Right As Usual

I'm really finding it hard to understand the fools misguided useful idiots wonderful, humanitarian secular saints that want Tookie to live - so he can serve as a living example of the power of redemption. Let me understand this - he was convicted by a jury of American citizens, who apparently felt the evidence was overwhelmingly against him. While in prison, he writes childrens' stories, warning kids against the "hood" lifestyle. For this, the "usual suspects" (see below) want him to be kept from dying according to the sentence given him as a result of his own actions. And, why would that be? So he can continue to write self-serving *&^%$# like this : So today I apologize to you all -- the children of America and South Africa -- who must cope every day with dangerous street gangs. I no longer participate in the so-called gangster lifestyle, and I deeply regret that I ever did. As a contribution to the struggle to end child-on-child brutality and bla...

From US News , the December 5, 2005 issue, comes a story by David E. Kaplan about how the jihadist groups are financing their terrorist attacks. The story, “Paying for Terror”, points to the ties between terrorists and organized crime. There are three main ways terrorists get their cash: drugs illegal aliens and other forms of people smuggling fraud The drug dealers aren’t just Afghanis moving opium, or Columbians hustling cocaine, but include other drugs, including ecstasy. According to the article, The prime training ground for Europe’s jihadist criminals may well be prison. There are no hard numbers, but as much as half of France’s prison population is now believed to be Muslim. Al Qaeda is an exception to the drug involvement, according to the report. Long ago, al Qaeda strategists reasoned that drug trafficking would expose them to possible detection, captives have told U.S. interrogators. They also don’t trust many of the big drug barons, intelligence officials say, and have enc...

Kat of The Middle Ground has a devastating satire that really hits the mark. Are you down and out? Did you graduate from university, but can't find a job? Are you living in your mother's basement and hanging at the souq all day? Do you have to beg your father for money just to get a few hits of the hookah? Do you see yourself going nowhere? Do you believe that it is somebody else who is responsible for your condition? Have you prayed to Allah (pbuh) for assistance, but all you hear is silence punctuated by the laughter of the young girls in half shirts and talking on their cell phones? If this sounds familiar, then we have a unique opportunity for you. We want you to join our global franchise: Terrorism Inc. This unique opportunity will not last forever. Terrorists come and go, but a successful terrorist lives on forever. The rest is even sharper - I'm immediately adding Kat to the Blogroll. Tags = News and Politics

I've been feeling strangely disconnected from world events. Part of that is my lack of a TV (people ask "how do you manage" in a very perplexed tone, but I smile and answer "I really don't miss it at all"). Part of it is also my focus on my husband's health - when someone close to you is endangered, literally nothing else matters. One of my favorite blogs, The Anchoress , posted on that very same issue. The world is spinning. The people who belong to the world - both left and right - are spinning themselves into sickness. Simple centrifugal force has cast them far from sense and centrality and stuck them onto walls of extremism from which they cannot peel themselves free. I don’t believe they all like it there, against the walls, but this is what their willful spin hath wrought, and movement has been rendered impossible, and so they twirl and twirl and twirl away. As for me - I just spent nearly two weeks away from the spinning, and now I realize what...

I noted yesterday that I'd slipped on the TTLB rating system again. Not surprising, I've been posting less regularly since my husband's illness (he's MUCH better now). Another complication is that I share a dial-up connection. We can't get out cable connection active until we get the modem box, which is still in freaking Massachusetts, with all Bao's other stuff. Sigh. Long, deep sigh. Well, fortunately, I don't take my status as An Adorable Rodent all that seriously. Face it, unless a blogger is making a serious amount of cash on ads, who reads your stuff is more a matter of ego than importance. And I have a VERY healthy ego. Probably totally undeserved, but, there you are. I have more pressing concerns right now. I am on the eve of the end of one of the worst hurricane seasons EVER - boy, can I pick the right time to move to the hurricane belt! A brutal and record-setting hurricane season that repeatedly pounded the United States, devastated the l...

The Sheila Variations is doing another of her Old Classics turns. This time, it's Casablanca. I've watched it about once a year for over 20 years. I came to the film late in life. Funny, because I used to stay up late to catch the Humphrey Bogart Friday films on Channel 19 in Cleveland, back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The station would show one movie star's films each week, until it had cycled through the entire career. Then, it would feature another star's films for a while. Don't quite know why I never saw Casablanca. I had a lively social life at the time, as I was then single. Maybe I just never happened to be free on those nights it was showing. Recently, I had a student ask me if I was familiar with the film. I responded by saying "I'm shocked, SHOCKED to hear that gambling is taking place in here!" He said back, "But, that's from the movie!" Apparently, he felt that he had been the only one to see this amazing mo...

I fully intended to spend some time tonight checking out the action on the Web, and churning out a whole series of posts. I wandered around the MSM sites, checked out some quirky references (nothing came of it), and meandered around, trying to find something interesting to post about. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. There's just not a lot out there. Cripes, you know it's a dead night for excitement when the Democratic Party doesn't even have anything on their site to inflame their sensibilities. To tell the truth, I had just about given up on finding anything of note today - then I read John Derbyshire on Thanksgiving : If the New Horizons mission reaches Pluto intact, my entire adult life will have been encompassed by this most marvelous of all scientific adventures — the exploration of the solar system. I wouldn't have missed it for... well, for worlds. That prompts other reflections about life in these past few decades, and in the next few. The sum total of those reflecti...

I fully intended to spend some time tonight checking out the action on the Web, and churning out a whole series of posts. I wandered around the MSM sites, checked out some quirky references (nothing came of it), and meandered around, trying to find something interesting to post about. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. There's just not a lot out there. Cripes, you know it's a dead night for excitement when the Democratic Party doesn't even have anything on their site to inflame their sensibilities. To tell the truth, I had just about given up on finding anything of note today - then I read John Derbyshire on Thanksgiving : If the New Horizons mission reaches Pluto intact, my entire adult life will have been encompassed by this most marvelous of all scientific adventures — the exploration of the solar system. I wouldn't have missed it for... well, for worlds. That prompts other reflections about life in these past few decades, and in the next few. The sum total of those reflecti...

I'd not heard the term "Cyber Monday" before, but, when you think about it, it makes sense. After seeing the merchandise in person on Friday, you go to work (where most shopping is done, according to this article ) and try to beat the price. "Cyber Monday," the term coined for the Monday after Thanksgiving, comes on the heels of the busy "Black Friday" shopping day when many brick-and-mortar retailers begin turning a profit. The good news for online shoppers this year, is that "Cyber Monday" is becoming the Web shopping equivalent to "Black Friday" when retailers launch major sales and discounts to drive traffic, analysts said. I would expect this part of shopping to expand, except that Web shopping doesn't have one aspect that Americans seem to like - immediacy. You can't click on the item and walk out with it right then. I suspect that the impulse aspect will keep Web sales down just a mite, especially when you factor i...

Guess how many articles the Cleveland Plain Dealer had about the Imam Damra being arrested, and sent to Detroit, in preparation for his deportation? One. That's right. One. Somehow, it isn't news when the head of one of the largest mosques in the Midwest is arrested? And will, bearing unforseen events, be deported? And, what does the PeeDee have to say about him? Such a nice boy, can't imagine why the Gestapo ICE want to kick him out. Just kidding. What they really said: The case shocked many throughout Greater Cleveland, who viewed Damra as an example of moderate, mainstream Islam. He was often seen with local politicians and leaders of other faiths until his past came to light. Lest you think that the Imam is just another persecuted Mideastern saint-in-the-making, here's some information that the PeeDee didn't mention: In Damra's trial last year, prosecutors showed video footage of Damra and other Islamic leaders raising money for an arm of the Palestini...

Last-minute efforts to save "Tookie" from death are gearing up. The founder of the Crips gang is set to die on December 13th, by lethal injection. If we are to believe Bianca Jagger, he's but a poor lad, cruelly framed by a system out to get Black men: illiams is an African-American man railroaded by a prejudiced judicial system because he couldn't afford better lawyers, said Jagger, the first wife of Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger. Potential black jurors were kept off the jury that convicted Williams, Jagger said. Really? And, of course, it's a totally credible claim, given that nobody would lie or exaggerate to a reporter. He's had his trial. And appeals. And his thoughtful consideration of the issues. He'll even get a clemency hearing on December 8th with the Governator. Much has been written about Tookie's writing of childrens' books. How this gentle act has redeemed him. Lest you start getting misty about the sweet thought of the lit...

If you're not checking out WorldNetDaily regularly, you're missing a good thing. More than 1/2 dozen times in the last month or so, I've found stories that nobody else is carrying. Today's focus is the Homeland Security issues, expecially our leaky borders. Although the articles also reference Mid-East invaders, the main focus is on the OTHER criminals that cause the Southwest states so much trouble. An example is linked to an article in the Arizona Republic newspaper: Assaults on U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Tucson and Yuma sectors averaged about one a day in the past year, and the number of attacks there more than doubled compared with the previous year. Nationwide, the number of assaults nearly doubled, with attacks on agents based in Arizona making up more than half the incidents. This increase has a cause that should worry most Americans: The increase reflects the growing influence of organized criminal syndicates in border trafficking, officials said, and ...

I've been battling those who want to shove multiculturalism down our throats for some time. I'm not against bringing into traditional American culture the facets of our new immigrants's former countries that are part of their heritage. For many years, the American culture has benefited from the arts, music, and other traditions of the "new guys". We've broadened our cuisine, added the art and music to our playlists, and become familiar with their ways, religions, and culture. It's pretty much a one-way street for the new immigrants. They expect us to learn their ways, but decline to expand their culture to include us. They self-segregate in separate communities, are, in many cases, downright hostile to those outside their culture, and militantly insist on their "right" to keep their culture pure - no contamination from those "infidel" types. They even insist on our children learning about their culture, while trying to eliminate a...

It was a good holiday, with all the kids and grandkids present. My two brothers were also here; both are single, so it was important to bring them into the celebration. And we have much to be thankful for. I'm employed full-time; in the Greater Cleveland region, many teachers, however good and accomplished, are not. True, I had to move to SC, but I've found their welcome to be very warm. My husband is healing. He will still be on high doses of antiobiotics and antihistamines for the next few weeks, but they seem to be working. Everyone arrived safely. No accidents. With the weather outside, that was a minor miracle. Although I've been cold since I arrived, there are always blankets. And sweaters. And love to keep me warm. I'll be here for 2 more days, then back to SC again; this time, it will only be 3 weeks until I return. I have an unusually long vacation - 2 1/2 weeks at Christmas - excuse me, WINTER break. It is, of course, merely a coincidence that a cer...

I arrived home late yesterday, with snow swirling around me. What a horrible welcome from the Yankees! This morning, I got up early, and started tackling the house. Yes, after several months away, and two men (plus, briefly, a family of five, including 2 toddlers) had caused the expected chaos. The kitchen was piled high with pots and pans. 3 1/2 hours later, the stove is clear and clean, I can actually see several of the countertops, and I'm about 1/2-way through the backlog. I've also sorted mail and paperwork, and eaten. I'm almost ready for a nap. Realistically, with my husband sidelined with a painful infection, it's going to take at least 3 days just to restore order. I may not be able to achieve my plans of finding stuff to take back with me. Oh, well, there's always Christmas vacation. Tags = Family

I'm packing tonight - I'll be flying into Cleveland (Akron, actually - I got a better deal) tomorrow evening. I'm taking up my suitcases nearly empty. I plan to bring them back loaded. I probably won't have a totally great vacation - my husband is still ill, and his leg is swollen and sore. So, no wild nights - at least not TOO wild. I'll get a lot of pictures of family while I'm there. I know my youngest grandson, in particular, will have changed a lot - he's only about 9 months old, and I've been gone most of the last 3 months. I'm hoping that he hasn't forgotten me. It's been hard having one foot in both states. I'm still registered to vote in OH, but I didn't get around to sending in an application for an absentee ballot. I just had too much going on about then. I'm anxious to have my husband join me, although I know it's possible that he may not, until after this school year. I've been following the Plame/Wils...

Common Sense Runs Wild asked an interesting question: Do you comment at each blog you read? Do you comment each time you visit? Do you think it's still possible to have a civil debate in the blogosphere? If you strongly disagree with a blogger, do you think it's more rude to argue in their comments or to keep your opinion to yourself? Do drop by, and add your 2 cents to the discussion. P.S. - be sure to wish her a Happy Blogiversary - it's coming up on November 30th. Tags = Blogging

   I'm planning to put up a new Title on the blog. I'm thinking about using the logo above, and I want to see how it will display. UPDATE: Looks good.

From the WorldNetDaily comes this story about the House vote to end the war immediately. Following three hours of intense debate, the House voted this evening 403-3 to reject a non-binding resolution to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. That's a decisive victory! Responding to a call yesterday by Democratic Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania to withdraw troops from Iraq, House Republicans had scheduled a quick vote this evening to settle the issue and put lawmakers on the record. The Republican alternative read: "It is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately." It was proposed by Rep. Duncan Hunter of California. Democrats accused Republicans of changing the meaning of Murtha's proposal. The Democrat hawk has said a smooth withdrawal would take six months. House GOP leaders expected a swift rejection and that, indeed did occur. Democrats argued the vote was a political stunt but ra...

If you have any doubt that the ONLY purpose of a "living will" is to give permission for your soon-to-be next of kin to terminate your life without guilt, Bill Clinton should set that straight: The impeached president mentioned the case of Terri Schiavo, the brain-injured Florida woman who was starved to death by court order after a long legal battle between her parents and her husband, Michael. "We spend far more money on the last two months of life than any other country," Clinton noted. "And I think the only answer to that and maybe the good thing that came out of the terrible agony of the Schiavo family that we were all treated to for weeks is that amazing numbers of Americans including Hillary and me ... did living wills. We'd been wanting to do it a long time. We just kept puttin' it off and puttin' it off, and I saw that [tragedy] unfold and I said 'You know, I don't want to see Chelsea on television like that. Let's do the livin...

It seems that France is uneasy about the aftermath of the recent riots (NOTE: Officially, the riots are over. Unofficially, about 80-100 cars are torched a day. That's what the French call "back to normal". I'm just saying, 'ya know.) From Fox News, an update on the French "insurrection" Lucienne Bui Trong, former chief of France's urban violence intelligence unit, said anti-Western sentiment has been growing — and that the atmosphere created by the riots provides fertile ground for terrorism. Bui Trong said there is a familiar pattern of young people starting off in petty crime and drugs, then turning as adults to an extreme form of Islam. "We have seen a ... rise for several years of animosity directed at France," she said. Bui Trong warned of a dangerous cocktail in poor neighborhoods. The growing insularity of immigrant communities, resentment against society and the opportunity for recruitment by Islamists have created, "an i...

Oh, I actually don't dislike it. At least most of the time. Sure, it's sometimes a shock to catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror or a store window. My mental image of myself is about 10 years younger, and about 35 pounds lighter. But, in general, I like my age (54). But, for the last month or so, I've been waking up to stiff and sore hands. The other body joints respond to a few minutes of gentle stretching, and, thereafter, are flexible. Not my hands. Why is that such a big deal? My mother had rheumatoid arthritis, and spent the last 15 years of her life in a wheelchair. Her hands had the twisted appearance characteristic of that disease. It was hard to watch a woman who had used her hands (crocheting, sewing, holding a book she was reading, etc.) struggle to handle basic activities. Like her, I've enjoyed crafts for years. I spend inordinate amounts of time on the computer, particularly in blogging. Without use of my hands, I would lose out on activities th...

The Democrats are starting to gear up for an acrimonious battle over Bush's latest Supreme Courth nominee. You'd swear they never read a history book. Each battle is billed as the ultimate take-down, a righteous struggle against the forces of evil. I dunno, maybe we conservatives are all that. Then, again, maybe not. Funny, although conservatives can't use a liberal's opinions as the last word on their politial leanings, it seems to be not only possible, but, indeed mandatory to leap like a starving dieter on the least indication that the nominee won't genuflect before Roe v. Wade. Tags = News and Politics

My husband was admitted yesterday to the hospital for observation. They are working on the assumption that the problem is an infection, but a blood clot is a possibility. I talked to him last night, but I'm waiting until later to call him, as he probably needs his sleep. The French seem content with the situation - car torchings are down, but school Burnings are up - call it the Muslim Law of Conservation of Incineration CNN News Overnight, the number of car-torchings -- a barometer of the unrest -- dropped dramatically, with youths setting fire to 284 vehicles, compared to 374 the previous night, police said Monday. "The lull is confirmed," national police spokesman Patrick Hamon said. A week ago, 1,400 cars were incinerated in a single night. Hey, if they're happy with the status quo, who am I to judge?

No, not my health issues, but family members. My husband may have a blood clot in his leg, another family member just left surgery. I feel torn by the conflicting demands, but I'm committed to staying here in SC. At least, I'll be able to spend some time with my family on Thanksgiving week. I fly home Tuesday, and stay until Sunday. I can't say that I'm impressed with the news about the latest polls showing Bush slumping: The country appears to be split on whether Bush is a strong president and whether or not Americans personally like him. When asked about his abilities, 49 percent of those surveyed said he was a strong president and 49 percent said he was a weak leader. About 50 percent of people polled said they disliked Bush, with 6 percent claiming to hate the president. Bush's overall approval mark matched the 37 percent rating of newly elected President Clinton in June 1993. Now, let me get this straight - Bush is currently, after considerable efforts by D...

I just wasted about ½ hour writing a post.  My computer froze up, and I had to do a “hard re-boot”. That meant unplugging it and taking out the battery. It doesn’t happen that often, but, when it does, it’s invariably when I’m in the middle of writing a long post, filled with links, pictures, and complicated formatting. Naturally, I lost everything.  I never back up when it’s crucial. It’s just another reason to do my initial writing in Word, and post directly from there. At least it’s relatively easy to back up. Not to mention spell-check on the fly. And – hey, why DO I bother to write a post directly in Blogger anymore? I was commenting on the French riots.  Although the MSM has reported that the violence is diminishing, it sure doesn’t seem like it to me. The BBC reports that Groups of boys and young men still hang around outside the area's shops and cafes and treat strangers with deep suspicion, if not outright hostility. Although some complain t...

Personal Update I have a roommate.  He’s a Physics teacher, new to this area, and an old friend.  I was the one who first recommended him for the job, so I feel a personal interest in helping him get settled.  My husband was in town this weekend, helping him move in.  He’s made a commitment to speeding up his move down here, maybe as early as January. My husband put in a bid on a house we like.  It’s 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, large kitchen, utility room, pantry, and, of course bath.  Which last is too small.  It may be our first home remodeling project. The attraction that sold us is the separate building for a shop.  It’s a former flower shop, with a separate room in the back for a large office.  My new roommate is also a nationally certified nail technician, so he’s interested in renting it for a sideline business. Yeah, I know, that last sentence made you pause and read again. ...

On Friday, I will have to go to work, as usual. What public ceremonies are available, I don't yet know. I will, however, at 11:11, pause class for a few moments, as my part in remembering the men and women of the Armed Forces. If you have the money, a good rememberance would be to donate to: Any Soldier Military links include: The Military Outpost Blackfive Project Valour IT - they provide laptops for wounded military, including voice-activated software, which makes it possible for those missing limbs or rehabbing injuries to keep in touch with the outside world. There are more worthy mili-blogs, but I'm running out of time. Besides, my sweetie is, as I type this, on the road to me. He will, God willing, be here sometime tomorrow evening (early, I hope), and we will spend a precious few days together. We still haven't managed to work out the logistics and finances for him to move down here with me. But, I have hopes that we will soon solve those problems. Until then...

From CNN: Monday night in Toulouse, young people ordered passengers off a bus and then set it ablaze. Local officials said the city elected not to impose restrictions on the movement of young people there as it was authorized to do by the government Tuesday after nightly rioting raged in several cities across the country for nearly two weeks. Well, I'm so GLAD that the French didn't decide to seem, er, what's the word, DRACONIAN, yeah, that's it - draconian about their crackdown. After, the law-abiding citizens are only having their cars set ablaze. The public transport is assaulted regularly. And the people responsible for keeping the peace are afraid to use force. They oughta try hiring the "insurgent youths" - they seem to have no qualms about using force. But, hey, good news - there were only 3/7ths as many cars flambe as on Saturday, before the violence petered out. Well, not exactly petered out - that's still 600 cars providing their contribution...

I’m testing out the new add-on for Blogger.  It lets you use Word to create the post.  If you can see this, you’ll know it worked.

If there's another writer whose political commentary is so quoted as Mark Steyn , I'd like to know who it could possibly be. The French have been here before, of course. Seven-thirty-two. Not 7:32 Paris time, which is when the nightly Citroen-torching begins, but 732 A.D. -- as in one and a third millennia ago. By then, the Muslims had advanced a thousand miles north of Gibraltar to control Spain and southern France up to the banks of the Loire. In October 732, the Moorish general Abd al-Rahman and his Muslim army were not exactly at the gates of Paris, but they were within 200 miles, just south of the great Frankish shrine of St. Martin of Tours. Somewhere on the road between Poitiers and Tours, they met a Frankish force and, unlike other Christian armies in Europe, this one held its ground ''like a wall . . . a firm glacial mass,'' as the Chronicle of Isidore puts it. A week later, Abd al-Rahman was dead, the Muslims were heading south, and the French general,...

French officials are speaking the party line - they are saying that the insurgent attacks (love using that phrase) are NOT organized at a high level, but at a lower level. Hamon told The Associated Press that arsonists were moving beyond their heavily policed neighborhoods to less protected areas. "They are very mobile, in cars or scooters. ... It is quite hard to combat," Hamon told AP. "Most are young, very young, we have even seen young minors." There appeared to be no coordination between separate groups in different areas, Hamon told AP. But within gangs, youths are communicating by cell phones or e-mails. "They organize themselves, arrange meetings, some prepare the Molotov cocktails." (sigh) Sometimes, you just want them to buy a clue. The Rational Part of Earth to France! - the gangs are the organization! Did you learn nothing from watching the US during the Sixties? Or Ireland during their struggle for freedom? Or the Soviet Union? Or YOU...

The French don't seem able to stop the rioting. And the rioters have learnt from the French example of protest against, oh, say for example, US troops in Iraq, that it's the defenders of the peace that are the REAL problem: one of the dead teens' brothers -- wearing a T-shirt that read "Dead for Nothing" -- said the police were causing trouble, not stopping it. "The minister of the interior (Nicolas Sarkozy) must get rid of his troops. They are nothing but a provocation. If they go, I think the neighborhoods will remain calm," said the brother, Siaca Traore. Naturally. If France but cedes any involvement in civil control over the areas in volved in uprising, why, of course, they will immediately cease their activities. In fact, they will, of course, at that point, totally embrace the French values, language, and learn to love EVERYTHING French. But, first, the French have to leave. Their own !@#$%^&*( country. That'll happen. Right. At the...

From CNN is this story about the French insurrection in the ghettoes Witnesses in Aulnay-sous-Bois said three TV journalists -- from France 2 -- were insulted and physically attacked. East of Paris, paramedics responding to a call in Meaux were attacked, and a Molotov cocktail thrown at their ambulance. I have a feeling that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Fox News is still calling these riots, although they are fast attaining the level of outright civil war. Widespread riots across impoverished areas of France took a malevolent turn in a ninth night of violence, as youths torched an ambulance and stoned medical workers coming to the aid of a sick person. Authorities arrested more than 200 people, an unprecedented sweep since the beginning of the unrest. Only 200 people arrested? Something tells me that this is not going to stop soon. From Time Magazine , The rapid spread of the violence showed that it was about more than the death of the two teenagers. Unemployment in many of ...

I found the picture below on The Officers' Club , a blog run by members of the military. I found a reference to them on Vodkapundit , checked the site out, and decided to add them to the blogroll. The picture's from the Defense Dept's web site, and shows North and South Korea at night. The picture says it all. Tags = [tagname]

From the above link comes the cartoon below (and more). That cartoon is just a sample - there's more on the blog. I'm adding him to the blogroll. Tags = Blogging

I found this reference to rigged polls on Betsy's Page (if you haven't checked her out, do so now). Apparently, the AP, ABC, and CBS are stacking the sample with Democrats, young people, and the unemployed. There should be a HUGE fine for this kind of fraud foisted (love that word) upon the public. Tags = Media and News and Politics

I've been running around madly for the last three days. I'm at a convention for science in Myrtle Beach. It's been great, but hectic. Although I have wireless, I've frankly been just too tired to even think about creating a post. But, I got to bed at a reasonable time, woke early and packed. So, I have no responsibilities for another hour, and can just catch up on stuff. If you have a desire to see what I've been doing, there are some pictures at Technology in Teaching . The only thing I wanted to do that I didn't is to spend some time on the beach. It does seem a shame to be this close, and yet not visit. This weekend, I'm planning on catching up on planning my lessons for the rest of the grading period. I'll need to assemble equipment and materials, download the video and graphics, and prepare lab instructions. In between, I plan to catch up on sleep. Tags = Blogging

If you look at the bottom of the page, you'll notice that I just passed 5,000 visitors since March 12 of this year. I found that sitemeter to be a little more reliable than the other on the sidebar. Either way, I'll had a great year, more friends coming around than I ever anticipated when I started this blog. Even though I've only met a few in person, I feel connected in a way non-bloggers can't understand. Over the next year, I hope to carve out some time to go to some of the blogging events, and get to know them, FTF. Tags = Blogging

When I moved to SC, I was able to get a temporary license to teach science. But, it was dependent on my passing a test - the PRAXIS II. In SC, they don't have a General Science certification, they just have a Chemistry/Physics or Biology/Physics certification. Knowing that I don't know squat about most Bio topics, I chose to bone up on Chemistry (about 20+ years since I had a class), and, with a month's preparation (minus a few weekends when I goofed off), I went into the test. It started off fine, honest it did. I sailed right through the first page or so, and was beginning to feel a little cocky. Then, I selected answer E. And discovered that the answer sheet was only A through D. I wrote about this when it happened, around September 19th. I won't re-hash it, except to say that passing, given the situation, seems, to me, a pure miracle. Mind you, I didn't pass with a lot of points to spare. But I passed. Thank you, Jesus. Tags = Education