Strange Goin's On
editorial correction: per Angie, this photo is bogus
Am wondering how astrologers will handle things now that Pluto has been deemed 'not a real planet' but a dwarf planet. I've dabbled in astrology for years and find it fascinating. My Indian grandmothers and grandfathers called the science 'the signs', and I swear I was in high school before I realized they were talking about astrology.Janet sent me a photo of the guy to the left, and I thought the black patch beneath the patch of our flag quite interesting. If you can't read it well, it says "Doing the work of..." and has the flags of other countries below it, those of France, Germany, & Russia, unless I'm just way off. (See note at top - not a real photo it seems. Part of me says good, because everyone's picking on France these days, and I love France & the French.)
Speaking of out of this world, anybody besides me watching Eureka, new show on Sci-Fi.com? I'm hooked.
According to Janet (I haven't phoned the school to see for myself if this is true):
Okay, after Angie's trip to Snopes, Janet went and found this: The putative answering machine message for Palisades Charter High quoted above was concocted in part as a reaction to the brouhaha over the school's attendance policy, and in part as a sardonic _expression of all the usual frustrations teachers experience in dealing with students and parents: fabricated excuses for students' absences and uncompleted homework, blame that teachers are solely responsible for the failures of non-achieving students, complaints from parents about not having received information already sent to them several times, etc. However, the staff "voted" for the message only in the sense that they agreed with its sentiments (the circulating version of this piece often omits the introductory line "Too bad they can't actually use it . . . "); it was not ever actually placed on the phone answering system at Palisades Charter High. (In fact, Palisades Charter High phone system doesn't have menu options — when the office is open a switchboard operator fields calls, and when the office is closed a recording invites the caller to leave a voicemail message or press keys to access a specific extension directly.) Last updated: 26 December 2002
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE
This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High School (California) staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine. This is the actual answering machine message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children's failing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes.
The outgoing message:
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:
* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
* To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
* To complain about what we do - Press 3
* To swear at staff members - Press 4
* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
* If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
* If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
* To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8
* To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
* To complain about school lunches - Press 0
* If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!
If you can read this - thank a teacher!
If you are reading it in English - thank a veteran!
News from one of my publishers, Samhain:
FABULOUS SALE & CONTEST AT MBAM!
Lots of prizes this week - all you do is make a purchase to be entered! Winners will be chosen to win a variety of print books!ALSO, from now until September 30, 2006, every purchase will count toward a drawing for an ebook reader! The winner may choose between an eBookwise, a Palm Tungsten E2, or an HP IPAQ rx1950!PLUS, you can enter the drawing without making a purchase by sending a postcard with your name, address, phone number, email address, and how you heard about MBaM to this address:My Bookstore and More2932 Ross Clark Circle #384Dothan AL 36301All postcards must be received by October 31st, winner will be announced on November 1st, 2006
Come see our SALE PRICES on ebooks! http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/
All Trade PRINT books are ON SALE too! 10% off cover price plus FREE Shipping!
Presented by Millennium Promotion Services, Inc. http://www.millenni
Special shout-out and thank you to CJ & Rinda for our Saturday outing. Lunch, bit of shopping, lots of chatting about writing - I had the best time!
Now for a tale on how I received my first shipment of authors' copies (as previously blogged, Leaving Mama is now in print, in book stores, etc...):
Friend April is having computer problems and asked Josh to help when her puter died. She got the wrong part, went back to store, was on her way to see me to deliver the part when weather turned foul. She phoned, said get the dogs outside now to do their business, because it's starting to sprinkle pretty heavily.
I did this. When I went back to the back door to call them in a few minutes later, I saw the UPS guy across the street delivering a package to our old residence, and my kitschy bitch sense kicked in. I hollered and asked him if that package was for Bobbie Cole. He looked at me as if wondering: Who the hell are you, and what business is it of yours? I waved him over and yelled at him that I was Bobbie and I suspected those were my books he carried.
Seems even though I get my Samhain statements every month at the new address, the shipping dept has the old one. My books would have been soaked by rain and then probably tossed in the Dumpster if things hadn't happened as they did with April phoning me to take the dogs out. Wild, huh?
Can't get my photos to post today - not holding my tongue right, I guess - so that's it for Stange Goin's On. Have a great evening, everyone.
Let's try this again while I'm editing my blog post...nope, it's not letting me post photos, and I had some good ones for you.
Well, frickity-frick - it's letting me post a visual joke but not the other I wanted to show you, so I'll leave the visual riddle/joke. It's a song title. Get it? First person to figure it out wins a download of their choice. Best I can do today, folks - lol.
Just post your responses here on the blog. I'll try to do better next time.
posted by Bobbie (Sunny) Cole @ 2:41 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
That picture is a spam email that circulates ocassionally. It's not a real photo. I guess I can be thankful you didn't forward this to my email, lolol (my MIL sends me things like this a few times a day. *sigh* I've tried to teach her about Snopes but she just doesn't get it.)
http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/patch.asp
http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/flagpatch.html
I had a wonderful time at lunch and even posted about the book-- had a few people email to ask if it's local! Yay!!
So how does it feel to hold that book?
LOL at the school message!
So, have you thrown your author's copies books on your bed and wallowed in them yet?
oh boy - lol - Angie, I don't even THINK of things like Snopes until someone points & says 'you idiot' - lol. THANKS! (Janet, if you are reading this...here's another one debunked - lol.)
Rinda, thanks. That's great to know. I was so bummed when my own Borders didn't have the book - then I almost lost my own copies. *sigh* Such a glamorous life we writers lead, right?
Merry - if I had a bed that didn't have packing gear on it, I sure wold have! *grin* Right now the dogs are looking lost, watching me pack their leashes, toys, etc - probably wondering where they're going. Last time Mama packed, she left them for a few hours while she was preparing their new home, but I fear all they remember (if anything) is the terror at not having their things about them.
Wasn't that school message funny? Now if Angie debunks THAT one, Janet and I are having a serious talk about what she sends me. - rofl - She's my 'source' to the outside while I write.
I do believe you can poke fun of everything you know - and the French have a wonderful sense of humor - my husband cracked up too. I told him the photo was faked After he laughed.
(he's French)
Anyhow - thanks for the heads' up about your books - I would love a paperback copy of Leaving Mama!!
I'm terrible at visual jokes - let's see - butts in the water...a fire in the sky.
No?
Um, Let the sunshine in?
LOL
That's where the sun comes from.
Is that thye Russian flag these days? Huh, I thought it was Belgian. Too much red, white and blue around these days.
I kinda love that countries who've fought wars against each other can have victory parades with the same colour tickertape...
So glad you got your books!
I'll take a stab at the naming the song from the pic.
Assuming *snicker* that they are all women, I pick, Queen's Fat Bottom Girls.
If its not right, at least it fits. LOL
People are picking on the FRENCH?
I'm 1/2 French. I need to provide a reason to root for them.
How about this link:
French Rugby Team
You may need a fan or ice or something to view this. Just though I'd warn you.
omg, michele - HOT, HOT, HOT! - THANKS! - lol *fans self* I heard about that Rugby team book at my luncheon with friends earlier in the week, so appreciate the link. DAUM but I'd like to have that woman's job.
I also like your song title - ROFL. Love Queen.
Did you get my email?
I tried to watch Eureka but I just can't wrap my head around it!
cece - will respond here as well as email - got last email from you on 8/22...
The Kids turned me onto Eurkea - lol - but it IS strange.
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