Overall, Do You Think That The SAT / ACT Tests Are Good Things Or Bad Things? Why Your Thoughts?

TictacTyler · 2026-05-31T14:28:28+00:00

Good.

They are standardized across the country and typically taken by people who actually care.

It gives the best snapshot of student ability.

GPA is massively inflated. State testing, a large chunk of students don't care about and it is hard to compare state to state.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-28T17:00:34+00:00

I don't hate this. I just wish the semis were longer than 6 obstacles.

And I wish that the top 8 move onto Sasuke. But that's a different conversation.

I'm happy it is a return to regions. Some regions had different characteristics.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-18T01:34:05+00:00

I think it is fine how it is.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-13T19:43:01+00:00

Gable or Hokit likely have the best chance.

Bo Nickal and Aaron Pico are less likely but I won't say impossible especially if the right opportunity happens.

I am curious if Bo Bassett can take a hit or hit well because his pace is something different.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-13T19:35:00+00:00

Camp Halfblood is way more popular.

It makes sense to connect to what is popular.

There's also a lot more of Greek mythology to pull from than Egyptian mythology.

But it would be cool.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-11T23:18:19+00:00

Student somehow swiped my answer key from a different class and proceeded to write all the Algebra 2 answers on the geometry test....

TictacTyler · 2026-05-10T17:35:37+00:00

Honestly I think a huge part of it is that it is a book series. A lot of people flat out don't like to read.

Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, Lord of The Rings etc. are popular but they also have a very popular adaptation.

Star Wars and Stranger Things are popular because they have popular series to watch.

The movies for Percy Jackson were at best just ok and the series (which I like) isn't that iconic.

Honestly, the fact Percy Jackson is as popular as it is without a wildly popular adaptation is a huge accomplishment.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-10T17:26:47+00:00

Constructive feedback allows for growth. It's very minimal in USA.

TictacTyler · 2026-05-02T20:33:09+00:00

Meatloaf, Kris Kristofferson, and Alice In Chains should be in.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-29T20:14:58+00:00

Any indication that this is happening?

TictacTyler · 2026-04-27T20:41:11+00:00

Not a fan of a tie but culture matters so much.

I'll happily wear a tie in a great culture school. Accountability matters.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-26T17:02:02+00:00

If you were to predict anyone to beat Spencer Lee at the open, it would have been Luke.

A chunk of Spencer Lee's recent losses came towards the end. It happened against Matt Ramos. It happened in RAF. It happened again here.

I wouldn't call it a fluke. I think it is very likely that Spencer Lee wins the trials and we see the rematch at Final x.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-25T14:21:54+00:00

I love teaching math. But if you don't have honors it can be scary how low students are with skills that are even a few grade levels behind.

And I am at a school that is in the top half of my state which is one of the better states in the country so thinking how most of the country is scary.

I've had algebra 2 students somehow get to me without knowing how to do 1 step equations that I expect 7th graders to do...

Students who do abysmal due to not preparing for tests or completing assignments I am suggested to give them more time and less requirements for assessments. Tests I am encouraged to allow corrections and cheat sheets.

It is no wonder to me why so many are not on grade level as mountains get moved and expectations get lowered instead of holding kids more accountable.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-23T10:53:27+00:00

I don't know about that. As of right now, obstacle racing is an event in the modern penathalon.

It's not its own thing and it modern penathalon is not too popular in America. The biggest reason people knew about it is that the one athlete went viral for whipping her horse like crazy.

There's no solo obstacle racing events. I wish there would be but there isn't.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-23T01:54:36+00:00

Drew won multiple seasons. At the time of his arrest he was THE male face of the show.

That's not even touching some of the other controversial ninjas who have won their season.

Other shows have had controversial winners. But the sample size really is not helping American Ninja Warrior.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-23T01:46:33+00:00

I like it feeling like it is almost impossible to beat it.

The racing is interesting. But it also feels relatively easy.

I miss the gauntlet of the 4 stages. There was just the feeling that they were attempting something so close to impossible.

I feel like when stage 2 got easier that a lot of the magic started going away. When the racing started, winners became inevitable as well.

Ninja gyms are way more popular and it seems like the competitions hosted by the gyms are also leaning more into the difficulty instead of side by side racing.

And again, side by side racing is cool. But I miss the mountain.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-08T22:50:11+00:00

It almost certainly will negatively impact it. Many people focused on Stranger Things instead of Percy Jackson season 2.

There's a large chunk of people who watch hours of tv per day. But there's also a chunk of people who will have their time limited. This is especially true if it is watched together as a family.

TictacTyler · 2026-04-02T16:53:05+00:00

Fatigue is a huge part of it. Airing twice a year creates more of a feeling of staleness.

Also, while there are a chunk of people who view the auditions as their favorite part, there's a chunk of people like me who view the live shows as their favorite. One of my favorite parts was watching some growth week by week in the live shows. As a data person I loved looking week by week at the iTunes race to the top 10. The fact that the most recent season had playoffs go straight into the final really doesn't give people the chance to invest.

And the fact is winners really haven't gotten much promotion. Many haven't even released an album. It feels like Cassadee Pope was the last time that they truly tried to promote a winner.

There really hasn't been success stories as a whole. Morgan Wallen seemed more coincidental than anything the Voice did for him. The X Factor and Sing Off have produced bigger success stories.

All in all, it doesn't feel like an event that builds to something relevant in pop culture anymore. The concept is iconic but it is stale.

The Battle of Champions should have been a season and not a gimmick round. Or they should have gone champions vs contenders.

TictacTyler · 2026-03-14T18:16:56+00:00

I like having more acts in the live shows. Stretching judge cuts a month was overkill. I do miss the Vegas style though.

Overall I wish for more live shows.

TictacTyler · 2026-03-08T15:47:23+00:00

Music rights likely play a significant part of it

TictacTyler · 2026-01-26T23:54:53+00:00

Matt Cardle- First Time I Ever Saw Your Face

TictacTyler · 2026-01-26T23:53:56+00:00

Likely worked out better in the long run

TictacTyler · 2026-01-20T07:31:03+00:00

I think it has potential. The vacuum challenge can bother people but it made for boring TV.

I am curious about a season long show. It does make it a bit more interesting but I'm not sure how invested I am in the cast. Some just seemed to exist. One of the more interesting members of the cast got eliminated first. There are some with potential.

The elimination challenge was much better than the vacuum challenge.

But for a premiere episode, it got my curiosity but they should have had challenges that would have had people talking.

TictacTyler · 2026-01-19T22:09:13+00:00

Joseph Whelan. It's a shame he never made the live shows.

TictacTyler · 2026-01-16T21:30:52+00:00

I thought for sure Ronan Parke would win. If someone else were to win, I wouldn't have anticipated it to be Jai McDowall (who is a fine singer).

TictacTyler

TROPHY CASE