Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

That would be great. Hope you find someone.

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

Wonderment won't love me for nominating him - but I hope he'll consider doing this.

Re: Resource Depletion
 

Well, I hate you all to, so myeh!

Re: Resource Depletion
 

lol

Re: Resource Depletion
 

Looks like the only resources being depleted here are willing Apollo DV participants.

Re: Resource Depletion
 

I think peak oil would be an excellent topic, and I would love to hear a debate on the subject, especially by a scientific type (no journalists!). Too bad (or too good?) there are no competent defenders of the counter thesis. Perhaps Unit would oblige.

Re: Resource Depletion
 

I'd love to hear this one.

Re: Resource Depletion
 

If you want to make a fool of yourself with me I'm game, and like I said, I don't mind being the infinite toys guy, I'm used to embarrassing myself.

Re: Resource Depletion
 

I missed this when you posted it. Unfortunately, I know nothing about peak oil except what I've read in certain investment newsletters. Is oil running out? If only it were, I might be rich. The predictions of imminent penury have made little difference to my portfolio since the runup in oil prices a few years ago.

"Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

"Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...

OK, the recent LA Times piece on teacher performance in LA schools kind of kicked me in the butt on giving this a proper go....

The story touches on a whole lot of issues. I think a basic list of discussion points might go:

- What does education reform look like today, what should it look like?
- How has Obama done so far on education, what are the issues involved?
- The LA Times piece itself - what did it get right, wrong?
- Maybe a larger discussion on the future of education, or what we'd like to see happen?

I can put together a short reading list on these topics, and am opening to other ideas, suggestions, etc. if anyone's ready to jump in.

my blog: super vidoqo

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

I might be interested in doing a diavlog with you about education, eeeli, but apart from the time involved in doing background reading, I'm concerned about the technical difficulties involved on my end. I live in rural France. I have an acceptable ADSL connection, but it's not great, videos often have to rebuffer, and I have never used a webcam. I could probably go to some neighbors, though, who have a much better connection, so long as the whole thing does not become a great time drain for them. The other thing is, I have an Internet phone at home that works pretty well and is "free" to the US, so I would want to use that, if possible, rather than the fixed land line, for the transmission. The other possibility is that we try do this while I am in the US, between Sept. 14 and Oct. 13, roughly. I get the impression that it will take longer than that to organize, though. I have no idea what is involved on the technical side, but there are often snags, I know that. Also, I don't want to use that masking technology. If they insist on that, I'm out. I find that completely absurd. I'm not in a witness protection program.

I have been pushing to get Diane Ravitch on bhtv. One would certainly have to read her new book.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

OK, cool. I just sent them an email asking about what technical issues might be involved. I'm open to anything. I think waiting until you're in the US might be a good idea anyway - school just started and so I've been a bit slammed (I teach science at a continuation high school).

But yeah - the NY Times just did a piece referencing the LA Times story, and the value-added thing has been making news elsewhere. Here's my email if you want to discuss links, etc. in more detail, and I'll try to put together some readings I think would be of interest. I haven't read her book either but I need to. I actually sent her and Deborah Meier a piece I wrote for my blog and they responded positively. Thrill! :)

Anyway - the idea of doing a diavlog makes me kind of nervous, but I think we could have fun with it.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

Talk about your two cents... worth every penny.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

I'm not sure what points he was actually making.
- he didn't see any reason not to publish teachers' names
- he thought they were acting legally
- he thought no one would have cared if the results had all been good
- he quotes an unnamed source saying that the times had only done it for publicity, which he finds perfectly reasonable, apparently unconcerned about journalistic standards
- he finds the idea that teachers don't get enough respect silly

He then links to a story on an apparently excellent teacher that literally just makes things up:
"But what does the other end of the quality distribution look like? What kind of teaching is as good as mimeographed worksheets are bad? We don’t really know."

What world does this guy live in? Professional development is always about new teaching strategies and improved performance. Sure, it often sucks. But its often good. There is never enough emphasis on collaboration and watching other teachers teach. But this has nothing to do with unions, and everything to do with the priorities of the administration. Will they pay for a sub? Will they structure professional development around it?

I looked him up and it looks like he's had no actual experience in the classroom, where he would have experienced the teaching profession from the inside.

"Yet the union that purports to represent Tan [the great teacher] has done nothing but oppose the creation of the only measures that accurately identify her value as a professional. In doing so, it helps depress the public understanding of all teachers as professionals."
And what measures are those? Testing? That's the only way to value teachers as professionals? This guy is ridiculous.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

I hope you get to do the dialogue. I had very mixed feelings about the Times article. I wonder if they will now publish police and firefighters performance rankings, doctors, nurses and journalists. Maybe journalists' IQ scores. You know, so the public can be better informed.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

I actually posted the editorial for the links it afforded while thinking you may actually be interested in them, but since you are more concerned about the authors points I will address those you seem to be confused by.

So using his numbers:

1. Doesn't agree with "wholesale" naming of teachers but agrees with lauding those who prove exceptional and exposing those who are not. You twist this into him saying that he doesn't see any reason for not publishing teacher's names when in fact that obviously was not his point at all.

2. His point here is obviously not whether the action is legal or not, but one of shedding light on the attempt by the union to censor public information.

3. Here where you make a statement out of his question, the more obvious point is his being incredulous about the unions hyperbole ("public shaming" of all "6000 teachers"). I would speculate that some teachers are quite happy with the results.

4. I agree this point is odd and seemed an attempt to allow him to quote himself. However, your take on it once again twists what he said to something even more "silly".

You start your post saying "I'm not sure what points he was actually making" and I have to agree wholeheartedly with you. You certainly weren't sure, but that did not stop you from speculating. However, your comprehension of his points was ridiculously errant.

Other than that you just go on to shoot the messenger and then you go on to shoot the messenger in one of the links. In any case, I too will be looking forward to your vlog and hope YOU provide suggestions on good ways to measure teacher performance.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

More admin biase. How do you decide what just gets removed and what get puts in the glory room? Lets have some consistancy.

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

I hope the diavlog still might happen. I promise to watch.

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

Let me ask this one more time, as I'm still interested. I'd like to have a chat with someone about Obama's relationship with Liberals, i.e. where we should be disappointed, where we shouldn't, and what this should mean for the future behavior of our faction in the Democratic party. Is there anybody to my left on these things interested in such a DV?

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

Paging Wonderment, you have a call on the white courtesy phone.

question for Brenda
 

Brenda, in order to vlog with a Head, must one have already vlogged with a commenter?

Re: "Education Reform", Obama's relationship with teachers, LA Times piece...
 

Hah! Yes... we're headed in that direction!

Re: Populism and the Right
 

i was actually chapter leader of a nationwide neoconservative activist group with an unfortunate name and an unintentionally homoerotic logo for a few years.

i have some thoughts about the activist infrastructure of the conservative movement and the new populism of the right, if you're interested.

lemme know. i have no idea how this apollo project thingy works. i assume a mod has to approve the topic and set the thing up.

i'll copy to your user page.

Re: Populism and the Right
 

Like Bob said, it like Showtime at the Apollo Theatre. You've already auditioned with the jokes: You're halfway there!

Re: Populism and the Right
 

i wish i was joking.

i don't regret any of what the group did or represented necessarily, but i did learn from it that the vast right wing conspiracy is somewhat less than what progressives imagine it to be, and the shortcomings made for some real facepalm moments.

Re: Populism and the Right
 

Sounds like a good topic for discussion. I look forward to it!

Re: Populism and the Right
 

how does it work? i don't see a "start diavlog" button on here.

Re: Populism and the Right
 

I suggest you find a way to get jimM47's attention, come to a mutual agreement that you are ready, and then e-mail apollo@bloggingheads.tv with your proposal. I'm sure they will be receptive to setting something up.

Re: Populism and the Right
 

You can send him a message on his profile page.

Re: Populism and the Right
 

we're in contact.

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

If anyone would like to record on the topic of Canada's new majority government, send me an email samuelphammond@gmail.com

Nothing too narrow. Just the election itself and the future of Canada with Harper in power. Or who exactly Harper is.

"Computer models"
 

An Apollo diavlog giving a brief desciption of different types of computer models, their common weaknesses and shortcomings, the various flavors of verification and validation that exist in different fields, Epistemology of analog experiments and simulations, etc. etc. would be intersting.

I have some proffesional expierence and a little formal training along with some general audience reading, but if I have to be the "expert" in the pairing it's going to be amateurish. I think I know enough to make a decently informed interviewer though if someone else out there would like to pair with me.

...and yes, GCM's can be on the table, but not the whole diavlog please. I'm more interested in the general subject (of simulations).

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

How about doing it with Wonderment? Or Jeff? Maybe Eli would do it. We know they're not camera shy, and have well considered opinions.

How about with Stephanie? Or Ocean? They haven't done Apollo yet, but they'd be great.

Shit, maybe you could record a monovlog if they won't do it. I hope you find someone. Your conversation with Conn was superior to most of the "real" diavlogs.

I wonder if you could get a real 'head to do a matchup with you -- like another with Conn. Or maybe Bill Scher. Timothy Noah? Oh, I know: Michelle Goldberg. ;-)

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

Jane Hamsher.

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

I've already asked one of those people, although I'd be happy to record a DV with any of them. Are you guys reading this?

Badhat would shit a brick, wouldn't she?

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

I think you and I would be a bad matchup on this topic, as we basically agree.

I hope you find someone.

If you get Michelle Goldberg some people might be jealous. A matchup with a 'head would be cool, though.

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

I think Wonderment would pretty much be in the appropriate role to discuss this with you. I must remind you, though, that he can be terribly aggressive, even violent when debating. ;)

Re: Single diavlogger seeks same for stimulating conversation
 

Shh... Don't make him mad!