Yang: Appearing Confident ≠ Being Competent
Appearing Confident ≠ Being CompetentDo we know, with high confidence, how to discern competence from confidence? I am sure we have encountered, or dare I say, even been fooled, by people who act confidently but who really are borderline nincompoops. If we were fooled, we usually keep quiet lest we appear incompetent ourselves.
Last week, my column focused on Amy Cuddy’s research that demonstrates the value of “faking it till making it.” She would argue, from her own experience and research, that there are plenty of people who are genuinely competent but doubt themselves and therefore Read More
Education 101: Community Values And K-12 Funding Decisions
Education 101: The role of a school board, like any elected body from the County Council to the Congress, is to provide leadership and to make decisions within its scope of responsibility; decisions that are consistent with the priorities and values of the stakeholders it serves.
Because constituencies often have divergent values and priorities, that’s a significant challenge for any elected body or individual elected official. When the issues are complicated, feedback from constituents is usually limited Read More
Letter to the Editor: Pass Fair Teacher Evaluation System; Stop Standardized Testing Obsession
By STEPHANIE LYRecently Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera admitted that the Public Education Department (PED) will not be ready to base most teacher evaluations on 50 percent of student test results for years. In the meantime, she will base teacher evaluations on a hodgepodge of calculations that apply differently to each teacher depending on how and when his or her students are tested.
Teachers across New Mexico have protested Skandera’s new reforms. They have asked for guidance, clarification and Read More
Solo Traveler: Red Light Districts
Hot tamales for sale in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. Photo by Sherry Hardage
Solo Traveler: Red Light DistrictsWhen I turned 15, my family lived in the Panhandle of Texas. The town, Dimmitt, wasn’t exactly the buckle on the Bible Belt, but it was definitely one of the holes.
The city fathers believed that dancing was a sin-like playing cards and drinking alcohol. Playing cards leads to gambling, drinking alcohol leads to a life of debauchery, and dancing leads to sinful unmarried sex.
We never had a dance at the high school for prom or homecoming but Read More
Skin Care Column: Why Clients Prefer Chemical Peels
Skin Care Column: Why Clients Prefer Chemical PeelsAccording to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, chemical peel sare the second most common non-surgical procedure performed by medical professionals and clinical estheticians today.
This cornerstone of topical treatments offers numerous advantages to the client looking for a non-invasive skin treatment. When chemical peels were introduced more than 50 years ago, the formulations were highly aggressive. Newer chemical peel formulations have evolved into skin-friendly blends that include biocompatible lactic Read More
Letter to the Editor: Thank You Music Marathon Contributors
Juanita Madland and Rheta MoazzamiThank you to the pianists, jazz performers, foot-stomping blue grass group, colorful folk dancers, violinists, violist, piccolo trumpet master, and some great guitarists, for your outstanding performances Sunday in the Fourth Annual Music Marathon for UNM-LA Scholarships.
Thank you to the citizens of Los Alamos, for supporting this good cause. More than 100 people came to listen and donated approximately $900 to the fund.
Thanks, also, to the Los Alamos Music Teachers Association for paying to have Read More
This Week at the Reel Deal
By JIM O’DONNELL
This Friday, Jan. 24, we will be opening Lone Survivor. Sorry you’ve had to wait for it, but as much as we tried, Universal wouldn’t give it to us on the break. As I’ve said before, if it’s a great movie it may take some time but there’s no need to go off the hill. We will bring the films to you.
Also opening this Friday is Nebraska, starring Bruce Dern. It’s directed by Alexander Payne who also directed two of my favorite movies: Sideways and The Descendants.
It opened in a very limited way in four screenings in November, but has gained momentum and praise. Read More
