Info Sharing, Pain and Redemption

THUMBS UP TO:

Physics Flexbook released in Virginia

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine announced this week the official release of the Virginia Physics Flexbook, an online tool titled 21st Century Physics Flexbook: A compilation of Contemporary and Emerging Technologies. It was authored by 13 physics teachers and industry and university faculty; all gave their time to the project as volunteers. The flexbook is a Web-based collection that allows teachers to share the most up-to-date information. It’s an exciting step forward in education – collaboration by teachers to provide the best, most accurate information, that is then shared online. The Flexbook is an effort by Virginia’s secretaries of education and technology and the Virginia Department of Education.

Want to learn more? See the Flexbook at http://virginia.ck.12.org.

Sarah Panzau’s story of pain, redemption

A big thumbs up to the Virginia High School leadership for bringing Sarah Panzau to the school to talk to students about what really can happen if they drink alcohol and drive a car. Panzau is an Illinois native and former All-American volleyball player who lost her left arm in an alcohol-related car crash. For the past four years she has been traveling around the country and talking to young people about choices, consequences and personal responsibility.

Panzau’s words were so powerful because she was brutally honest. She can see how her actions have hurt her loved ones. And her lost limb is a daily, physical reminder of her accident. “Your body is the only one you’re going to get for your entire life. So I have a suggestion: Treat it with respect.”

No statistics could compare with hearing this young woman’s story, and several students said her words resonated with them. And thumbs up to beer distributor Walling Distributing that sponsored her trip to the school. It was a message the students will carry with them for years.

THUMBS DOWN TO:

Trying to medicate your boss?

Police said a woman in Bryant, Ark., has been arrested on charges that she slipped some tranquilizers into her boss’s coffee because she felt “he needed to chill out.” The 24-year-old woman admitted to detectives that she slipped the drugs into veterinarian John Duckett’s drink. Officers said Duckett knew something was wrong shortly after drinking some of the coffee last week.

The woman, who was not named in the account published by the Associated Press, had cleaned animal cages at the Reynolds Road Animal Clinic. More recently she has been sitting in jail, unable to make her $25,000 bond for an unbelievably foolish act.

Weighty battles by the GOP

Add to the list of foolish behavior by the GOP: cat fighting. Unable to determine any policy or leadership positions to support, the party is solely focused on bashing from within.

Meghan McCain, the 24-year-old daughter of Sen. John McCain, was foolish enough to think she could have an opinion. She dared open her mouth to criticize conservative pundit Ann Coulter, calling her “offensive, radical, insulting and confusing.”

Coulter is or has been all those things at various times, and usually is proud of it, especially if some sniveling, bleeding-heart liberal is pointing it out. But the daughter of a Republican candidate for president? No way.

Conservatives came back fighting like a bunch of spoiled teens. Conservative radio commentator Rachel Ingraham compared Meghan McCain to a “plus-sized model” and said no one would talk to her “if you weren’t kind of cute and you weren’t the daughter of John McCain.”

Wow, pretty tough talk. Did her friends forget to save her a seat in the cafeteria?

Meghan McCain suggested Coulter and Ingraham kiss her behind. Not very ladylike, but understandable. Weight is a universal vulnerability for women and the tactic they use against each other when they are feeling particularly snarky. Thank Ingraham for going to the lowest common denominator.

McCain is a bright woman who might actually bring some younger voters to the party.

Coulter, Ingraham and others like them are slamming the door shut as hard as they can.