State Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox’s proposal for new middle and high school science standards would strike references to “evolution” and replace them with the term “biological changes over time.”

When I first heard this on the news, I thought it was a joke. Honestly, I think a lot of people did. Why on earth would anyone propose such a proposterous change in the textbooks of Georgia’s classrooms? At first I could not think of any reason for it. Then it hit me.

This has nothing to do with the issue of “creationism” versus “evolution”. It has to do with attention.

A spokesman for the Department of Education issued a statement Wednesday that said: “The discussion of evolution is an age-old debate and it is clear that there are those in Georgia who are passionate on both sides of the issue — we want to hear from all of them.”

Obviously, Kathy Cox and the Board of Education have nothing better to do than to drag the students of Georgia schools (and the citizens of Georgia) into the national spotlight, over an issue that is totally idiotic.

Whether or not you believe in creationism or you believe we evolved from apes, one thing you cannot deny is that evolution, in biology, exists.

Cox, a Republican elected to the state’s top public school position in 2002, addressed the issue briefly in a public debate during the campaign. The candidates were asked about a school dispute in Cobb County over evolution and Bible-based teachings on creation.

Scientists consider evolution the basis for explaining the diversity of living things.

She would leave the state out of it? She would make sure teachers were well preparted to deal with competing theories? Obviously she does not want them to “teach” them. Just deal with them. Nice approach.

The revision of Georgia’s curriculum began more than a year ago as an attempt to strengthen the performance of students by requiring greater depth in certain subjects. The new curriculum will replace standards adopted in 1984 that have been criticized by many educators as shallow.

This idea will replace old standards which are considered shallow? You’ve got to be kidding me. There is nothing more shallow than a Superintendent of Schools who thinks she knows so much that she can deprive the children of the state of Georgia a proper education.

This issue has done something productive however. I agree with something Jimmy Carter has said, for the first time in a very, very, long time.

“As a Christian, a trained engineer and scientist, and a professor at Emory University, I am embarrassed by Superintendent Kathy Cox’s attempt to censor and distort the education of Georgia’s students,” Carter, a native of Plains, Ga., said in a statement.

“There can be no incompatibility between Christian faith and proven facts concerning geology, biology and astronomy,” said Carter, who teaches a Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church that regularly draws hundreds of worshippers.

I think Carter hits the nail on the head with the following quote:

“There is no need to teach that stars can fall out of the sky and land on a flat earth in order to defend our religious faith.”

The good news for us, is that the entire Board of Education will decide this issue, and not Ms. Cox.

During a Thursday press conference, Cox repeatedly referred to evolution as a negative “buzzword” and said it was removed, in part, to alleviate pressure on teachers in socially conservative areas where parents object to its teaching.

The question here is, can we replace Ms. Cox with a new Superintendent that is not considered shallow to alleviate pressure on citizens in socially concious areas?

We will just have to wait for the evolution of Kathy Cox and the Georgia Board of Education to find out.

Mary-Ellis Bunim, who helped launch the reality TV genre by co-creating the long-running MTV hits “The Real World” and “Road Rules,” has died. She was 57.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. February 7 at the Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be sent to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, 1101 17th St. NW, Suite 1300, Washington DC 20036.

Rest In Peace, Mary-Ellis.

Calling it the worst such case he had ever seen, a pathologist for the Stark County Coroner’s Office said Thursday a 17-month-old Canton boy discovered dead in his crib Wednesday night died of starvation.

Findings of the autopsy showed that the child, identified by police as Joshua Rumph, weighed only 10 pounds, 4 ounces, Chief Deputy Coroner P.S.S. Murthy said.

This is absolutely sickening, and I personally think she should be locked in a cell, and left to die. No food, no water, no nothing. She is nothing but a parasite in our society, and we should waste no more time with parasites like her.

Bitch.

I haven’t done a Friday Five since October. TGIF.

You have just won one million dollars:

1. Who do you call first? Mom.

2. What is the first thing you buy for yourself? A new truck.

3. What is the first thing you buy for someone else? A new truck.

4. Do you give any away? If yes, to whom? 10% to charity, pay off family members’ homes.

5. Do you invest any? If so, how? Yes, not sure how, depends on how much is left.

28 states and counting…

Create your own visited states map
or
write about it on the open travel guide

Well, I see my extended entry stuff is messed up…

I will look at it tomorrow, I am too tired tonight.

That last post was supposed to contain the list in the extended part of the entry.

UPDATE: I am re-building the individual entries now, but I am not stickin’ around for it.

Are you a conservative who thinks President Bush has done nothing for you?

Think again…

FreeRepublic.com has compiled a very nice list, just for you.
(more…)

A fiery wreck early Thursday in Carroll County left a truck driver dead and shut down a 13-mile stretch of I-20 in both directions for several hours.

The single-vehicle crash occurred about 1 a.m. on I-20 at the Bar J Road overpass, about 40 miles west of downtown Atlanta.

That’s just down the road from where we are…

Thomas said the truck was hauling acrylic carpet fibers.

“That’s not really a large concern unless you are in a confined area,” he said. “We’re checking the travel of the smoke plume, and we’re encouraging anyone in the area to stay inside their homes.”

I sure am glad we stayed inside our home at 1 a.m. :)

The Florida Attorney General’s Office and the Florida Bar — the two most powerful legal organizations in the state — said Palm Beach County prosecutors misrepresented their advice in order to release confidential plea negotiations in the Rush Limbaugh investigation.

Each day I become more and more convinced that these prosecutors are no better than an old fashioned lynch mob. They are out for blood, no matter what the cost.

Ten people were killed and at least 50 wounded in a suicide bombing on a bus in central Jerusalem, shortly before 9 A.M. Thursday.

The blast took place on Egged bus No. 19, on the corners of Arlozorov and Gaza streets, very close to the official residence of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was not in the building at the time. The site of the explosion is also close to the Moment Cafe, where 13 people were killed in a March 2002 suicide bombing.

I see that the Palestinians are thankful for the release of prisoners yesterday.

The Fatah-related Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. Palestinian sources named the bomber as Ali Yusuf Jaara, a 24-year-old Palestinian policeman from Bethlehem.

Damn Yassir Arafat and damn those who follow him.

The attack was a further setback to international efforts to bring about a resumption of peace talks. The U.S.-led road map peace plan has been stalled almost since its inception in June of last year.

The next person that equates the loss of human life with the word “setback” is really going to piss me off.