March 9 - A doll that teaches about cigars

 It was on this day that Ruth Handler debuted her new doll at the Toy Fair - the Barbie - in 1959.

I learned that Barbie's name is actually Barbara Millicent Roberts.

In Lebanon they celebrate today as Eid Al Moalim - Teacher's Day,

It was also this day in 1996 that George Burns passed away.

He had just passed his 100th birthday back in January (surprising as he was almost always seen with a cigar).  His career spanned many decades.

October 5th - Monty taught me a lot

 I've always had a respect for teachers.  I didn't realize I wanted to be one until about the time of university.  Too bad that didn't pan out... but while I was one I was still in respect of these truly consummate professionals.

Happy World Teachers' Day.

I've kept a lot of the inspirations from teaching through my other careers, and one of my favourite quotes was from Malcolm S. Forbes:

"The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one"

Learning to train your brain to keep an open mind is an important skill... a skill that is well needed for a good joke, and even something completely bizarre.  One such area of humour was just exploited largely in Monty Python's Flying Circus.

It had its first episode on this day in 1969.

It ran for 4 seasons and just was a foundation for some of my own humour.  They taught me a lot, much like many of my favourite teachers over the year.

All heil the weekend [99/130]

Sucks that I couldn't crack the 100 mark this week. Ah well.

Busy week, even though I only worked half. A busy half mind you.

One thing stands out. Old people. OK, I won't generalize, but old people who can't realize the outside world.

Was at a meeting this week and a bunch of older people went off on saying how poor the younger generation's grammar is.

There was some good debate. And by good I mean nobody would listen to reason. I believe a lot of good grammar is going by the wayside, but to say that a style of communication will never change is just ludicrous. I asked them if the grammar they use today is the same 20 years ago, 50 years etc... they said no, but wouldn't relent on their facts.
Again, there is a lot of work needed these days with students and proper grammar, but to be ignorant that a language is a dynamic entity is even more absurd.

Then the conversation took a turn for the worse. They started to blame teachers. I won't get into that argument, but I felt like punching people. Felt like Mike Harris was in the room.

Anyways, its the weekend. I'm trying to relax... with $80 worth of candy shouldn't be too hard.