Petition Tag - personally

Hi, I am a substitute teacher and am really enjoying what I do. However, I can’t help but feel that the job is seriously underpaid. I currently make between $70 - $80 dollars a day depending on the School District that I substitute for. I have some figures (they are only approximations).

Amount of education required for a Michigan teacher: 6 years

Average pay for a Michigan teacher: $56,000 a year.

Amount of education required for a Michigan substitute teacher: 4 years

Average yearly pay for a Michigan substitute teacher: $14,000

Lets say that a substitute teacher has roughly half the responsibilities of a real teacher. I think that is a fair assumption. A substitute does not have to grade papers or make up lesson plans (only teach them). So a substitute does not take their job home with them. A substitute is only working during school hours.

So a substitute has 2/3 the education of a real teacher, 1/2 the responsibility of a teacher
but gets paid less than 1/4 the pay of a real teacher? I personally think a substitute teacher is worth at least half of a real teacher. It’s no small wonder that there is a shortage of substitute teachers. The education to pay ratio for a substitute teacher has got to be the smallest of any job in this country.

I personally believe that every school district in Michigan (and this country) should be required to take the average of their teacher's salaries including benefits and then pay their substitute teachers exactly half that amount.

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An Open Letter to Bud Ris, New England Aquarium,

Last night I learned a veteran of the New England Aquarium for nearly 20 years was let go. This individual, Bob Cooper, has been a pillar of strength in difficult times. I’ve personally witnessed him patiently wait alongside a Sandtiger shark for hours for its respiration rate to return to normal after a medical procedure.

He’s been involved in nearly every department, and has been valued by those ground troops as someone who provides leadership in times when it is lacking, dispenses knowledge when desperately needed, boosts morale when it is wanted most, and affords a lifetime of expertise at the ready. In a time where staffing turnover is high, in an already high turnover industry, an individual like Bob Cooper’s worth is immeasurable.

Obviously, I’m unaware of all aspects of his dismissal; however, my speculation is that the actions perceived as warranting his release are greatly exaggerated. I plead you, and am confident many at the Aquarium will join me in this plea, to not terminate this remarkable individual.

His contributions to the organization, and to the aquarium profession, are extremely valued. If you did not spend a day with him when you first began, I encourage you to do so now. He is an unsung hero, and the Aquarium owes him the opportunity for you to personally investigate the motivation behind his dismissal.

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I have started this petition, due to the fact that the vast majority of the recipes contained within this "book" come from (or are barely alterations of) Cunningham's work, and the "secret" to "always stir clockwise" also comes directly from Cunningham's "The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews" in which he also gives advice on "buying, storing & blending essential oils" as a trained aromatherapist. What can also be found in this book, verbatum, are Cunningham's "Tables for Magickal Substitution", and several recipes from from Laurie Cabot's work, among others. One such glaring example was what Marilyn titles "Organic Love Potions". She states: "Combine any 3 of the following ingrednients in 1 cup of water: apples, cloves, cinnamon, lovage-root powder, yarrow flowers, strawberry oil, patchouli Oil, or musk oil." This exact recipe can be found in Laurie Cabot's book "Power Of The Witch", thusly (published more than a decade prior), "A bewitching, organic, perfume starts with herbs and spices. Simmer any three of the following ingredients in a cup or two of spring water with a tablespoon of sea salt: apples, cloves, cinnamon, lovage-root powder, yarrow flowers, strawberry oil, patchouli Oil, or musk oil." And, no credit is given to any of the authors for their own creative genius. In fact, Marilyn doesn't include the use of sea salt in her publication, which isn't wise by any means, due to the fact that Laurie adds sea salt to her water-based potions as a preservative!

So, as unkind as it may sound, this is a work of pure plagiarism. In fact, I owned my copy for a total of 15 minutes. Until I gave this book a closer look. Needless to say, I returned it for a prompt refund, stating exactly why, to the management. I also saw many of the Farrar's recipes included, as well. In another of Cunningham's books, he lists a variety of ingredients associated with each directional wind, like lavender, for the East Wind, as an example. Well, this very table was also included in Marilyn's big orange book, for goodness sake! So, I certainly wouldn't waste almost $30 for other authors' work, when they are not given credit. Especially when I happen to own the originals, anyway (which are oftimes touted as "classics").

Cunningham's famous "Table of magickal substitutions" is also included! What's more, whereas Cunningham detailed how one might go about choosing a substitution, Mariylyn does not, leaving the reader to pick at them will-nilly without a real grasp at why! And, this author calls herself a "Wiccan HPs"??? I am at a loss for words, here, I'm afraid. I am very disappointed. In fact, I kindy E-Mailed the publisher (as well as several Pagan owned/operated businesses who were selling this book) to make them aware of what I'd personally wittnessed. None of them so much as offered me the decency of a reply.

According to the US Copyright Office, "Mere listings of ingredients as in recipes, formulas, compounds or prescriptions are not subject to copyright protection. However, where a recipe or formula is accompanied by substantial literary expression in the form of an explanation or directions, or when there is a combination of recipes, as in a cookbook, there may be a basis for copyright protection." Which, of course, means that Marilyn is in violation of Copyright infringment, most likely! And, like another reviewer for Amazon.Com, I am equally surprised that a reputable firm such as Weiser would allow such a thing to slip by them.

So, I am personally E-Mailing the authors' publisher with regards to this book, such as Llewellyn and Pheonix Publications and Laurie Cabot's publisher. If you would like to see these authors credited for their works, and recieve the money due to them and their publisher, I strongly suggest that you adopt similar actions!

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Sept 27, 2006

This petition is now closed.

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This is a petition to make Time Warner realise that power users (People who use lots of bandwidth are their true customers).

I personally probably use 4 times the bandwidth of their normal user and many of you do too. But, who convinced all of their other customers to sign up. Me and you. I have signed up 3 people personally.

http://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/news/2002/0408networker.html

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This is a petition to make Time Warner realise that power users (People who use lots of bandwidth are their true customers). I personally probably use 4 times the bandwidth of their normal user and many of you do too. But, who convinced all of their other customers to sign up. Me and you. I have signed up 3 people personally.

http://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/news/2002/0408networker.html

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Sears, the WNBA, and NABCO are raising money for breast cancer research, which is highly commendable. But, they have this pink-and-white ball in their commercials and online ads for the cause. I, personally, would love to buy one, in support of breast cancer research. I think it would be a great thing for them to do to raise money.

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