Drive-Bys

I'm putting this on Mr. Monkey Toes' birthday list this year:
That's just too cute for words, and I'm sure his daddy will approve!
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What's wrong with education in Chicago?

Our school day in Chicago is so short that by the time a kid graduates from high school, she will have been in the classroom four years less than her counterpart in Houston. As I heard Rahm Emanuel put it, a kid in Houston essentially has an extra entire high school education when compared to our kids. Four more years of education!

The statistic is equal parts sad and telling, and makes me realize why NASA is headquartered in Houston and not Illinois.

I don't care how advanced a curriculum is, there is no way a kid can compete with a four-year disparity. And that is just compared to Houston. I shudder to think how students in Japan are eating our kids' lunch, as there the school year is about 240 days, not a measly 180 days like ours.

It reminds me that instead of having high-brow debates about the best way to educate our kids, we should instead be doing something extremely low-brow. My wise mother simply called it "tush in seats." That is, we need more tushes, in more seats, for more hours. Only once that happens should we turn to other curriculum debates.

Who will fight this effort the most? The teachers union, of course.
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If you have a pet, whether cat, dog, ferret, bird or turtle, print this article and tape it inside a kitchen cabinet or medicine chest. You may thank me for that one day.
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Not getting enough sleep these days? Put the tech toys down at least an hour before you go to bed. (Unless, of course, you have a Kindle or Nook or any other e-reader with e-ink.)
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Not so popular with the kids?

The White House is ramping up an effort to promote a nationwide competition to decide which high school wins a commencement speech by President Obama.

An internal White House memo indicates that the White House is facing a shortage of applications less than a week before the deadline.

The competition was extended from the February 25 deadline until Friday, March 11 after few schools met the original application deadline. CBS News has learned a White House Communications Office internal memo dated February 22 noted "a major issue with the Commencement Challenge."

"As of yesterday we had received 14 applications and the deadline is Friday," the memo said. The memo also urged recipients to, "please keep the application number close hold."

A follow-up memo on February 28 reported receipt of 68 applications. Noting the competition among more than 1,000 schools last year, the memo said, "Something isn't working."

Ya think? That's just a sad state of affairs.
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Every photo on this page is breathtakingly beautiful. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
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I have a good friend in her mid-40's who just had her second heart attack. As she says, when it comes to smoking, not quitting is "not an option" any more.

I sent her my list of things that worked for me.

If you or anyone you know is thinking of quitting, please pass it on.
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Ear Worm of the Day:



What the heck -- let's have another:


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Giggle of the Day:


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One more thing:


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And one more, for my Meezer Boys:

Drive-Bys

Quote of the Day:

"I've had at least 8 beers, 5 nights in a row. I've got to get out of here....
...So I can get up and do it again tomorrow!"

(And no -- this is not attributable to CharlieDelta... unless he's been in New York City lately...
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Okay, now I'm disappointed:

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who is seeking re-election next week, said today he will not run for Chicago mayor next February.

That stinks, because I think he could have easily won... and I like him.
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Weather Update:

So just how windy was it yesterday? Here are some of the effects of Tuesday's wind and rain storm:

• The wind severely damaged three small planes parked and tied down at DuPage Airport. One plane became unsecured from the straps that held it down and flipped into a parking lot; another came loose from its ties and smashed into a third plane. No one was hurt.
• Willis Tower decided to close its Skydeck observatory and pull in "The Ledge" attraction. The Ledge's four glass boxes, which jut out from the building's 103rd floor, were retracted as a precaution.
• The Chicago Park District closed the Lincoln Park Conservatory on the North Side and the Garfield Park Conservatory on the West Side, which have glass roofs, because of safety concerns.
• Semi-trailer trucks pulling double trailers or other oversized loads were temporarily banned from driving on the Indiana Toll Road.
• Airlines canceled 500 flights at O'Hare Airport, causing ripple effects on travel nationwide.
• The City of Chicago received 408 calls to 311 about tree damage, meaning either a branch or an entire tree came down.

Yep. That's windy alright! And today, while not as bad as yesterday, the wind is still an issue:

The worst appears over, although some more strong winds are expected.

A wind warning is in effect today until 7 p.m. with southwest winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Lets just say it makes for some interesting hair styles...
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My buddy and fellow voracious reader Mike has a Nook and I'm a Kindle kind of gal, which has made for some interesting and spirited discussions about which is superior (e-reader, that is). Mike sent me an email celebrating the news that the new Nook is slightly larger, comes in different colors and has a full color screen. I asked about whether it was back-lit or e-ink, and sure as shootin' it's back-lit.

Here's my take on it -- if you think the iPad is beautiful but all you really want it for is a reader and some basic apps, the new Nook fits the bill and for a hell of a lot cheaper.

That back-lighting thing, though?

"Using a computer is one of the most alerting things you can do. A light on a computer is very strong and right in front of your eyes. A computer will shift your biological clock and run signals to the brain to be on the alert," explains Gill, who cautions to avoid using a computer before bedtime and when you get up because you are unable to sleep.

Bugger! I guess we'll keep holding out for color e-ink...
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Not only is the idea of a treehouse in Manhattan just cool beans, the execution is lovely, too!
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