Downtown St. Petersburg

I recently took a day trip to St.  Petersburg and was pleasantly surprised at my discovery.  I visited the Dali museum, which I enjoyed.  The paintings cover the breadth of Dali's work from his Impressionist beginnings to Surrealism.and into his classical period. The body of  work reveals a constantly growing and evolving artist. Docent tours are available every hour on the half hour.  Headsets with information on the paintings are available as well.  I first went on a docent tour and used the headsets to supplement information on pieces that were not discussed on the tour. In addition to his painting, you can watch a film Dali made.  Outside is a labyrinth you can walk through.  Despite my penchant for Impressionism, I enjoyed the museum.  I was able to get a better understanding of Dali and surrealism.

Along the waterfront, there are a plethora of restaurants and boutiques.  I dined al fresco at Moon Under Water with an excellent view of the bay.  I had a delicious curry dish.  The menu was full of a variety of choices.  It was difficult to decide but the kind waitress gave me her recommendation.

I went to the Chihuly Collection.  I was impressed with his glass works, which are beautifully displayed.  His art work is puerile.  He squirts acrylic paint on a canvas and calls it art.  It takes him ten minutes to do a piece.  My third graders could do the same but would not be able to charge $12,000 for it. A docent tour is available and recommended.

My final destination was the Vinoy hotel, a gem from the 1920s.  It fell on hard times in the 1970s, as did apparently the city, but has been restored.  A Chihuly chandelier hangs in its ballroom.  Although we were not guests the manager was helpful in providing a history of the hotel.

I recommend visiting St. Petersburg.  I will return to see the museums I missed.

   

Too much riding on one test

On Monday FCAT begins.  It is a test that will determine if my students will progress to fourth grade.  It trumps what they have done the rest of the year.  It is a test that will determine if I am considered an effective teacher.  In a recent article in Phi Delta Kappan, a professional journal for educators, research show that gains in student achievement are influenced by much more than the any individual teacher.  School factors such as class size, curriculum materials, instructional time, availability of specialists and tutors and resources for learning are a factor.  Another factor is home and community support.  Individual student needs and abilities, health and attendance are a factor.  Differential summer learning loss is a factor, especially among low-income children.

It is folly to think that a four day test can give you the whole picture of a child, as it is to think it does the same for a teacher.  It is disheartening to think that teachers who sacrifice to promote the love of learning to children are reduce to a secret state mathematical formula.

Immortality

I read an article about the quest for immortality in Scientific American and decided to use to see how I am on my quest.  According to the article there are four immortality narratives.   The most basic is staying alive.  While no one can stay alive forever, we can extend our lives. I chose to do this by eating a healthy diet and daily exercise. I think I can add another 20 quality years to my life by doing these simple activities.  The second narrative is resurrection - physically rising again with our bodies.  I do not believe in resurrection.  The third narrative is soul, "surviving as some kind of spiritual entity."   While no one is absolutely sure there is a soul, that is why it is called faith, I am following Pascal's wager and living my life to achieve an afterlife. If God does not exist, it does not matter how you wager, for there is nothing to win after death and nothing to lose after death. But if God does exist, your only chance of winning eternal happiness is to believe, and your only chance of losing it is to refuse to believe. As Pascal says, "I should be much more afraid of being mistaken and then finding out that Christianity is true than of being mistaken in believing it to be true." The fourth is legacy to leave an impact through children or our work.  I do not have children but as a teacher I have a major impact on the lives of children every day.  My hope is that they remember the wisdom I have passed on to them.

Will I achieve immortality? I can do what I can to extend my life and have faith that there is an afterlife or at least I will be remembered for the good things I have done.

Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss

I recently finished Absolute Monarchs by John Julius Norwich, as history of the papacy.  It was very enlightening, more so since I am a Catholic.  Mr. Norwich is very objective in his writing, so we learn about great popes, the corrupt popes, and the average popes. It was interesting that through the middle ages most popes were ordained priests after they were elected priests.  Many popes were more interested in enriching their families then to shepherding their flocks.  Nepotism was common place until the 20th century.  The Renaissance popes built grand monuments and palaces for themselves but also added to the Vatican library.  There were a few forward thinking popes but most were conservative afraid of losing control of the papal states and power and influence over the kings of Europe.  Some were pawns of the kings of Europe.

How have things changed in the 21st Century?  Not much. Our present pope was the head of the Inquisition, which is now called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.  His duty was to ensure that the doctrines laid down by Rome were being enforced.  If they were not, the offenders were exiled to the hinterlands. The recent Vatican leaks show that there is still corruption in the Vatican. Cardinal Vigano had been making marked progress in his battle against corruption and cronyism as deputy governor in charge of financial reforms of Vatican City.  Last August, Vigano was suddenly appointed papal nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States. But Vigano felt that if he were moved out of Rome it would send the wrong signal—that anyone who fights the church’s corruption won’t get to do it for long.  He was moved anyway.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Don't Judge A Book

I recently went to get my haircut.  I was not pleased with my stylist so I went to a new salon.  I made an appointment and arrived on time. I had to wait a few minutes as both stylists were finishing up.  There were two stylists, one appeared to be older and was more conventional.  The other was younger, with pink hair and tattoos on her arms. The first stylist asked me if I had a preference.  I hesitated because I am very conservative in my appearance.  I am a teacher who still wears a shirt and tie to school.  I told her it did not matter, despite having an innate prejudice against tattoos.  I was a bit apprehensive when I was told that the woman with tattoos would be my stylist.

I was pleased to wrong in my superficial judgement.  My stylist was one of the most pleasant and considerate that I have ever had.  She did an excellent job.  I made sure that I got her name because I have found a new stylist.  The old adage is true "You can not judge a book by its cover."  I will not be so quick to judge in the future.

Joe Kennedy and Citizens Energy

I was visiting family in New York over the holidays, when I saw an advertisement by Joe Kennedy and Citizens Energy.  They provide discount heating oil to the poor and elderly households in 23 states.  While wages have remained stagnant, oil prices have increased.  It is a financial burden on these family, who have to choose between heating their homes or buying food.  I find the program laudable, but it interesting who supplies the oil - Venezuela!  American oil companies are making record profits and continue to receive tax subsidies but will not donate oil to this program.  I find it appalling that Citgo, an Venezuelan company is the only donator.

Goebbels Would Be Proud

I read an interesting letter to the editor in my local paper Saturday.  The writer was confused why Obama said God Bless America.  The writer stated that President Obama was a Muslim and not a Christian.  First President Obama is not a Muslim and even if he was Muslims still believe in God.  The writer claimed that Obama was only for the rich Americans not the poor, which apparently made him un-American.  Again the writer has his facts wrong.  The President is trying to raise taxes on the richest one percent of American but is stonewalled by the Republicans, who want to lower taxes on the wealthy. 

Joseph Goebbels would be proud at the Conservative propaganda spread by talk radio and Fox News.  They continue to spread lies about the Presidents birth and religion.  They are trying convince people that they are for the common man, while the President is for the rich Wall Street executives, which is the exact opposite of the situation.  Goebbels said if you repeat the lie enough people will believe it.  The Conservatives believe it and in the case of this one writer it is true.  It is more appalling that a newspaper would print the letter.