Just for fun

[agelbert]

You see these very so often: a reminder of how far literacy has fallen in several generations.

Below is a test that was administered to eighth graders in Bullitt County Schools (Kentucky) in 1912. Many children that passed the examination would receive scholarships to go to high schools. In those days it was not easy as many high schools were sometimes another county away. Farm kids could rarely afford to go.

The test is rather difficult. Comparing the curricula of many schools today, it is evident that these kids were much more prepared not only in national geography and history but world geography and history, something that is lacking today.

While many may think with the advent of computers, the internet, TV, radio, and other high tech equipment that Americans would be more intelligent, sadly, the American educational system has been allowed to degenerate into very substandard levels.

Many recent studies have indicated that American education has been lagging those of industrialized countries. The subliminal war on education via austerity and transfer of public dollars to for profit education (vouchers) makes the degeneration of the American education a continued slide to mediocrity.

Article here: https://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/13/1230894/-Most-Adults-Would-Likely-Fail-This-1912-8th-Grade-Test-Try-It-VIDEO?detail=emailclassic




There are some questions on the test that are a bit dated and may justifiably stump many. Questions like the 3 largest states would have a different answer today than then. A question like the number of presidents who died in office is different today than then. Also the names of some countries is different today than then. Most of the questions however apply today as it did then so there should be no excuse that if students could successfully do the test then they should now.

Try the test. Don’t use a calculator or the internet. How did you do? The answers are here.

I did not do well. But not because I don't know English, history, math, geography, anatomy and physiology or civics.

I always hated word problems but I did okay with them. 

What's a liver? 

I hated poetry and grammar viscerally! I did like to read, however. I still do.

Rockefeller and friends owned the racist oligarchy we call government back then so the questions on that are pure puff piece propaganda. I would have flunked that part. 

The Native Americans discovered and settled all those places so I guess I flunked that part of the test. And the REAL reason for the war of 1812 was NOT available to the public at that time. 

And question 10 in history is MORE pro American, flag waving propaganda. The Cotton Gin DID NOT work until a fellow (African American, by the way) named McCoy INVENTED some refinements to make it work. That's why farmers always asked if a Cotton Gin being sold to them was the "real McCoy".

Tesla was the real inventor of many inventions attributed to Edison. The Telegraph and the telephone have some VERY interesting back stories of conniving, patent stealing and credit claiming fun and games.

HOWEVER, in defense of that time period,  taking certain hero worshipping teachings with a cynical grain of salt was taught in all American homes back then. Too bad that tradition has been lost. 

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[Surly1]

You make some good points. As the article said,

There are some questions on the test that are a bit dated and may justifiably stump many. Questions like the 3 largest states would have a different answer today than then. A question like the number of presidents who died in office is different today than then. Also the names of some countries is different today than then. Most of the questions however apply today as it did then so there should be no excuse that if students could successfully do the test then they should now.

Even given that, your statement that US history has largely always been propaganda is quite true, and the truth can be seen in the vigor with which the forces of reaction attack and dismantle history curricula where they hold sway. Apparently now even AP US history.

I only took part of the test. The straightforward arithmetic is easy enough, and seems to test really whether you know how to think about the problem or not. Which is pretty basic. Although given changes in the teaching of math, I wonder if a new generation could do the computation part, which is the easiest part of the problem.

For my money, the part about civil government is most telling. Few adults today and probably fewer young people could answer more than three out of ten correctly.

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[agelbert]

You make some good points. As the article said,

There are some questions on the test that are a bit dated and may justifiably stump many. Questions like the 3 largest states would have a different answer today than then. A question like the number of presidents who died in office is different today than then. Also the names of some countries is different today than then. Most of the questions however apply today as it did then so there should be no excuse that if students could successfully do the test then they should now.

Even given that, your statement that US history has largely always been propaganda is quite true, and the truth can be seen in the vigor with which the forces of reaction attack and dismantle history curricula where they hold sway. Apparently now even AP US history.

I only took part of the test. The straightforward arithmetic is easy enough, and seems to test really whether you know how to think about the problem or not. Which is pretty basic. Although given changes in the teaching of math, I wonder if a new generation could do the computation part, which is the easiest part of the problem.

For my money, the part about civil government is most telling. Few adults today and probably fewer young people could answer more than three out of ten correctly.

Agreed. 

Général Toussaint Louverture

The contribution that a certain (former African slave) military General from Haiti made in convincing the conniving English that the time was right for them to try to give the American upstarts "what fer" is absent form American History books, even in Academic circles. They just don't want to go there. Had that General not defeated the cream of Napoleon's armies sent to crush the Haitian revolution, England would not have dared attack the USA due to the alliance between France and the USA. There are a lot of details in that story. White Europeans close ranks when the Africans get "uppity", so to speak  .

Thomas Jefferson violated he U.S. Constitution by authorizing money for the bastard white French Plantation slave owners that fled to New York so they could buy weapons to fight the slaves. Instead of cheering the FACT that Haiti was doing to France EXACTLY what the USA had done to England, the racist Jefferson got his drawers in a bunch worrying that the slave profit gravy train in the USA might get compromised. So he promptly discarded all his high flying constitutional rhetoric for the holy purpose of white supremacy.

Even the British, who HATED the French, sent some troops to Haiti to "help" the French crush the Revolution. The British tried to use "diplomacy" (money, intrigue and treachery to fool the "monkeys") more than open warfare, however.

The bottom line is, NO Revolution in Haiti would have meant NO War of 1812.

Haiti later gave Simon Bolivar the inspiration, sanctuary, and help to organize South America in order to kick the Spanish out. 

The empathy based portion of the world owes a LOT to Haiti. But good luck trying to convince 90% of Americans of that. 

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[Surly1]

Général Toussaint Louverture

The contribution that a certain (former African slave) military General from Haiti made in convincing the conniving English that the time was right for them to try to give the American upstarts "what fer" is absent form American History books, even in Academic circles. They just don't want to go there. Had that General not defeated the cream of Napoleon's armies sent to crush the Haitian revolution, England would not have dared attack the USA due to the alliance between France and the USA. There are a lot of details in that story. White Europeans close ranks when the Africans get "uppity", so to speak  .

Thomas Jefferson violated he U.S. Constitution by authorizing money for the bastard white French Plantation slave owners that fled to New York so they could buy weapons to fight the slaves. Instead of cheering the FACT that Haiti was doing to France EXACTLY what the USA had done to England, the racist Jefferson got his drawers in a bunch worrying that the slave profit gravy train in the USA might get compromised. So he promptly discarded all his high flying constitutional rhetoric for the holy purpose of white supremacy.

Even the British, who HATED the French, sent some troops to Haiti to "help" the French crush the Revolution. The British tried to use "diplomacy" (money, intrigue and treachery to fool the "monkeys") more than open warfare, however.

The bottom line is, NO Revolution in Haiti would have meant NO War of 1812.

Haiti later gave Simon Bolivar the inspiration, sanctuary, and help to organize South America in order to kick the Spanish out. 

The empathy based portion of the world owes a LOT to Haiti. But good luck trying to convince 90% of Americans of that. 

Just seeing this.

I consider myself pretty good on my history, but this entire episode is news to me, especially the Bolivar link. Any sources you could point me to?

Fascinating.

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[Eddie]

If you've never read Michener's Caribbean, I heartily recommend it. Although it's fiction, Michener tells the early history of Haiti particularly well in it, at least I thought so.

There was a brief period when the future looked bright for Haiti, but the guillotine's arrival from France, and the people who came with it, killed Haiti's chances, along with some of it's best citizens, and things have really never recovered.

Michener did not cover the roles of Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, FDR in Haiti, which is another untold story somebody should write about in more detail.

http://andrewgavinmarshall.com/2012/02/21/punishing-the-population-the-american-occupations-of-haiti-and-the-dominican-republic/

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[agelbert]

Général Toussaint Louverture

The contribution that a certain (former African slave) military General from Haiti made in convincing the conniving English that the time was right for them to try to give the American upstarts "what fer" is absent form American History books, even in Academic circles. They just don't want to go there. Had that General not defeated the cream of Napoleon's armies sent to crush the Haitian revolution, England would not have dared attack the USA due to the alliance between France and the USA. There are a lot of details in that story. White Europeans close ranks when the Africans get "uppity", so to speak  .

Thomas Jefferson violated he U.S. Constitution by authorizing money for the bastard white French Plantation slave owners that fled to New York so they could buy weapons to fight the slaves. Instead of cheering the FACT that Haiti was doing to France EXACTLY what the USA had done to England, the racist Jefferson got his drawers in a bunch worrying that the slave profit gravy train in the USA might get compromised. So he promptly discarded all his high flying constitutional rhetoric for the holy purpose of white supremacy.

Even the British, who HATED the French, sent some troops to Haiti to "help" the French crush the Revolution. The British tried to use "diplomacy" (money, intrigue and treachery to fool the "monkeys") more than open warfare, however.

The bottom line is, NO Revolution in Haiti would have meant NO War of 1812.

Haiti later gave Simon Bolivar the inspiration, sanctuary, and help to organize South America in order to kick the Spanish out. 

The empathy based portion of the world owes a LOT to Haiti. But good luck trying to convince 90% of Americans of that. 

Just seeing this.

I consider myself pretty good on my history, but this entire episode is news to me, especially the Bolivar link. Any sources you could point me to?

Fascinating.

Sure. but it's been a while so let me look around and get back to you.    The chain of historical events starting with the American Revolution all the way to the FACT that the US Government refused to recognize Haiti as a sovereign nation until 1862  has been TOTALLY distorted.

Climactic events played a significant role as well. There was a huge volcanic eruption in Iceland (a long one that began in 1783) that severely limited England's ability to crush the new American Nation while it undermined the English "We are doing God's work" resolve (remember, in those days, bad stuff was interpreted as God's punishment. That eruption was a BAD one). Yeah, you do read that it was a bad one BUT, while you do read the connection to the French Revolution, the severe effects visited on England, that kept the English from going back to the Americans and kicking their asses right away, is not mentioned.

In fact, THAT eruption kept England busy taking care of it's own people (forcing them to plan to get back at the Americans later) AND set the stage for the French Revolution as well!

We already know about the way the famine in France contributed to the French Revolution. The Eruption had a LOT to do with that famine. But most people don't get the fact that Haiti saw the French Revolution as a golden opportunity to get out from under the French yoke. At the same time, England saw the same French Revolution as a crack in the French willingness to help defend  the new American Nation. 

I'll get back to you. As you know, I do my homework. 

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[agelbert]

If you've never read Michener's Caribbean, I heartily recommend it. Although it's fiction, Michener tells the early history of Haiti particularly well in it, at least I thought so.

There was a brief period when the future looked bright for Haiti, but the guillotine's arrival from France, and the people who came with it, killed Haiti's chances, along with some of it's best citizens, and things have really never recovered.

http://andrewgavinmarshall.com/2012/02/21/punishing-the-population-the-american-occupations-of-haiti-and-the-dominican-republic/

Eddie,
The French Revolution debilitated French Planation Slave owner power in Haiti. The Haitians saw the French Revolution as an opportunity. It was. Many of those Plantation owning bastards fled to New York City where the racist President Thomas Jefferson violated the U.S constitution to give them money for weapons. Anyone claiming the French Revolution wasn't an opportunity for Haiti is wrong.

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[Surly1]

Climactic events played a significant role as well. There was a huge volcanic eruption in Iceland (a long one that began in 1783) that severely limited England's ability to crush the new American Nation while it undermined the English "We are doing God's work" resolve (remember, in those days, bad stuff was interpreted as God's punishment. That eruption was a BAD one). Yeah, you do read that it was a bad one BUT, while you do read the connection to the French Revolution, the severe effects visited on England, that kept the English from going back to the Americans and kicking their asses right away, is not mentioned.

In fact, THAT eruption kept England busy taking care of it's own people (forcing them to plan to get back at the Americans later) AND set the stage for the French Revolution as well!

We already know about the way the famine in France contributed to the French Revolution. The Eruption had a LOT to do with that famine. But most people don't get the fact that Haiti saw the French Revolution as a golden opportunity to get out from under the French yoke. At the same time, England saw the same French Revolution as a crack in the French willingness to help defend  the new American Nation. 

I'll get back to you. As you know, I do my homework. 

Damn.

Take your time. I'll be here. You will, of course, not be surprised to know that not a bit of this is whispered in the conventional histories.

 

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[Surly1]

If you've never read Michener's Caribbean, I heartily recommend it. Although it's fiction, Michener tells the early history of Haiti particularly well in it, at least I thought so.

There was a brief period when the future looked bright for Haiti, but the guillotine's arrival from France, and the people who came with it, killed Haiti's chances, along with some of it's best citizens, and things have really never recovered.

Michener did not cover the roles of Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, FDR in Haiti, which is another untold story somebody should write about in more detail.

http://andrewgavinmarshall.com/2012/02/21/punishing-the-population-the-american-occupations-of-haiti-and-the-dominican-republic/

Thanks, Eddie.

Your point is well taken. Although fiction, Michener's The Source is as good a history of Israel and the Middle East as any reasonable person would need.

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[Surly1]

Banksy's Dismaland park: shocking, funny, extraordinary

 

Banksy's Dismaland park: shocking, funny, extraordinary

  

KRISHNAN GURU-MURTHYPresenter

Clandestine street artist Banksy opens a theme park like no other. Inside a derelict lido in Weston-super-Mare, Dismaland features migrant boats, a dead princess and Banksy's trademark dark humour.

It’s an extraordinary, shocking and funny experience from the moment you step through the gates of Dismaland.

A fake security check underlines the fabricated threats Banksy and his collaborators believe we are being guarded against.

Once inside, every piece from more than 50 international artists is a twist on what you’d find in a seaside theme park.

Banksy himself has moved away from graffiti and street art in this exhibition, and instead his pieces are Banksy images rendered in 3-D - from the carousel with a passenger making lasagne from one of the horses, to a distressing piece about the current crisis off the seas of southern Europe, in which remote controlled boats have been taken over by migrants.

I seem to have reached the point where an art show is more interesting the less I'm in itBanksy

Banksy doesn't do interviews, so we asked him by email why he departed from street art?

He told Channel 4 News "for this show I didn't deliberately set out to snub street art. I just found other stuff a lot more interesting.

 

 

 

 

"I mean, we have a lady from a Lithuanian village who does traditional floral embroidery but with a power drill into the sides of cars.

"I seem to have reached the point where an art show is more interesting the less I'm in it."

The artist has described Dismaland as "a festival of art, amusements and entry level anarchism",

 

 

And the centrepiece of the Dismaland castle will not just outrage the nice people at Disney, but no doubt the legions of fans of Diana, the late Princess of Wales.

Banksy has taken two iconic pieces of imagery and turned them into something that is shocking, evocative and emotional.

Disney’s Cinderella carriage has crashed and is upturned, leaving the princess hanging lifeless from a window. The whole scene is illuminated by a blizzard of flash photography from the surrounding group of paparazzi photographers who were apparently in pursuit on their mopeds.

"It's a theme park whose big theme is - theme parks should have bigger themes" said Banksy in a press release.

Dismaland opens to the public on Saturday. There will be 4,000 £3 tickets available every day until end of September for this "family theme park unsuitable for small children."

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[RE]

Banksy's Dismaland park: shocking, funny, extraordinary

I wonder where he is getting his funding?

RE

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[Surly1]

Regular readers might recognize the work of Steve Cutts, who'se work formed the basis for the video, "Man" featured in the past in these pages.

THE SAD TRUTH: NAUSEATINGLY PROFOUND ILLUSTRATIONS OF WHAT THE WORLD IS TURNING INTO

THE SAD TRUTH: NAUSEATINGLY PROFOUND ILLUSTRATIONS OF WHAT THE WORLD IS TURNING INTO

 

08.21.2015
09:03 am

Topics:
Art
Class War
Current Events
Economy
Environment
Idiocracy
Politics
Stupid or Evil?
U.S.A.!!!

Tags:
Steve Cutts

 
Everything that’s bleak about the modern world is wrapped-up like a perfect, little package with these illustrations by London-based artist and animator, Steve Cutts. Rampant consumerism. Shitty jobs. Environmental devastation. Disinformation. Nonsense. Billionaire psychopaths. Overcrowded cities—all present and accounted for. We’ve featured Cutts’ work here on DM before with his dark animation about thecurrent lives of ‘80s cartoon characters.

If a picture paints a thousand words, these pieces are Molotov cocktails for the mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
via Bored Panda

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[RE]

WOW!

Those are GR8 Graphics for Feature Photos!

You should duplicate this post in Art also.

RE

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[Surly1]

WOW!

Those are GR8 Graphics for Feature Photos!

You should duplicate this post in Art also.

RE

Then you will enjoy this:
http://www.stevecutts.com/

Some other animations there, too.

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[RE]

WOW!

Those are GR8 Graphics for Feature Photos!

You should duplicate this post in Art also.

RE

Stand Up a Steve Cutts thread in Art so the graphics are EZ to find.

RE

Then you will enjoy this:
http://www.stevecutts.com/

Some other animations there, too.

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