Initiative and Referenda:
"Dvorak Simplified Keyboard taught at the 4th grade level and following school levels.
Removal of Company Products from public schools and General Standardized Testing, specifically, the Sholes/Glidden typewriter configuration, as purchased by the Remington corporation."
Submitted:
May 18th, 2012
Olympia, WA
Secretary of State, Elections Office
520 Union AVE
Olympia, WA 98501
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Name, Address, Date of birth:
Daniel Harvey Elliott, Esq. Starbucks Everywhere (Seattle), November 4th, 1975.
The Information Age officially began on April 18th, 2012. Where were you?
Since when is amortizing marketplace costs a priority in public education? Justifying the costs of marketplace adoption based on some economical path dependance argument has no influence on the public education system. Yep, that sounded like gobble”D”-gook didn’t it? In fact the main argument here is that the re-training costs could never be recovered whole scale. What if people weren’t “trained” incorrectly in the first place? This has nothing to do with converting current typists. In fact, They probably SHOULD take a vacation. It’s quite lovely outside, or so I’ve been told.
Training Kids to get jobs is not the standpoint of the Standardized Tests!
Training Kids to work on cars or whatever else is the job of a vocational school program.
The footage clearly shows happy children typing on the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard.
Whisking along on the keyboard faster than any gas pump jockey named Grover, blazing through line after line of the English language effortlessly and enjoying it.
This video clearly shows elementary age children typing this system fluently.
Current public outages include the inability to change to this setting in the library because it would be a hassle to maintain for system administrators to allow one setting to be overridden in the Microsoft Operating System that the Public Library System is charging the Local Government for the use of the legally licensed copies of the software. I haven’t formally complained about this.
This function in any software is freely available in it’s alternative format for Linux with the funky Open Office program and would save us all money that could be better used elsewhere. But that’s not what this is about at all! Microsoft Operating System changes are easy to configure by trained, certified, technicians, and it is a convenience to us as the public, that the library has this software for our office document printing needs at all.
Therefore, for convenience sake they have it installed and allow you to easily bridge the gap between the assumption that you actually own the software and the price of the license that the public are paying Microsoft, through it’s tax dollars to supply.
However, most people that use the library computers are broke and do not own licensed copies themselves.
Thank you Bram Cohen (Dvorak Typist) for paving the way for us all to be able to share license free versions of the software by inventing the Bit - Torrent system. But who knows what’s really in each download until it’s too late.
Thank you Matt Mullenweg (Dvorak Typist) for helping to spread the word. Wordpress is the fastest way to become registered for any search term on the internet using the Google search engine and quite a convenient way to organize projects.
Now please allow me to convenience you. As I completely ruin my public image and debase all forms of my own credibility and any type of allegiance to any form of commerce, responsibility, or commitment in pursuit of this one point.
Current Public school systems are not training students how to type the English language at the 4th grade level. This lesson is not given at any level of the public education system. And due to lack of awareness and marketplace adoption this system is also currently not taught at the college level.
8th grade is too late for teaching the typing of the english language to any kid.
They have already socially bonded and change is even harder to implement. Expecting them to adopt a “new” Standard, as it should have been and will be is not acceptable.
Current products on the market are not showing this keyboard layout to children before they are in school.
Survey to find how many parents have kids that actually use computers before the 4th grade level. Please.
People who have never typed before?
None of the people that don’t care about it are even looking at the internet for it and that is the entire point. It was never taught in public schools and is not taught in public schools or at home and there is no reason why. In fact, it is not offered at the college level either as people are being prepared to enter a working marketplace. That is a very interesting point, right there.
Exceptions are made for the inability for the certification of teachers. The inability of the manufacturers. The inability of the the administration to implement this change. It is currently the only one subject in the curriculum of public schools that is a company patent and an open standards marketplace adoption issue. Stop hurting kids with this lesson. Stop training them the incorrect way to operate the most powerful piece of equipment that mankind has ever invented. Or Else.
It is a Monopoly, It is an anti-trust issue. It is unfair competition, but I really don’t care about this last point too much. It is a mental-virus in our current world and a relic of an era that is long since gone and it’s by products all live in the cemetery. Remember Lead in the gasoline? Why are we even advertising it as “Unleaded”?
In order chronological order:
Slavery - check
Womens Suffrage - check
Civil Rights - check
Abortion - check
Safer Fuel - check
Gay Marriage - check
I apologize that I must inconvenience you.
Let me enlighten you to this one independent study that I have conducted:
“QWERTY” = Labor = Depression, Poverty, Crime, Suicide, Death.
It’s actually the only non-word taught as or associated with a subject in public schools.
Another way that I’ve found for you to purchase this keyboard layout on your computer straight from Apple is to void your warranty by removing the keys. I’ve asked about just having them printed the correct way from the factory or just having the keys sent to me blank because I would prefer it this way. I have been instructed to purchase after market stickers or even a film guard with the keys printed on the film guard. Before I purchase the film cover though...is the light that shines through going to match the keys at all?
What other product do you have to void it’s warranty to make it functional? A sawed off shot gun?
Wait! These are Americans!
Wait a second, the Yoshida Doctrine is how Japan recovered after WWII. This focused on drastic economic recovery by taking a pacifistic standpoint and reform of the public education system. Japan leaned on America for it’s National security.
This reform for the American Simplified Keyboard includes a completely new standard for living in America. A platform for you as a human being.
Dr. August Dvorak patented this system in 1936, 60 years or so after the mechanical keyboard was given to us. The Carnegie Foundation donated $130,000 during the height of the depression to this team at the University of Washington. This must have been pretty important, right?
Well 60 years after the end of WWII I am here to tell you that this is the most important step in our world future that you will ever live through. Ever. more than the I-phone, the car, nasa, all of it, every piece of it.
We created a world standard with the keyboard system. No wonder we as Americans get such a bad rap sometimes. The more sinister of us actually have reasons why we don’t like people from other places or speak in different ways.
Think of the 4th and 5th grade students fluently capable of typing 50-60 words per minute.
Think of the speed and the strength of our people by the 12th grade level.
At this point I’m willing to say “Do It...Or Else”. Yes, I really mean it.
Do you know why people do spend 78% of their time online complaining too much?
I could tell you why I’ve done that. You know what I found out? It doesn’t really matter.
Do you understand what I am saying? All keyboards in all schools on all laptops in every library and keys printed on every phone are actually a ------> public health crisis <-----.
NO ONE can sell them with the Sholes/Glidden/Remington system printed on them in public schools. Not Apple, Not Dell, Not IBM, Not Microsoft.
Oh, you actually like the “old way”? Too bad.
Switch.
You’ll be 30-50% faster. You’ll enjoy a new way of life. You don’t want to? Oh. Why not?
Ok. If you have bought a computer product with this Sholls/Glidden/Remington system printed on the keys. I am personally giving you the permission to send it back and ask for a replacement of the keyboard. If they don’t like it, let’s walk there together.
You need it for work? HA! What good is your work really doing anyone anyhow?
Creating products for thieves to illegally download? Who are you kidding? Giving it away for free? Or are they just bit-curious?
This is the only real hitch left in our global giddy-up.
Let’s put a survey up that actually asks who is being helped by your work.
So what do we do?
Sell to the highest bidder? Ask every manufacturer to “offer” this Standard printed on the keys in the first place? Spread public awareness?
BOYCOTT the Sholes/Glidden/Remington keyboard system as a whole!
Ask for a federal program to implement workplace training and dump the old keyboards into the Federal Emergency Management Agency bins for recyclying. Meanwhile create curriculum to actually make a difference at all levels of the public education system.
So let’s take this back to the beginning for me.
Went to the Apple store. Wondered about my battery life. Was offered to buy a new laptop. Called Apple to ask if keys could be printed the right way on my new laptop. Was hung up on for not wanting to buy the keys printed in French, Finnish, Spanish or any other language that Dr. actually case studied and proved was the safest way to type the English language. Called back through the Business Department and found an error in their Interactive Voice Prompt system and left a message. Lost my phone for 2 days after being escorted out of a local attorneys home at 2:45am when after partying I stated “But, your keyboards are all printed wrong”. I went to Third Place Books in Ravenna and asked about a copy of Typewriting Behavior by August Dvorak and others. I had previously looked for this book at Barnes and Nobles and to my dismay was told that this book was not in print. It is print to order only, I asked if I could buy it and leave it on the shelf and was told that the Barnes and Nobles wasn’t a consignment shop. I looked for this book amidst all the other special interest books on Javascript, PHP, HTML5, CSS, C++, Actionscript, PERL, PYTHON, APACHE, SQL.
I walked to Assumption Catholic Church to find out about the formal canonization of Dr. August Dvorak for his humanitarian pursuit of linguistics and educational psychology. Later I learned that this is formally called the beautification process. I spoke at length with good Father Oliver about my public boycott on music programs in public schools until Dr. August Dvoraks’ typing system is taught at the 4th grade level.
He encouraged me to contact the media, my thought was that I had no need to contact the media as this is a public education issue and not a news story. Also, it was important to me to not be encouraged or distracted by any special interest group. Father Oliver actually referred me to the Episcopal church as well. I had wondered about the formal honoring of Dr. August Dvorak in each religion. So I walked down to the folks at Unity Baptist Church and had a conversation with the staff there. We spoke at length about the typing system and It was important for me to speak with them because they do not have a school attached to their church. On the way to this appointment I actually went into Capitol Music and spoke with the good Dr. of music there.
I informed him of my boycott of public music programs in public schools until Dr. August Dvoraks’ typing system was taught to school children at the 4th grade level. I was curious when he asked me a very good question. “What does typing have to do with playing the piano”? Well. As I crack my knuckles and write this next part...You do them both with your hands. That was the first thing that came to mind. Next, I thought of Pythagorus and the time he must have spent researching the vibration of strings that became the foundation of western music and the equal tempered scale. I thought to myself...well if there was a problem with this system wouldn’t we have a “Natural” shaped piano? Or maybe music isn’t really the skill that we think it is? Maybe the English language is more important. I’m not sure. But...if you want to count the difference in keyboards laid out for the input of the English vs. the amount of keyboards with the musical notes on the piano be my guest. That’s apples and oranges, and we eat them both with our mouths. So, they may be different but we use them.
Father Oliver did ask me a great question though. “So how are you boycotting”? I said “Well, I’ve announced my boycott on Facebook and would rather kids learned to type the right way than learn to play the recorder without being taught the history of the written note.” I asked him if he had any problem with the lesson being taught in public schools, as it did originate in the church - as we know it today. I was most curious about his position because if it did constitute a conflict of interests between church and state could we look at the text books in public schools and see if they use the words rabbi, priest, monk, or any other religious words.
In other words. Is it okay to teach children the history of the written note in public schools? BEFORE THEY LEARN TO PLAY IT. We have busts of Johann Sebastian Bach in front of children at that age. A prolific composer as I’m sure you know. Also a little known fact, a prodigious father whose children went to found schools of modern music and further the history of music as we know it now. I get a little sad about this, and I don’t know why.
Maybe it’s out of deep, deep respect. Maybe. But beyond my emotional state the point is still moving right on. We have the busts of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for children also. We have busts of Ludwig van Beethoven in front of these kids faces in public schools also. That’s chronological right there. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven.
So my question is whether or not children can be taught the following lesson in American Public Schools before they are given the recorder. And does this constitute some conflict of interest between church and state? Is it okay to teach them that the note originated within the churches? Is that okay?
I’m getting lost in all of this.
Probably because of all of the research involved looking into the history of the written note. Well....I’m taking a break.
Wait. I am back at it. This next portion is actually credited to the Good Doctor of music in residence at Capitol Music in the University of Washington area. They had moved from their old location on 65th and Ravenna down toward 50th. I informed him about my public boycott of music programs in public schools and asked him about the history of the written note. He informed me that about 1000 A.D. there was some monk named Guido who wrote it down to keep track of church music.
I also asked him if there was a reason why this was not taught in public schools before children are taught to play around with it. It is my belief that music is a license to give or take life. Bold statement right? Does this constitute a conflict of interests between the separation of church and state?
Wanna see what I can do with a song I write about you? Get it?
They could be taught it’s history before it’s branched out at some level of higher education and called Theory. It is not theoretical. It is a universal truth. Teach it, or they are getting an empty lesson.Then they are given the education about all of the people who riffed over the top of it.
It is very important that they are given the whole story, especially now. There are just those two stumbling blocks. The history of the written note in public schools and the teaching of Dr. August Dvoraks’ typing system to children at the exact same age. The 4th grade level, right when their vocabulary is tested. I’m for the teaching of cursive also. Why not? Not enough time? Huh?
... i’ll just keep going on and on...
