before we are nobody

I wonder how small we will get before we are nobodies? First off, it is amazing what a great tool and company Google/Blogger is, but there is so much it isn't --- that just isn't good for people. For example the thought that microsoft's word is the program we all have to use is counterproductive.

First that business gets so big, that what do they care about the individuals that use it. It's why the small companies actually are better, if they want to survive. It is the skewed wal*mart thinking, but sometimes it works. The theory (espoused by wal*mart) is the big companies don't put small businesses out of business, they just cut out the chaff. Or in other words if a wal*mart comes to your town and you have a good sporting good store, it will adapt and survive --- through customer service and good (niche) products. I don't agree, only because the wal*marts and microsoft don't compete fairly. They are predators. From the early days of computers it has been companies eating up good companies. There are many examples where a company stole an (copyrighted) idea from a software company. The thief was able to avoid the lawsuit by buying the company they took advantage of.. Computer companies I like:

• CopyPaste


• iKey


• MarsEdit


• NetNewsWire


• Nisus Writer Express


• the ability to have Widgets that small companies make.
  

I think in the big picture that relates to education. I tend to be harder on the students than a few. In a small school there is the temptation to coddle (at best) or accept lower standards (at worse). I've been in my school for about a year and a half. About 40 kids have done their best to make life miserable for me. Granted, some of this behavior is not on purpose. For example there is a girl on the softball team that has a horrible swing, I have made several attempts to correct this, her response is she is the best hitter on the team. Even if that is true {which it isn't}: 1) she could be twice as good as she is now; 2) lately she is not the best hitter when we need to score runs because we are behind; and 3) it is just rude the way she responds to my instructions.

I discussed this person with a colleague and she defending the girl. The colleague's attitude is something like: 'what if she listened to you, she did better, but still struck out?' I wanted to say, so she shouldn't try to do better in school because instead of C's she would bet B's, but that wouldn't be A's and she would frustrated. If we continue to allow B students to function at a C level, the wal*mart world will eat them up and they will be a little grunts on the side of the dream.
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