School Uniforms: Administrators Can’t Deal With Problem Kids?

According to this article in the Star Tribune (I know, I know, Shakopee is out of my usual range, it’s a slow news day what can I say?) one principal believes that the best way to fight issues with enforcing dress codes is to force everyone to wear the same thing. While an overwhelming majority of parents support the idea, there are some that feel it’s a cop out.

The proposal, which would still need approval from the school board, states that students would be required to wear either black or red t-shirts and that they may be required to tuck them in. While the t-shirts have not been an issue, tucking them in has. Officials state that it would be harder for students to hide weapons or to “sag their pants,” but parents are concerned that it may hurt the feelings of overweight students. The school will sell logo t-shirts for a reasonable fee but parents are free to purchase plain red or black t-shirts themselves.

One parent finds the entire change unnecessary:

Others objected, including Jeanna Harder, who has a daughter in sixth grade. “The entire student body should not be punished because of someone else’s poor choices or because of the school’s inability” to deal with them, she said.

I don’t really know which side to go with. I understand the school’s position but after reading that quote I really do have to wonder if she’s not at least partially correct. When I was in school you followed the rules or you were punished and God knows that I spent a ton of time in detention over the years. Do these school administrators really believe that by shifting the problems away from clothing they will have a more controlled student body? Do they not realize that something else will crop up to take its place instead?

So how about you? Do you believe that a “uniform” is an effective social control tool for schools to employ or do you think that this is simply a case of administrators being unable to control the student body? How about the tucking-in idea? Should that suggestion be eliminated due to some students’ feelings being hurt? Whatever you have to say about uniforms in the schools go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear what you have to say.

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Apple Valley Wastes Time With Google Fiber for Communities

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately you’ve probably heard all about local communities trying to attract the attention of Internet juggernaut, Google, to provide their residents/businesses with crazy fast Internet unlike nearly anything else available out there. This project named Google Fiber for Communities, at face value, seems like a great idea there are a number of issues every American should have with it.

We’ve all heard about Google, Kansas and Duluth’s own campaigns for Google to bring blazing fast Internet to their towns. What you may not have known is that many other groups, much closer to home, are vying for Google’s attention including Dakota Future through Dakota Future Fiber and, yes, even our illustrious Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland.

Seriously? Apple Valley really has nothing better to do but waste nearly 30 minutes talking about how to attract Google to our city? I mean, it’s not like taxpayers are upset over a $4.5 million facility being underutilized or a poorly planned LED street light pilot. Why not ignore the fact that someone has pointed out serious problems in the city and instead concern yourselves with doubling the efforts of Dakota Future and enter yourselves into what amounts to the lottery for public administrators.

In addition to the utter waste of time and duplication of effort are the other concerns that public administrators should have about Google’s project. This is a for-profit company which is in the business of making money at the expense of your own personal privacy. The Star Tribune covered the efforts of Dakota Future and Scott County’s bid for Google’s love and one of their commenters summed up the personal privacy issue much better than I ever could:

Google can go somewhere else with your logo “Do no Evil” because you keep the goods on all of us. As far as I am concerned that is about as unAmerican as a corporation can get. I don’t think they should have the right to store search information that can identify people who use there search engine. Ads on their site is ok but storing information, to me is like tapping you phone,having you followed or collaboration with a NAZI or Communist state. They can keep their high speed spying. This is just my opinion. It is ok to still have an opinion in America isn’t it?

posted by lothlorn on Mar. 14, 10 at 11:58 AM

Now, while no one is going to force this Internet connection on the residents of the winning town, “competitive pricing” combined with speeds currently unheard of in the residential sector will likely drive people to this in droves. Should the government really be permitted to make this sort of decision? Should they have to live up to a higher standard as a protector of the people than a corporation like Google? Should the Apple Valley City Council concentrate on business that is actually happening rather than spending time on something which will, in reality, never happen in a million years? Whatever you have to say about the Apple Valley City Council and their bid for Google’s fiber outlay go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Can You Handle Puke?

Last week’s poll asking if you biked around showed that the majority do indeed ride their bikes but a good number of those responding did not. I guess if we actually had a viable way across the river more people might be inclined to give it a try.

On to this week’s poll, yeah, another baby related post, you’ll live… This time it comes only minutes after I experienced my first projectile puking. I gave my kid his vitamin D this morning which apparently I did incorrectly as he started to sputter, then cough, then gag, then finally calm down after worrying me that I nearly killed him. With a look so sweet I brought him up to snuggle him in and with a coo of excitement he happily told me what he thought of my administering the vitamin D with a pool of baby vomit which looked very similar to a container of cottage cheese in a triumvirate of color, consistency and volume.

Now, what many of you may not realize is my utter disdain for everything puke related. This particular issue was my number one fear as a parent–having puke fly all over me and me, in turn, gag and then puke my leftover Galaxie Diner Cajun Breakfast special all over the floor. While I was lucky enough to avoid puking the instant it happened, my mouth hanging ajar in pure shock that it had taken 1.5 months before it happened to me calling loudly for my wife in a confused state, I soon overcame the adrenaline of the first few moments and regained my composure. As I was washing my freshly donned Walt Disney World sweatshirt before spraying it with Shout, I finally had the gagging fit I deserved from the get go. Hanging my head over the sink and praying it would cease, it finally did only to be repeated twice more as I sprayed even more that I had missed just moments before with Shout.

Yum. I can’t wait to do it again.

So, how about you? Can you handle puke baby or otherwise or are you one of the biggest wimps in the world like me? Do you just gag or does the full Monty come out when you are exposed to it? Will I just eventually get used to it and be able to deal or is this something (like it has been for my entire life) I will always have to fight as I watch my kid lose his lunch?

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Feeling Like A Sardine: Restaurants Packing Us In?


still life of sardines originally uploaded by Stijn Nieuwendijk

An interesting article appeared in the Star Tribune recently regarding restaurants attempting to fit as many tables as they can in a restaurant and how that makes some customers quite uncomfortable. It goes on to state, “when you can reach the salt-and-pepper shakers at the next table without getting out of your chair.”

Now, I have been in hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants in my life and only recently have I begun to notice this trend. The first distinct memory I have is at the now-defunct Viva Italia in Eagan. In that review I noted:

Where we were seated was in a corner and I honestly felt that we could have been eating with the people at the table next to us. In fact, we could have been eating with the five tables next to us.

Unfortunately this trend has continued and possibly even increased as times have begun to hit restaurants harder. More recent experiences which come to mind are Pigalle in New York City and Mango Thai in St. Paul. While Pigalle I can forgive, being that it was in Manhattan after all, I still took the time to snap a photo of the close proximity of the table next to ours. It was so close in fact that I, being about 175 lbs at the time, had to squeeze out of there with my book bag held over my head hoping I didn’t hit anyone–I can only imagine what it would have been like at 265 like I was just a few months before. Mango Thai, while not NYC, was still packing them in. I wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable there as I was at Pigalle or Viva Italia but it was still quite tight:

It’s very small inside and the tables are close together. Several times we had to rearrange the location of our table to allow other diners access to their chairs without bumping into us.

Not only does this make people uncomfortable but they’re less likely to stay as long (which depending on how you want to run a restaurant may be viewed as a good thing) and thus spend less money. The article provides some research done by Cornell which found:

What did make a significant difference in guest satisfaction was how far apart tables were placed. Simply put, the closer together the tables, the less happy the guests.

Diners at tables that were 20 inches or less apart “generally expressed lower satisfaction in almost every category” including food, friendliness of service and the wisdom of having chosen that restaurant. They ended up spending more per minute because they left sooner than people at four-tops, but they were significantly less likely to return, the study said.

The findings are consistent with my own feelings and I can’t say that I find them surprising. However, that said, I do find it odd that we’re still increasing this trend locally when people are less likely to spend as much. You would hope that restaurant owners would look to this particular article and change their ways, right?

So how about you? Do you feel uncomfortable in tight-knit settings? What restaurants have you been to recently that fit this model? Did you spend as much there as you would have elsewhere? Do you believe it’s just as important to turn over tables quickly (by creating this uncomfortable feeling) or do you feel that it’s in the restaurants’ best interests to have less people spend more?

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South Metro News Roundup: March 12th, 2010

1. Valley Natural Foods has organic seeds for sale. The seeds provided by High Mowing Seeds are noted as being an independantly-owned, farm-based seed company dedicated to supporting sustainable agriculture and providing farmers and gardeners with the highest quality certified organic seed.

I need to start getting my planting ready early this year. We were a bit late last year and with the crappy weather all summer (cold) we did not get the yield we had hoped for. What are you planning on growing in your home gardens this year?

2. An excellent writeup of the Burnsville Perfomring Arts Center citizen advisory board by Thisweek’s John Gessner.

I watched the meeting myself and was absolutely shocked at how the council handled the situation. The staff provided them with a few options and instead of coming ready to discuss them, it was as if they hadn’t even taken the time to read through what was provided. Then the mayor decided she was going to lead a self-appointed task force of her and Mary Sherry (the last two people I’d like see working on anything of importance) to do some more work before a future meeting which will determine the fate of a bunch of poor people who will take the political heat while the council pretends their hands are clean.

3. The Star Tribune reports more about the Burnsville/Savage water issue. The best part of this story, which is the same dead horse they’ve all been beating for way too long, are the comments such as this gem:

Get rid of Betty

Kautz has to go, too many screw ups, she just loves to spend and cut ribbons. Maybe she should go work at Michaels.

posted by miracleman1 on Mar. 10, 10 at 9:46 PM

Personally I’m tired of the story and I have a feeling it will never be fixed even after Burnsville sinks even more money into it. Sucks to be you Savage and Burnsville residents.

4. A great shot of some cattails next to a lake in Eagan. Another of the recent full moon and blue sky out of Lakeville.

5. Thisweek writes about the possibility of a natural gas fired power plant, which was turned down by another Minnesota city, in Rosemount.

6. The Minnesota Sun reports that Dakota County spent $300,000 on a high-end video conferencing system which makes it easier for employees to communicate between the regional centers. This will supposedly save on travel costs and make training and communication easier between Apple Valley, Hastings, and West St. Paul.

Personally I think it should be used solely for Dakota County residents called to jury duty. I should not have to drive to Hastings with as little money as they provide you per diem, when the county employees don’t. Right?

By the way, the reason I haven’t been linking to the Sun’s content lately is because their website (and its feeds) are entirely too difficult to navigate and/or subscribe to. I used to have a hacked feed which no longer operates and their own system is pretty crappy so I have to manually check what they offer–and I forget–a lot.

That’s it for this week’s roundup. I’m mainly interested in your gardening for 2010 and your thoughts on a natural gas fired power plant in Rosemount. Is it necessary? Will it pass? If it didn’t work in the previous city, why will it work in Rosemount? Whatever you have to say about any of the topics above go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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