http://www.darshantv.com/blog Welcome to Darshan TV's newly added Blog Segment!! Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:49:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/paying-for-grades/ http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/paying-for-grades/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:29:15 +0000 sonya http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/paying-for-grades/ gtvt_posts[39] = {url: "http%3A%2F%2Fwww.darshantv.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2F24%2Fpaying-for-grades%2F", title: "Paying%20for%20Grades", category: "Education", desc: "%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3EAs%20the%20school%20year%20starts%2C%20focus%20in%20the%20DC%20metro%20area%20turns%20to%20the%20ongoing%20struggles%20in%20the%20Districts%20Public%20Schools.%20There%20are%20several%20new%20initiatives%20underway%20to%20energize%20the%20system.%20One%20is%20paying%20students%20for%20being%20good%20students.%20Students%20could%20receive%20%24100%20a%20month%20for%20doing%20what%20they%20should%20be%20doing%20in%20the%20first%20place.%20There%20are%20many%20people%20upset%20about%20this%20program%20for%20several%20reasons.%20Past%20payment%20options%20for%20students%20have%20not%20gone%20well.%20A%20summer%20program%20was%20to%20pay%20students%20for%20working%20in%20the%20private%20sector.%20Unfortunately%20the%20program%20was%20not%20monitored%20and%20many%20conscientious%20students%20never%20received%20a%20paycheck%20and%20those%20who%20would%20have%20been%20fired%20if%20they%20had%20been%20employees%20of%20the%20company%20received%20double%20pay.%20Many%20critics%20argue%20that%20the%20paying%20for%20grades%20program%20is%20taking%20money%20away%20from%20other%20important%20needs.%20This%20isn%E2%80%99t%20the%20case%20as%20the%20money%20comes%20directly%20from%20a%20grant%20that%20is%20studying%20the%20effects%20of%20paying%20students%20for%20grades.%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3EMany%20students%20in%20affluent%20neighborhoods%20have%20always%20received%20incentives.%20Sometimes%20it%20is%20cash%20for%20grades%20and%20other%20receive%20items%20for%20goals%20reached.%20I%20remember%20receiving%20fun%20pencils%20and%20buttons%20for%20getting%20perfect%20scores%20on%20spelling%20tests.%20But%20shouldn%E2%80%99t%20students%20be%20getting%20paid%20for%20bigger%20goals%20than%20just%20those%20of%20the%20basics%20of%20good%20behavior%20and%20attendance%3F%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3EThe%20problem%20is%20in%20many%20of%20these%20underperforming%20schools%20the%20issue%20is%20greater%20than%20just%20test%20scores.%20Some%20students%20come%20to%20school%20with%20empty%20stomachs%20as%20their%20home%20situation%20is%20so%20dire%20they%20cannot%20be%20fed.%20Some%20students%20act%20out%20in%20class%20because%20the%20situation%20outside%20the%20school%20is%20one%20of%20violence.%20These%20are%20%3Cst1%3Apersonname%20w%3Ast%3D%22on%22%3Eyo%3C%2Fst1%3Apersonname%3Eung%20people%20who%20can%E2%80%99t%20focus%20on%20the%207%20hours%20in%20school%20because%20the%20other%2017%20hours%20are%20too%20much%20to%20handle%20for%20minors.%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3EMy%20issue%20with%20the%20payment%20program%20is%20the%20long%20term%20effects%20on%20the%20kids.%20Recent%20college%20graduates%20are%20of%20the%20generation%20that%20played%20sports%20where%20there%20weren%E2%80%99t%20any%20losers%20and%20went%20to%20schools%20that%20didn%E2%80%99t%20hold%20the%20to%20deadlines%20and%20grades.%20This%20has%20created%20a%20group%20of%20%3Cst1%3Apersonname%20w%3Ast%3D%22on%22%3Eyo%3C%2Fst1%3Apersonname%3Eung%20employees%20who%20don%E2%80%99t%20understand%20why%20it%20is%20important%20to%20have%20work%20done%20on%20time%20and%20how%20important%20teamwork%20is%20to%20succeed%20in%20a%20timely%20manner%20in%20the%20business%20world.%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3EMy%20fear%20is%20that%20in%202020%20corporate%20%3Cst1%3Acountry-region%20w%3Ast%3D%22on%22%3E%3Cst1%3Aplace%20w%3Ast%3D%22on%22%3EAmerica%3C%2Fst1%3Aplace%3E%3C%2Fst1%3Acountry-region%3E%20will%20be%20hiring%20students%20who%20feel%20entitled%20to%20being%20rewarded%20for%20doing%20minimal%20work.%20They%20won%E2%80%99t%20understand%20the%20concept%20of%20paying%20ones%20dues%20and%20simple%20congratulation%20gifts%20for%20going%20above%20the%20call%20of%20duty%20will%20have%20to%20be%20restructured.%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3EAt%20the%20same%20time%20it%20could%20be%20offering%20a%20parachute%20to%20some%20of%20our%20most%20promising%20students%20who%20aren%E2%80%99t%20given%20a%20chance.%20Giving%20already%20needy%20students%20a%20chance%20to%20learn%20both%20content%20and%20how%20spending%20more%20time%20in%20class%20may%20lead%20to%20more%20money%20down%20the%20line%20may%20keep%20kids%20in%20school%20and%20striving%20for%20success%20so%20they%20can%20graduate%20with%20enough%20money%20to%20think%20seriously%20about%20a%20college%20education.%20Lets%20not%20worry%20too%20much%20about%20the%20long%20term%20effects%20of%20the%20students%20who%20wont%20succeed%20with%20the%20program.%20Lets%20think%20instead%20about%20the%20few%20who%20can%20really%20succeed%20with%20it.%20Let%20us%20think%20about%20putting%20their%20money%20in%20a%20safe%20place%20where%20it%20can%20build%20and%20be%20there%20as%20college%20money%20to%20be%20used%20in%20addition%20to%20the%20scholarships%20these%20high%20performing%20students%20from%20tough%20backgrounds%20will%20be%20able%20to%20use%20for%20future%20success.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2010pt%3B%20font-family%3A%20%26%2339%3BArial%26%2339%3B%2C%26%2339%3Bsans-serif%26%2339%3B%22%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cfont%20size%3D%223%22%3ESonya%20Gavankar%0D%0A%0D%0A%3C%2Ffont%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E"}; As the school year starts, focus in the DC metro area turns to the ongoing struggles in the Districts Public Schools. There are several new initiatives underway to energize the system. One is paying students for being good students. Students could receive $100 a month for doing what they should be doing in the first [...]]]> http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/paying-for-grades/feed/ http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/high-price-of-air-travel/ http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/high-price-of-air-travel/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:12:40 +0000 sonya http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/high-price-of-air-travel/ gtvt_posts[38] = {url: "http%3A%2F%2Fwww.darshantv.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2F24%2Fhigh-price-of-air-travel%2F", title: "High%20Price%20of%20Air%20Travel", category: "Travel", desc: "I%20have%20been%20spending%20a%20lot%20of%20time%20in%20airplanes%20lately.%20I%20am%20not%20new%20to%20air%20travel%20and%20have%20held%20a%20passport%20since%20birth.%20I%20hold%20air%20travel%20in%20high%20regard%2C%20a%20regard%20few%20seem%20to.%20While%20I%20don%26%2339%3Bt%20dress%20like%20a%20socialite%20like%20my%20mother%20when%20she%20travels%20I%20do%20make%20sure%20I%20am%20dressed%20as%20well%20as%20I%20would%20be%20on%20a%20day%20without%20meetings%20at%20the%20office...but%20with%20tennis%20shoes.%20It%20seems%20like%20the%20high%20prices%20of%20air%20travel%20have%20had%20the%20opposite%20effect%20on%20travelers.%20They%20are%20showing%20up%20in%20pajamas%20and%20sweatpants%20for%20flights%20that%20last%20two%20hours.%20They%20also%20seem%20entitled%20to%20everything%20they%20touch%2C%20taking%20up%20too%20much%20space%20in%20the%20overhead%20compartment%20and%20spreading%20out%20as%20much%20as%20possible%20in%20the%20seat.%20It%20makes%20me%20wonder%20if%20the%20fact%20that%20the%20prices%20are%20going%20up%20but%20the%20services%20are%20going%20down%20that%20is%20causing%20this%20change%20in%20manner.I%20was%20surprised%20to%20find%20some%20flights%20aren%26%2339%3Bt%20even%20offering%20free%20blankets%20anymore%21%20Some%20are%20charging%20me%20%2425%20for%20one%20piece%20of%20luggage%21%20I%20understand%20the%20economy%20is%20hitting%20turbulence%2C%20but%20are%20things%20so%20bad%20that%20you%20have%20to%20nickel%20and%20dime%20me%20for%20everything%3F%20We%20all%20know%20travel%20will%20now%20coast%20a%20lot%20more%20money%20and%20I%20would%20prefer%20the%20airlines%20to%20just%20be%20honest.%20Charge%20me%20more%20but%20still%20let%20me%20check%20two%20bags%20for%20free%20and%20serve%20a%20smaller%20food%20selection%20and%20if%20cold%20you%20still%20get%20the%20blanket.Charging%20more%20of%20an%20exceptional%20one%20of%20a%20kind%20experience%20is%20something%20we%20are%20all%20familiar%20with.%20Yes%20I%20would%20rather%20go%20to%20Starbucks%20for%20a%20latte%20than%20making%20it%20in%20the%20free%20office%20machine.%20I%20am%20willing%20to%20pay%20more%20for%20Delta%26%2339%3Bs%20Direct%20TV%20in%20every%20seat%20so%20I%20can%20catch%20up%20with%20Project%20Runway.%20Yes%20I%20will%20pay%20more%20for%20Southwest%26%2339%3Bs%20fun%20atmosphere%20and%20board%20in%20order%20seating.%20No%20I%20will%20not%20pay%20for%20American%20Airlines%20bad%20attitude%20to%20changes%20in%20flights%20not%20booked%20through%20them.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cstrong%3E%3Cfont%20size%3D%223%22%3ESonya%20Gavankar%0D%0A%0D%0A%3C%2Ffont%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E"}; I have been spending a lot of time in airplanes lately. I am not new to air travel and have held a passport since birth. I hold air travel in high regard, a regard few seem to. While I don’t dress like a socialite like my mother when she travels I do make sure I [...]]]> http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/high-price-of-air-travel/feed/ http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/my-visceral-response-to-sarah-palin/ http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/my-visceral-response-to-sarah-palin/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:09:27 +0000 aastha http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/my-visceral-response-to-sarah-palin/ gtvt_posts[37] = {url: "http%3A%2F%2Fwww.darshantv.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2F24%2Fmy-visceral-response-to-sarah-palin%2F", title: "My%20Visceral%20Response%20to%20Palin", category: "Politics", desc: "%3Cfont%20size%3D%223%22%3E%3Cfont%20size%3D%223%22%3E%3Cfont%20size%3D%223%22%3EI%26%2339%3Bm%20guessing%20I%20surprised%20many%20of%20you%20in%20the%20September%2013th%20airing%20with%20my%20visceral%20response%20to%20Sarah%20Palin.%20Since%20it%20aired%2C%20I%26%2339%3Bve%20been%20looking%20for%20an%20analogy%20to%20explain%20why%20I%20feel%20as%20strongly%20as%20I%20do.%20I%20finally%20found%20the%20answer%20while%20watching%20football%20last%20Monday%20night.%20It%20was%20a%20Texan%20style%20shootout%20between%20the%20Dallas%20Cowboys%20and%20the%20Philadelphia%20Eagles.%20It%20was%20exciting%20with%20lead%20changes%20back%20and%20forth%20and%20by%20the%20end%20of%20it%2C%20I%20didn%E2%80%99t%20care%20who%20won%20because%20I%20was%20worn%20out.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor%2018%20months%2C%20we%26%2339%3Bve%20seen%20the%20Republicans%20and%20Democrats%20duke%20it%20out%20for%20the%20election%20cycle%20equivalent%20of%203%20quarters...we%E2%80%99ve%20even%20had%20our%20own%20Clinton%2FObama%20quarterback%20controversy.%20Now%20late%20in%20the%204th%20quarter%2C%20the%20game%20has%20gotten%20ugly.%20Each%20week%20there%E2%80%99s%20a%20new%20attack%20followed%20by%20media%20frenzy%2C%2024%2F7%20loops%20of%20speech%20snippets%2C%20and%20each%20week%20the%20polls%20see-saw.%0D%0A%0D%0AChances%20are%20you%26%2339%3Bve%20grown%20tired%20or%20de-sensitized%20from%20overload.%20But%20if%20there%E2%80%99s%20anyone%20to%20blame%2C%20it%20would%20have%20to%20be%20ourselves.%20The%20American%20public%20has%20become%20obsessed%20with%20the%20sensational%20and%20the%20shallow.%20We%26%2339%3Bre%20so%20attracted%20by%20the%20%22beat%20down%22%20one%20candidate%20inflicts%20on%20another%3B%20we%26%2339%3Bve%20lost%20sight%20of%20the%20big%20picture%20%E2%80%93%20things%20like%20healthcare%20and%20the%20environment%20and%20the%20globalization%20of%20the%20economy.%20Actually%2C%20we%20hear%20these%20words%20all%20the%20time%20but%20they%20are%20as%20formless%20and%20shapeless%20as%20our%20understanding%20of%20the%20candidates%20themselves.%20They%20have%20turned%20these%20large%20and%20complex%20problems%20and%20themselves%20into%20two-dimensional%20sound%20bites.%20If%20we%20took%20a%20poll%2C%20they%20way%20Jay%20Leno%20does%2C%20on%20ordinary%20topics%20of%20real%20relevance%2C%20most%20of%20us%20could%20probably%20not%20articulate%20two%20intelligent%20sentences%20on%20the%20ramifications%20of%20oil%20dependency%2C%20but%20we%E2%80%99d%20have%20a%20lot%20to%20say%20about%20Brittany%E2%80%99s%20comeback%20on%20the%20VMAs%20last%20week.%0D%0A%0D%0ALet%E2%80%99s%20pause%20for%20a%20minute%20and%20look%20at%20why%20-%20Our%20world%20is%20in%20hyper%20sensual%20overdrive%20-%20overly%20consumerist%2C%20overly%20disengaged%20with%20the%20community%2C%20overly%20engaged%20in%20tabloid%20gossip%2C%20and%20consumed%20by%20distraction.%20We%20rarely%20enjoy%20a%20moment%20of%20peace%20and%20quiet.%20Our%20cell%20phones%20ring%20off%20the%20hook%2C%20our%20Blackberries%20keep%20us%20on%20a%20permanent%20leash%20and%20now%20any%20piece%20of%20information%20we%20desire%20is%20on%20our%20fingertips%20and%20probably%20already%20posted%20on%20YouTube.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat%E2%80%99s%20my%20point%3F%20It%20is%20as%20if%20we%20have%20%22devolved%22%20into%20a%20people%20who%20only%20respond%20to%20stimulation.%20We%20don%E2%80%99t%20afford%20ourselves%20the%20quiet%20time%20anymore%20to%20think.%20We%20simply%20react%20and%20what%E2%80%99s%20worse%2C%20we%20criticize%20others%20who%20don%E2%80%99t%20immediately%20react.%20Obama%20has%20been%20called%20%22slow%20on%20the%20uptake%22%20for%20his%20cool%20demeanor%20and%20%22inability%22%20to%20come%20back%20quick%20against%20McCain%E2%80%99s%20constant%20jabs.%20We%E2%80%99ve%20lauded%20McCain%20for%20being%20first%20out%20of%20the%20gate%20with%20a%20sound%20bite.%20Let%E2%80%99s%20ask%20the%20question%20%E2%80%93%20is%20that%20a%20presidential%20plus%3F%20Should%20the%20president%20of%20the%20United%20States%20be%20reactive%20or%20contemplative%3F%20Isn%E2%80%99t%20the%20reason%20we%20are%20where%20we%20are%2C%20because%20we%E2%80%99ve%20endured%20a%20president%20who%20was%20%22gut%22%20reactive%3F%20As%20Americans%20we%20ought%20to%20reflect%20long%20enough%20on%20why%20we%20are%20so%20dissatisfied%20with%20our%20status-quo%20in%20order%20to%20make%20intelligent%20decisions%20about%20what%20we%20want%20to%20change.%20That%20is%20difficult%20to%20do%20when%20we%20are%20so%20bombarded%20by%20disjoint%20and%20polarizing%20messages%20that%20render%20us%20useless%20to%20think%20on%20our%20own.%0D%0A%0D%0AMy%20visceral%20response%20to%20Sarah%20Palin%20by%20my%20own%20admission%20has%20little%20to%20do%20with%20her%20as%20a%20mother%20of%205%2C%20or%20as%20the%20governor%20of%20Alaska%20or%20her%20appetite%20for%20Moose%20burgers.%20It%20has%20everything%20to%20do%2C%20though%2C%20with%20John%20McCain%E2%80%99s%20calculation%20that%20the%20American%20public%20would%20be%20so%20%22taken%22%20by%20the%20charm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I’m guessing I surprised many of you in the September 13th airing with my visceral response to Sarah Palin. Since it aired, I’ve been looking for an analogy to explain why I feel as strongly as I do. I finally found the answer while watching football last Monday night. It was a Texan style shootout [...]]]> http://www.darshantv.com/blog/2008/09/24/my-visceral-response-to-sarah-palin/feed/