#19 AFKAN | 2007-11-08 18:38
Some quick thoughts:
One, the underwater sound of the old Whitaker recordings seems to be due to a poor implementation of the recording software than anything else. I think he was using something that "worked," but barely.
A lot of VNN's Goyfire's went out at 64k; it was pointed out that it took all damn day to download one, and they went to 24K, and they didn't understand the software settings. 24K gets it OUT there at all, which is one of the main points.
I am not blaming Bob; poorly designed systems (using the wrong type of microphone, for example - SKYPE recommended microphones are the good baseline) require wizardry to work. As the market turns them into commodities, reliability and quality go up, dramatically.
Voice recording software has gone up dramatically in quality since Bob started his Fireside Chats. Look at the tremendous increase in quality with Dragon Naturally Speaking over time...
Having them done over with a clear, educated Southern lady's voice would help get them out, even at 16K.
Two, the 16K limit can be worked around with Free Download Manager. Just press the button "Download Everything" before they go to bed, and there it is.
Three, the Robinson Curriculum is available, used, for $99 USD on eBay, and elsewhere online. The core, Saxon Math books, are also available online.
Four, you have hit the issue with me that literally drives me to rage; phonics instruction is available online, and THIS is the critical foundation I have been working with for my nephews, one of them in particular.
They can barely read.
Most of our writings fall on deaf ears because they fall before blind eyes.
To get to them, where they are, we MUST go to the spoken word, and pictures, as well as using all of the written resources we have.
<b>I am using phonics instruction - a "Hooked on Phonics" type course, and Roberta Pournelle's Reading Program - with a high school graduate</b>, just to make sure a baseline is in place.
There are People who did this to them, deliberately; have I mentioned how much I hate these people?
That's why my Long Term Plan is to focus on developing an Army of Teachers, with the Mindset of Warrior Priests. THAT is the nucleus of a group that could do very will in the framework of a new political party, and WILL do very well, as they develop over time.
The good news about your situation is this:
When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.
The five hours a day the average American spends looking at the television is YOURS to better yourself with.
We MUST define and create a Common Foundation, and that will take time. Fortunately, time is all that all too many of us seem to have...
I look to the past for Ideas, but too many of us are trying to recover a Past that never really was.
My focus is on laying the Foundation for a brighter, Whiter future; the future that not all White people can create, but ONLY White people can create.
A useful book to read is Michael Flynn's "Firestar." It gives some ideas on the Mindset needed to turn the obstacles we face, into the opportunities they truly are.
And, in part, the source of my rage?
It was when I had my nephews read to me from "Firestar," just to gauge their level of reading and comprehension (while putting a few useful ideas into their heads).
The look of shame in the eyes of the younger one, as he stumbled horribly across words he should have mastered a decade ago will haunt me forever.
Incidentally, I have been using an old copy of WordPerfect to help them along, which has an excellent grammar checker that includes TOOLS - GRAMMATIK - OPTIONS - ANALYSIS.
This includes the Fleisch Readability scores.
When I ask them to write short paragraphs, I run the document through this.
I don't want to tell you the number it comes up with, but they can see it, as well as I.
What they can't see is the look of shame in their eyes.
But I can.
What they also can't see is the rage in my heart. that this state of affairs has been allowed to be.
But I can...