Commuting With The Peloton

 What I see.

What I see in my mind.

Welcome To The Pastafarian Academy

Valarie Hodges is an elected state official representing Louisiana's District 64 in the state legislature. She voted for HB 976--and the legislature passed it--which creates a voucher program allowing students to attend schools run by religious organizations. She was dismayed to learn that "religious" includes more than the church she goes to.

“I actually support funding for teaching the fundamentals of America’s Founding Fathers’ religion, which is Christianity, in public schools or private schools,” the District 64 Representative said Monday. “I liked the idea of giving parents the option of sending their children to a public school or a Christian school,” Hodges said. Hodges mistakenly assumed that “religious” meant “Christian.”

"Unfortunately it will not be limited to the Founders' religion," Hodges said. "We need to insure that it does not open the door to fund radical Islam schools. There are a thousand Muslim schools that have sprung up recently. I do not support using public funds for teaching Islam anywhere here in Louisiana."

Never mind that the Founders had varying and differing beliefs quite unlike the lock-step belief system Representative Hodges subscribes to. Louisiana's public school system is ranked #49 in the nation. A thousand Muslims schools in Louisiana would easily move them up a couple of notches. Instead, they're playing Follow The Leader on a quest for the big five-oh.

Independence Day

No work and no school means kids in the pool.

No More Tears

A guaranteed method of comfortable onion chopping as demonstrated by Josh wearing his chemistry class safety goggles.

Take The Long Way Home

I have a few pounds I need to lose so I'm taking longer routes to and from work. A benefit of that is the change of scenery.

Work on the Iron Bridge is in progress and is supposed to be completed in August.

I was riding north on Cincinnati and saw something unusual. I sped up to catch up with this young man. Why? Because I carry a camera just for occasions like this. He sat backwards on his bike and rode for blocks. Pretty impressive.

Why Use Your Brain?

Maybe you've heard about the Texas Republican Party Platform (PDF) which contains this gem of a plank:

Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

And if you want to see what happens when you don't use critical thinking skills just read the rest of the platform. Privatize Social Security, get rid of the minimum wage, no to the United Nations Agenda 21, no homosexuality, no sex education beyond abstinence, and support Israel because of God's biblical promise to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse it.