A robot teacher is about to be unleashed in New York schools

 

Meet "Sally".  She costs $57,000: less than the yearly pay of the average teacher in New York State.  She is an automaton.  A robot teacher.  And she is coming online in a school district this coming fall semester.

Here is another picture of Sally courtesy of Realbotix, the company that created her:

 

"Welllll long tall Sally, she's built for speed, she got

Everything that Uncle John need

Oh bay-bee, yeaaaah bay-bee, WHOO-OOOH, HOO-OO bay-beee

Havin' me some fun tonight, yeah! "

 

(I just couldn't resist that, folks.)

I think that Sally is a glorified Teddy Ruxpin.  Remember him? The animatronic teddy bear that toy company Worlds of Wonder came out with in 1985.  Sally probably has a cassette tape hatch in her back that contains her programming, lets her move her arms and head (she has legs but she's unable to walk).

The school admins swear that Sally and any other robots won't replace real teachers.  But really, does anyone expect that to be the case?  All Sally needs is periodic maintenance and updates/service packs, and she's cheaper than several years' salary of one teacher.  No doubt the teachers unions are going to be keeping a wary eye on this one.

Well, the New York Post has much more about Sally and what she's supposed to do.

The only other thing I know to add is this, from Battlestar Galactica:

"All of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again."

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Does this look like Lucille Ball to you?

The people of Celeron, New York are condemning... and that may be too nice a word... a bronze statue of hometown heroine Lucille Ball.

Here is said statue:

Ye gods, what a monster!!  It looks like something out of The Walking Dead.  Makes me wonder if this is what June Cleaver would be like envisioned by H.P. Lovecraft.  That is nothing like the stunning beauty, amazing actress, comedic legend and all-out wonderful person that Lucille Ball was.

To sum up: Celeron does not love this Lucy.

The statue has been up since 2009.  No real notion as to why only now is it getting the attention it is (maybe it's 'cuz in recent days a Facebook page about it has been created and racked up a zillion likes).  New York Daily News has more about this bronze monstrosity.

And I can't help but wonder if it works for Celeron, maybe going a similar route would deliver my own hometown of our pending atrocity.

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Dear friends in the Northeast...

Good night, and good luck.

October 29 2012: Hurricane Sandy floods the site of the World Trade Center in New York City

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Les Misérables: Women steal 75 deodorant sticks, as pet cemeteries ordered to stop burying humans

In the state of New York a government agency is ordering pet cemeteries to cease and desist with interring the cremated remains of human pet owners with their beloved dogs and cats.

Meanwhile in Fort Pierce, Florida (I happen to have lots of family there) two women were taped by video surveillance at a Winn Dixie supermarket stealing seventy-five sticks of deodorant. Police figure the ladies will try to sell the deodorant to convenience stores.

Not the craziest stories that I've heard lately, but certainly worth passing along for your mirth and merriment :-P

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New York State budget: craziest taxes ever?

Governor David Paterson has revealed his $121 billion budget plan for New York State and it includes proposals that actually trump California's "snack tax" of the early Nineties in terms of utter lunacy. There are 88 suggested new taxes and fees, including for digital downloads of songs for iPod and other music devices, beer, soft drinks, cable and satellite television services, movie tickets, and massages (?!?).

This reminds me of 1993, when then-President Clinton was trying to pass a retroactive tax increase (which passed in Congress). I called my Representative in the U.S. House, who at the time was Steve Neal. Never got through to him personally (but then since when does a citizen ever get through to his or her Rep?) but I asked his staff numerous times: "When was the last time that a government taxed itself to prosperity?" They couldn't give an answer. Neither is Governor Paterson going to be able to provide one to the citizens of New York. If anything, these taxes are going to drive away people and businesses, making a dire situation for New York that much worse.

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