Disqus - Latest Comments for quakerdave

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:54:15 -0000

Nicholas Winton, who rescued several hundred Jewish children from Czechoslovakia before they could be rounded up by the Nazis, and then never told anyone about what he'd done for 40-something years.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:44:43 -0000

I was blessed in my own school years to have many excellent teachers. In third grade, Mrs. Lamb taught me to feel good about myself. In fourth grade, Mrs. Bowers taught us all that year to love literature. In sixth grade, Mrs. Richardson taught me about being a concerned citizen. In middle school, Mr. Lee and Ms. Bockman taught me how to think. In high school, Ms. Altopeidi taught me how to like myself at a time when I really truly didn't. Mr. Younger, my drafting teacher, treated us all with respect and carried himself with dignity and class and greatly influenced my own teaching style. Mr. Walsh made me laugh more than any other teacher I had. I also had some truly inspiring professors in college and grad school.

Today, my favorite teachers are my 7th graders, who make me a better teacher every day.

Re: Racist Jokes At Work, “Oh, But I Didn’t Mean You”

QuakerDave — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:41:14 -0000

I do two things when I hear this sort of crap: One, I swallow my righteous indignation and calmly remind my colleague that our school district has a very explicit policy regarding hate speech, which is what these "jokes" are. Two, I remind them that, as a union rep, I might be the one who would have to represent them if a less calm and controlled person heard this sort of crap coming from them. And that my defense might be... less than vigorous.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:29:07 -0000

Posing on a Segway in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. In front of a bear statue.

Re: I Write Letters

QuakerDave — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:06:43 -0000

I could care less if he cries. I believed him when he cried on election night, telling his life story. I wasn't bothered when Bush cried at a ceremony where he awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to the family of a soldier who was killed in one of his wars, either. Heck, I cry every time Kevin Costner says, "Hey, Dad? Wanna have a catch?" at the end of "Field of Dreams."

That still doesn't stop me from despising what he stands for.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:01:13 -0000

The Average American Unemployed Person.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:58:52 -0000

Never used any sort of illegal drugs, and I doubt I've ever been over the legal limit, drinking-wise.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:22:21 -0000

Never missed an episode of "Shocky Doc." Jealous here.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:15:20 -0000

I also got to serve Tiger Williams and Lanny McDonald (former Toronto Maple Leafs: nice guys), Jerry West (then coach of the Lakers: nice man), "The Original Nature Boy", Buddy Rogers (old school pro wrestler who lived in the area: a serious laugh riot and a great tipper), John Davidson (the women on the staff were all a-ga-ga and he was very gracious), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who came down late at night and dined alone and was very quiet but really cool), and Frankie Avalon and his horrible family, who tied up a table and two servers for well over an hour, were very rude and noisy, and who then stiffed us. Not cool at all.

That summer, being so close to Philly and it being Bicentennial Summer, we had many conventions, and I must tip my busboy's hairnet to the World War Two submariners who took the place over over one long weekend, who drank a lot, laughed a lot, showed us their well-earned tattoos a lot, and treated us all very nicely, especially the waitresses. Gentlemen all, and true heroes, in my book.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:03:39 -0000

Back in 1976, I was working at the hotel restaurant in a place near an establishment called the Latin Casino, which was neither. It was a nightclub. Lots of folks performed there and they stayed at our hotel, which was right down the street. One was the late Danny Thomas. One afternoon, when the restaurant was pretty empty, Mr. Thomas wandered down, sat on a stool at the counter with his cigar, and ordered coffee. He talked to every person on the wait staff who approached him like he'd known them for years. He was the same way with the kitchen staff and the dishwashers who came out to see him. He was gracious and kind and very funny, and I will always have a special place in my heart for him. That day, he made a lot of people feel special. That's a gift.

Re: Friday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:33:50 -0000

Stuff your kid's teacher won't tell you, with commentary: http://thenewquakeragitator...

Re: Wednesday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:43:07 -0000

Dear Glenn Beck, et al... http://dodgytackle.wordpress.com/2010/08/18/on-...

Re: Seen

QuakerDave — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:42:23 -0000

Conservatism, in the opinion of some, may indeed work, but Palin doesn't.

She QUIT HER JOB, remember?

Re: Mavericky!

QuakerDave — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:49:17 -0000

A mavericky, full-tilt DB who was born in the Panama Canal Zone...

Re: Sarah Palin Wants YOU for Her Army of Pink Elephants, Ladies

QuakerDave — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:26:15 -0000

I got up to 1:09 then starting puking a little in my mouth, so that was that.

Re: Friday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:57:39 -0000

What's going on... http://dodgytackle.wordpres...

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:54:51 -0000

Sandler. Cruise. Gibson. Seth Rogen. Russell Brand. Sacha Baron Cohen. Especially those last three.

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:45:07 -0000

Invictus, which my son the Latin student tells me is more properly pronounced "in-wick-toos." Whatever. Also Pressure Cooker.

Re: Friday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:42:55 -0000

Whatcha readin' this summer? http://dodgytackle.wordpress.com/2010/06/25/the...

Re: Speak for Yourself

QuakerDave — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:41:33 -0000

Beck and Hannity both hate soccer, too. So big deal. I couldn't care less. The rest of us, along with the rest of the world, can't get enough of it, even with all the diving and fakery. I really don't want people like that sitting next to me at a match anyway. Let them have their NASCAR and that multiple-concussion disorder called the NFL. I'll keep Team USA, Arsenal, Aberdeen, the Philadelphia Independence of WPS, and our Philadelphia Union (how cool a name is that?).

Re: Wednesday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:31:42 -0000

Showing Glenn Beck the red card... http://dodgytackle.wordpres...

Re: Monday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:17:08 -0000

New blog. Please visit: http://dodgytackle.wordpres...

Re: Wednesday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:12:16 -0000

Just another reason why I am no longer a Democrat...

http://quakeragitator.wordp...

Re: Question of the Day

QuakerDave — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:03:47 -0000

I have co-raised two incredibly smart, compassionate, witty, decent, progressive, utterly cool young men. Compared to that, nothing else I've ever done comes close.

By the way, you people are awesome. Now follow my lead: Raise your right hand, reach back behind your shoulder, and pat. Repeat as desired.

Re: Wednesday Blogaround

QuakerDave — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:43:40 -0000

Who we really are. http://quakeragitator.wordp...