THE COMPUTER LAB NAZI!

THE BEST GUITAR SONG EVER!

Schools Matter: On Democracy Now! "Poverty Is the Problem": Effort...

Schools Matter: On Democracy Now! "Poverty Is the Problem": Effort...: The Democracy Now! team discusses recent developments in New York's assessment plans, the U.S. Department of Education's controversial No Ch...

CERAMICS 101

Well, we're off to a good start this school year. Yesterday I demonstrated throwing on the potter's wheel. Today, a few of the campers gave it a try. Overheard one future potter say to his friend, "I don't know what I'm doing. I wasn't paying attention yesterday." And so it goes . . .

SHE JUST WON'T GO AWAY!

RIP, Hazel Dickens

Hazel Dickens was an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, double bassist and guitarist. She was the eighth child of an eleven-child mining family in West Virginia. Her music is characterized not only by her high, lonesome singing style, but also by her provocative pro-union, feminist songs.

I'm going to go into the next room and tune up my Dobro, in Hazel's honor.

EDUCATIONAL 'TOOL' FOR APRIL

DING, DING, DING, WE HAVE A WINNER!

Selecting the Educational 'Tool' of the Month is always a difficult task here at Camp Nickleby because there is always a plethora of choices. This month we narrowed it down to James Carville's wife, right-wing pundit Mary Matalin!

We were sitting around Spellings Hall Friday night, listening to Left, Right and Center, streamed from KCRW in Santa Monica (the Home of the Homeless). The discussion of weekly news eventually entered the murky world of EDUCATION REFORM (turn up the screeching violins)! When it was Mrs. Carville's turn to chime in, we all waited with baited breath. And then, there it was. "The problem with our schools is that there are too many bad teachers who can't be fired because of TEACHER UNIONS (more screeching violins . . . Norman?)."

Thanks again Mrs. Carville for staying with the Republican script and reducing political discourse to meaningless, right-wing sound bites.