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Messages - YouAnnMos
16
« on: November 14, 2009, 02:12:15 PM »
Well, the check is written. Now I just need to get to the town office in time.
Monday is the deadline without plenty!!!!!
17
« on: November 14, 2009, 11:30:45 AM »
Tickets are going fast!!!! If you are at all interested in going to either the matinee or this evening's performance and you don't yet have tickets I urge you either get tickets before hand or go super early to get tickets at the door.
Heads up ... if you have kids .... After today's matinee there will be a 'Meet and Greet' where kids are allowed to go up on the stage and meet the performers.
18
« on: November 12, 2009, 05:37:53 PM »
Bump !
19
« on: November 07, 2009, 07:47:50 AM »
Good for you Henry! Buying a camera today can me so overwhelming what with all the choices of brand , category , features , price , ... etc. This link may help out http://www.dpreview.com/. This site has unbiased reviews of many camera manufactures. It contains many areas where you can view features and test results. The site may seem intimidating at first but it does contain a boat load of information. Once you choose between two, three or four cameras the site lets you do a side-by-side comparison of features and price. Now, about the type of camera. Point-and-Shoot cameras are great! Low price, lots of features, both pre-set and manual modes, great video ( I think in some models are up to 720p) and small ennough to carry in your pocket but don't overlook a DSLR. It is true that DLSRs are bigger and bulkier than Point and Shoots , oh and pricier , but they do have Point and Shoot modes along with completely manual settings. Some even offer video now. Big advantage for DSLRs is the interchangeable lens. And let's face it Henry a man of your statute should be carrying around a big bad piece of modern technology. When you come on the scene the FIRST thing others should see is that bad camera strapped around your neck. Good luck in the hunt. The hunt is always the fun part. Also, great time of year to be looking as I'm sure prices will come down for the holidays.
20
« on: October 28, 2009, 11:53:21 AM »
Congratulations to all the young men and young women on both teams.
Judi is right -- You All Rock!! ---
Good luck to all of you at States this weekend.
21
« on: October 24, 2009, 08:00:24 AM »
Would anyone happen to know the status of '100 Acre Wood'? the property in north Fairfax around the reservoir? I believe it has been closed to hiking for a while now possibly because of logging but I'm not sure of the official reason.
22
« on: July 31, 2009, 01:35:44 PM »
It's not dead yet.... From CNN news: The House voted today to spend another $2 billion on the cash for clunkers program. "I'm pleased about the progress made in the House today about the cash for clunkers program," said President Obama immediately following the vote. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the program on Monday. The fate of the trade-in program was in doubt after concerns it may have burned through its $1 billion budget less than a week after it was launched.Full story at: http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/31/autos/cash_for_clunkers_update/index.htm
23
« on: July 29, 2009, 02:30:35 PM »
Dave, Seems you are trying the best way to find out before you but. Here's a little of what I was able to find out from the net. I don't have a HD radio so I can't check for you. http://www.hd-radio-home.com/hd-radio-signal-coverage.html It's here, but can you hear it? One of the most frequent questions we got has to do with HD Radio's signal coverage. From what we have been able to learn to date, a station's HD Radio signal should be just about identical to its conventional, analog AM or FM coverage. There will be areas where you will be able to hear only the analog signal and areas where you will be able to hear only the HD Radio signal. Notice we said "should be just about identical." This is because some sources say this just isn't true. "We were told back in the beginning that the HD coverage would be equal to the analog signal," says Robert Conrad, respected owner of WCLV-FM. "Unfortunately, the industry is now finding out this is not the case, that the HD coverage is considerably less, something like 60% of the analog coverage. We've also found that even in a strong HD signal area, a dipole antenna is required."
24
« on: July 15, 2009, 01:30:56 PM »
I'm not out to get anyone either. I'm not even sure if there is another company ready to step in if Fairpoint would to fail. I have had no problems with billing which seems to be a major complaint. I do have problems with my DSL connection when it rains. Has anyone else seen this? I'm not sure why this would be since I would assume that all connections are "hard wired". I could be way off base on that assumption. I did have a problem with my phone a couple of weeks ago and after a 20 minute wait alternating between music and advertisements was able to get through to the help desk. A ticket was placed on a Tuesday night and a technician was scheduled to come to the house some time on Thursday. Glad I wasn't working from home. I started doing my own trouble shooting on Wednesday night and found the problem. I then called the help desk again this time using the house phone ( didn't want to eat up another 20 minutes on my cell ) and guess what??? I was talking to the same person I did the night before!! "Wow", I said "What are the odds"? The support person told be the odds were pretty good because there are not that many technicians to take the calls. 
25
« on: June 22, 2009, 08:45:14 PM »
but I am almost 76 years old and honestly don't think I will see a Walmart in St. Albans in my lifetime.
Wal-Mart or no Wal-Mart we all hope that you are around for a long time Henry. The service you provide with this forum, the opportunity you provide us all to express our views, seek help, give advice and hear the local news is invaluable. Thanks again for all that you do to keep this forum running.
26
« on: May 27, 2009, 09:59:42 AM »
Maybe stranger still -- I never wondered why bird poop was white.
27
« on: March 06, 2009, 09:23:51 PM »
Mirjo wrote the following and I must have to admit that there is a point being made here.
Arguments over school budgets/taxes/teacher's salaries/ what is, what was, and what should be are as old as dirt!!!
We all just have a new way to discuss and complain about it. SpecialEd has an ax to grind as many others who feel they're paying too much for these things do. Trying to impart any kind of logic on an age-old problem with two sides that are rooted so deeply in their own beliefs is as futile as discussing politics with a staunch Republican and Democrat and expecting a change of fundamental opinion.
Until some genius comes up with a new way to fund public education, this is the model we have.
Mirjo also wrote the following:
A look at the test scores and the achievements of the students it's easy to see that BFA is a good school
Forgive me mirjo. I’m not picking on you. This just happens to be the append to put me over the edge. In my opinion there has been WAY TOO MUCH emphasis placed on the ‘Test Scores’. Since you did not mention the ‘NECAP’ scores specifically then once again I beg for your forgiveness if you were referring to a different set of test scores . The NECAP scores have been brought up in numerous places over the last two weeks and used in a positive manner. The NECAP advertisements seem to be suggesting improvement from year to year and touting BFA as a good school. The NECAP results have appeared in the School Budget flyer, were presented in the School Budget presentation during Town Meeting and have been brought up in numerous appends on this forum.
Let’s take a close look at the claims and reality:
Taken from the School Budget flyer:
• “BFA Fairfax students in grades 3-8 scored higher than the state average in the NECAP assessment in all areas”
Our kids were slightly higher in Reading 74% to 71%
Our kids were slightly higher in Math 68% to 65%
In Writing our kids scored 18% higher than the state 73% to 55%. Quite an achievement for these students. The writing score was only the result of grades 5 and 8. Since grades 3, 4, 6 and 7 were excluded from this testing the results are not a true gage of our entire primary population.
We didn’t do quite as well in Science. In fact at 46% we were lower then the state average of 48% contradicting the claim made in the School Budget flyer ( see above ).
Also taken from the School Budget flyer:
• “and demonstrated continual improvement over the past year.”
Again looking at the numbers the statement is true.
o Reading scores increased from roughly 68% to 74%
o Math scores increased from 61% to 69%
o Writing increased from 61% to 73%
o Science no data available
Folks we are talking year to year here. From one years’ grades 3-8 to another years’ grades 3-8. The same group of students are not taking the test from year to year. The 8th graders move on and the prior year’s 2nd grades start the testing. Also, not sure how much this affects the scores but new students come in from surrounding schools in the 7th grade each year. If you look at a longer term you would tend to see peaks and valleys and if you look at the data from 2005 to 2008 that is what you see in almost all areas of testing.
The high school numbers should not even be discussed as any kind of ‘trend’. The 11th grade is the only class that takes the test each year. The 11th graders are being compared to in effect other 11th graders. Not sure how you can do any sort of trend analysis.
One last thing on NECAP. I’ve heard an almost boasting going on both at town meeting and in this forum that we are scoring higher than the state average. In some areas we are and in at least two areas we are not. But folks, even beating the state average we still have, at best, 25% of our kids doing below proficient levels. In some cases High School Math and High School Writing more than 50% of our kids are below proficient levels and in High School Science a full 75% of our students are testing at below proficient levels.
I’ve heard and read that Farifax is beating the state average in NECAP scores. Well, they are in some areas and they are not in others. Beating the state average should not be the goal here. How could I, a parent of school age children, be proud of a school system who seems to think achieving a score of 48% proficiently rating is ‘OK’?
What to do? I don’t know. I started this append by agreeing with a statement that Mirjo made. Until some genius comes up with a new way to fund public education, this is the model we have. It just hits a nerve with me when the school board and school administrators try to sugar coat the numbers.
28
« on: November 17, 2008, 09:29:18 AM »
Thanks for the reminder. I too was caught a couple of years ago. The Tax Bill is mailed to town residents in mid August. The benefit of an early mailing is of course the lead time to set aside the monies needed. One of the downsides is if you are not terribly organized ( like myself ) the tax bill may end up in a stack of other bills and forgotten about. I remembered one day late a couple of years ago and was considered "delinquent". I was charged the "Interest as allowable by law" AND a "collectors fee" of 8% even though the collector never got involved ( as I remembered the bill and brought in the payment myself ). I may be incorrect on this but I believe the "collectors fee" does not get added to the town's account. According to the bill "Taxes must be paid by 4:00 P.M. on Nov. 17, 2008 or they will be considered delinquent. I too have often wondered why the town does not put up a sign or two a couple of weeks before the due date advertising the fact that taxes will be due on such and such a date. November and December tend to be busy months for a lot of people. A simple reminder goes a long way.
29
« on: November 11, 2008, 07:47:49 PM »
A tough decision, certainly. It seems this issue has really raised a bunch of discussion in this community. Both sides of the debate have their merits--
Times are tough. There are people struggling in the community and times are going to get tougher before they get better. Do we really need an additional financial burden at this particular time? I say no. This is not the year for ANY extras. It is my hope that the board takes the current tough economic times into account when they are planning their budget for next year and work hard to keep the spending in check.
Yes, our community's children deserve the best education we can afford to give them. I have yet to seek out the research on the subject myself. But my feeling on research is you can find a study somewhere to say anything you want it to say. If you support a full-day program, you can probably find data that will show that it's a good thing. If you don't support the full-day, you can probably find some data to show that there is no benefit. Like I said, I haven't done the research myself.
My opinion is, let the educators at the school do the research and decide which is best for the kids of our town. But then let the tax payers decide if they can afford it with all the costs of the program on the table. It seems the only way to fairly do that is to put it up for a vote on its own as an article. If the town supports it, the taxpayers will let the school know.
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