Lori has successfully completed all the requirements to be "upgraded" to a solo driver and has been assigned her own truck. It's a used one; a 2007 model, burgundy colored, with 225,000 miles. She spent the morning giving it the once over, taking it for a test drive, and then dropping it back off at the maintenance facility for a few minor tweaks.
After that, she headed over to Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies. On the way, she heard the tornado warning sirens go off and actually saw a funnel cloud on the horizon. She was just pulling into the Wal-Mart parking lot so she ran inside and waited for the storm to pass.
After that, it was back to the hotel to finish packing up the truck and spending one more night in a "real" bed before she gets her load assignment tomorrow.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Not Yet
Lori didn't get assigned a truck today as she'll need to pass the driving test on Monday. So, that means another three nights in Springfield.
At least that gives her the weekend to hit the practice pad so she can nail the test come Monday.
At least that gives her the weekend to hit the practice pad so she can nail the test come Monday.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Take Cover
Lori's luck with weather has not been the best the past few weeks. While at training this afternoon, all the drivers got the call to pack a bag and head over to the main facility. They needed to drive all the tractors and trailers north so they wouldn't get damaged by the hail storms that were headed their way.There were more than enough drivers so Lori was sent back to her hotel room. Mother Nature was putting on quite a show with non-stop lightning and marble-sized hail. All the TV channels had non-stop weather information scrolling across the bottom of the screen with regular warning updates being broadcast.
As of 11:00 p.m., things seemed to have settled down so Lori was going to get some sleep to be ready for her final classes and test tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
School Days
Lori made it back to Prime's headquarters in Springfield early Tuesday evening after two days of driving back from home. Needless to say, she went to bed early!
She was "excused" from the Wednesday morning class on safe driving techniques since she had already taken it during her stay in December. The rest of the classes and driving test are scheduled to last through Friday morning, after which she should be assigned to her own truck.
The Fleet Manager (FM) that had been working with her and Tamara let Lori know that she has been assigned to a new FM based in Denver. That's the center of operations for Prime's western regional services. Not sure how much, if any, difference that will make as far as what areas Lori will be driving to since any Prime driver can theoretically be dispatched to wherever they're needed. Though it would be nice if Lori was able to stay relatively close to home.
She was "excused" from the Wednesday morning class on safe driving techniques since she had already taken it during her stay in December. The rest of the classes and driving test are scheduled to last through Friday morning, after which she should be assigned to her own truck.
The Fleet Manager (FM) that had been working with her and Tamara let Lori know that she has been assigned to a new FM based in Denver. That's the center of operations for Prime's western regional services. Not sure how much, if any, difference that will make as far as what areas Lori will be driving to since any Prime driver can theoretically be dispatched to wherever they're needed. Though it would be nice if Lori was able to stay relatively close to home.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Truckers Threaten Strike; Bad Idea!
A grassroots effort is growing among independent truckers to go on "strike" April 1 to protest rising fuel costs. (Click here to read the story.)
Personally, I think any truckers that do strike would simply be cutting off their nose to spite their face. The only ones that would be hurt would be the drivers that decide to stay off the road because: 1) they WILL lose money if they sit still, and 2) there will ALWAYS be truckers and trucking companies out there to take up any slack. Plus, if all the good drivers stay home the only people left to haul freight are the bottom feeders - and the shippers will use them because they've GOT to move their stuff. As a result, rates go down and when the strikers end up coming back, they'll be worse off than before.
The proper response to ungodly prices is to reduce consumption and thus reduce exposure to the high prices. There are certain companies and drivers unwilling to do that, and the economy will destroy them. Those that do what it takes to cut costs will survive and be in a position to really make a killing when the economy turns around.
Personally, I think any truckers that do strike would simply be cutting off their nose to spite their face. The only ones that would be hurt would be the drivers that decide to stay off the road because: 1) they WILL lose money if they sit still, and 2) there will ALWAYS be truckers and trucking companies out there to take up any slack. Plus, if all the good drivers stay home the only people left to haul freight are the bottom feeders - and the shippers will use them because they've GOT to move their stuff. As a result, rates go down and when the strikers end up coming back, they'll be worse off than before.
The proper response to ungodly prices is to reduce consumption and thus reduce exposure to the high prices. There are certain companies and drivers unwilling to do that, and the economy will destroy them. Those that do what it takes to cut costs will survive and be in a position to really make a killing when the economy turns around.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Next Phase
As of early Wednesday morning, Lori is officially "off" Tamara's truck and ready to move to her next phase of training.
They rolled into Prime's headquarters about 3:oo a.m. after leaving Memphis shortly before 8:00 p.m. Tuesday. The weather was miserable, with tornado watches and warnings along their route. They managed to miss the wind but the thunderstorms were so heavy the raindrops kept setting off the truck's "object ahead" indicator. Fortunately, Lori was able to navigate through it all.
As Tamara got ready to leave she gave Lori a going away present; a "lunchbox" stove that runs off the truck's 12-volt plugs. It's just like the one Tamara has. Lori's actually become very good at using it to cook a variety of hot meals, so she can continue to avoid truck stop food.
Lori got a few hours sleep at Prime's headquarters, took a shower, had a nice hot meal, picked up her rental car, and hit the road to be home for Easter. The plan is for her to be back to Springfield next Wednesday for several days of classroom instruction before being assigned to her own company truck to finish up her next 20,000 miles as a trainee.
We probably won't be posting again until next week, so everybody have a blessed Easter. He is risen, alleluia!
They rolled into Prime's headquarters about 3:oo a.m. after leaving Memphis shortly before 8:00 p.m. Tuesday. The weather was miserable, with tornado watches and warnings along their route. They managed to miss the wind but the thunderstorms were so heavy the raindrops kept setting off the truck's "object ahead" indicator. Fortunately, Lori was able to navigate through it all.
As Tamara got ready to leave she gave Lori a going away present; a "lunchbox" stove that runs off the truck's 12-volt plugs. It's just like the one Tamara has. Lori's actually become very good at using it to cook a variety of hot meals, so she can continue to avoid truck stop food.
Lori got a few hours sleep at Prime's headquarters, took a shower, had a nice hot meal, picked up her rental car, and hit the road to be home for Easter. The plan is for her to be back to Springfield next Wednesday for several days of classroom instruction before being assigned to her own company truck to finish up her next 20,000 miles as a trainee.
We probably won't be posting again until next week, so everybody have a blessed Easter. He is risen, alleluia!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Midwest Values - Part II
The video below was e-mailed to us by Mike's mom. In addition to being an outstanding rendition of the National Anthem, I consider it another indication of the Midwest value system, one that includes respect for America. While I'm sure most people in LA, New York, and other urban areas would say they, too, respect America, I say actions speak louder than words. Notice how quiet this crowd is throughout the performance, something that probably wouldn't happen during a Lakers' game.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Midwest Values
This op-ed piece from a recent issue of the Orange County Register newspaper expresses something that I (Mike) have always believed was true but had never really had confirmed by anyone else - until now.
Parenting with heart in the heartland
by Ari Kaufman, freelance writer, fromer Los Angeles public school teacher
Growing up in a coastal “liberal” family, most of my friends shared similar, ignorant views on what those strict parents in the so-called “heartland” were all about. After my brief teaching career in Los Angeles, I moved to that heartland, where I now work as a freelance writer and full-time researcher for Indiana’s War Memorials. I am the only Jewish employee in my office and the only transplant from either coast.
Unlike most state agencies, and because patriotic military folks run the show, office politics are predominantly conservative. My co-workers are warm, family-oriented Christians who like basketball and fly the flag on their porches. They invoke the Lord’s name, denounce Islam, and support Israel. While this behavior might irk some, I revel in it.
Many pregnant military moms and other small-town families walk through our building each day. I give tours to aging veterans and respectful schoolchildren when requested. The families and teachers make sure the kids behave, which contrasts sharply with what I’ve observed with Europeans, Americans from more affluent suburbs, and inner-city folks (including here in Indianapolis) where parents and teachers exercise little control over their children.
Too many parents and teachers seem ill-equipped or unwilling to discipline their children. Instead of reprimanding misbehavior like in the “old days,” they have been instructed by seminars and school psychologists that children should be allowed to let their feelings out so they don’t fester. Teachers and parents are told that “whatever makes a child feel comfortable is the right answer.” When I occasionally sent a poorly behaved student to the office at an L.A. public school, the kid would come back smiling as my principal, fearing a lawsuit or hurt feelings, rewarded him or her with candy.
Parents and teachers are told that, “If kids aren’t allowed to freely express themselves, they won’t develop proper self-esteem.” Self-esteem? In this era of Facebook and YouTube, esteem is the last thing that needs augmenting. Say what you will about parochial or other “antiquated” schools of discipline, they work – and most inner-city parents who send their uniformed children to well-funded charter schools enthusiastically agree.
Today, many of America’s esteem fortified children spout profanity or even try to kill their parents. This casual back talk carries over into the classroom, where teachers, paralyzed by 40-year-old pop psychology, tolerate assaults and abuse because “whatever makes children feel comfortable inside” is the basic rule. Parents struggle against the same propaganda.
I’m no psychologist, but it seems that insecure 21st-century parents want to be friends with their children first. Yet, as I learned during my early days as an inner-city schoolteacher, if you don’t set strict limits, children, feeling confused about who’s the boss, will rebel. This then devolves into our current dysfunctional social order, where no one teaches students how to behave, to dress, or what is appropriate to say and do.
Juxtaposing big-city parents with those pious small-town folks whom the elite media often demean, parental ignorance is actually less common among the latter. While eating at a diner in Western Kentucky the other weekend, we watched a truck-driving mom and dad discipline their children in public. When did you last see that in Santa Monica?
These people also have busy schedules, but they’re more likely to schedule time with their children than their kids’ preschool consultant. Many instill conservative values in their children, who then join the military and become some of our most noble and selfless folks. Many accomplish more with less than residents of our inner cities.
I never believed a word of this until I began traveling across our great land six years ago, moving to its interior three years ago. Political speeches and media anecdotes about the people in “flyover country” and their lives are a disservice because other Americans, who haven’t spent the time to get to know the reality, believe what they hear.
It may take a village to raise a child. Normally I’d rightly scoff at such communal balderdash, but it’s true in the sense that in small communities, where everybody may know just about everybody else, misbehaving children would be reported to their parents, and neighbors often would intervene directly to correct behavior.
Those kinds of villages aren’t named Westwood or Greenwich.
Parenting with heart in the heartland
by Ari Kaufman, freelance writer, fromer Los Angeles public school teacher
Growing up in a coastal “liberal” family, most of my friends shared similar, ignorant views on what those strict parents in the so-called “heartland” were all about. After my brief teaching career in Los Angeles, I moved to that heartland, where I now work as a freelance writer and full-time researcher for Indiana’s War Memorials. I am the only Jewish employee in my office and the only transplant from either coast.Unlike most state agencies, and because patriotic military folks run the show, office politics are predominantly conservative. My co-workers are warm, family-oriented Christians who like basketball and fly the flag on their porches. They invoke the Lord’s name, denounce Islam, and support Israel. While this behavior might irk some, I revel in it.
Many pregnant military moms and other small-town families walk through our building each day. I give tours to aging veterans and respectful schoolchildren when requested. The families and teachers make sure the kids behave, which contrasts sharply with what I’ve observed with Europeans, Americans from more affluent suburbs, and inner-city folks (including here in Indianapolis) where parents and teachers exercise little control over their children.
Too many parents and teachers seem ill-equipped or unwilling to discipline their children. Instead of reprimanding misbehavior like in the “old days,” they have been instructed by seminars and school psychologists that children should be allowed to let their feelings out so they don’t fester. Teachers and parents are told that “whatever makes a child feel comfortable is the right answer.” When I occasionally sent a poorly behaved student to the office at an L.A. public school, the kid would come back smiling as my principal, fearing a lawsuit or hurt feelings, rewarded him or her with candy.
Parents and teachers are told that, “If kids aren’t allowed to freely express themselves, they won’t develop proper self-esteem.” Self-esteem? In this era of Facebook and YouTube, esteem is the last thing that needs augmenting. Say what you will about parochial or other “antiquated” schools of discipline, they work – and most inner-city parents who send their uniformed children to well-funded charter schools enthusiastically agree.
Today, many of America’s esteem fortified children spout profanity or even try to kill their parents. This casual back talk carries over into the classroom, where teachers, paralyzed by 40-year-old pop psychology, tolerate assaults and abuse because “whatever makes children feel comfortable inside” is the basic rule. Parents struggle against the same propaganda.
I’m no psychologist, but it seems that insecure 21st-century parents want to be friends with their children first. Yet, as I learned during my early days as an inner-city schoolteacher, if you don’t set strict limits, children, feeling confused about who’s the boss, will rebel. This then devolves into our current dysfunctional social order, where no one teaches students how to behave, to dress, or what is appropriate to say and do.
Juxtaposing big-city parents with those pious small-town folks whom the elite media often demean, parental ignorance is actually less common among the latter. While eating at a diner in Western Kentucky the other weekend, we watched a truck-driving mom and dad discipline their children in public. When did you last see that in Santa Monica?
These people also have busy schedules, but they’re more likely to schedule time with their children than their kids’ preschool consultant. Many instill conservative values in their children, who then join the military and become some of our most noble and selfless folks. Many accomplish more with less than residents of our inner cities.
I never believed a word of this until I began traveling across our great land six years ago, moving to its interior three years ago. Political speeches and media anecdotes about the people in “flyover country” and their lives are a disservice because other Americans, who haven’t spent the time to get to know the reality, believe what they hear.
It may take a village to raise a child. Normally I’d rightly scoff at such communal balderdash, but it’s true in the sense that in small communities, where everybody may know just about everybody else, misbehaving children would be reported to their parents, and neighbors often would intervene directly to correct behavior.
Those kinds of villages aren’t named Westwood or Greenwich.
A Day Off...sort of
Lori and Tamara made it to Fed Ex at the Newark Airport with a couple of hours to spare. They dropped their trailer at a dock and picked up an empty trailer from the others on the lot.
Unfortunately, the next load available (at least of those that would get the truck closer to Springfield) can't be picked up until tomorrow morning so Tamara decided they would just spend the day in the Fed Ex lot - which didn't go over very well with Lori since there was an evening church service at a relatively close truck stop that she would have liked to attend. But, it's Tamara's truck so she gets to call the shots.
The plan is to pick up the load tomorrow headed for Memphis, and then get another load that takes them by Prime's facility in Springfield so Lori can get off the truck and come home. Keep your fingers crossed!
Unfortunately, the next load available (at least of those that would get the truck closer to Springfield) can't be picked up until tomorrow morning so Tamara decided they would just spend the day in the Fed Ex lot - which didn't go over very well with Lori since there was an evening church service at a relatively close truck stop that she would have liked to attend. But, it's Tamara's truck so she gets to call the shots.
The plan is to pick up the load tomorrow headed for Memphis, and then get another load that takes them by Prime's facility in Springfield so Lori can get off the truck and come home. Keep your fingers crossed!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Change of Plans
Tamara decided she wanted to drop the load headed for Arizona at Prime's yard in Dallas in order to get a load from the Fed Ex facility at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. Not really sure why she decided to make the change; she didn't offer any explanation to Lori and Lori didn't ask. All we know is that the new Fed Ex load pays less than the load that Tamara dropped off. The only reason we think Tamara may have made the switch was because the Arizona load couldn't be dropped off until Monday morning, which would have meant sitting all day on Sunday.
The Fed Ex load is headed for Newark International Airport and has to be there within 34 hours after the truck is loaded. Shouldn't be a problem making it there and the traffic shouldn't be too bad since they expect to arrive early Sunday morning. The only bad thing is that rain is expected along their entire route.
Frankly, Lori and I decided we would have been glad for the day off since 1) all drivers have to take at least 34 hours off every 70 hours of driving, and 2) it would have been a great chance to go see a spring training baseball game. Oh well, when we have our own truck...
The Fed Ex load is headed for Newark International Airport and has to be there within 34 hours after the truck is loaded. Shouldn't be a problem making it there and the traffic shouldn't be too bad since they expect to arrive early Sunday morning. The only bad thing is that rain is expected along their entire route.Since Lori now has enough miles to transfer from being a team trainee to being a solo driver of a company truck, the plan is for their next load to bring them through the main facility in Springfield, Missouri (probably sometime Tuesday). That's when Lori will say good-bye and thanks to Tamara and get ready for her final phase of training, starting with three days of classes.
However, Lori's classroom training isn't scheduled to start until the Wednesday after Easter (since Lori had asked to be home for Easter) so she's going to rent a car in Springfield and drive home, spend a few days with family, and then drive back to Springfield for three days of training before being assigned her own company truck.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Westward, Ho!
It's back to the Wild West for Lori and Tamara. After making their delivery of bagged salad this morning, they accepted a load out of South Port, North Carolina headed for Casa Grande, Arizona (just south of Phoenix).
They got a bit of a treat once the salad was off-loaded. It seems the receiver didn't want to accept one case of Cesar Salad kits (6 bags) because they thought it was "damaged." Lori and Tamara didn't see anything wrong with it so they put the bags in their cooler to enjoy over the next few days.
The pickup location (Archer Daniels Midland) was near the North Carolina coast, a good spot for this particular facility since they produce sodium-based products, which they must get from sea salt given the HUGE pile of salt outside the building. The load is 50-pound bags of sodium citrate, otherwise known as citric acid, a food additive.
Getting to and from South Port was interesting since much of the route was along smaller state and U.S. highways. Lori saw lots of small stands selling local produce, including yams and boiled peanuts, a very Southern roadside treat.
The directions from Prime weren't the best either, so Mike talked Lori toward Interstate 20 over the phone while he was looking at Google Maps on-line. Once she makes it onto the interstate, the rest of the trip should be pretty straightforward.
The delivery location is Ross Laboratories, which manufactures "nutritional products" according to documents Mike found doing a Google search. They should arrive Saturday afternoon.
They got a bit of a treat once the salad was off-loaded. It seems the receiver didn't want to accept one case of Cesar Salad kits (6 bags) because they thought it was "damaged." Lori and Tamara didn't see anything wrong with it so they put the bags in their cooler to enjoy over the next few days.
The pickup location (Archer Daniels Midland) was near the North Carolina coast, a good spot for this particular facility since they produce sodium-based products, which they must get from sea salt given the HUGE pile of salt outside the building. The load is 50-pound bags of sodium citrate, otherwise known as citric acid, a food additive.
Getting to and from South Port was interesting since much of the route was along smaller state and U.S. highways. Lori saw lots of small stands selling local produce, including yams and boiled peanuts, a very Southern roadside treat.
The directions from Prime weren't the best either, so Mike talked Lori toward Interstate 20 over the phone while he was looking at Google Maps on-line. Once she makes it onto the interstate, the rest of the trip should be pretty straightforward.
The delivery location is Ross Laboratories, which manufactures "nutritional products" according to documents Mike found doing a Google search. They should arrive Saturday afternoon.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A Quickie
Lori and Tamara arrived in Bessemer City this morning with enough time for a shower before heading over to the Dole facility to unload the heads of romaine lettuce they had on board. Then it was around to the other side of the building to pick up their next load; bags of salad headed for Dunn, NC - a mere 200 miles away. That load should be finished up by tomorrow morning, and then...?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Haven't We Been Here Before?
It's back to Bessemer City, NC with a load from Dole in Yuma (see March 4 post). The only difference is what's in the truck; this time it's 75,ooo pounds of head lettuce. And the weather should be different (better!).
Monday, March 10, 2008
Here and Gone
Lori and Tamara dropped their "high value" load (coats from Burlington Coat Factory) in Chino early this morning, which gave Mike a chance to swing by for a visit on his way to work. He came bearing some smoked chicken, baby back ribs, and cold slaw that he made over the weekend. He
was just going to grill a chicken but Lori talked him into firing up the ol' smoker and making enough so her and Tamara could enjoy some homemade 'cue on the truck. Mike's trying to figure out a way to strap the smoker onto the catwalk behind the cab... Probably not going to happen.
It wasn't long before they had another load assignment (picking up veggies at Dole in Yuma - again) so it was off to the office for Mike and out to the desert for the truck.
was just going to grill a chicken but Lori talked him into firing up the ol' smoker and making enough so her and Tamara could enjoy some homemade 'cue on the truck. Mike's trying to figure out a way to strap the smoker onto the catwalk behind the cab... Probably not going to happen.It wasn't long before they had another load assignment (picking up veggies at Dole in Yuma - again) so it was off to the office for Mike and out to the desert for the truck.
Friday, March 7, 2008
What a Day!
There's no doubt about it! Today is a day that Lori will not soon forget.The delivery of frozen chicken in New Jersey this morning went smoothly enough, and it was looking like the next assignment was going to be pretty straightforward. However, after Lori and Tamara got to the pickup spot, the shipper cancelled the shipment because of the weather. No problem, Tamara would still make some money on the cancellation and it was still early enough to get another load. Sure enough, an assignment came in for a load headed to Wisconsin. Tamara said she would go pick it up and take it to Prime's yard in Pittston, PA for someone else to haul the rest of the way. And it was a good excuse for Tamara and Lori to see the "new" facility in Pittston, which Prime took over when it purchased the TRL trucking company several months ago.
They got the Wisconsin-bound trailer to the yard and took a look around while they waited for another assignment. It's going to take a lot of work to get this facility in shape. We'll see how it goes.
It wasn't long before they got a load assignment headed out of central New Jersey to Southern California (Can't tell you what it is since it's a "high value" load). It was a "drop and hook" (leave an empty trailer and pick up another one that's already loaded) so they got on the road quickly. That's when it got ugly.
Friday afternoon is no time to be driving along the New York/Philidelphia/Baltimore corridor, especially when it's raining. Lori says it took them 5 hours to drive 61 miles. And the drivers there make Southern Californians look like saints. It was miserable.
When Mike and Lori last talked, she was out of the Baltimore area on I-70 headed for I-81 south down to Nashville where they'll catch I-40 for the cross-country run. The weather is wet, cold, and foggy but should clear up once they make the turn west.
Education - Who Knows Best; Father or Big Brother?
A couple of recent news items have attracted my (Mike's) attention so I'd like to share them with you and offer my opinion (for what it's worth!).
A recent article from USA Today (click here to read it) talks about a study that has found that more and more of today's teens probably wouldn't understand the title of this post because they've never been exposed to a significant part of America's cultural, political, and social history.
I believe this knowledge is important because it is part of what creates and maintains a "culture." Part of being an American is sharing a basic understanding of things that are uniquely American, including literature, movies, historical events, TV shows, music, etc.
Personally, my day-to-day conversations and much of my writings are filled with references to American culture. For example, anybody who knows me has probably heard me say "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" more than once. Few movies are more beloved in America than the Wizard of Oz. And even fewer phrases can instantly convey - at least to people who know the movie - the concept of imperfect human beings trying to cover up their shortcomings by projecting a strong, intimidating persona. How sad would it be if we as a culture no longer shared that common ground. I'm afraid this study shows we are headed down a path that leads to an America that is less united by common understandings and values.
The question then is how best to pass along that cultural knowledge? The USA Today article talks about a group that believes the answer is to increase the teaching of humanities in our public schools. While I agree our schools should increase the study of classic American literature and place more focus on the social and political context of historical events, I do not believe we should place full responsibility for educating our children on schools - particularly public schools.
That is not to say I think poorly of the people entrusted with teaching our kids. On the contrary, I know many educators - including our daughters Shannon & Elizabeth - who have a God-given gift for teaching and nurturing children. I am thankful there are people like them who are willing to take on this important role in society.
What I am saying is that parents have the ultimate responsibility for the quality of their children's education. That responsibility can be exercised in a number of ways, from supplementing what their kids are learning in public school all the way to home schooling. And exercising that responsibility requires they have the freedom to do so without undue government interference.
Which brings me to the second news item. A recent ruling by California's 2nd District Court of Appeal could have significant impact on parents' ability to home school their children. (Read about it here.) The implications of this ruling are huge. On a practical basis, not only could it mean the end of homeschooling in California, it could significantly impact the ability of private schools to operate (which currently can hire non-credentialed teachers) and independent study programs offered through "charter schools" within the public school system (which have parents supervise their children's education at home).
There is, however, a more frightening "Big Brother" component to this ruling. (If you don't understand the reference, you should read George Orwell's novel 1984 - click here to see the Wikipedia entry about the book.) I believe this ruling by the appeals court is based on the idea that government, not parents and families, should have full responsibility for educating our children; that "they" know best when it comes to what and how our children should be taught and that anything that contradicts the government's approach is, at best, ignorant, and at worst, illegal.
I couldn't disagree with that philosophy more, especially in light of recent California legislation (SB 777) that forbids any materials in California’s public schools that “promote discriminatory bias” toward forms of sexual deviancy, including homosexuality and bisexuality. The practical effect of this law is that phrases like "Mom and Dad" and "husband and wife" and the concept of the traditional family could disappear from public schools, replaced by the idea that homosexuality is a valid, healthy lifestyle without any negative impacts. God's Word says otherwise, a concept that has been backed up by numerous studies. (Click here for a look at the Myths and Facts of homosexuality.)
Homosexuality is just one topic about which I and many other parents feel public schools are sharing wrong - even harmful - information with our children. Parents have a God-given responsibility to raise their children in a way that accuractely reflects His commandments to "Love God" and "Love your neighbor." Therefore, parents should have the right and ability to ensure their children are being educated in whatever way they feel is most appropriate to fulfill that responsibility.
A recent article from USA Today (click here to read it) talks about a study that has found that more and more of today's teens probably wouldn't understand the title of this post because they've never been exposed to a significant part of America's cultural, political, and social history.
I believe this knowledge is important because it is part of what creates and maintains a "culture." Part of being an American is sharing a basic understanding of things that are uniquely American, including literature, movies, historical events, TV shows, music, etc.
Personally, my day-to-day conversations and much of my writings are filled with references to American culture. For example, anybody who knows me has probably heard me say "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" more than once. Few movies are more beloved in America than the Wizard of Oz. And even fewer phrases can instantly convey - at least to people who know the movie - the concept of imperfect human beings trying to cover up their shortcomings by projecting a strong, intimidating persona. How sad would it be if we as a culture no longer shared that common ground. I'm afraid this study shows we are headed down a path that leads to an America that is less united by common understandings and values.
The question then is how best to pass along that cultural knowledge? The USA Today article talks about a group that believes the answer is to increase the teaching of humanities in our public schools. While I agree our schools should increase the study of classic American literature and place more focus on the social and political context of historical events, I do not believe we should place full responsibility for educating our children on schools - particularly public schools.
That is not to say I think poorly of the people entrusted with teaching our kids. On the contrary, I know many educators - including our daughters Shannon & Elizabeth - who have a God-given gift for teaching and nurturing children. I am thankful there are people like them who are willing to take on this important role in society.
What I am saying is that parents have the ultimate responsibility for the quality of their children's education. That responsibility can be exercised in a number of ways, from supplementing what their kids are learning in public school all the way to home schooling. And exercising that responsibility requires they have the freedom to do so without undue government interference.
Which brings me to the second news item. A recent ruling by California's 2nd District Court of Appeal could have significant impact on parents' ability to home school their children. (Read about it here.) The implications of this ruling are huge. On a practical basis, not only could it mean the end of homeschooling in California, it could significantly impact the ability of private schools to operate (which currently can hire non-credentialed teachers) and independent study programs offered through "charter schools" within the public school system (which have parents supervise their children's education at home).
There is, however, a more frightening "Big Brother" component to this ruling. (If you don't understand the reference, you should read George Orwell's novel 1984 - click here to see the Wikipedia entry about the book.) I believe this ruling by the appeals court is based on the idea that government, not parents and families, should have full responsibility for educating our children; that "they" know best when it comes to what and how our children should be taught and that anything that contradicts the government's approach is, at best, ignorant, and at worst, illegal.
I couldn't disagree with that philosophy more, especially in light of recent California legislation (SB 777) that forbids any materials in California’s public schools that “promote discriminatory bias” toward forms of sexual deviancy, including homosexuality and bisexuality. The practical effect of this law is that phrases like "Mom and Dad" and "husband and wife" and the concept of the traditional family could disappear from public schools, replaced by the idea that homosexuality is a valid, healthy lifestyle without any negative impacts. God's Word says otherwise, a concept that has been backed up by numerous studies. (Click here for a look at the Myths and Facts of homosexuality.)
Homosexuality is just one topic about which I and many other parents feel public schools are sharing wrong - even harmful - information with our children. Parents have a God-given responsibility to raise their children in a way that accuractely reflects His commandments to "Love God" and "Love your neighbor." Therefore, parents should have the right and ability to ensure their children are being educated in whatever way they feel is most appropriate to fulfill that responsibility.
Catching Up
We haven't posted in a few days so here's a quick update.
The air conditioning was fixed (yeah!) in Eloy, AZ and it only took 30 minutes to get the work done. The rest of the trip to Bessemer City, NC was uneventful. In fact, things went so smoothly, Lori and Tamara made the original delivery time even with their late start from Yuma and the repair.
The delivery went quickly and they were assigned another load right away; frozen chicken from Wilkesboro, NC to Keasbey, NJ. Most of the drive was on Lori's shift, which meant she got to drive on the outskirts of Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. It was a bit like driving around back home, what with the amount of traffic on the road even though it was close to midnight on a Thursday night.
Fortunately, the run went smoothly and as of 3:oo a.m. they were waiting at the delivery location for a dock assignment. Nothing pre-planned as of yet so we'll see where they're headed next.
The air conditioning was fixed (yeah!) in Eloy, AZ and it only took 30 minutes to get the work done. The rest of the trip to Bessemer City, NC was uneventful. In fact, things went so smoothly, Lori and Tamara made the original delivery time even with their late start from Yuma and the repair.
The delivery went quickly and they were assigned another load right away; frozen chicken from Wilkesboro, NC to Keasbey, NJ. Most of the drive was on Lori's shift, which meant she got to drive on the outskirts of Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. It was a bit like driving around back home, what with the amount of traffic on the road even though it was close to midnight on a Thursday night.
Fortunately, the run went smoothly and as of 3:oo a.m. they were waiting at the delivery location for a dock assignment. Nothing pre-planned as of yet so we'll see where they're headed next.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Back and Forth
Tamara and Lori headed out from home last night about 10 o'clock going to the Dole facility in Yuma. Their route took them out I-10 to Indio where they had a choice of going down either 111 or 86 to get to I-8. Since Lori was driving, Tamara let her choose. Since she had never driven down 86, Lori decided to head that way.Well, God was obviously behind that decision since, unbeknownst to Lori and Tamara, a train derailment and poisonous gas leak had closed Highway 111. There are no coincidences!
Their scheduled pickup time was 5:00 a.m. (which they made) but they weren't loaded and out until after noon. A quick stop at Wal-mart for supplies and then it was on the road headed for the Freightliner dealer in Eloy, AZ. That's because the air conditioner on the truck has been acting up; it will work for awhile and then it won't. When it's not working, the interior of the truck gets way too warm and stuffy. Even Lori thought it was getting too warm for comfort. Hopefully, they can identify the problem and get it fixed without too much delay. Then it's onto Bessemer City, NC for a Thursday delivery.
Monday, March 3, 2008
A Day of Firsts
With Tamara and Lori coming into Southern California, Mike took the opportunity to meet up with them in Kingman, AZ and ride in with Lori. Tamara drove Mike's pickup truck since she had to run some errands in Hesperia, etc.
Among the "firsts" Mike got to experience on the trip were:
Among the "firsts" Mike got to experience on the trip were:
- Church service at a truck stop
- Wind storm while riding in the truck
- Preparing a meal using a knife in a moving truck (Mike still has all his fingers!)
- Riding in a big rig down the Cajon Pass
- Getting caught in a traffic jam in a big rig
Mike and Lori managed to make it into Riverside where they met up with Tamara and swapped "rides." Tamara let Lori take Sunday evening and Monday off while she made the three local deliveries and got the air conditioner serviced on the truck. So, Mike and Lori took the grandkids out for dinner, Lori got to sleep in a real bed, and they spent Monday together.
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