Cats Rule!

This may be distressing news for dog lovers. A study from the Minnesota Stroke Institute at the University of Minnesota has suggested that cats prevail...at least when it comes to reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke. I was notified of this development in my daily Dr. Weil e-mail. Curious, I went looking for more information. This is what I found, an article from MedicineNet.com:

A new study shows that cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases than people who have never had a pet cat.

The findings emerged from an analysis of data on nearly 4,500 men and women, ages 30 to 75, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study. All were free of cardiovascular disease when they entered the study in the 1970’s.

Over half, 55%, reported having a pet cat at some point in their lives.

Compared with cat owners, people who never had a pet cat were 40% more likely to die of a heart attack over the 20-year study period. They were also 30% more likely to die of any cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart failure, and chronic heart disease.

The results held true even after the researchers took into account other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including age, gender, race, blood pressure, and smoking.

The researchers found no such link for people who had a pet dog.

So, in the interest of healthier living, my canine fancying friends may want to adopt a cat from the Humane Society. Of course, that might put their dogs at increased risk for stress-related issues. Hmmm. I wonder if anyone has studied that phenomenon.

NOTE: Controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes are also critical in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Readers should always consult their physicians about their current or ongoing health concerns.

Minnesotans for Global Warming

My daughter’s friend, The Magical Storyteller, posted this video on his blog a while back. His mom sent me a note about it. Being from Minnesota, I guess she thought I would be amused. I was. I actually thought setting the flamingo free was the funny part since my daughter and I have been known to go “flocking” for fund raisers and such. When you are done with the video, you might want to check out Minnesotans for Global Warming (M4GW). They have some amusing stories on their blog, plus an article about International Falls being officially designated the “Icebox of the Nation.” As one commenter put it:

Does anybody even know what an icebox is anymore? Maybe we should go for the “Ice Cube Tray of the Nation?”

Whichever designation you choose, the fact is that Minnesota is cold and snowy in the winter, as demonstrated by the scenery in this video. Enjoy!

Winter Storm Destiny

What exactly is destiny anyway? Well, I found this definition on Dictionary.com:

des • ti • ny [des-tuh-nee]
--- noun, plural – nies.

1. something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
2. the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.
3. the power or agency that determines the course of events.
4. (initial capital letter) this power personified or represented as a goddess.
5. the Destinies, the Fates.

Ok, that’s interesting, but what does it have to do with a winter storm? Why did the weather service name the latest storm “Destiny?” Because it was just our lot in life here in New England to get hammered by the latest blizzard? Or because it was inevitable that it would hit the Northeast? In that case, the weather service should name every blizzard Destiny, since by the time the storms get to New England, it seems pretty inevitable that we will be experiencing the effects of snow and ice. Is it because someone at the weather service thinks a “power or agency” has determined that a blizzard will hit here? I can’t necessarily argue with that since, as a Christian, I believe God controls everything. I do not, however, think that a goddess made the storm happen, or that the Fates of Greek mythology had anything to do with the storm dumping six inches of snow in my driveway.

Which brings me back to a form of my original question: why does the weather service name winter storms? My guess is so that meteorologists can more easily distinguish one winter weather event from another. Hey, if it makes their work easier and more organized, great. Just so they realize that some of us, non-meteorological types think the practice is somewhat corny.

At any rate, here is a picture from the latest winter storm to hit my backyard. I did not name the photo, in case you were wondering.

Tour of California Stage 5

I didn’t tune in for much of the race today, even though I generally enjoy watching individual time trials; but “watching” them on a computer by reading a play-by-play really stinks! Most of the information is either advertising or a single sentence stating “this rider started” or “this rider finished with this time.” Live video coverage is far superior! So, if anyone at Versus is listening, could you please carry the Tour of California live in 2009? Or could someone convince Adobe to make some TourTracker software that works on all computers, not just PC’s? I know at least one race fan that would really appreciate it.

Route: Solvang - Solvang
Riders remaining: 105
Distance: 15 miles
Climbs: None

The photos of Solvang on the Tour website look like the town should be situated in the Netherlands, what with the windmills dotting the skyline and the thatched roofs adorning some of the buildings. The picture itself, and the fact that Sunset magazine named Solvang one of the “Ten Most Beautiful Small Towns in the Western US,” made me curious enough to visit the city website. After reading a little there, I checked a local real estate website to see if any Danish-architecture homes were available in the area, just out of curiosity. Sadly, the homes for sale there look just like the homes for sale here in Connecticut and at the same outrageous prices --- $499,000 for a standard American ranch with a miniscule kitchen (and that was the cheapest house listed on Realtor.com). I guess I won’t be moving anytime soon. I may visit, though, if I can convince my daughter to add Solvang to the itinerary of our summer trip.

My favorite race moment: since I didn’t “see” much of the race, I would have to say the finishing podium --- two ex-Posties (Leipheimer/VandeVelde) and a Scotsman (Millar). How could I not be pleased with that! From what I understand, Levi Leipheimer put in a stunning performance, coming in almost 30 seconds ahead of David Millar who, by all accounts is a time-trial specialist. Congratulations Levi!

Stage 5 Standings
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Christian VandeVelde (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Varsson (CSC)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)

General Classification
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Christian VandeVelde (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Varsson (CSC)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)

My husband has the day off tomorrow. Maybe I can convince him to fire up his PC so I can watch the race live. I am sure you will hear about it either way. :-) See you later.

Tour of California Stage 4

With a daughter recovering on the couch this afternoon (and setting her homeschool studies aside for the day), I took some time to work on a homeschooling article and watch yet another stage of the Tour of California. Truth be told, I also ate too many Andes mints, just to maintain that stereotypical image of a stay-at-home mom eating bonbons and watching TV. Sadly, some riders could have been sitting home with me, having dropped out of the race overnight and yesterday: Edvald Hagen (High Road) and Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom); they left the race on Stage 3. Non-starters at the beginning of today: Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Scott) and Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner).

Route: Seaside - San Luis Obispo
Riders Remaining: 115
Distance: 135.3 miles
Climbs:
- Big Sur (category 4)
- Highway 1 (category 4)
- Highway 1 (category 3)

Rain at the start saw riders, once again, in jackets and warmers. Steady rain and stiff winds along the way made for an incredibly long and less-than-stellar day in the saddle as well. Then again, no one ever said the Tour of California would be a “walk in the park”, so to speak. At least the competitors got a few glimmers of sunshine around the halfway mark.

With Levi Leipheimer in the golden jersey, Astana spent the day in charge of the peloton, chasing down attacks that began immediately after the neutral zone. CSC and Quick Step were attentive at the front as well, protecting their men, Cancellara and Boonen respectively. A break of eleven men eventually escaped, managing to stay ahead for most of the day. Riders involved: Camaño (Saunier Duval-Scott), Hincapie (High Road), Mollema (Rabobank), Hivert (Credit Agricole), Belgy (Bouygues Telecom), Wyss (BMC), Kilun (Toyota-United Pro), Rollin (Toyota-United-Pro), King (Bissell), and Mead (Jelly Belly). The eleven eventually became ten when Julien Belgy abandoned the race. By the end of course, a few more competitors dropped behind, bringing the breakaway success count to six. Holding off the pack at an approximate two-minute gap for the duration, an admirable accomplishment given the wind and the weather, the closing sprint became a contest between Hincapie, Rollin, and Camaño. Rollin prevailed to take the prize. Hincapie was second, while Camaño took third.

My favorite race moment: Hincapie taking second after a day of hard riding and cruddy weather.

Stage 4 Standings
- Dominique Rollin (Toyota-United Pro)
- George Hincapie (High Road)
- Iker Camaño (Saunier Duval-Scott)
- Gerald Ciolek (High Road)
- Mark Cavendish (High Road)

General Classification
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Larsson (CSC)

Withdrawals on course today
- Jonathan Sundt (Kelly Benefit),
- Dymtro Grabovskyy (Quick Step)
- Matt Crane (HealthNet)
- Patrice Halgand (Credit Agricole)
- Julien Belgy (Bouygues Telecom)
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United Pro)
- Tom Danielson (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Jackson Stewart (BMC)
- Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell)

Tomorrow is the individual time trial. With thirteen seconds between first place Levi Leipheimer and second place Fabian Cancellara, the action should be tense. I will definitely be tuning in. Hopefully, the sun will be shining. See you then!

A note about Scott Nydam from the race website:

His father was diagnosed with leukemia two weeks before the Amgen Tour of California began…

My Thoughts on SB 162

As you may have noticed, a fair number of the recent posts on Gooseberry Lane have referenced CT Senate Bill 162, An Act Concerning the Withdrawal of a Child from Enrollment in a Public School. To date, most of what has been posted is logistical stuff --- hearing times, hearing locations, that sort of thing. Today, I would like to take a moment to discuss the bill itself and why I think Connecticut homeschoolers should think twice before supporting it in its revised form. Please be advised that I am not an attorney and the following statements are merely my opinion.

AN ISSUE OF WORDING AND APPLICABLE STATUTES

First, and most obvious, the wording of the current legislation is not the wording that was originally proposed. This is the original wording:

Original Wording

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That subsection (a) of section 10-220 of the general statutes be amended to provide when a parent or guardian of a child provides by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the principal of the school that the child attends or to the superintendent of the local or regional board of education, written notice originated by and signed by the parent or guardian of a child stating that the parent or guardian is withdrawing the child from enrollment in a public school and will provide instruction for the child as required pursuant to section 10-184 of the general statutes, the principal of the school that the child attends or the local or regional board of education shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from enrollment in the public school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

For those who may not know, Section 10-220 of the general statutes enumerates the duties of boards of education, and the list is quite long. Per homeschoolers, boards of education are responsible for causing our students (of applicable age) to attend school in accordance with the provisions of Section 10-184, which means they can request a demonstration of equivalent instruction. The applicable portion of subsection (a) of Section 10-220 currently reads thus:

Pertinent Text of Statute 10-220

…shall cause each child five years of age and over and under eighteen years of age who is not a high school graduate and is living in the school district to attend school in accordance with the provisions of section 10-184...

As you can see, the original wording of CT Senate Bill 162 would be added to this text. The purpose for this change would be to allow parents to homeschool their children and to require the board of education to respect that decision once it is made. The burden of compliance, if you will, per the notice of withdrawal would fall heaviest on the board of education. Parents would need to file the paperwork, of course, but once filed, it could not be interfered with by any action on the part of the board of education. Their only duty/responsibility would be to take the notice into their possession, acknowledge receipt of it, and immediately remove the child from the enrollment records of the school. No questions asked and no additional requirements beyond what is already enumerated in section 10-184 of the general statutes (equivalent instruction).

That is what would have happened had the original wording manifested itself in the draft bill. Unfortunately, during the drafting process, the wording of the bill was changed. The new wording looks like this:

Text of New Bill

If the parent or other person having control of a child elects to provide the instruction required pursuant to this section to such child, such parent or other person may withdraw such child from school upon providing the notice described in this subsection to the principal of the school the child is attending or the superintendent of schools for the local or regional school district in which such school is located. Such notice shall (1) state that the parent or other person is withdrawing the child from school and that such required instruction will be provided by the parent or other such person, (2) be in writing, (3) be signed by such parent or other person, and (4) be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested. Such principal and superintendent of schools and the local or regional board of education for such school district shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

If you were thinking to yourself that this wording doesn’t sound that much different than the original wording, you would be correct. However, the problem lies not just in the wording but in the fact that the new wording is a change to a completely different statute, Section 10-184 of the general statutes, NOT Section 10-220. Again, for those who may not know, Section 10-184 enumerates the duties of parents, meaning that should this new version of the bill become law, the burden of compliance could fall heaviest on the parent and each school district could, potentially, engage in the same shenanigans per non-acceptance of the notice of intent that has occurred for some time now in various parts of the state. Actually, I believe the fear is that school district officials may become even bolder in their attitude toward the notice of intent as they attempt to define the new term, “required instruction,” insisting that it must be demonstrated before a withdrawal notice would be deemed complete enough to “accept.” See the difference?

Practically speaking, regardless of where the new wording is installed or whether the wording that is used is new or original, the effect on Connecticut homeschoolers whose children are already being instructed at home will be non-existent should this bill become law. This debate is about formalizing a procedure whereby future homeschoolers could remove their children from school without the potential for harassment. By installing the original wording in Section 10-220 that potential is minimized; installing it in Section 10-184 adds a withdrawal procedure and, some would argue, keeps that potential for harassment intact.

Tour of California Stage 3

It was a tough day all around, both here at my house and at the Tour of California. I faced the arrival of a virulent gastrointestinal virus amongst my family members; the cyclists met their first mountain challenge. Somehow, I think I had the easier trial.

Route: Modesto – San Jose
Riders remaining: 132
Distance: 102.7 miles
Climbs:
- Del Puerto Canyon Road (category 4)
- San Antonio Valley Road @ 2338 feet (category 4)
- San Antonio Valley Road @ 2370 feet (category 4)
- Mount Hamilton (HC)
- Sierra Road (category 1)

Since I only caught fits and starts of the race online and about as much of the evening coverage with Phil, Paul, and Bob, I have virtually nothing to offer in the way of race narrative except to say that the race leader at the start of Stage 3, Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle), abandoned the Tour due to illness. Race coverage reported food poisoning as the cause. I understand, too, that Kevin LaCombe (Kelly Benefit) was forced to withdraw after a crash sent him to the hospital for x-rays. The Tour of California website also had this to say about the health of the competitors in general:

Race doctor Ramin Modabber [said] yesterday that many riders in the peloton have been hit by a virus and are being treated with IV fluids.

This came across the web as well:

Matty Rice of Jelly Belly and Hilton Clarke of Toyota-United have abandoned...

As I said before, it was a tough day for everyone.

My favorite race moment: the finish, of course, because it was exciting and because it put Levi Lepiheimer in the golden jersey. I was happy to see George Hincapie on a lone breakaway, too. Maybe next time he will succeed.

Stage 2 Standings
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- Jurgen Vandewalle (Quick Step)
- Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step)
- Mauricio Ardila (Rabobank)

General Classification
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)
- Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Gustav Larsson (CSC)

Hopefully, the gastrointestinal symptoms of my family won’t hamper my Thursday viewing. I missed the first “real” mountain stage of the race; I don’t really want to miss the longest stage, too. See you later today.

Tour of California Stage 2

Well, I definitely had a sunnier day on tap than they did in northern California. The video feed from the race start showed lots of riders in arm warmers, knee warmers, and jackets, pedaling in the rain. Not a great way to begin one of the longer days of the Tour of California. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much better by the end either. Oh, well.

Route: Santa Rosa - Sacramento
Riders remaining: 132
Distance: 115.8 miles
Climbs:
- Trinity Grade (category 2)
- Highway 128 (category 4)

The Tour website had a good route description for the first climb:

The Trinity road climb and technical descent leading into Napa Valley wineries proved to be one of the most difficult sections in last year’s race so the racers will have to be attentive or risk getting gapped.

And for the trek into Sacramento:

The pack will roll east past Lake Berryessa and spin through the cities of Winters and Davis, the latter of which was recently named the best cycling town by Bicycling Magazine. After turning north, the route will float adjacent to the Sacramento River and across the Tower Bridge before arriving at the Capitol Mall in Sacramento. There the cyclists will whip up the speed when they engage in the final three-lap showdown through downtown before drag racing to the finish line in front of the state’s Capitol building, a monumental location to catch the action.

After reading that, I was wondering if Governor Schwarzenegger would be at the finish line. Apparently, he was.

Once again, the race saw an early breakaway by Team BMC, only this time it was Scott Nydam. Gaining about four kilometers and six minutes on the pack, he was the first to hit the Trinity Grade climb and the first to descend it safely. Like teammate Jackson Stewart in Stage 1, Nydam managed to maintain his lead for most of the day, staying ahead for some 90 miles and at one point reaching fifteen minutes gap over the rest of the peloton. For while there, I thought maybe the group was saving their energy for the climbs on Stage 3 (three category fours, a category one, and an HC). Not so; the pack caught Nydam within ten kilometers of the destination.

And speaking of the finish, the rain that dogged the riders throughout most of the day impacted the closing action as well. With three two-mile circuits through town before reaching the Capitol building, the course offered plenty of opportunities for weather-related mayhem, none of which materialized. The challenges started with Sébastien Turgot (Bouygues Telecom) launching off the front and flatting…and still managing to keep a lead until just after the peloton entered the finishing circuits. Most every team took a turn at the front, all trying to set up their sprinters for a win. In the end, it was Team Quick Step that prevailed with none other than Tom Boonen taking his first accolades of the race.

My favorite race moment: the fact that no one crashed on the rain-wet roads.

Stage 2 Standings
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step)
- Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner)
- Mario Cipollini (Rock Racing)
- Mark Cavendish (High Road)
- Juan Jose Haedo (CSC)

General Classification
- Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)
- Tom Boonen (Quick Step)
- Bradley Wiggins (High Road)
- Gerald Ciolek (High Road)
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)

Tense ending on the day for me. I couldn’t get the play-by-play from the video feed to display on my Mac. I had no idea what was happening for the last three kilometers! Maybe I will start watching on my husband’s PC so I can use Adobe TourTracker.

Until tomorrow.

Tour of California Stage 1

Trying to watch a bike race during the early season is such a struggle around here. My time is already allocated to other, dare I say, more important things like homeschooling and household management tasks. I can’t/shouldn’t really give it the time of day, but…today, I managed to squeeze in Stage 1 of the Tour of California.

Route: Sausalito – Santa Rosa
Riders remaining: 132
Distance: 96.8 miles
Climbs:
- Coleman Valley Road (category 3)

It appeared, and was reported, to be cool most of the day: 53°F at the start and forecast to be cooler by the end of the route. Jackson Stewart of BMC spent most the day on his own, out front, only to be captured by the peloton just before the closing circuit. Sad. I was hoping he would take the day, especially since he earned all the top sprint points for Stage 1, as well as the King of the Mountain jersey. Being from Santa Rosa, it was understandable that Mr. Stewart would want to turn in an impressive performance. I think he should be pleased with a job well done.

Mario Cipollini (Rock Racing) was definitely on his game, racking up third place on the first intermediate sprint. To watch a video of it, click here and go “Peloton Hits the First Sprint.” I had to run some errands toward the end of the race, so I didn’t get to see if he mixed it up at the end. Curious question: does Señor Cipollini hold the record for the highest number of ‘unretirements” in the history of cycling? Just curious. At 40, he sure looks great. Not that I was paying attention. :-)

I understand that George Hincapie (High Road) took a spill in the final turn, although he was able to remount his machine and finish up on the day. Here is a short note on his condition, quoted from the media page of the Team High Road website:

George Hincpaie was part of the lead-out train setting up Ciolek for the sprint but was involved in a crash going under the tunnel within the final kilometer. He was pretty scraped up at the end but finished without losing time.

Last year, Mr. Hincapie broke his wrist during a fall in Stage 6. Hopefully, he will start Stage 2 with only a few aches and no worries.

My favorite race moment: Fabian Cancellara, back in the pack and wearing the yellow jersey, cheering on his teammate, Juan Jose Haedo, even before he crossed the finish line, knowing he had sewn up the Stage 1 win. To view the video, click here and go to “Juan Jose Haedo Wins Stage 1.”

Standings Stage 1
- Juan Jose Haedo (CSC)
- Gerald Ciolek (High Road)
- Heinrich Haussler (Gerosteiner)
- Dominique Rollin (Toyota-United Pro)
- Matteo Tosatto (Quick Step)

General Classification
- Fabian Cancellara (CSC)
- Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
- Bradley Wiggins (High Road)
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
- David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle)

Hopefully, I can squeeze in Stage 2. Stay tuned.

MassHOPE Convention 2008

This past Saturday, I received my first flyer for the 2008 MassHOPE Convention, the largest conference for Christian homeschoolers in New England. Mark your calendars; it will be in Worcester, Massachusetts, April 25-26. The scheduled keynote speakers are Michael Farris of HSLDA and Kevin Swanson of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado. The theme: Parenting --- A Right, A Responsibility, A Reward.

I am particularly interested in these workshops:

- Smart Kids Who Hate to Write
- Teaching Sense in a World of Nonsense
- Teaching Your Children the Constitution
- Evaluating for Excellence
- Can One Man Make a Difference? Can You?

My daughter has indicated some curiosity about these sessions:

- Real-Life Courtship
- Are You ‘Just Fine’ Without the Fine Arts?
- I’m Sorry: Training Young Apologists

Of course, I am interested in these sessions for my daughter:

- Public Speaking: A Force to be Reckoned With
- Forging Ahead: Apprenticeships in the 21st Century
- Teaching Your Child the Most Feared Activity: Public Speaking

We’ll see how that discussion goes. :-)

Generation Joshua will also be there organizing a mock Presidential election as part of the Teen Track for students ages 12-18. Here is the description for that activity from the convention brochure:

Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to run for President of the United States? Now you have the chance to run for President, to build coalitions, to interact in press conferences --- while learning about our system of government, and how faith and politics intersect.

- snip –

Interspersed with the mock election will be serious and relevant lectures about a Christian’s role in politics, how young people can make a difference in their country, and how youth can get involved in Generation Joshua.

And, of course, my daughter and I will be shopping for curriculum. This may be one of our last trips to the conference as active homeschoolers, as my daughter is approaching her high school graduation. I can hardly believe she is almost finished. It seems like we just started with some Play-doh and a work-play curriculum from the Calvert School. I guess time flies when you’re having fun engaging a young mind!

To learn more about the convention, check out the MassHOPE website at www.masshope.org. A full listing of workshops and classes has not yet been posted there but should be available shortly. One last suggestion: if you plan to attend, make your hotel reservations early. Rooms fill up quickly.

See you there!

Some Good Advice

This video fed to my Google Reader from Symphony of Scripture. I thought it contained some good advice on how to approach the Bible.

Tour of California Prologue

Ugh! I almost missed the first leg of the Tour of California today. I finally remembered to tune in at around 6:00 PM, just in time to see Bobby Julich cross the finish line. My favorite commentators were on board: Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen, and Bob Roll. Versus has coverage on the following schedule:

Sunday 2/17/2008 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
Monday 2/18/2008 1:00 AM-2:00 AM & 11:00 PM-12:00 AM
Tuesday 2/19/2008 11:00 PM-12:00 AM
Wednesday 2/20/2008 11:00 PM-12:00 AM
Thursday 2/21/2008 11:00 PM-12:00 AM
Saturday 2/23/2008 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
Sunday 2/24/2008 1:00 AM-2:00 AM & 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
Monday 2/25/2008 1:00 AM-2:00 AM

Also from the Versus website:

The tour will...raise funds for cancer care and treatment. Founded in 2005, Breakaway from Cancer™ is a complementary component to Amgen’s race sponsorship. Breakaway from Cancer™ raises awareness and funds to support valuable services and programs, provided free of charge, that help people living with cancer. This year, the initiative will support The Wellness Community and the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship.

Today’s high finishers for the short, flat individual time trial in Palo Alto:

1. Fabian Cancellara (CSC)
2. Bradley Wiggins (High Road)
3. Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle)
4. Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
5. Edvald Hagen (High Road)

For in-depth coverage of standings and route information, check out the Amgen Tour of California website.

See you tomorrow!

Note to parents: don’t miss the Education page on the Tour of California site; it offers links for bike safety, maintenance, and cycling history, as well as information on California weather and geography. Surf around a bit. You and your kids may just learn something new.

Another note: To view the new Visit California ad featuring Levi Leipheimer, click here.

Urgent Update!!! CT Senate Bill 162

Early this afternoon, I received this comment from Judy Aron at Consent of the Governed. I am quoting here so as not to miss any important information (emphasis mine in orange/gold, underline mine as well). This comment can also be read at the original post. I will continue to supply new information as it comes my way.

We’ve actually found some major problems with this wording --- which is not the same wording that we agreed on!

As the bill is currently proposed, we will not be supporting it --- yes, your read that correctly --- I have pulled my post because we are looking into what happened with the original language. Details will be forthcoming about what the story is but basically this was not supposed to be part of 10-184, nor does it really solve the problems entirely.

Although it does require the school district to accept a letter of withdrawal, this new bill, SB 162, in essence, would codify the right of school districts to somehow grant “permission” to the parents to allow them to withdraw their children “if” they “elect” to provide the “required instruction.” Conversely, this bill could be read to prohibit parents from withdrawing their children from school “if” parents do not “elect” to provide the “required instruction.” The bill does not define the term, “required instruction.” This leaves the door wide open to still more of the coercive tactics already used by school officials to prevent parents from withdrawing their children. It does nothing to solve the problem. It only encourages more of the same.

To repeat, Senator Meyer’s version of the new bill, SB 162, would infringe on the already existing right of parents to withdraw their children from public school without the so-called “permission” of the school district.

This is not the bill that Representative O’Neill originally proposed, and it is not the bill that NHELD and other homeschool and parenting groups supported.

The original language and statement of purpose was supposed to be this:

AN ACT CONCERNING WITHDRAWAL FROM SCHOOL
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That subsection (1) of section 10-220 of the general statues be amended to provide when a parent or guardian of a child provides be certified mail, return receipt requested, to the principal of the school that the child attends or tot he superintendent of the local or regional board of education, written notice originated by and signed by the parent or guardian of a child stating that the parent or guardian is withdrawing the child from enrollment in a public school and will provide instruction for the child as required pursuant to section 10-184 of the general statutes, the principal of the school that the child attends or the local or regional board of education shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from enrollment in the public school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

Statement of Purpose
To allow parents to home school their children and to require the board of education to respect their decision.

Check back to my site Monday to read an update on this issue --- right now we are not very pleased with this turn of events and Senator Meyer is claiming he doesn’t know what happened and support the original language.

A bulletin will be coming out from NHELD.

CT Senate Bill 162

PLEASE NOTE: A problem has arisen with the wording of SB 162 as presented below. The legislation, as originally proposed by Representative Arthur O'Neill, was not intended to amend Connecticut General Statue 10-184. It was supposed to amend Connecticut General Statute 10-220. For further explanation of this development, please see the comment to this post by Judy Aron or read my more recent post, "Urgent Update!!! CT Senate Bill 162." Thank you.
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Well, after three years of work, it looks like NHELD, Representative Arthur O’Neill, and Connecticut parents will finally get a hearing for An Act Concerning Withdrawal of a Child from Enrollment in a Public School. From Consent of the Governed, we have this information:

Thanks to the support of State Senator Meyer and State Representative Anne Ruwet of the Select Committee on Children, the Parents Rights Bill proposed by Representative Arthur O’Neill has been raised in the Childrens Committee and will finally have a public hearing on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 9:00 am in Room 2B of the Legislative Office Building.

The purpose of the bill is to create a procedure by which parents will be able to remove their children from public school without fear of being harassed for truancy because an educational institution refused to remove the children in question from an official enrollment list. This has been a problem in Connecticut as schools attempt to “motivate” parents to comply with the current voluntary suggested procedure of filing a notice of intent before disenrolling a student. If passed, the legislation would add the following to Connecticut General Statute 10-184:

If the parent or other person having control of a child elects to provide the instruction required pursuant to this section to such child, such parent or other person may withdraw such child from school upon providing the notice described in this subsection to the principal of the school the child is attending or the superintendent of schools for the local or regional school district in which such school is located. Such notice shall (1) state that the parent or other person is withdrawing the child from school and that such required instruction will be provided by the parent or such other person, (2) be in writing, (3) be signed by such parent or other person, and (4) be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested. Such principal and superintendent of schools and the local or regional board of education for such school district shall accept such notice and shall deem such child withdrawn from school immediately upon receipt of such notice.

Any homeschoolers who wish to testify in support of the bill are instructed to sign up at 8:00 am Tuesday morning in Room 2B of the Legislative Office Building, approximately one hour prior to the official proceedings. Those signing up to speak are also asked to bring at least fifty copies of their testimony. At present, I do not plan to testify. Sadly, I may not even be able to attend the hearing due to some scheduling conflicts. However, I will try to keep you apprised of any developments.

If Only!

Lately, I have been crazy busy with homeschooling and keeping up with some other goals I set for myself in 2008. Consequently, I haven’t checked the LiveStrong Blog on a regular basis. I did surf over there this morning, though, and found this entry, “Luke Armstrong’s Invention of the Day.” For those of you who may not know, Luke is Lance Armstrong’s oldest child. Apparently, Luke’s school has a cool program that Lance tells about:

...the kids have to sit down and think of an invention and write about it. Part of the fun is getting to draw their inventions on these shirts. So when I got home, Luke was wearing the T-shirt...

So, I said, “Luke, what’s up with that T-shirt?” And he said, “This is my invention. It’s a pill that cures cancer. You put the pill in a cup of water and it fizzes and bubbles. You drink the water and it cures the cancer.

The delivery system for young Mr. Armstrong’s cure reminded me of those old Alka-Seltzer commercials where the gentleman with indigestion sings “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz. Oh, what a relief it is.” What a relief it truly would be if the cure for any type of cancer were as simple as drinking a glass of water. If only!

Nice work, Luke. And, by the way, I like the t-shirt.

Release the Hound!

Congratulations to the owners and handler of the cutest beagle ever --- Uno! The quality of this AP video from YouTube isn’t the greatest. If you would like a clearer specimen, try this link. I was unable to post it here on Gooseberry Lane because embedding was disabled by request.

DYK? Flu Smarts

Do you know how to keep yourself from getting sick with the stomach flu when the virus knocks down your entire family? Here are some ideas from Dr. Weil.com. This advice comes from the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology:

1. Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol.

2. Disinfect surfaces (like doorknobs, light switches, and faucet handles) with a cleanser containing bleach.*

3. Wash raw food before eating; don’t eat food prepared by someone who has been sick until they have been symptom-free for 2-3 days.

4. Wash laundry in hot water and dry on high setting.

5. Quarantine sick family members; disinfect what they use.

6. Keep your house clean; disinfect surfaces regularly.

*I use this Shaklee product instead of one containing bleach, even though such use is contrary to the above recommendations. Please note: there is no evidence that a non-bleach product kills the norovirus that causes stomach flu. To be certain that the virus is eliminated, a product containing bleach is preferred.

Worst Places to Live (for Christians)

Earlier this week, I read an article on The Christian Post website that listed the top ten worst places to live if you are a Christian. No big surprises for me, although I would have expected India to be a bit higher on the list given some of the recent violence there.* Here are the top thirty countries from Open Doors USA. They are listed in ascending order and categorized by level of oppression:

Severe Persecution
1. North Korea

Oppression
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Iran
4. Maldives
5. Bhutan
6. Yemen
7. Afghanistan
8. Laos

Severe Limitations
9. Uzbekistan
10. China
11. Eritrea
12. Somalia
13. Turkmenistan
14. Comoros
15. Pakistan
16. Qatar
17. Vietnam
18. Chechnya
19. Egypt
20. Zanzibar Islands
21. Iraq
22. Azerbaijan
23. Libya
24. Mauritania
25. Burma (Myanmar)
26. Sudan (North)
27. Oman

Some Limitations
28. Cuba
29. Brunei
30. India

*To read more about the persecution of Christians around the world, visit Persecution.org.

Keep Learning

VeloNews.com reported last week (click here for article) that the Johann Bruyneel Cycling Academy was underway in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosting sixteen young cyclists under the tutelage of Bernard Moerman. The goal: to provide a bike racing education that each rider can then use to negotiate a professional cycling contract. Stated another way: to raise up the next generation of competitive cyclists.

Part of the training? Ride in all kinds of conditions:

Morning temperatures in the low 20’s haven’t exactly made for vacation-style riding. On Tuesday, with black ice spotting the roads, Astana cancelled its planned team ride...All 16 Bruyneel Academy riders, however, suited up for a three-hour ride.

Another part: build a team:

When riding tempo, each group takes a turn rotating at the front; when a squad member flats, his whole team squad stops and paces him back to the group.

Driving behind and alongside the group, Moerman barks instructions, which riders dutifully relay through the group. “Stop sprinting! Ride steady! Keep it tight?”

When one squad neglected to stop for a teammate who flatted, Moerman pulled the whole group over...

And, finally, the plan for each rider, as articulated by Mr. Moerman:

“Don’t blame yourself for not knowing. Blame yourself for not learning.”

I like that philosophy!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Question
How did February 2nd ever come to be known as Groundhog Day?

An Answer
from “The Official Site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club”

The groundhog tradition stems from...beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and the days of early Christians in Europe, and for centuries the custom was to have the clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. Even then, it marked a milestone in the winter and the weather that day was important.

According to an old English song:

If Candlemas be fair and bright.
Come, Winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain.
Go, Winter, and come not again.

According to an old Scotch couplet:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear.
There’ll be twa (two) winters in the year.

- snip –

The Roman legions...brought this tradition to the Teutons, or Germans, who picked it up and concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal, the hedgehog, would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather...

Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs in profusion in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter.

The 2008 Prediction of Punxsutawney Phil
Six more weeks of winter

Plush Duck Groundhog Day Tradition
Watch the movie “Groundhog Day” with my family

A Guy Thing

Today, at the bottom of the accumulated mail and catalogs on my kitchen island counter, I found the March 2008 issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine. Technically, this periodical belongs to King Richard, but I enjoy reading a column entitled “Great Moments in Building History.” These are usually pretty hilarious and pertinent to my life (or to some event in the history of my marriage). This month’s article, “My $14,000 Lamp,” was no exception.

A short account of men and the tools they require to make household repairs, the author had me at this paragraph:

After an intensive month-long search for a replacement part turned up nothing, my husband said, “You know, I could make that part. I just have to buy one tool.”

How many times have I heard that mantra?! I have a hydraulic jack, jack stands, and various small auto-repair-related tools in my garage that were purchased under the auspices of “I just need one more tool.” Fortunately, none of them set me quite as far back financially as this poor woman:

The next thing I knew, a 2-ton, $12,000 lathe was being delivered to my husband’s workshop.

And, not surprisingly, once this awesomely necessary tool was delivered, the much anticipated replacement part did not materialize. Why? What woman hasn’t heard these words in answer to that question?

“You don’t understand,” my husband said. “This is just the basic lathe. Now I need accessories.”

Oh, ho! I should have guessed that was coming...along with the tale of delivery trucks that dropped all those boxes of “accessories” on the author’s doorstep. I can so relate to this scenario. I just spent the last three weeks waiting for various and sundry parts to arrive so that King Richard can improve my hot water system.

But the best part of the entire article, the part that made even my husband howl with laughter, was this:

I felt trapped in a male version of the children’s classic If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. If you give a man a lathe, then he’s going to want a collet. If you give a man a collet, then he’s going to want a chuck. If you give a man a chuck, then he’s going to want a reamer...

Of course, my husband says that this holds true of women as well. If you give your wife a new refrigerator, then she’s going to want a new microwave. If you give your wife a new microwave, then she’s going to want a new kitchen. I don’t see the similarity in these arguments at all. Nope. I think it’s a guy thing.

How Encouraging!

A few years ago, I subscribed to some daily e-mails from FlyLady.net, hoping the gentle reminders would guide me through the monumental task of decluttering my home. Well, FlyLady is still encouraging me, even though I am “fluttering” miserably on my way to flying. I will get there...eventually...someday.

During January, I was supposed to conduct what FlyLady calls a “Super Fling Boogie.” For the uninitiated, that is where I “fling” (or throw away) any unwanted/unneeded items that have been lying around my house. As you may have guessed, I didn’t toss much of anything. However, some “Flybabies” did. Here is a sampling from the list of weirdest items that got tossed, quoting from the FlyLady website:

Today I flung 2 giant, practically human sized “Kiss-Kiss” Bears that were raffled off at a local Hallmark store a few years ago...The 2 that I decluttered are about 4 feet tall and when sitting together and “kissing” take up an entire loveseat.

Today in my fling fest I found a dried up grilled cheese sandwich up in the soffit in the living room. One of my children had flung it up there approximately 25 years ago! Yikes!!! There were also some children’s vitamins they had fired off in a straw they used as a pea shooter.

One huge antique solid cast greasy iron printing press from the 1920’s-1930’s from our basement. It weighted 1500 lbs. Had to be carted off using a roll back with a wench. It was too heavy for 3 strong men to lift. I can’t believe the empty hole that it left!!!!

The weirdest item I have flung was probably the box of wedding stationery and programs that was in our storage unit...leftover from my husband’s first marriage in 1998!!!!! He had no explanation for why they were still hanging around...I got a chuckle out of finding them and flinging them...It was like throwing his ex-wife in the trash!

Super fling boogie in my kitchen: 2 cans of diet shakes, 11 YEARS OLD!!!!!

I feel better knowing that I am not the only person in America with weird stuff in their house. The only difference between these individuals and myself is that they actually threw their weird stuff away AND they were brave enough to divulge what it was. Congratulations, Flybabies!