CATEGORY: Observations

My thoughts on DC Schools canceling NBPTS teacher certification funding

(The following is my own personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of NBPTS or Video Labs. – DR)

In today’s Wahsington Post (1/11/10) there was an article http://tinyurl.com/ycgh42z about how due to intense budget pressures, DC public schools will not continue funding supporting activities and incentives for teachers to pursue earning certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  www.nbpts.org

Full disclosure: NBPTS is a client of mine, and has been for many years, both here at Video Labs and elsewhere before I joined this company.

I also have a sister-in-law in Florida who went through the rigorous process to achieve her certification.

So I know, from my “outsider” relationship, that being a board-certified teacher is indeed quite an achievement and of great benefit to both a teacher and to students.

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“Moma, don’t let your children grow up to study (only) TV & film . . .”

Did you happen to catch a recent Washington Post article about the young man who as a college freshman about four years ago dropped out of media-centric Emerson College in Boston http://www.emerson.edu/ . . . and whose career has since “taken off” in the music video realm?

If you haven’t read the article, here’s a link to it: http://tinyurl.com/lgp6zw

The young filmmaker is Cutter Hodierne.  He grew up in the DC region.  It appears that he made some good connections and concluded that staying in college was just going to hinder his progress in the career.

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Antietam, Telescopes and Saturn . . . The Meaning of Death & Life

My wife and I arrived at Antietam Battlefield National Park in Washington County, MD, with a few hours of sun left in the day.  The astronomers from the Tri-State Astronomers www.tristateastronomers.org were holding their semi-annual Star Party for the public.

My wife, Susane Stahley (see “Beter Writing with Susanne”  http://tinyurl.com/4w47mn ), is producing a documentary for Maryland Public Television www.mpt.org to complement Ken Burns’ upcoming series on America’s National Parks.

Susanne’s research brought her in touch with the astronomers who are kindly lending assistance with some of her filming at the battlefield.

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UPS – Earning My Loyalty with New Intercept Service

UPS or FED EX, kind of like Coke vs. Pepsi, right? 

My work-flow pretty much follows ”The World is Flat” model that Thomas Friedman writes about in his same titled book: http://tinyurl.com/2uvvy3 

About 90% of the orders that I deal with arrive and ship by either UPS or Fed Ex.  I depend heavily on both services,  and I admire both.  (For example, I particularly appreciated the insights of Fed Ex founder, Fred Smith, on “The Charlie Rose Show” recently http://tinyurl.com/4ps88j  And I’ve been an admirer of the widespread social improvement efforts of the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation.  http://tinyurl.com/6yc5ag  Its roots are with the UPS founding family.)

I have minor issues with each company as well.

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