http://www.themotherhood.com/circle/show/id/59912 en-US
Last year, Texas governor Rick Perry made a few offhand references to the possibility of secession. Given the idiocy of the Texas State Board of Education, I'm all for Perry making good on his lighthearted threats. Then maybe the rest of the country can get on with the business of educating our kids without the input of a young-earth creationist dentist.

The Texas Board of Education stirred up discussion last year on the topic of intelligent design; namely, whether it ought to be taught in public schools as an alternative theory to evolution. Under the guise of advocating "critical thinking," the conservative faction of the board argued that high school students should explore the "weaknesses" of evolution.

Considering that the most vocal member of the board, Don McLeroy, "believes that the earth was created in six days, as the book of Genesis has it, less than 10,000 years ago," it's not surprising that he wants students to question evolution. I wonder if he's ever applied any critical thinking to his belief that scripture is more compelling evidence than carbon dating.

Texas didn't manage to excise evolution from the science curriculum last year. But this year, it's another story where it comes to social studies. Among the changes that have been preliminarily approved by the state Board of Education:

* Removing Thomas Jefferson from a section on how Enlightenment philosophy influenced the founders;
* Requiring that students learn about the conservative political groups and figures...such as the Moral Majority and Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly -- without having a similar requirement for learning about liberal movements;
* Replacing the term ?capitalism? with ?free enterprise? in economics and history standards, because...[it has] been tainted by liberal academics;
* Requiring students to learn about the ?Judeo-Christian? influences on the nation?s founders.

Go read the rest!!

http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/100319/mess_with_texas_dont_mind]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:20:18 -0400 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/473751 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/473751 webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:42:19 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/461491 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/461491
This year, I started thinking about a friend and how her husband was re-deployed, again. I wondered about these families that have to say hello and goodbye so often -- although she and so many others are so wonderfully eloquent and open about it that there is little actual wondering involved, other than "what would I do?"

My friend's husband got leave to come home for the holidays -- yea! -- but he left behind other members of his unit. So I said, "What can I do?"

Her husband asked his unit members, they generously shared their names and APO address, and I thought, "Who else can help?"

That's when I turned to my SeaWorld WildSide buddies. They all signed up to help without hesitation.

(Read rest through link.)

http://theartfulflower.blogspot.com/2009/12/care-package-for-troops-our-holiday.html]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:18:41 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/457384 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/457384 webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:36:07 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/457287 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/457287
http://www.seaworldsanantonioblog.com/2009/12/02/your-favorite-parks-are-now-as-close-as-your-computer/]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:50:47 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/453629 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/453629
http://www.seaworldsanantonioblog.com/twice-the-christmas-miracles-at-seaworld-san-antonio/]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:19:19 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/453599 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/453599
http://bit.ly/Coupon1209]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:32:39 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/452942 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/452942
http://bit.ly/Coupon1209

http://bit.ly/Coupon1209]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:23:11 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/452926 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/452926
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources&id=7130898]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:22:58 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451860 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451860 webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:48:39 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451564 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451564 http://video.foxbusiness.com/
Chuck Tomkins and his son Cody spoke this month about how well Whale Done! positive parenting worked in their family (love the father-son perspective!) and provide quick and simple tips on how to incorporate it.]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (juliepippert) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:30:20 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451547 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451547
Check out her tweet:

http://twitter.com/EmilyMcKhann/status/5872489092

and the campaign too:

http://www.momsmsg.com/

Go Emily!]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:27:35 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451503 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451503
We had Denadra put together this great post just for you!

http://www.seaworldsanantonioblog.com/2009/11/23/check-out-these-cool-chicks-penguins-at-seaworld-are-breeding/]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:23:25 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451499 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451499
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Ftoday.msnbc.msn.com%252Fid%252F26184891%252Fvp%252F34128620%252334128620&h=8cb1048948b4a1cd0f2fdcdc5be36e8f&ref=mf]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (SASeaWorld) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:08:48 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451488 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451488 http://theartfulflower.blogspot.com/2009/11/whale-of-great-slumber-party-at.html ":You don't need me to tell you that it was so
incredible to spend the night at SeaWorld. You can guess how it felt to
fulfill a version of my nearly 30 year "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs
Basil E Franweiler" fantasy. You comprehend how awesome it was to check
off some cool items on my bucket list:-  sleep with polar aquatic birds, -  stick hand in dolphin's mouth, -  gain approval of killer whale matriarch, -  perfectly mimic seal, -  make BFFs with beluga whale, and last, but not least,-  over divine food, listen to major executive passionately talk about green initiatives.Read http://theartfulflower.blogspot.com/2009/11/whale-of-great-slumber-party-at.html here!!!!





http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j4eUCujzpYE/Swcsf6hacaI/AAAAAAAACYc/9TH-ikBJvz0/s1600/SeaWorld+WildSide+005.jpg ]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (Emily) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:43:56 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451455 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451455 http://notgoingpostal.com/2009/11/17/lessons-from-a-seaworld-slumber-party/ Orcas, Killer Whales, the fiercest predators in the ocean? They are a matriarchal society. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
We learned that if the oldest female in the pod at SeaWorld sets the
rules. If she decides the show is not happening, it doesn?t happen. You
can?t *make* a 9-ton animal with 56 sharp teeth do anything.
The alpha woman killer whale also decides who fits in the pod, and
who doesn?t. Sometimes whales have to go to a whole new park if she
doesn?t bestow favor.
I?ve noticed my house works this way, too. If I am stressed out and
snappy all morning, pretty soon the little orcas are biting each
other?s heads off. If I get on one kid?s case in front of the other, we
get a case of sibling piling-on. If I want the show around here to go
on as scheduled, I gotta be jumping for mackerel like my life depended
on it.
Even if you?re not an orca, or a mom, that principle works in
business, too. If you?re in a position of power, use it for good. Sure,
you can bully people into heading to another park. But you can choose
to use your influence to include and build up.javascript:nicTemp();
http://notgoingpostal.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/dscn0645.jpg
]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (Emily) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:38:22 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451453 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451453 an experience like the one I had this past weekend. The weather was
perfect and you couldn?t help but be filled with such a sense of peace
as you sat, in the moonlight, next to the whale pool as they blew water
your way. I made friends that I am already certain I will have for a
lifetime. And, I was able to learn so much about a topic that I have
come to love so dearly in the past six months ? blogging! Thank
you to Sea World for making this possible. Thank you to the Motherhood
for doing such a great job hosting us! And thank you to all my fellow
?Hotties? for making the night so incredibly special!Read the whole wonderful http://www.savvymoxie.com/2009/11/sleeping-at-sea-world.html  http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_c1lIAxp5-Zk/SwITfEelnGI/AAAAAAAAAWs/CYwVnRbK-X4/s1600/DSC05694.JPG ]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (Emily) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:29:59 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451451 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451451 http://www.seaworld.com/ and http://www.themotherhood.com d
for a Walk on the Wild Side campout. An overnight girlfriends getaway,
each woman there was a Texas mommy blogger?and each one brought to the
tank her unique take on life, her sense of humor and her willingness to
sleep on an air mattress for the night.http://sabusykids.com/2009/11/17/waiting-with-baited-breath/#comments
http://sabusykids.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/dolphins.jpg http://sabusykids.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/beluga.jpg http://sabusykids.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/penguins1.jpg http://sabusykids.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/crawdads21.jpg http://sabusykids.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/jellyfish22.jpg http://sabusykids.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/eel.jpg ]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (Emily) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:24:56 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451449 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451449 http://mommadjane.com/walk-wild-side , where you can meet all the bloggers who went to the slumber party.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/43999864@N02/4108749169/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/43999864@N02/4108749169/ ]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (Emily) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:17:28 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451444 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451444 http://www.savingssosweet.com/2009/11/seaworld-san-antonio.html And here's a quote from her post: And yet more new knowledge! Apparently this program has been around for a while, but I had no idea. "http://www.herosalute.com/states/index.html "
is a salute to those military members presently serving our country.
All soldiers and up to 3 of their family members are given
complimentary admission to the park! Being a former military wife, I
have to say, this is very much appreciated.Enjoy!!!  http://www.themeparkcodes.com/img/swsa_1.jpg ]]> webmaster@themotherhood.com (Emily) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:14:09 -0500 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451441 http://www.themotherhood.com/post/show/id/451441