soapbox

Check out this article at the NY Times: As Math Scores Lag, a New Push for the Basics.  The “Whuh?” moment, for those who haven’t registered or without time to read the article:

“When my oldest child, an A-plus stellar student, was in sixth grade, I realized he had no idea, no idea at all, how to do long division,” Ms. Backman said, “so I went to school and talked to the teacher, who said, ‘We don’t teach long division; it stifles their creativity.’ ”

Coke cap code collecting campaign complete!

After much difficulty in dress sizing, I have finally turned in the 2560 points (17 fridge packs and 797 caps) for a shiny silver dress! (While checking for sizes, I found that it is available for sale in purple, black, and blue; and black and latte.

Unfortunately, the dress will not be here for another 8-10 weeks. (Which is just about as long as it took to enter all the codes.)

Thank you for all the caps!!! If you want to see 800 caps in one location, they are all in a bag under my desk. Where they have to sit for the next 90 days. Or until the dress comes.

with the possibility of the red sox getting matsuzaka, as they seem to have won the bidding for negotiations on his contract……found some videos of his crazy “gyroball” and pitching in the WBC

gyroball

gyroball again

pitching against cuba in WBC

I just wanted to send a shout out to everyone, especially the folks that I didn’t get to say goodbye in person to. It’s really amazing how much our little physics and astronomy department feels like home.

…how many of us could pass the citizenship exam?

At least they’re updating it and changing it to something that better serves the intended purpose. Good stuff.

Hooray Progessive Reform! Hooray Beer!