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Reading List......

Wow, Book 8 was a quick and fun/good read.
Book 8 was Kingdom Keepers IV Power Play by Ridley Pearson. It is the 4th book in a series about a group of kids that are trying to defend Disney World from the Disney Villains who are coming to life and want to take control of the power.
Through the series I have wondered about where are the "good guys" characters. Finally in book IV we are starting to see some of the "good guys" characters coming out to help.
Things did not end well for the gang at the end of the book, so that sets up for the next book. Wonder how long I have to wait for that to be published? :(

Book List:
1. Guards Guards by Terry Pratchett
2. Kingdom Keepers III Disney in Shadows by Ridley Pearson
3. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
4. Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
5. Last Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
6. Barbara Jordan American Hero by Mary Beth Rogers
7. 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie
8. Kingdom Keepers IV Power Play by Ridley Pearson

Movie Review......

I finally got to go see Winnie the Pooh last night. :)

It was a really fun movie. It entertained the little kid in me.
Disney went back to the old traditional style Winnie the Pooh.
The book style with narrator feeling from the original Pooh movie was used again here. The characters intermix with the words and occasional talk to the narrator.
I think there was maybe one or two songs that weren't needed, but that's just me.
The animation of Christopher Robin seems a little juvenile compared to "old".
I think the hardest thing for me was listening to some/most of the voices that were now different actors than from the original movie/shows.
There was a scene where they did a very funny word play with Not and Knot. :p
If you get the urge to go see the movie make sure you stay through 'til the end. The characters play all through the end credits, and then there is a final scene at the end. Too funny.

I would give Winnie the Pooh a Grade: A

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I forgot a funny tidbit about seeing Winnie the Pooh.

There were a total of 7 people watching the movie.
Myself, a couple that looked like they might have been in their 30s, and then the funny part... 4 guys that looked like they could barely be 20 years old. They looked more like the kind of guys that would have been more likely to be watching Captain America or Transformers than seeing Winnie the Pooh.
But they sat there and watched it. They didn't make smartalic remarks during the movie and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
I just found it to be a really unique situation, and kind of cool that young guys would be bold enough to go see Winnie the Pooh. :)

Today's WTF Moment Brought to You By McGehee Secondary School Board and Principal........

THIS IS BEYOND WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Arkansas High School Wont Let African-American Student Be Valedictorian
by Jessica P.


An Arkansas high school would not let a black student be valedictorian of her class even though she had the highest grade-point average because school administrators were concerned a black valedictorian would create a “big mess” at the predominately white school.

According to a complaint filed in federal court, Kymberly Wimberly got only a single B in her four years at McGehee Secondary School, a high school southeast of Little Rock. She took as many Honors and Advanced Placement courses as was allowed and earned the highest G.P.A. in her class. But despite these accomplishments, school administrators and personnel treated two other white students as “heirs apparent” to the valedictorian spots. McGhee Principal Darrel Thompson confirmed the differential treatment when he told Wimberly that he had decided to name a white student as co-valedictorian, despite the fact that the white student had a lower G.P.A.

As if that were not bad enough, school officials refused to allow Wimberly or her mother, a school employee, to protest the decision to the school board. According to the compliant, Superintendent Thomas Gathen refused to let Wimberly address the school board because she “filled out the wrong form” and instead of asking for “public comments” Wimberly should have asked for “public participation.” Superintendent Gathen then told her she could not appeal his decision until the next school board meeting–scheduled well over a month past graduation.

The complaint attacks what it calls a culture of discouraging African-American students from achieving academic success. The last African-American valedictorian was in 1989. African-American students are routinely discouraged from taking honors and advanced placement classes, telling those students the work is too hard for them.

Wimberly’s case is complicated by the fact that she is also a young mother. Title IX protects young mothers from discrimination in educational settings but can’t, on its own, eradicate ingrained racial and cultural prejudices.

Wimberly’s success should be celebrated by the entire district, not diminished because of her race and her status as a young mother. The actions in this case are not only illegal they are cultural repugnant.