This blog is sad to report that Planned Parenthood is planning to create a massive facility in Downtown Houston at 4600 Gulf Freeway (I-45 & Elgin). The Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas website states that they are are "undertaking an expansion project", but avoids saying where or what size. Their little history of their organization proudly boasts their connection to Margaret Sanger, but fails to mention the more sinister side of her agenda.
Related links listed below:
TexasFamiles.org
Houston Coalition for Life
American Life League STOPP Report
The social, cultural, spiritual, political, academic, and literary rantings of a slightly strange Catholic English teacher.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
From the Off-The-Deep-End Files:
Had my mother seen this during my childhood, she would have laughed. I probably would have laughed. Actually, come to think of it, my mom would probably still get a good laugh out of this one. Time for an e-mail.
You see, I have always been a picky eater. It wasn't until my college years that I really began to become more adventurous with food, whether from my own varied racial/ethnic background or anybody else's. Maybe my childhood aversion to onions, turkey stuffing and green peppers was, in fact a sign of racial self-loathing due to my mixed caucasian and hispanic heritage.
Or maybe I was just a picky kid with a penchant for bland food.
You decide.
From BBC NEWS, 7 July 2008:
Full Article Here
I wonder how these people would interpret a child's dislike of foods from her own culture?
Amy also has some worthwhile things to say on the matter.
You see, I have always been a picky eater. It wasn't until my college years that I really began to become more adventurous with food, whether from my own varied racial/ethnic background or anybody else's. Maybe my childhood aversion to onions, turkey stuffing and green peppers was, in fact a sign of racial self-loathing due to my mixed caucasian and hispanic heritage.
Or maybe I was just a picky kid with a penchant for bland food.
You decide.
From BBC NEWS, 7 July 2008:
Nursery alert for racist toddlers
| |
Nursery staff must be alert for racist remarks among toddlers, a government-sponsored agency report has said.
The National Children's Bureau guide, Young Children and Racial Justice, is meant to help identify potentially racist attitudes in youngsters.
It is an umbrella group for bodies working with children and young people in England and Northern Ireland.
The 336-page guide said staff should investigate the reasons behind apparent racial prejudice.
Name-calling
It said: "A child may react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying, 'Yuck!"'.
That may indicate a lack of familiarity with that particular food, or "more seriously a reaction to a food associated with people from a particular ethnic or cultural community".
It also warned: "Racist incidents among children in early-years settings tend to be around name-calling, casual thoughtless comments and peer group relationships."
Full Article Here
I wonder how these people would interpret a child's dislike of foods from her own culture?
Amy also has some worthwhile things to say on the matter.
Eu-Cat-astrophe!
Couldn't resist a little pun there.
This week, we welcomed a little ginger tabby kitten into our home. He has been an endless source of entertainment.
Pictures may be forthcoming.
This week, we welcomed a little ginger tabby kitten into our home. He has been an endless source of entertainment.
Pictures may be forthcoming.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Language Crimes and Murder by Boredom.
I loved watching the Prime Minister's questions when Tony Blair was in office, sheerly for the fun of watching the lively verbal thrashings British statesmen give each other. It was so interesting to see them have actual conversations that required wit, as well as familiarity with what (appeared to one not intimately familiar with British politics) to be halfway decent evidence for their arguments.
Flash over to the United States. Turn on C-span. Watch live coverage of the US House of Representatives. You'll be asleep in ten minutes after you hear the same speeches and buzzwords hypnotically repeated over and over and over and over and over...
And then there is the issue of public speaking skills.
From presidents who smoked but didn't inhale and was uncertain as to what the definition of "is" is, to the current president who, in spite of his better qualities, cannot seem to get the hang of "nuclear", we seem to have a plague of poor speaking. As if to put a the proverbial cherry on top, a certain Mr. Kucinich suggested that he had once seen a UFO.
Our two front running presidential candidates do not appear to have any intention of improving this problem.
One cannot seem to hide when he is reading from a teleprompter, thereby making an otherwise well-structured speech sound robotic. And then he accidentally said he would ban beer.
The other, however brilliant he may sound with a written speech, cannot seem to put two sentences of sense together without a script. Senator Obama did, on the occasion of his Memorial Day address say that he saw our country's "fallen heroes" in the audience. Who knew our messianic candidate was also connected to the "other side"? Then there was this instance in which he lamented the inability of children with asthma to access their "breathalyzers" (oops, make that "inhalators") .To make matters worse, his speechwriter often produces work that, while grammatical, sounds more like something my students would write than something crafted by a highly educated person with vast political experience.
Oh, yes, and if I continue to hear the words "hope" and "change" recycled more often than post-consumer paper products, I cannot be held responsible for what I may do to my television.
Yes, yes policy is more important than posturing. Substance is more important than speechmaking.
Instead of a candidate who says something badly and another who says nothing very well, I would prefer someone with both substance and wit. Perhaps a person with the common sense of G.K. Chesterton, the gentle charisma of Pope John Paul II and the wit of Tony Blair.
Or the wit of Jane Austen even. :)
Flash over to the United States. Turn on C-span. Watch live coverage of the US House of Representatives. You'll be asleep in ten minutes after you hear the same speeches and buzzwords hypnotically repeated over and over and over and over and over...
And then there is the issue of public speaking skills.
From presidents who smoked but didn't inhale and was uncertain as to what the definition of "is" is, to the current president who, in spite of his better qualities, cannot seem to get the hang of "nuclear", we seem to have a plague of poor speaking. As if to put a the proverbial cherry on top, a certain Mr. Kucinich suggested that he had once seen a UFO.
Our two front running presidential candidates do not appear to have any intention of improving this problem.
One cannot seem to hide when he is reading from a teleprompter, thereby making an otherwise well-structured speech sound robotic. And then he accidentally said he would ban beer.
The other, however brilliant he may sound with a written speech, cannot seem to put two sentences of sense together without a script. Senator Obama did, on the occasion of his Memorial Day address say that he saw our country's "fallen heroes" in the audience. Who knew our messianic candidate was also connected to the "other side"? Then there was this instance in which he lamented the inability of children with asthma to access their "breathalyzers" (oops, make that "inhalators") .To make matters worse, his speechwriter often produces work that, while grammatical, sounds more like something my students would write than something crafted by a highly educated person with vast political experience.
Oh, yes, and if I continue to hear the words "hope" and "change" recycled more often than post-consumer paper products, I cannot be held responsible for what I may do to my television.
Yes, yes policy is more important than posturing. Substance is more important than speechmaking.
Instead of a candidate who says something badly and another who says nothing very well, I would prefer someone with both substance and wit. Perhaps a person with the common sense of G.K. Chesterton, the gentle charisma of Pope John Paul II and the wit of Tony Blair.
Or the wit of Jane Austen even. :)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Oink! Planned Parenthood gets more Pork
The following May 22 story from CitizenLink is probably old news for many of you:
Think about that when you go to vote in November. First he exposed the grandmother who raised him to public ridicule just to save his political backside from the Reverend Wright issue. Now he has led other senators in using the troops to sneak in some additional support for the abortion industry.
Change we can believe in?
Thanks to a Democrat maneuver, Planned Parenthood will receive a discount from drug manufacturers in a bill designed to fund our troops.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted on an amendment to the War Supplemental Appropriations Bill. Democrats, led by Sen. Barack Obama, had inserted language to help Planned Parenthood into the domestic-spending portion of this troop-funding bill. The Senate passed the amendment 75-22.
The provision allows for groups like Planned Parenthood and university health centers to receive discounted prices from drug manufacturers for drugs like the morning-after pill, which may cause an early abortion.
"Planned Parenthood should not be receiving any federal assistance, and certainly not in a bill that’s designed to help our troops," said Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action.
Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, received $330 million in taxpayer money last year.Think about that when you go to vote in November. First he exposed the grandmother who raised him to public ridicule just to save his political backside from the Reverend Wright issue. Now he has led other senators in using the troops to sneak in some additional support for the abortion industry.
Change we can believe in?
Friday, May 9, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Blogging silence:
Wow. Has it really been almost a month since I posted here? Yikes.
Apologies for the long silence, dear readers. It's nothing personal. The trouble with blogging about life in general is that occasionally life gets so busy that one has little time for blogging.
However, once my schedule calms down, I hope to resume my online loquaciousness.
I just hope it won't be another month before that happens.
Apologies for the long silence, dear readers. It's nothing personal. The trouble with blogging about life in general is that occasionally life gets so busy that one has little time for blogging.
However, once my schedule calms down, I hope to resume my online loquaciousness.
I just hope it won't be another month before that happens.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Sisters and Squash
Houston Chronicle garden columnist and blogger Brenda Beust Smith posts on a community garden run by Dominican Sisters.
Click here to read.
Click here to read.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
No Literacy Gap in Homeschooled Boys and Girls
Let's face it. Boys and girls do not always have the same taste in literature.
Take Pride and Prejudice for example. Girls love it.
Boys often lament that it is boring and frightfully lacking in explosions. Even one or two good sword fights or a duel would be nice. Where's the blood?
The differences between boys and girls have been an issue in classrooms for some time now. For awhile, the issue was getting girls to catch up with boys. Lately, it has been the other way around.
This does not seem to be a problem for homeschoolers, however. Something for California courts and lawmakers (and the rest of us) to consider:
Why Johnny Can't Read: Schools Favor Girls
By Robert Roy Britt, LiveScience Managing Editor
The article makes two interesting points:
English educators, incidentally, are now being trained to make their classrooms more flexible in terms of literature content, allowing student interests to play a role. Some teacher educators (i.e. people who teach other teachers how to teach) are also emphasizing methods other than "reader response" (the method Kleinfeld describes above), and encouraging deep thinking and serious literary criticism.
While it is tempting (especially if one is dealing with a classroom full of barely literate high schoolers) to stick to reader response because it is "easier", I find that kids often respond better when they feel like their teachers are actually teaching them something different and interesting. Even students whose reading skills are below grade level can benefit from instruction on various approaches to literary criticism. The benefit is that when they master these new skills, they have the psychological reward of "feeling smart" and this tends to create greater interest in the curriculum. Kids want to be challenged.
The beauty of homeschooling is that children get customized instruction from their parents, who in most cases are devoted to their education and work very hard to give them the best instruction possible. While there are also advantages to the regular classroom, even small classes do not allow for the level of individual attention that students can receive in a homeschool setting, which means boys who are falling behind can be re-engaged.
So should we stop teaching Pride and Prejudice? I'm not ready to go that far yet. Classics must be read. However, perhaps it is worth changing our approach to it, to allow boys to see merit in books that possess few of the qualities one might find in an action movie.
Tip of the schoolmarm ruler to: Amy at Real Catholic
Take Pride and Prejudice for example. Girls love it.
Boys often lament that it is boring and frightfully lacking in explosions. Even one or two good sword fights or a duel would be nice. Where's the blood?
The differences between boys and girls have been an issue in classrooms for some time now. For awhile, the issue was getting girls to catch up with boys. Lately, it has been the other way around.
This does not seem to be a problem for homeschoolers, however. Something for California courts and lawmakers (and the rest of us) to consider:
Why Johnny Can't Read: Schools Favor Girls
By Robert Roy Britt, LiveScience Managing Editor
The article makes two interesting points:
...
The research, by psychology professor Judith Kleinfeld at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, finds that nearly one-quarter of high school seniors across the United States who are sons of white, college-educated parents have woeful reading skills, ranking "below basic" on a national standardized test.
"These boys cannot read a newspaper and get the main point," Kleinfeld told LiveScience. "These boys cannot read directions for how to use equipment and follow them."
And the problem is getting worse.
...
In separate research that Kleinfeld is also preparing for publication, she has possibly gotten to the root of the problem.
"Here's a fascinating fact," she said. "There is no literacy gap in home-schooled boys and girls."
"Why? In school, teachers emphasize reading literature and talking about character and feelings," she said. "This way of teaching reading does not turn boys on. Boys prefer reading nonfiction, such as history and adventure books. When they are taught at home, parents are more likely to let them follow their interests."
The research, by psychology professor Judith Kleinfeld at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, finds that nearly one-quarter of high school seniors across the United States who are sons of white, college-educated parents have woeful reading skills, ranking "below basic" on a national standardized test.
"These boys cannot read a newspaper and get the main point," Kleinfeld told LiveScience. "These boys cannot read directions for how to use equipment and follow them."
And the problem is getting worse.
...
In separate research that Kleinfeld is also preparing for publication, she has possibly gotten to the root of the problem.
"Here's a fascinating fact," she said. "There is no literacy gap in home-schooled boys and girls."
"Why? In school, teachers emphasize reading literature and talking about character and feelings," she said. "This way of teaching reading does not turn boys on. Boys prefer reading nonfiction, such as history and adventure books. When they are taught at home, parents are more likely to let them follow their interests."
English educators, incidentally, are now being trained to make their classrooms more flexible in terms of literature content, allowing student interests to play a role. Some teacher educators (i.e. people who teach other teachers how to teach) are also emphasizing methods other than "reader response" (the method Kleinfeld describes above), and encouraging deep thinking and serious literary criticism.
While it is tempting (especially if one is dealing with a classroom full of barely literate high schoolers) to stick to reader response because it is "easier", I find that kids often respond better when they feel like their teachers are actually teaching them something different and interesting. Even students whose reading skills are below grade level can benefit from instruction on various approaches to literary criticism. The benefit is that when they master these new skills, they have the psychological reward of "feeling smart" and this tends to create greater interest in the curriculum. Kids want to be challenged.
The beauty of homeschooling is that children get customized instruction from their parents, who in most cases are devoted to their education and work very hard to give them the best instruction possible. While there are also advantages to the regular classroom, even small classes do not allow for the level of individual attention that students can receive in a homeschool setting, which means boys who are falling behind can be re-engaged.
So should we stop teaching Pride and Prejudice? I'm not ready to go that far yet. Classics must be read. However, perhaps it is worth changing our approach to it, to allow boys to see merit in books that possess few of the qualities one might find in an action movie.
Tip of the schoolmarm ruler to: Amy at Real Catholic
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Natural results vs. Punisment.
Barack Obama has the following to say about Sex Education:
When it comes specifically to HIV/AIDS, the most important prevention is education, which should include -- which should include abstinence education and teaching the children -- teaching children, you know, that sex is not something casual. But it should also include -- it should also include other, you know, information about contraception because, look, I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. I don't want them punished with an STD at the age of 16. You know, so it doesn't make sense to not give them information."
Other than my disgust with the fact that his rhetoric equates childbearing and disease, I have another problem with his choice of words:
The notion that pregnancy is somehow an imposition upon a woman who consented to the act which produced it.
Time for your English Teacher to get out the American Heritage Dictionary:
pun·ish (pŭn'ĭsh) Pronunciation Key
v. pun·ished, pun·ish·ing, pun·ish·es
1. To subject to a penalty for an offense, sin, or fault.
2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense).
3. To handle roughly; hurt:
All of these definitions require a deliberate, willful imposition upon the offender by an outside force--a penalty which would not otherwise exist without such a willful imposition. For example, if one commits murder, one is (hopefully) sent to prison.
Then there are the natural consequences of our actions. Eating ice cream too fast leads to brain freeze. Touching fire means getting burned. Excess sun exposure can lead to skin cancer.
Let us turn to literature for a more relevant example.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery and finds herself pregnant. She is punished for her crime with endless hours standing upon a scaffold, and afterward a scarlet letter A (for adulteress) which she must wear on her clothing for the rest of her life.
Her daughter is not a punishment. Her daughter is a fact of life. One which helps her to endure her punishment I might add.
Nobody gets put on trial, and given an STD by the court for having promiscuous sex. Parents do not give their daughters babies the same way they might ground them or take away the car keys.
Obama's language is very telling. To say that he doesn't want his daughters "punished" with a baby if they make the mistake of having sex as teens is like saying he doesn't want his daughters to be "punished" with ignorance if they choose not to go to school. It is like saying he doesn't want them to be "punished" with hangovers if they party too hard in college.
In my professional experience, parents who try to keep their kids from being "punished" with the natural consequences of their actions often raise spoiled children. Not only are these children spoiled, they are almost entirely incapable of taking care of themselves in real life situations. Why? Because they have never had the benefit of learning from experiences. It starts with smaller things usually. Think about the kinds of behavior we see in an episode of Supernanny. Have a tantrum, and get your way. Break a toy? Mom and dad replace it. Don't do your homework? Blame (and even sue) the teacher for your failing grades. Can't manage your money? Don't worry, your parents can always send you some. Flunk out of college? Live with mom and dad, rent free at the age of 35. Get arrested for drunk driving? Mom and Dad bail you out.
You get the picture.
Now I am not saying that this is Obama's parenting style. I hope it isn't. While it is wonderful when parents can raise their children to avoid mistakes, even the best parents have children that go astray. Fortunately, it is how we respond to the natural consequences of our mistakes that allows us to become better people.
An immature teenager who becomes pregnant as a result of a stupid decision has an occasion she can rise to. Becoing a mother can even help a teenager to become more mature. Believe me, it is possible. I have seen it happen. Sheltering kids from the natural consequences of their actions instead of teaching them how to deal with those consequences deprives them of an opportunity to grow.
But, Senator Obama is probably the most pro-abortion person in the senate (even voting against medical care for infants accidentally born alive during an abortion). If that does not convince you, have a look at this speech, which he gave before the Planned Parenthood action fund in July of 2007.
Taken together with his record, the subtext of his comments is that if his daughter does make a mistake, and ends up pregnant as a result, he still will not want her "punished" with a baby. It would appear that his faith in his daughters' capacity to learn from mistakes, as well as his faith in any of our daughters, is ultimately limited.
I also wonder, would he want his daughter to get information like this? Or this?
When it comes specifically to HIV/AIDS, the most important prevention is education, which should include -- which should include abstinence education and teaching the children -- teaching children, you know, that sex is not something casual. But it should also include -- it should also include other, you know, information about contraception because, look, I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. I don't want them punished with an STD at the age of 16. You know, so it doesn't make sense to not give them information."
Other than my disgust with the fact that his rhetoric equates childbearing and disease, I have another problem with his choice of words:
The notion that pregnancy is somehow an imposition upon a woman who consented to the act which produced it.
Time for your English Teacher to get out the American Heritage Dictionary:
pun·ish (pŭn'ĭsh) Pronunciation Key
v. pun·ished, pun·ish·ing, pun·ish·es
1. To subject to a penalty for an offense, sin, or fault.
2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense).
3. To handle roughly; hurt:
All of these definitions require a deliberate, willful imposition upon the offender by an outside force--a penalty which would not otherwise exist without such a willful imposition. For example, if one commits murder, one is (hopefully) sent to prison.
Then there are the natural consequences of our actions. Eating ice cream too fast leads to brain freeze. Touching fire means getting burned. Excess sun exposure can lead to skin cancer.
Let us turn to literature for a more relevant example.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery and finds herself pregnant. She is punished for her crime with endless hours standing upon a scaffold, and afterward a scarlet letter A (for adulteress) which she must wear on her clothing for the rest of her life.
Her daughter is not a punishment. Her daughter is a fact of life. One which helps her to endure her punishment I might add.
Nobody gets put on trial, and given an STD by the court for having promiscuous sex. Parents do not give their daughters babies the same way they might ground them or take away the car keys.
Obama's language is very telling. To say that he doesn't want his daughters "punished" with a baby if they make the mistake of having sex as teens is like saying he doesn't want his daughters to be "punished" with ignorance if they choose not to go to school. It is like saying he doesn't want them to be "punished" with hangovers if they party too hard in college.
In my professional experience, parents who try to keep their kids from being "punished" with the natural consequences of their actions often raise spoiled children. Not only are these children spoiled, they are almost entirely incapable of taking care of themselves in real life situations. Why? Because they have never had the benefit of learning from experiences. It starts with smaller things usually. Think about the kinds of behavior we see in an episode of Supernanny. Have a tantrum, and get your way. Break a toy? Mom and dad replace it. Don't do your homework? Blame (and even sue) the teacher for your failing grades. Can't manage your money? Don't worry, your parents can always send you some. Flunk out of college? Live with mom and dad, rent free at the age of 35. Get arrested for drunk driving? Mom and Dad bail you out.
You get the picture.
Now I am not saying that this is Obama's parenting style. I hope it isn't. While it is wonderful when parents can raise their children to avoid mistakes, even the best parents have children that go astray. Fortunately, it is how we respond to the natural consequences of our mistakes that allows us to become better people.
An immature teenager who becomes pregnant as a result of a stupid decision has an occasion she can rise to. Becoing a mother can even help a teenager to become more mature. Believe me, it is possible. I have seen it happen. Sheltering kids from the natural consequences of their actions instead of teaching them how to deal with those consequences deprives them of an opportunity to grow.
But, Senator Obama is probably the most pro-abortion person in the senate (even voting against medical care for infants accidentally born alive during an abortion). If that does not convince you, have a look at this speech, which he gave before the Planned Parenthood action fund in July of 2007.
Taken together with his record, the subtext of his comments is that if his daughter does make a mistake, and ends up pregnant as a result, he still will not want her "punished" with a baby. It would appear that his faith in his daughters' capacity to learn from mistakes, as well as his faith in any of our daughters, is ultimately limited.
I also wonder, would he want his daughter to get information like this? Or this?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Smoke and Mirrors...
The first is a story about an ordinary elderly woman who finds the Holy Grail under an old fur coat at a second hand store, and purchases it, knowing what it is, only because she thinks it would look good on the mantelpiece. Amazingly, her ordinary life, and her apparent determination to live it as such, is no further disturbed when a young knight, complete with shining armor, shows up at her front door, looking for it. Not exactly what one thinks of as a Grail adventure, but Neil Gaiman specializes in the delightfully unexpected.
The volume also contains a rather twisted version of the Santa Claus story, in only 100 words, excluding the title, and a story of a Black Cat who, rather than bringing bad luck, as might be expected, risks his own life to save a family from evil.
Maybe one of these days I'll post some more detailed comments about some of these little gems. In the meantime, I recommend having a read. :)
Word choices
Sometimes what is meant to be angry diplomacy becomes a mere statement of the obvious.
For instance, as far as I know, Baptism is always and by definition a "deliberate" kind of thing. I have yet to hear of one happening by accident, at any rate.
In many cases, as I'm certain many Catholic converts can personally attest, Baptism is occasionally also "provocative" to many outside observers, especially when they have any emotional stake in the status of the person being baptized.
That, as Forrest Gump would say, is all I have to say about that.
Tip of the ruler to: Tito
For instance, as far as I know, Baptism is always and by definition a "deliberate" kind of thing. I have yet to hear of one happening by accident, at any rate.
In many cases, as I'm certain many Catholic converts can personally attest, Baptism is occasionally also "provocative" to many outside observers, especially when they have any emotional stake in the status of the person being baptized.
That, as Forrest Gump would say, is all I have to say about that.
Tip of the ruler to: Tito
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter!
Ortanne Laivino! Anwa ortanne Laivino!
Christus surrexit! Surrexit vere!
The Gospels...contain many marvels--peculiarly artistic, beautiful, and moving: "mythical" in their perfect, self-contained significance, and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe. But this story has entered history and the primary world... The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. .... There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many skeptical men have accepted as true on its own merits. for the Art of it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary art, that is, of Creation. ...
It is not difficult to imagine the peculiar excitement and joy that one would feel, if any specially beautiful fairy-story were found to be "primarily" true, its narrative to be history, without thereby necessarily losing the mythical or allegorical significance that it had possessed. ... The joy would have exactly the same quality, if not the same degree,as the joy which the "turn" in a fairy story gives: such joy has the very taste of primary truth. But this story is supreme' and it is true. Art has been verified. God is the lord of angels, and of men--and of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories
Christus surrexit! Surrexit vere!
The Gospels...contain many marvels--peculiarly artistic, beautiful, and moving: "mythical" in their perfect, self-contained significance, and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe. But this story has entered history and the primary world... The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. .... There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many skeptical men have accepted as true on its own merits. for the Art of it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary art, that is, of Creation. ...
It is not difficult to imagine the peculiar excitement and joy that one would feel, if any specially beautiful fairy-story were found to be "primarily" true, its narrative to be history, without thereby necessarily losing the mythical or allegorical significance that it had possessed. ... The joy would have exactly the same quality, if not the same degree,as the joy which the "turn" in a fairy story gives: such joy has the very taste of primary truth. But this story is supreme' and it is true. Art has been verified. God is the lord of angels, and of men--and of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.
--J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories
Photo by Aaron
Sunday, March 16, 2008
A post that isn't about homeschooling.
Another fun kitty video, via Crazy Kitties!
You cat lovers out there may have also seen the "Wake Up Call" video by the same comic genius that put this little gem together. If you haven't, go watch it.
You cat lovers out there may have also seen the "Wake Up Call" video by the same comic genius that put this little gem together. If you haven't, go watch it.
Weak, weak weak.
Now, if we are dealing with a situation of which officials disapprove but can do nothing about, resolutions make sense.
But, in light of certain recent court rulings, legislative action, like say, getting the ball rolling for an amendment to the California Constitution to protect the rights of parents to educate their own children, might be better.
Sending a "please, sir, I'd like some more" signal to the court just doesn't strike the right chord here.
Getting down to business and fixing an obvious shortcoming in the current law would make more sense.
But that's the problem.
Knowing the antics of the California legislature during my residence in said state, I believe that if someone proposed action that would really protect home schooling, it wouldn't get as many votes as a do-nothing resolution.
That's the real catch.
As a body, the California legislature does not want to do anything about this that badly.
Didn't I predict that the legislature would be no help here?
I challenge them to prove me wrong.
Tip of the Ruler to: Tito
Monday, March 10, 2008
Home Schooling: Not just for Conservatives!
My anonymous Oakland commenter from my last post on the recent Home School ruling in California may not know this:
Democrats Homeschool, Too!
The California ruling does not merely apply to "fear-mongering" Christians. It will also effect people who home school for other reasons. While certain people may be rejoicing that Christians who homeschool for religious reasons may now have to send their kids to schools that will undermine the beliefs they are trying to teach their children, they should stop and think before they crow too loud.
By the way, it happens that the cost of living in the Bay area is such that it is especially difficult there to pay both your rent and your credentialed tutor in the same month.
Similar link:
Progressive Homeschoolers of Florida.
Democrats Homeschool, Too!
The California ruling does not merely apply to "fear-mongering" Christians. It will also effect people who home school for other reasons. While certain people may be rejoicing that Christians who homeschool for religious reasons may now have to send their kids to schools that will undermine the beliefs they are trying to teach their children, they should stop and think before they crow too loud.
By the way, it happens that the cost of living in the Bay area is such that it is especially difficult there to pay both your rent and your credentialed tutor in the same month.
Similar link:
Progressive Homeschoolers of Florida.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
California homschoolers: Time to move!
- The state of California does not require private school teachers to have credentials, which means this ruling demands more of homeschooling parents than it does of other private educators.
- Not every child benefits from classroom instruction. Some need a level of personal attention that is simply not available , even in the most well-run classroom with the most brilliant of credentialed teachers. Any credentialed teacher worth his or her salt is aware of this--the fact that every child learns differently is repeatedly emphasized in most reputable teaching programs.
- Many parents home school because they lack the means to send their children to private institutions, and do not believe the public schools available to them will meet the needs of their children for developmental, academic, or ideological reasons. If this ruling goes into effect, only the wealthy will be able to choose whether their children are publicly or privately educated. Can we say class discrimination?
- Home schooling, as it is done in most households I am aware of, is a full time activity for the parents, especially when multiple children are involved.
- California does not give lifetime teaching credentials. Every five years, California credential holders must apply to renew their certificates. This requires at least one semester of employment in a school, in addition to the completion of professional development hours. In order to maintain their credentials, homeschooling parents would be forced to spend at least several months every five years outside the home (and therefore unable to spend sufficient time educating their own children) in order to maintain their certification.
- Did I mention that credential programs cost massive amounts of time and money? Another difficulty for homeschooling families who make financial sacrifices so one parent can stay home and educate their children. I don't even want to mention how much I had to take out in loans to pay for mine. Let's just say I'm still paying them off, and not even close to being done. Not even by half.
- Credentials do not gaurantee quality teachers. Lack of credential does not mean a person has no teaching skills. As G.K. Chesterton so eloquently put it, "There are two kinds of charlatan: the man who is called a charlatan, and the man who really is one. The first is the quack who cures you; the second is the highly qualified person who doesn't."
- Education is most beneficial when it is backed up with lessons in self-discipline, hard work, and love of learning at home. Parents, regardless of their own educational level, who do not behave as parents are going to raise ignorant children whether they choose home, public, or private education. I have personally witnessed copious examples of this problem in kids who are taught in all three of these venues.
According to the San Francisco Gate, this ruling has received applause from the California Teacher's Association (CTA) During my days as a (reluctant) member of this illustrious organization, I witnessed in its members displays of unbridled contempt for parents, especially those who home school. In keeping with this pattern, CTA also opposes laws requiring parental consent (or even merely informing parents) before a minor obtains an abortion).
Never mind the sub-prime mortgage crisis. If I were home schooling in California right now, I would leave the state fast if this were not quickly overturned by a higher court, or overruled by legislation.
I wouldn't count on legislation, though. Most of the members of the California legislature are on the same page as the CTA.
I am also forced to wonder if the ruling might have been different if the family concerned chose to homeschool because they found the public system too Christian or too conservative?
In the News:
San Francisco Gate
Los Angeles Times
Sacramento Bee
Fox News
Christianity Today
LifeSite News
California Catholic Daily
In the blogs:
Modern Commentaries
Michelle Malkin
Court opinions:
The opinions for In re RACHEL L. et al. are available to the public at Courtinfo.ca.gov
Read the original opinion in this ruling in PDF format or as a Word document (*.doc). (I may post some more specific responses to this in the near future)
Tip of the ruler to: Amy, Tito
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Is Barack Obama The Messiah?
Check out this satirical blog, which examines the mania surrounding the Obama campaign.
Even Hillary Clinton has been picking up on this.
I'm still praying neither one of them will be president.
Even Hillary Clinton has been picking up on this.
I'm still praying neither one of them will be president.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Trees sentenced to death for shading solar panels
Which is more important? Preserving carbon-reducing trees, or maximizing the use of (carbon footprint minimizing) alternative energy sources?
In my home state of California, a six year legal battle ended when the court ruled that a couple must cut down redwood trees on their property that deprived their neighbor's solar panels of the light that makes their existence meaningful. (Read the story here.)
Once again, environmentalist principles have left people stuck between a rock and a hard place, pitting one of nature's largest and most beautiful trees against a synthetic device meant (perhaps ironically) to help mankind take advantage of what nature has to offer.
In this case, technology won, which means another manufactured device will soon be used to sacrifice these trees for the sake of our efforts to preserve the planet for their leafy bretheren.
It just goes to show that you can't make a vegan tofu scramble without killing a few soybeans.
---------------------------------------------
Related: Redwood National Park.
---------------------------------------------
In other news:
In my home state of California, a six year legal battle ended when the court ruled that a couple must cut down redwood trees on their property that deprived their neighbor's solar panels of the light that makes their existence meaningful. (Read the story here.)
Once again, environmentalist principles have left people stuck between a rock and a hard place, pitting one of nature's largest and most beautiful trees against a synthetic device meant (perhaps ironically) to help mankind take advantage of what nature has to offer.
In this case, technology won, which means another manufactured device will soon be used to sacrifice these trees for the sake of our efforts to preserve the planet for their leafy bretheren.
It just goes to show that you can't make a vegan tofu scramble without killing a few soybeans.
---------------------------------------------
Related: Redwood National Park.
---------------------------------------------
In other news:
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Another Study Confirms Estrogen Footprints
This time at the University of New Brunswick. See the story at LifeSite News. and also at the Gulf of Maine Times, MedicalNewsToday.com. Looking for a non-pro-life source? Even the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which supports embryonic stem cell research is covering this on their EurekAlert news site.
To review: Women take the pill, and the hormones are excreted into the sewage system. They do not get filtered out by water treatment processes, and end up back in the environment, where they do bizarre things to fish populations. To top it off, people who eat the fish, also eat the hormones.
I posted on this twice before. The first time, I linked to a report from Canada's Freshwater Institute Fisheries and Oceans on the effects of synthetic hormones on aquatic life.
The second post links to a Scientific American article that discusses potential breast cancer risks for human populations that ingest fish from waters contaminated with synthetic hormones. Hormones which are classified as known carcinogens by the World Health Organization, according to documents from a Mayo Clinic Study which I have cited previously.
That's three separate studies so far, people.
Think about it.
Nod: Tito
To review: Women take the pill, and the hormones are excreted into the sewage system. They do not get filtered out by water treatment processes, and end up back in the environment, where they do bizarre things to fish populations. To top it off, people who eat the fish, also eat the hormones.
I posted on this twice before. The first time, I linked to a report from Canada's Freshwater Institute Fisheries and Oceans on the effects of synthetic hormones on aquatic life.
The second post links to a Scientific American article that discusses potential breast cancer risks for human populations that ingest fish from waters contaminated with synthetic hormones. Hormones which are classified as known carcinogens by the World Health Organization, according to documents from a Mayo Clinic Study which I have cited previously.
That's three separate studies so far, people.
Think about it.
Nod: Tito
A little Chesterton
-- G. K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens
Nod: PhatCatholic
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI is the Cat's Meow!
A biography of the Holy Father for children will be published later this month. The twist? His story will be told from the perspective of his cat Chico. Insight Scoop, the Ignatius Press blog, describes the book as follows:
"In this beautifully illustrated book for children, Chico the cat describes the life of his "best friend", Pope Benedict, in this authorised biography of the Pope for young people approved by the Vatican.
That's right, ladies and gentlemen! Vatican approved!
Being a both an educator and a lifelong cat person myself, I love this idea. Most children I have ever seen have a natural fondness for animals. The use of a cat as narrator will help to make the story accessible to children, while allowing them to see the Pope as a person worthy of both affection and great respect.
And if it's fun to read, hey, that's one more way to encourage kids to open a book once in awhile.
"In this beautifully illustrated book for children, Chico the cat describes the life of his "best friend", Pope Benedict, in this authorised biography of the Pope for young people approved by the Vatican.
"Dear Children, here you will find a biography that is different than others because it is told by a cat and it is not every day a cat can consider the Holy Father his friend and sit down to write his life story," the Pope's personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, says in the foreword."
Read the entire post here.That's right, ladies and gentlemen! Vatican approved!
Being a both an educator and a lifelong cat person myself, I love this idea. Most children I have ever seen have a natural fondness for animals. The use of a cat as narrator will help to make the story accessible to children, while allowing them to see the Pope as a person worthy of both affection and great respect.
And if it's fun to read, hey, that's one more way to encourage kids to open a book once in awhile.
Birth control pills and hair loss in women
According to the American Hair Loss Association, "Women who are predisposed to hormonal related hair loss or who are hypersensitive to the hormonal changes taking place in their bodies can experience hair loss to varying degrees while on the pill or more commonly, several weeks or months after stopping the pill."
Now, while there are potential side effects that are much more serious than this (increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, environmental damage, etc.), it gives women with a family history of hair loss one more reason to consider alternatives to oral and other hormone based contraceptives. Like maybe Natural Family Planning, which has "perfect use" rates rivaling those of the pill, according to a German study.
Now, while there are potential side effects that are much more serious than this (increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, environmental damage, etc.), it gives women with a family history of hair loss one more reason to consider alternatives to oral and other hormone based contraceptives. Like maybe Natural Family Planning, which has "perfect use" rates rivaling those of the pill, according to a German study.
Revival of Marriage?
Catholic Mom posts on generational differences among American Catholics with respect to marriage. I think she gets it.
I would also add, however, that I think lessons learned from the mistakes of an older generation may have something to do with it as well.
I would also add, however, that I think lessons learned from the mistakes of an older generation may have something to do with it as well.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Birds, Bushes, and Blooms
It's Valentine's Day!
Here is my post from last year on the origins of the holiday and its connection to the bird mating season.
In some regions, Valentine's day is the time to prune any rose bushes in your garden.
Here is my post from last year on the origins of the holiday and its connection to the bird mating season.
In some regions, Valentine's day is the time to prune any rose bushes in your garden.
With that thought, I shall leave you with a lovely rose photograph taken by my brother:
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
2008 Presidential Rat Race: A review.
Last spring I posted information on candidates' positions on non-negotiables. I re-post a shortened version of that chart featuring the current pool of major candidates, and the addition of one minor candidate.
The information here was taken from SelectSmart.com and the Alan Keys campaign website.
Their source references are duplicated here, where possible. Such sources include public statements by candidates, satisfaction ratings from organizations, and public voting records. They also link to candidate websites.
National Right to Life has a table with more specific information on the candidates' stands on pro-life issues, including parental consent laws, public funding, etc. Click here to see this. (PDF file. You will need Acrobat Reader).
******************************************
Candidate | Abortion | Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Same-Sex Marriage |
Hillary Clinton | Pro-Abortion | Supports.. | Voted against constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. Supports gay domestic partnership benefits. |
| Mike Huckabee | Moderately pro-life. Supports abortion when the life of the mother is endangered. Opposes public funding for abortions organizations that advocate or perform abortions. Source | Opposes, accepts campain funds from stems cell researchers | Opposes same-sex marriage. Says we should “support gay couples” |
| John McCain | Moderately Pro-Life. 75% rating from NRLC. | Supports on existing lines, opposes on new. | Supports civil unions, opposes gay marriage. |
Barack Obama | Pro-Choice. 100% ratings from Planned Parenthood and NARAL | Supports | Opposes gay marriage, supports civil unions. |
Ron Paul | Mostly Pro-Life. Voted to oppose parental consent law. | Opposes expansion | Supports Civil Unions |
Mitt Romney | Pro-abortion as Mass. Governor. Flipped to Pro-life when running for President. | Vetoed a Mass. Stem cell research bill. | Supports domestic partnerships, opposes marriage and civil unions. Supports homosexual adoption. |
| Alan Keys R | Pro-life. Opposes Roe. Supports Human life Amendment to constitution. Opposes Euthanasia. | Opposes. From Campaign Website: "No medical advance, and certainly no material profit, justifies denying the claim to humanity of the embryonic human person." | "The effort to equate homosexual and lesbian relations with legal marriage represents a destructive assault on the heterosexual, marriage-based family" |
The information here was taken from SelectSmart.com and the Alan Keys campaign website.
Their source references are duplicated here, where possible. Such sources include public statements by candidates, satisfaction ratings from organizations, and public voting records. They also link to candidate websites.
******************************************
National Right to Life has a table with more specific information on the candidates' stands on pro-life issues, including parental consent laws, public funding, etc. Click here to see this. (PDF file. You will need Acrobat Reader).
Before you sign that donor card:
The notion of being able to save the lives of others even after we ourselves have left this life is a noble one. However, in the name of saving one life, one should always be careful to avoid the unjust taking of another.
In the wake of the Terri Schiavo case, it is especially clear that some people are in great danger of losing their lives to unethical medical practices.
Which is why some ethical questions are being raised about how organs are harvested.
Nod: Christina Dunigan
In the wake of the Terri Schiavo case, it is especially clear that some people are in great danger of losing their lives to unethical medical practices.
Which is why some ethical questions are being raised about how organs are harvested.
Nod: Christina Dunigan
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Fighting carelessness with stupidity
A proposed law in Mississippi would forbid restaurants from serving obese persons.
The trouble with this bill it assumes restaurants are the problem, and gives little credit to the eater for her choices and habits. It is possible to go out to eat, and still eat healthy. It is possible to eat at home all the time, and eat nothing but junk. Both phenomena occur daily across this fruited plain of ours. (Uh-oh, better hide the fruit, someone might make a dessert out of it!)
Modern Commentaries says all that really needs to be said on the matter.
I particularly enjoy the reaction of one of Amy's commenters, who says of the bill's sponsor:
I wonder when he's going to sponsor a bill forbidding bars to serve alcoholics (wouldn't that close down every Amvets and VFW in the country!), forbidding casinos to allow gambling addicts in, and forbidding stupid people from becoming politicians.
Government officials are perhaps the best illustration of the fact that legislation is not an antidote to foolishness.
The trouble with this bill it assumes restaurants are the problem, and gives little credit to the eater for her choices and habits. It is possible to go out to eat, and still eat healthy. It is possible to eat at home all the time, and eat nothing but junk. Both phenomena occur daily across this fruited plain of ours. (Uh-oh, better hide the fruit, someone might make a dessert out of it!)
Modern Commentaries says all that really needs to be said on the matter.
I particularly enjoy the reaction of one of Amy's commenters, who says of the bill's sponsor:
I wonder when he's going to sponsor a bill forbidding bars to serve alcoholics (wouldn't that close down every Amvets and VFW in the country!), forbidding casinos to allow gambling addicts in, and forbidding stupid people from becoming politicians.
Government officials are perhaps the best illustration of the fact that legislation is not an antidote to foolishness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)