From time to time everyone needs help with their lawn care needs. Maybe your mower is in the shop for repairs or you have to be away from home for a week or two or maybe you prefer to have someone else take care of your lawn care needs on a weekly bases. Whatever your needs I know of two men who are in the business of mowing grass: Jeff Smith and Wendell Herring.
I am not endorsing these two men nor am I recommending them. They have just started their lawn care business and I have no idea if they are good at it or not. What I can tell you is I know the two fellows and they are of good character, not given to strong drink and they have been dependable people for as long as I have know them.
The contact number for them is 336 858 7127 or 336 267 7887.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
What Color was the Robe?
"What Color Was the Robe?" was the title of my message tonight. I don't get to preach often but I try to be ready. Honestly, I believe this message was a good one for any preacher. I know I learned a great deal through the preparation and I believe the congregation learned a lot tonight also.
I did record this message and I am going to make a few copies available to family and a couple of preachers. I normally don't mail out copies but I will make an exception. If you would like a copy e-mail me at dsprl2000@yahoo.com and leave me your address and I'll see you get a copy.
I did record this message and I am going to make a few copies available to family and a couple of preachers. I normally don't mail out copies but I will make an exception. If you would like a copy e-mail me at dsprl2000@yahoo.com and leave me your address and I'll see you get a copy.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
cranky old man
Cranky Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!
author unknown
Thursday, April 24, 2014
New building going up or in
One Way Baptist purchased a used educational unit, a 28 x 50 mobile classroom, from Mod Space in Greensboro.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
After a little paint
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Duke Energy Does What is Right
I blogged recently about the dangerous situation left at the church after Duke Energy moved a pole and buried a cable. At first they refused to fix the problem but today they did the honorable thing and fixed the mess they had made. Whether the act of kindness was of their own free will or not I do not know but they did what was right and fixed the problem
Thanks Duke Energy
Thanks Duke Energy
Monday, April 21, 2014
porch completed: sort of
I was promised my porch would be finished today. Only a half day was needed or so I was told. The worker (as in one) showed up at eleven. A couple of hours later another worker showed up. I think my wife's phone call had something to do with that. Anyway it was a little after eight when the workers left.
As you can see a corner is incomplete and there is a small block of wood on the outside of the column. I have no idea what that is for. There is an identical unfinished block on the other side of the porch with the safe little piece of wood on the outside of the column.
You may have noticed the calking around the wood. I had the worker do that. He was going to leave a 1/4 inch gap around all three columns (the one in the middle was framed out and finished. There are several rough spots on the trim where the nails were beaten in. Instead of using a piece of wood or cardboard to lay over the nail heads before pounding the nails in to prevent the dents and dings they just hammered away.
Another flaw which I didn't take a picture of is a long piece of trim that was put up in sections instead of as whole piece. The trim on the right side of the porch was put up as a whole piece but the trim on the left was put up as two pieces. On the end there is an almost inch gap and there is a 1/2 inch gap in the middle between the two pieces.
Of course the gutters will not be replaced until Thursday.
I had a bad feeling when on day one the crew forgot to bring a ladder and had to borrow mine. They borrowed an extension cord without permission and today had to borrow another. Let's not mention the trampling of a newly planted rose bush or the laying od the trim and gutters in the middle of a flower bed.
I'm glad I had the porch done. Besides the functionality of it, the porch adds character to the house. I was hoping for a little more attention to detail but the thing that bothered me most was the "I don't care about you or your problems" attitude of the contractor especially since he is fully aware of my wife's medical problems. He should have been more patient and should have shown more caring
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Porch day 4--NOT
It's Saturday and even though the workers said they would be here, even in the rain and despite it being a weekend, the truth is they aren't-and won't be until Monday. The gutter people won't be here until Thursday. I like my porch and I'm sure I will have years of enjoyment from it and I will recoup some of the cost in lower energy bills, the hassle and disruption to our lives has stressed my wife out and irritated me. I'm ready for it to be over.
porch day 3
The trim around the front is gray and the siding on the house is yellow but I chose white to trim the porch in. I think it looks good. Even though today is Saturday and it is raining the workers are supposed to return and finish trimming the porch. 
Thursday, April 17, 2014
What kind of neighbor are you?
I was reading an article on renting versus owning (or buying) your place to live. Renting has some advantages like cheaper insurance (renters versus home owners), lower maintenance costs, and more freedom to move. And of course home owning has advantages too. A renter will always have to pay rent while a home owner just might one day pay the mortgage off. A place to live should not ever be viewed as a monetary investment because changes are more than likely you will lose money or break even at best. Home ownership is best viewed as an investment in your family and community. How that investment pays off depends on what kind of neighbor you are.
I live in what I call a cookie cutter neighborhood. All the houses are roughly the same. All about the same size, same color, and the same value. There are two big difference in each place: how the owners relate to their property and how they relate to their neighbors.
One family has a poorly maintained yard with debris scattered around the yard. They have junk cars in the back, a big hole in the front of the house, rarely mow the grass, and have a dog tied to a tree in the front yard. The property is an eyesore to say the least. Another neighbor has a self build out building. The walls are made of pressboard and covered in black tarpaper. The wind has long ago ripped the tarpaper to shreds and the pressboard has turned brown with age.
The man across the street has a neater yard but deals in sports cars, particularly old Mustangs with loud engines. Noises coming from his yard makes it seem as if one is living in the infield at a NASCAR event. Of and let us not forget the family with the big boxers that allows them to run the neighborhood without benefit of restraints.
It isn't just the noisy irresponsible neighbors that distract from the neighborhood. There are some quiet neighbors that live in a clean place. But they never fix up the place: no flowers or trees or friendly waves hello to anyone. They exist for whatever reason.
Then there are a few good neighbors. Once a man named Johnny lived next door. He planted flowers and mowed his grass and said hello and helped one with the chores of daily life. He was a good neighbor. Another man who lives across the street keeps his house well maintained and has professional landscapers plant his flower gardens and trim his trees. He has a nice yard. Another neighbors home looks almost as neat but he does the work himself. and he says hello now and then.
Then there is that special neighborhood resident that has the professionally installed outbuilding,
the new carport cover, the manicured lawn, the fish ponds and memorial gardens and the fruit trees and the litter free yard. This resident not only maintains his property but can be seen pickup up trash around the neighborhood and can be heard wishing others well.
Is this a nice neighborhood depends on which neighbor one chooses to be.
I live in what I call a cookie cutter neighborhood. All the houses are roughly the same. All about the same size, same color, and the same value. There are two big difference in each place: how the owners relate to their property and how they relate to their neighbors.
One family has a poorly maintained yard with debris scattered around the yard. They have junk cars in the back, a big hole in the front of the house, rarely mow the grass, and have a dog tied to a tree in the front yard. The property is an eyesore to say the least. Another neighbor has a self build out building. The walls are made of pressboard and covered in black tarpaper. The wind has long ago ripped the tarpaper to shreds and the pressboard has turned brown with age.
The man across the street has a neater yard but deals in sports cars, particularly old Mustangs with loud engines. Noises coming from his yard makes it seem as if one is living in the infield at a NASCAR event. Of and let us not forget the family with the big boxers that allows them to run the neighborhood without benefit of restraints.
It isn't just the noisy irresponsible neighbors that distract from the neighborhood. There are some quiet neighbors that live in a clean place. But they never fix up the place: no flowers or trees or friendly waves hello to anyone. They exist for whatever reason.
Then there are a few good neighbors. Once a man named Johnny lived next door. He planted flowers and mowed his grass and said hello and helped one with the chores of daily life. He was a good neighbor. Another man who lives across the street keeps his house well maintained and has professional landscapers plant his flower gardens and trim his trees. He has a nice yard. Another neighbors home looks almost as neat but he does the work himself. and he says hello now and then.
Then there is that special neighborhood resident that has the professionally installed outbuilding,
the new carport cover, the manicured lawn, the fish ponds and memorial gardens and the fruit trees and the litter free yard. This resident not only maintains his property but can be seen pickup up trash around the neighborhood and can be heard wishing others well.
Is this a nice neighborhood depends on which neighbor one chooses to be.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Duke Energy (with pictures)
One Way Baptist Church purchased a modular unit like those used as classrooms by the local school systems. n order for the church to use the building a utility pole needed to be moved. The easiest thing for the church would be for Duke energy to move the pole. The church could then bring the unit it and get it set up and then Duke Energy could then bury the electrical cable and remove the pole.
Of course Duke wasn't concerned about the church so they said no. The church then had to build a construction box and run power from the church to the box. Then Duke energy would come out, bury the cable and then remove the pole. Even though it would have only been fifteen feet father to run the cable around the parking lot, Duke energy said no. The best thing to do would be to pack the dirt down after the cable was buried but again Duke Energy said no. It would have been far better for the church if Duke Energy had used a trencher but of course they brought a backhoe. Instead of a ditch 8" wide there was one 20" wide.
Last week the church had a man, a private contractor, Tim Pope from Burlington remove two tree stumps. He was less invasive than Duke Energy was in removing a single pole.
Crew from Duke Energy Arrive 4 hours late
Lineman punched a hole in new pipe holding power line
Property before duke started. The picture shows how Tim Pope left his work area.
Sink hole created because Duke Energy refused to pack the soil. The parking lot is full of sink holes as well and is unsafe to use.
Mess left by Duke Energy. Loose piles of dirt is scattered across the work area as well as being full of sink holes
A tree stump protrudes from the ground in Duke energy's work area.
Of course Duke wasn't concerned about the church so they said no. The church then had to build a construction box and run power from the church to the box. Then Duke energy would come out, bury the cable and then remove the pole. Even though it would have only been fifteen feet father to run the cable around the parking lot, Duke energy said no. The best thing to do would be to pack the dirt down after the cable was buried but again Duke Energy said no. It would have been far better for the church if Duke Energy had used a trencher but of course they brought a backhoe. Instead of a ditch 8" wide there was one 20" wide.
Last week the church had a man, a private contractor, Tim Pope from Burlington remove two tree stumps. He was less invasive than Duke Energy was in removing a single pole.
Crew from Duke Energy Arrive 4 hours late Lineman punched a hole in new pipe holding power lineProperty before duke started. The picture shows how Tim Pope left his work area.Sink hole created because Duke Energy refused to pack the soil. The parking lot is full of sink holes as well and is unsafe to use.Mess left by Duke Energy. Loose piles of dirt is scattered across the work area as well as being full of sink holesA tree stump protrudes from the ground in Duke energy's work area.
Would you let a private contractor leave your property like this? Then why should Duke Energy get away with this?
Monday, April 14, 2014
Duke does another disaster
Well, Duke didn't actually show up to do they were contracted to do for the church. They hired an outside crew which obviously were not experienced in what they were to do. It took one workman over an hour to climb a telephone pole and then he couldn't do the job he went up to do so he had to call another truck in to do his job. On the way down he punched a hole in the pipe that was just installed to run the electrical line through.
The job was simple enough: disconnect the power line from the church and from the second pole and bury the line from the first pole to the meter box that will attach to the new building once constructed, the remove the second pole. The job did eventually get done but the yard was left in a mess. I will post pictures tomorrow. A man cam last week and dug up two tree stumps with a backhoe and didn't create near the mess that Duke crew did to remove one small pole. There is no excuse for such incompetence in my opinion. Duke should be ashamed of itself.
The job was simple enough: disconnect the power line from the church and from the second pole and bury the line from the first pole to the meter box that will attach to the new building once constructed, the remove the second pole. The job did eventually get done but the yard was left in a mess. I will post pictures tomorrow. A man cam last week and dug up two tree stumps with a backhoe and didn't create near the mess that Duke crew did to remove one small pole. There is no excuse for such incompetence in my opinion. Duke should be ashamed of itself.
If Duke Power shows up
Today is the day we have long waited for. I've been mowing the grass at One Way Baptist Church now for several years and I hated mowing around the two trees and the telephone pole. Don't get me wrong, I liked the trees. The nut tree was my only bit of shade and I so looked forward to picking the first fruit from the plum tree. Oh, it was well beyond mature enough to have fruit but it was neglected for too long. It took several years to shape it up and this would have been the year for it to produce again. Unfortunately it had to go to make room for our new building.
Today Duke Power or Duke energy, depending when one was born, is supposed to move our pole and run the wires underground. Once the pole is moved there will be room to put the new building.
For those of you who are concerned about the trees, please don't be. I know many trees have been cut to make room for growth but other trees will be planted to take the place of the ones cut. I had 4 trees on my property when I purchased my home and I had two of those cut. I've planted over forty trees to take their place.
Yes we are on an expansion program at One Way Baptist and I know some of you may want to avoid the church because you are afraid that you may be asked to dig a little deeper in your pockets to help. You may but we have decided that we want to involve the community in our growth because a community benefits from having a church around. We had a chicken dinner bot long ago and we had a yard and bake sale last weekend. Other projects are soon coming. I'm getting ready to ploy for our pumpkin garden and hopefully this year will be the best one ever.
We want to be involved in the community. We are growing both physically and spiritually. We now have a youth pastor and a youth program and when our new building is in place we will have some Sunday School rooms. If the Lord tarries one day One Way will not be a tiny church but a large dynamic one. We have the dynamic part down.
Today Duke Power or Duke energy, depending when one was born, is supposed to move our pole and run the wires underground. Once the pole is moved there will be room to put the new building.
For those of you who are concerned about the trees, please don't be. I know many trees have been cut to make room for growth but other trees will be planted to take the place of the ones cut. I had 4 trees on my property when I purchased my home and I had two of those cut. I've planted over forty trees to take their place.
Yes we are on an expansion program at One Way Baptist and I know some of you may want to avoid the church because you are afraid that you may be asked to dig a little deeper in your pockets to help. You may but we have decided that we want to involve the community in our growth because a community benefits from having a church around. We had a chicken dinner bot long ago and we had a yard and bake sale last weekend. Other projects are soon coming. I'm getting ready to ploy for our pumpkin garden and hopefully this year will be the best one ever.
We want to be involved in the community. We are growing both physically and spiritually. We now have a youth pastor and a youth program and when our new building is in place we will have some Sunday School rooms. If the Lord tarries one day One Way will not be a tiny church but a large dynamic one. We have the dynamic part down.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Garden now planted: time for a deep freeze
I seem to have no luck with gardens. A few years ago we had a freeze after I planted my garden even though I waited a week past the last date this area had ever recorded a freeze. One year we had no rain so last years I planted my tomatoes in their own space so it would be easier for me to water them: it rained so much my tomato plants drowned and all my seeds rotted.
Today is the eleventh of April, a week before Easter, the traditional time for me to plant my garden. So everyone, get your blankets back out. It's time for a deep freeze.
Now there are certain things like onions, beets, and lettuce that can be planted early and will easily withstand a slight frost. Unfortunately none of them have sprouted yet even though it is supposed to be 7 to 10 days and it has already been 14.
Other things are looking good. I have several apple trees with blooms on them and about six peach trees with blooms as well as both of my Cherry trees. My blueberries are growing and my grape vines are finally showing some buds. My crabapple and crept myrtles are showing any signs of life yet. I know it's too early for the myrtles. The crabapple and the dogwood were just recently planted and are just mere twigs and it may be too early. I have a baby peach coming up where the one eastern yellow was that died. I didn't plant that one so I wasn't expecting that.
Anyway, I hope this is going to be a good year for vegetable.
Today is the eleventh of April, a week before Easter, the traditional time for me to plant my garden. So everyone, get your blankets back out. It's time for a deep freeze.
Now there are certain things like onions, beets, and lettuce that can be planted early and will easily withstand a slight frost. Unfortunately none of them have sprouted yet even though it is supposed to be 7 to 10 days and it has already been 14.
Other things are looking good. I have several apple trees with blooms on them and about six peach trees with blooms as well as both of my Cherry trees. My blueberries are growing and my grape vines are finally showing some buds. My crabapple and crept myrtles are showing any signs of life yet. I know it's too early for the myrtles. The crabapple and the dogwood were just recently planted and are just mere twigs and it may be too early. I have a baby peach coming up where the one eastern yellow was that died. I didn't plant that one so I wasn't expecting that.
Anyway, I hope this is going to be a good year for vegetable.
God in NOT dead, the movie
My wife and I drove to the Brassfield Theater on Battleground in Greensboro to see the movie "God is Not Dead". The professor isn't really claiming God is dead. Actually, his claim is God never existed. The theory behind the big bang is that because there is gravity then something can be created from nothing. One scientific law is that something can never be created from nothing. Even if it could where did gravity come from?
No amount of logic or science or superstition can ever answer the question about the true beginning of creation. The big bang theory does not refute god but just reinforces the Genesis account of creation. It is my belief that most people who disbelieve the biblical account do so because they don't want God to be real because if He is then they really do have to give account of their life once they die. What I find hilarious is the number of people who reject God because he doesn't intervene in the tragic events of life yet they don't want to accept God in the normal routine of living.
Anyway. the topic of discussion in the movie "God is Not Dead". The audience was sparse and were older folks; I was one of the younger ones. Christianity should not be an Old Folks religion yet that what is seems it is today. The truth is, it has always seemed to be an old folks religion. Sometimes a person just takes a long time to recognize the truth. Anyhow, it was a really good movie, believe it or not.
No amount of logic or science or superstition can ever answer the question about the true beginning of creation. The big bang theory does not refute god but just reinforces the Genesis account of creation. It is my belief that most people who disbelieve the biblical account do so because they don't want God to be real because if He is then they really do have to give account of their life once they die. What I find hilarious is the number of people who reject God because he doesn't intervene in the tragic events of life yet they don't want to accept God in the normal routine of living.
Anyway. the topic of discussion in the movie "God is Not Dead". The audience was sparse and were older folks; I was one of the younger ones. Christianity should not be an Old Folks religion yet that what is seems it is today. The truth is, it has always seemed to be an old folks religion. Sometimes a person just takes a long time to recognize the truth. Anyhow, it was a really good movie, believe it or not.
Sunday, April 06, 2014
Security Force
I entered a drawing for a chance to win a new John Deer lawn tractor knowing that it was a promotion for an alarm company. Actually I wanted to install one when my wife and I purchased our home but she objected. I figured she would say no this time too but to my surprise she thought it was a good idea.
I believe what changed her mind was some of our neighbors. The family that once lived across the street were nice enough people, or at least the parents were but the boys were trouble. One was in and out of jail constantly, mostly on drug charges. They were buying from the people who lives on Stout street and when they boys were home it was a hot bed of drug activity. Of course they didn't like me because I would make them turn their loud car stereo's down.
The son of the people who lives in the first house entering the neighborhood was arrested on thief charges recently and we do have some neighbors that live like trailer trash. One has a big hole in the front of their house while another has debris piled up in his yard. Their place always looks like a natural disaster just occurred.
We have had some trouble with a few of the neighbors, mostly small stuff like people letting their big dogs run loose or teenagers trespassing in the yard. I don't want to turn this into a gripe column so just suffice it to say the neighborhood isn't as nice as I hoped it would be.
We had the basic security system installed with sensors for my shed and the special fire alarm system. I much prefer to have a security system than a gun. My Dad had a gun for protection but one night two thieves broke into his place while he and Mom slept. They found his gun and held it to his head while the thieves did their work. I just don't think I can be held hostage with a keypad. An alarm system is good 24 hours a day while a gun is only good if you are the one holding it and you are at home.
I'm not anti-gun by any means but it isn't the thing for me. For everyone's safety, mine included, I think it is far better to allow the police to handle situations where violence may be needed.
The point I want to make in this article isn't about my alarm system but about the young man who installed it. He is an ex-marine just recently married and a Christian. I'm not talking about the average run of the mill Christian who is a person who goes to church now and then but never really prays and who has a passive faith. No this young man incorporated his faith into his work and could quote his favorite scriptures. The best part of the whole evening is when he, my wife and I had prayer together before he departed.
That doesn't happen in today's world. Or so one is lead to believe.
I believe what changed her mind was some of our neighbors. The family that once lived across the street were nice enough people, or at least the parents were but the boys were trouble. One was in and out of jail constantly, mostly on drug charges. They were buying from the people who lives on Stout street and when they boys were home it was a hot bed of drug activity. Of course they didn't like me because I would make them turn their loud car stereo's down.
The son of the people who lives in the first house entering the neighborhood was arrested on thief charges recently and we do have some neighbors that live like trailer trash. One has a big hole in the front of their house while another has debris piled up in his yard. Their place always looks like a natural disaster just occurred.
We have had some trouble with a few of the neighbors, mostly small stuff like people letting their big dogs run loose or teenagers trespassing in the yard. I don't want to turn this into a gripe column so just suffice it to say the neighborhood isn't as nice as I hoped it would be.
We had the basic security system installed with sensors for my shed and the special fire alarm system. I much prefer to have a security system than a gun. My Dad had a gun for protection but one night two thieves broke into his place while he and Mom slept. They found his gun and held it to his head while the thieves did their work. I just don't think I can be held hostage with a keypad. An alarm system is good 24 hours a day while a gun is only good if you are the one holding it and you are at home.
I'm not anti-gun by any means but it isn't the thing for me. For everyone's safety, mine included, I think it is far better to allow the police to handle situations where violence may be needed.
The point I want to make in this article isn't about my alarm system but about the young man who installed it. He is an ex-marine just recently married and a Christian. I'm not talking about the average run of the mill Christian who is a person who goes to church now and then but never really prays and who has a passive faith. No this young man incorporated his faith into his work and could quote his favorite scriptures. The best part of the whole evening is when he, my wife and I had prayer together before he departed.
That doesn't happen in today's world. Or so one is lead to believe.
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Why do some rank so low?
A report was just released that predicted a person's likelihood of success. An Asian was ranked highest, then white kids, Both groups were given scores of over 700. Ranked low on the scale were blacks and native Americans with scores barely over 400. Why the big difference and why are some ranked so low?
In the Asian group, it was only the Asians from Japan, China and the Philippines that were ranked really high while other Asian groups didn't fair so well. To me that rules out the ethnic influence. I never really believed that race had anything to do with ones abilities to learn but a great deal to do with if we learned. In other words, a kid doesn't fail because he is black but fails because he is raised in a black environment. Whoa, I know I made some upset by that comment and I certainly don't mean to do so.
I have black relatives and they are highly successful people. In fact my niece just graduated high school at 15. Being intelligent has nothing to do with skin color but the values held by the community one was raised in has a tremendous influence on how well you do in school. In certain Asian communities education is highly prized and the children in those communities do well in school. The biggest problem is sometime the parents push the kids too hard academically and the children suffer in other areas. But in certain other cultures education is looked down on and the children in those cultures do not fair as well.
It isn't a matter of giving underprivileged children more opportunities but changing the prevalent attitude about education in those communities. There seems to be a big emphasis on sports and music in the black community but the reality is being highly successful in those endeavors is akin to becoming rich by playing the lottery.
I can understand the low scores from the Mexicans. Again, the scores are not ties to race or ethnic background. People from Cuba do much better than citizens from Latin America. In these cases it isn't so much a bad attitude towards education as it is fear of being deported because they are in this country illegally. There is a distrust of others and the language barrier. These people are denying themselves opportunities.
I live in a mixed race neighborhood and how people live is different based on ethnic background. The black families seem to be the nicest people in the neighborhood but the black children seem to be the most likely to be arrested, The Mexican families have messy yards, are very unfriendly and are less likely to obey local laws like licensing and building codes and burning permits. We do have some Asians in the neighborhood but they tend to be more private.
The white families show the most diversity and the teenagers tend to be either extremely nice kids or total jerks showing a total lack of upbringing and discipline. It seems the more pride a family takes in their home the better behaved their children tend to be. I don't know how that relates to success but I would think it would all relate.
In the Asian group, it was only the Asians from Japan, China and the Philippines that were ranked really high while other Asian groups didn't fair so well. To me that rules out the ethnic influence. I never really believed that race had anything to do with ones abilities to learn but a great deal to do with if we learned. In other words, a kid doesn't fail because he is black but fails because he is raised in a black environment. Whoa, I know I made some upset by that comment and I certainly don't mean to do so.
I have black relatives and they are highly successful people. In fact my niece just graduated high school at 15. Being intelligent has nothing to do with skin color but the values held by the community one was raised in has a tremendous influence on how well you do in school. In certain Asian communities education is highly prized and the children in those communities do well in school. The biggest problem is sometime the parents push the kids too hard academically and the children suffer in other areas. But in certain other cultures education is looked down on and the children in those cultures do not fair as well.
It isn't a matter of giving underprivileged children more opportunities but changing the prevalent attitude about education in those communities. There seems to be a big emphasis on sports and music in the black community but the reality is being highly successful in those endeavors is akin to becoming rich by playing the lottery.
I can understand the low scores from the Mexicans. Again, the scores are not ties to race or ethnic background. People from Cuba do much better than citizens from Latin America. In these cases it isn't so much a bad attitude towards education as it is fear of being deported because they are in this country illegally. There is a distrust of others and the language barrier. These people are denying themselves opportunities.
I live in a mixed race neighborhood and how people live is different based on ethnic background. The black families seem to be the nicest people in the neighborhood but the black children seem to be the most likely to be arrested, The Mexican families have messy yards, are very unfriendly and are less likely to obey local laws like licensing and building codes and burning permits. We do have some Asians in the neighborhood but they tend to be more private.
The white families show the most diversity and the teenagers tend to be either extremely nice kids or total jerks showing a total lack of upbringing and discipline. It seems the more pride a family takes in their home the better behaved their children tend to be. I don't know how that relates to success but I would think it would all relate.
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