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Previous: IPS 5/16/2012

Well, I certainly thought this would take longer to identify, but dancemomx2 nailed it quickly. See the bottom of this post for the answer

Well, I haven't gotten into the rhythm of posting on a particular night yet, so please bear with me. These will likely be a little sporadic for a while.

Houses are the one continuing subject that fascinate me as I travel around the area. If I had the talent, I would be a "house" painter. I.e. a painter of paintings of houses.

The first image is of the distinctive feature of this week's subject so I expect this to be snapped up in no time.

Whoa, I almost made the first image too easy this time, luckily I came to my senses before I actually posted this entry.

IPS 5/23/2012 Image #1 by dklamet

The image(s) above is(are) of a part of a photo of a subject somewhere in the area. I'll add additional parts of the entire photo over the next few days. You are invited to try to guess the subject and location. I'll notify the first person who correctly identifies the subject or location of the entire photo. That subject or location won't be revealed until later, after the answer is obvious. I suggest that people indicate that their guess is "Final" as opposed to just speculation and limit themselves to one final answer per person.

House at 2200 block of Mass (west side) by dklamet

Four and a half years ago I posted about Lawrence, The Way We Remember it. It and another similar post were very popular and I've avoided revisiting the subject. Until now.

My thought is to revisit East 23rd St., before the new K-10 was built. I invite you to submit recollections, photos, or links to relevant information.

In the future, we might visit our memories of other areas in (and maybe even around) Lawrence.

I mentioned the AquaForum, which was initially on East 23rd. I'm sure when all the work was being done rebuilding E. 23rd, the business suffered. I believe it moved, for a while, to somewhere near where Pet World is now. I moved away in 1976 and think it was still in business. When I returned around 1980, I'm not so sure.

The old gentleman who ran it (although he might not have been much older than I am now), still sticks vaguely in my memory.

Does anyone else have recollections of him and his shop? Or anything on E. 23rd around that time? Please post your recollections below, or if you prefer, you can contact me with the information and I'll make sure it's visible.

Previous: IPS 5/13/2012
Next: IPS 5/23/2012

Sorry I was slow to acknowledge jehovah_bob for having quickly identifying the subject. Darn him anyway. :-). See the bottom of this post for the subject

I had such a good time posting earlier this week, that I'm going to post one more as I happened to see a likely subject the other day.

Hopefully will get back in the groove and become a regular again.

IPS 5/16/2012 #1 by dklamet

The image(s) above is(are) of a part of a photo of a subject somewhere in the area. I'll add additional parts of the entire photo over the next few days. You are invited to try to guess the subject and location. I'll notify the first person who correctly identifies the subject or location of the entire photo. That subject or location won't be revealed until later, after the answer is obvious. I suggest that people indicate that their guess is "Final" as opposed to just speculation and limit themselves to one final answer per person.

Fast Eddy's Car Wash on N. 2nd St. by dklamet

Previous: IPS 9/14/2011
Next: IPS 5/16/2012

Cody got it, what else can I say. See the end of the post for the complete photo.

Life changes have brought me back to my old haunts. Among other things, I work in Lenexa now and drive through town on my way home. That means I have fewer excuses for not looking for a subject.

The last post was 8 months ago, almost to the day. Is anyone still out there?

If this is, indeed, the start of a new round of IPS posts, then I've started you off easy. Please go easy on me.

IPS 5/13/2011 #1 by dklamet

The image(s) above is(are) of a part of a photo of a subject somewhere in the area. I'll add additional parts of the entire photo over the next few days. You are invited to try to guess the subject and location. I'll notify the first person who correctly identifies the subject or location of the entire photo. That subject or location won't be revealed until later, after the answer is obvious. I suggest that people indicate that their guess is "Final" as opposed to just speculation and limit themselves to one final answer per person.

Fuzzy's Tacos at the Corner of N. Park St. and Mass by dklamet

OK. I know it been a long time since I've posted any photos. I keep meaning to...really, I do.

I happened to see this link on CNN where my idea has been used on a more global scale.

For those of you who don't what I'm talking about, I had a long series (spanning more than 3 years, starting in 2007) where I posted a small photo (or portion thereof) and invited readers to try and identify it. Here is a link to the last (or I'll hopefully say latest?) in that series of posts..

Where did I put that camera anyway....

This article from CNN, describes some elementary schools that reduced or eliminated recess--and parents efforts to rectify the situation.

I recall when my youngest son was in sixth grade here in Lawrence. Recess was eliminated or drastically curtailed because of the time it would take from academics.

Now, having read the article below and reconsidered, I deeply regret not taking action. I'm older, crankier, and more confident that I don't (always) need studies to make decisions. It shouldn't have taken something like this to wake me up. I, and all the other parents in that class, were persuaded that it was for the best.

Let me say now, what I should have said then. THEY'RE SIXTH GRADERS, PEOPLE! Or second graders, or ...

If you have elementary age kids, how much time do they get outside at school? Is this an issue in Lawrence? In my, or actually my son's, case, it was ten years ago. Is it still going on?

Does this have anything to do with the U.S. being the most obese country in the world?

One final, and somewhat satirical question. Is there anything our educational system does right?

(Hey, I know there are a lot of good teachers out there doing their best under difficult conditions).

http://www2.ljworld.com/polls/2012/mar/should-teacher-larger-class-be-paid-more-teacher-s/

(I consider this to not be one of my usual rants, but an insightful analysis. Your opinions may vary)

Does anyone think that the suggestion in this poll has any merit whatsoever?

Using such a simple method for adjusting, or maybe even determining, teacher salaries is a symptom of the mentality that has come to dominate our dysfunctional culture. Although I suspect, or at least hope, that no one would consider making this the primary factor in determining a teacher's salary, it is just an extension of the common practice of trying to find measurable, and preferably "simple" metrics to free us from having to make difficult decisions.

We all know that decisions like this just aren't simple? Right? Just as in private industry, a supervisor or manager is usually responsibile for determining an employees performance and their worth to the business. This worth equates to the amount of money the company is willing to pay to retain them--at least in theory-- assuming competent management (not a safe assumption).

So why do we think that should be different in education? Because it might not always be fair? Because it could become political?

Guess what, that's life in the real world.

My contention is that our "leaders" most fervent desire is to find ways to avoid responsibility--to put everything they can on someone else. In essence, the goal seems to be to come up with a complex series of rules and policies so that the effort consists of evaluating the problem in the context of those rules and policies instead of looking at the actual facts and merits of the situation under consideration.

Why is it we have to make everything so hard...so complex?

We all know that there are many factors that affect how effective a teacher is, right?

Let's face it, some of our students come from backgrounds where they have tremendous disadvantages, and to expect a teacher to overcome those is criminally naive.

Let's not forget some of the some others. How many teachers have the support of their administration? How many times to they get the backing of their principal or district superintendent when their is a parent complaint? Some students just don't care, while others are motivated to learn on their own. It's a much larger and complex problem than I can do justice to here.

Is it just human nature to look for easy answers to difficult problems?

Has the time when we met challenges head on come to an end?

Are we unwilling to accept the possibility that it is possible for someone to make a decision with the best intentions, using all the information they have, and still have it turn out badly? I see enough decisions turn out badly (enough for hundreds of blog posts), that I'd be happy about a bad decisions, as long as it was acknowledged and the maker learned from it.

Heck, I have to admit I've made bad decisions. I know I leared from at least some of them. Maybe they should be the subject of another post.

Leaders are those people who make decisions and take responsibility. Maybe if we can find some, then everyone else won't really mind because it will just make it easier for the "shirkers" to avoid their responsibilities.

I write this will sitting on the K-10 connector to Lenexa/Olathe. I started a new job in November of last year and since then have had the mind numbing drive each day from near Stull to College blvd near I-35.

When I first started, the "Jo" routes in Johnson County didn't make using the bus feasible. Recently, though, they have extended the routes and now I can go from 23rd and Crestline to JCCC, change busses and be dropped off a block from my office.

The travel time is longer, but since I just filled my tank at $3.65/gallon yesterday, and I hate burning 2 hours a day behind the wheel even more than paying for gas, this is a great alternative.

Who knows, I may finally fulfill that dream and write the great American novel in those two extra hours I now have each day.

And if not, at least I've left the ranks of the morning zombies who accompany me each morning (and evening) on K-10.

Don't know where that title came from, except maybe in a bolt of blinding inspiration???

I don't have any resolutions this year, but I've been conscious of reducing the stress and hassles in my life these last few years. So when I saw this article on CNN, it caught my attention.

8 ways to simplify your life in 2012

Although this article is aimed specifically at women, I think the stresses of "modern" life hit everyone.

My big prediction, not necessarily for this year, is that computers and technology will actually be used to simplify and improve our lives. In my opinion, that isn't happening yet... (I've probably said it before and I'll say it again)

What things in your life cause the most turmoil, aggravation, and stress? Or what things do you want (or hope) to change?

Well, this week it was either punt and post a link to a previous post, or post of nothing at all.

Describing this as "The Best Of" may be a bit pretentious, but then, pretension is the new humility. (That makes at least as much sense as white is the new black).

You heard it here first.

Anyway...

This was one of my favorites, from almost 2 years ago. IPS 11/11/2009