Ambushing the Ambusher

I just got a call from the NRA. I'm pretty ambivalent about gun control. I don't think it's a conspiracy to ensure that the American populace cannot protect itself against a totalitarian regime emerging from our present or future leaders and I have a reasonable understanding of what the spirit of the 2nd amendment most likely was. That said, I just had one of the most fun 14 minutes on a phone that I've ever had, and I hate talking on the phone. I just finished giving a test to three of my classes that included basic methodology for surveys. Keep this in mind. The call started off asking me to listen to somebody from the NRA giving a "reasonable" description of some new gun control legislation that is going through the channels. After hearing a thinly disguised rant, someone comes on to ask me the survey. The guy asks, "Do you trust congress to protect your 2nd amendment right?" I answered that I do and was met by a long pause, followed by an incredulous, "You do? You trust congress to protect your rights?" I repeated my answer and the guy started thanking me for taking the survey and was about to hang up when I decided to have some fun.

I mentioned how difficult it would be to actually take away the 2nd amendment right because of the long arduous process it takes to change/repeal an amendment. He very slowly agreed. I then asked if he was in favor of the system that requires that we license drivers so they know the rules associated with operating a motor vehicle. He said he did. I then asked if it made sense to him that we require this for people operating cars, but not for people operating machines that are meant to kill. He said that he guessed not. At this point (I think I was channeling Socrates...where's my hemlock?), I asked him what about the bill the NRA was opposed to. No response. At various times I had to say, "Hello?" He would always say that he was there, I would repeat my question, and he often sat silently again and we'd repeat the whole process. At no point could he come up with something specific that the NRA was opposed to in the bill. I tried to explain that I didn't see what they were opposed to from the information given and that I'd like to know more if I was missing something. I figured he would jump at the chance to proselytize me, but I was met with silence.

At this point, I decided to give him a break (heh heh heh) and I asked about the methodology of the survey. I asked if people ever answered in the affirmative after listening to the spiel. He said people didn't trust the government. I replied that was because the sample they were getting was self-selected, voluntary. People who agree with the position already are going to sit through the minute mini-rant to voice their opinion, but people who didn't wouldn't want to waste their time listening to a prerecorded message, so the sample of the population was biased. On top of that, the question itself was biased. Asking if you trusted congress to protect your rights is a biased question. It suggests that you answer, "No." All of these points were followed by even more silence. I then asked what the NRA was going to do with this "data" they were collecting. When he finally answered, instead of just being silent, he said they just wanted to know.

This is when a very loud, intermittent beep began and he said he had another call coming in. I reminded him that he called me, but he said they were still taking calls. I again, because I do want to be well-informed, asked what exactly the NRA was opposed to in the bill. After another beep, he thanked me for participating in the survey and hung up.

That was fun.

Red Wings Rising

They had me worried after games 2 and 3, but after the last two games, I'm feeling good about Detroit. So far, after 9 games, I've seen one, last Sunday's loss in triple overtime. These games need to get on a station I can get (stupid cable company putting VS on digital only tier). Anyway, hopefully the Wings will put the Ducks away Tuesday and move on to the conference finals!

Sick Day

I'm home today. I am not sick, but my daughter is. After a weekend of bad coughing and one day home from daycare, the doctor diagnosed her with an ear infection and bronchitis. Yesterday was an epic battle of wills. You see, my daughter does not like medicine. It's not necessarily the taste, because she doesn't even know what it tastes like. It seems to be more the concept of medicine to which she is resistant. I called home during lunch to hear her screaming for me to give her the medicine instead of mommy. I know how this game goes. As soon as I get home, she doesn't want me to give her the medicine anymore. She's too clever for a three-year-old and I'm getting afraid of the teenage years already. I got home and she still hadn't taken her medicine. I came home with many different bribes (nutty bars, chocolate milk, donuts). Bribes don't really work because she has such a strong will that she is willing to forgo these treats to make her point. Reverse psychology doesn't work either. She is a master at managing cognitive dissonance. She has no problem stating one desire and then denying its very existence with her next breath, as long as it makes her point. The key to dealing with her is somehow working out what we want to end up as her idea. She eventually started saying that she wanted the medicine in bed in a cup. I said we couldn't do that. Then she really started to want it, so I said we could try it. We put the medicine in a sippy cup, took her upstairs, and she drank it.

As she was throwing a fit this morning because we wouldn't let her drink chocolate milk in an open cup next to the computer, she started screaming that she wanted more medicine. She definitely keeps us on her toes.

Today is a well-timed break. My students are driving me crazy. I cannot believe how mean they are. There is absolutely no empathy whatsoever. I would not want to be on an island with them. It would end up like Lord of the Flies or Battle Royale (which is an awesome book by the way). I know it's the end of the year, but the trends I've been seeing, just in the last three years are not promising. Of course there are some great kids, but even the best can resist only so long. Some of the elements in my classes are so toxic that they infect everybody. 20 days left!