Fixing Congress

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just
pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more
than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible
for re-election.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple!
The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail,
cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year
or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to
a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask
each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will
have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2012

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and
participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this
contract with Congressmen/women.

Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
term(s), then go home and back to work.

This is how you Fix congress!

2012 Beach Trip

The 10th annual Doll Family Beach Trip!

 First view from the porch

The House we rent added a pool!

Celebrating Aunt Veronica's Birthday!

Monday morning Pancake Breakfast 

Aunt Veronica's House of Pancakes

Pool time!

The best view ever!

Puzzle Time

Hanging out before dinner on the porch

Pie Contest

Pie Judges

Comments after the Judging

Vandenbergh side

Cousins

The entire family (that made it this year)

It was a great trip, lots of relaxing reading time and running on the beach!  Can't wait for 2013

What Teachers do over the Summer

When meeting people and they find out I'm a teacher, they always say we're so lucky to have summers off, how could we get bored?  So, here's what teachers (from my experience) do over the summer:

1. Sleep.  Lots of sleep.  Especially after the end of the year when kids are tired, admin is tired, teachers are tired and emotions are running high.  We need the first couple days/weeks to recharge after the craziness of the end of the year.

2. Travel.  Right after school ended (maybe too soon after) I headed to Chicago to see friends, then NYC to see family, back to DC, then home for the 4th of July.  After a bit in DC, I headed to NC for my Gpa's naming ceremony and the beach!  I had a couple more days at home in early August, and weddings on the next two weekends.

One of my co-workers Susan applied for and went on a fabulous trip to China for 2 weeks this summer.  I can't wait to see her pictures and see the ideas she developed for her classroom!

3. Learn new things related to content.  This could include taking a course, going to a conference, reading a new book (like American Colonies, I Read It But Don't Get It, Why Don't Students Like School), discovering new websites (like pinterest!), and many other things!

4. Planning for next year.  I've spent time redoing my first two units of World 2, as well as creating new IDs and HW Quizzes for the first 2 units of APUSH, and started on Unit 3 this morning!  Only 7 more units of APUSH and 12 more of World 2 to go!

5. Read some non-school related books!  Especially the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series...

6. Have fun!  Go see movies, hang out with friends, craft (make stuff for the house), remodel your house (like my co-worker Andrew), explore a new part of the city, compete in an irish dance competition, play bocce, etc.

Before you know it, workdays will start and then school is just a week away!

Naming Ceremony

For years, my grandpa has worked with the Yates Mill, a historic mill just a bit south of Raleigh NC.  He's put in a lot of work there, restoring the mill, creating a foundation to support it, starting and building an educational facility there where you can host camps, do research through NCSU, and bring school kids and everyone to learn more about how the mill worked and the history behind it.  He's been the President of the Board for a number of years, but has passed on that hat and in honor of all the work that's been done, they named a classroom at the facility after him!

 And then we went to dinner at the Faculty Club.

It was nicely fitting for him, especially the quote on the plaque: "head of a scientist with the heart of a historian!" Congrats Grandpa!

Chicago Trip

In June I traveled to Chicago to see friends Matt and Amanda and their 6 mo. old Ava.  Here are the highlights!

I took the train out...

First view of Chicago

 Meeting Miss Ava for the first time!

 We toured Millenium Gardens

 And walked down to the Navy Pier

Then took the water taxi down to the Field Museum

 Where we saw Genghis Khan and Dinosaurs!

 And an Irish Elk...

Hanging out at their home, playing the piano during tummy-time

Visit to the Botanical Gardens!

One morning we made peanut butter banana french toast, a recipe from Pinterest and they were awesome!

 Helping cook

 Finished products

 Hanging out in her swing!

I had a great time hanging out with them and getting to meet Ava!  Hopefully I'll get to see them again soon!  From Chicago, I took a flight to NYC to see some family.