meeting, I remember telling Hubby that we’d just guaranteed that there would be snow this year (I don’t think we’ve had a single snow day in several years) when we shortened the school year for the high school — because we cut it close on allowable snow days.  We still have a little wiggle room — about one more day’s worth — but for today, let’s be safe and enjoy it!