Ragley resident Jacob Waters is a 14-year-old Life Scout who was born with a disorder called Jackson Weiss Syndrome.
Jacob’s faced a myriad of health challenges throughout his life. In 2011, he opted out of numerous surgeries and decided to have his left leg amputated. He now says that was the best decision he ever made.
With a prosthesis, Jacob’s become dynamic. He competes in triathlons and bicycle races, and intends to compete in the Paralympic Games some day.
Jacob wants to help other youths with disabilities. He started a foundation called ACTS in Motion. (ACTS stands for “Assisting Children to Thrive and Succeed”). The foundation’s mission is to provide cycling opportunities and equipment for children with disabilities in Louisiana.
The group’s first fundraiser will take place on April 11 at the Enos Darbonne Sports Complex. Called Rides and Strides, it will be a bicycle ride in which participants can choose to ride various distances. There’ll be games, food and a silent auction.
You can pre-register up to 9 pm on April 10. Here’s the schedule for the races: 8 am: Metric Century (62 miles); 8:10: 50-mile race; 8:20: 25 miles; and 8:30: 10 miles. There will be no time limits to the races.
Contestants can pick up a packet April 9-10 from 9:30 am-6 pm at the Bicycle Superstore at 722 East Prien Lake Road. On April 11, packets can be picked up at the registration table. The registration fee goes up $5 the day of the race. You’ll want to get to the Complex at least 15 minutes before start time if you still need to register.
For Jacob’s full story, read his bio on his site jacobwaterscycling.com. The complete rate schedule for the various races is also located there.
On the site, you can see photos of Jacob at various stages in his life as well as the long list of regional events in which he’s playing a part.
Whoopi
For the first time, I saw a show at the event center of a local casino. The act was Whoopi Goldberg, who just did a gut-bustin’ stand-up show at L’Auberge.
After being told by a dozen casino-goers, “Oh, Whoopi won’t be on ‘til 9:30 or 10,” I saw her take the stage at exactly 8:30.
I’d seen Goldberg’s stand-up on DVD and enjoyed it. But I never laughed the way I did during this show. Perhaps the difference is in seeing the comedian live. And believe me, Goldberg’s super-casual, don’t-give-a-damn appearance is something to see. On-stage, she’s something like a whirling dervish or a human tornado.
On the night of the show, Goldberg delivered an accurate and hilarious description of the effects of aging (she told the audience she was now 60), and also took on social media (which she feels is preventing young people from learning how to communicate). “Look at each other and talk,” Goldberg advised the audience.
She mentioned politics only once — when she wondered out loud what sort of Secret Service agent would let an intruder sprint through the White House. She briefly touched on religion, expressing nostalgia for the Old Testament times when God used to “smite” people for bad behavior. “I like to see a good smiting now and then,” said Goldberg, who was making particular reference to the sorts of things that used to happen when young people talked back to elders. Goldberg, who is now a great-grandmother, has apparently gotten some back talk in her day, and has responded with the tough love approach.
Goldberg means it when she says she’ll answer all questions from the audience. After the show, more than 50 people lined up behind the mic. One asked what Goldberg thought of Barbara Walters. Goldberg has a pretty high opinion of Walters given that Walters gave her a spot on The View at a time when Goldberg had been unemployed for four years. That’s understandable.
After the show, I strolled down to Dessert where I had a cup of chocolate gelato. It was like freshly prepared mousse mixed in with a little ice cream — one of the richest and tastiest sweets I’d had in a long time.
It all added up to a thoroughly enjoyable, satisfying stress-free evening. It’s great to get exceptional entertainment and not to experience a bit of hassle in the process of getting it. My taxi was waiting for me when I walked out the front door. If this sort of thing keeps up, I might start going out again.
My, My! Such Language!
You know the threat of big cuts to Louisiana higher ed is pretty serious when LSU students convene a forum on the matter.
At the forum, students expressed fears that their LSU degree would lose value if budgets take a big hit.
The forum’s panel included LSU Chancellor F. King Alexander. He said higher ed faced a cut of “up to $800 million,” reported the Daily Advocate.
That number was new to me. If King is correct, the $800 million would eclipse the $700 million previously cut from higher ed during the Jindal administration. Since that $700 set the record for the biggest higher ed cut in U.S. history, it sounds as if Louisiana just might be set to break the record again. When you can set a new national record twice in six years, that’s saying something.
Another panel member, ULL System President Sandra Woodley, poo-pooed earlier talk that at least one university in the state would have to close. She talked about cancelled classes and cut programs.
All this was made possible by a student organization called Geaux Vote LSU, which has been formed to “push back against budget cuts.”
In rather shocking terms, Alexander told the LSU students to get busy: “Be annoying. Sometimes, you don’t have to be so polite. This is a time when you need to fight.”
When was the last time you heard an authority figure say something like that? Was it … never? The higher ed funding situation must be dire indeed.
“Louisiana Purchased” Up For S.H. Award
You may recall that a couple of years ago, the Times-Picayune published a big story titled “Louisiana Purchased.” The story was so big because it listed every recorded contribution ever made to every politician serving in Louisiana.
In addition to confirming our worst suspicions about our elected officials, the story helped the FBI wrap up a couple of cases against politicians who’d been naughty. Five new pieces of Louisiana legislation came about as the result of the story.
Many took note. “Louisiana Purchased” won a Peabody Award, an Edward R. Murrow Award and a regional Emmy.
Now, reports the Times-Picayune, “Louisiana Purchased” is on the short list for a Scripps Howard Award. Scripps Howard may not mean much to most people. But to a journalist, it’s a big deal. It’s one of those things you work a lifetime for; one of the things you mention when your grandchild asks, “What did you do?”
Here in the Up Front editorial offices, we’re all feeling warm and fuzzy about the prospect of another national journalism award sitting on the shelf in a Louisiana newsroom.
Give The Man Credit!
Poo-yi! What did Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne do to yank blogger C.B. Forgotston’s chain? In a March 18 post, Forgotston, the gadfly of Louisiana, opened fire on Dardenne with both barrels.
First, Forgotston claimed that Dardenne once voted for $1.41 billion in taxes in a single year.
But that wasn’t the reason Forgotston was taking to his keyboard on March 18. The reason was a Twitter post that Forgotston claims Dardenne put up on March 16. The alleged Dardenne Tweet goes like this:
“We need diverse jobs, so years ago, I created the community and technical college system here in Louisiana.”
Forgotston seems to be delighted to no end by those words. He suggests that this session’s Legislature make it official that Louisiana’s voc-ed system is to be called “Louisiana’s Jay Dardenne Community and Technical College System” in perpetuity.
Now, I will caution readers … This sounds very much like a story that might have another side to it. The only problem is, the other side of the story won’t be nearly as funny as the side we just read about.
Goins To Opt Out Of Goins Test
It’s all over the news that lots of students here didn’t take their PARCC tests. Imagine … parents are telling very young children not to take a test. Parents are teaching children civil disobedience.
Boy, have things changed since I was a boy! I got in plenty of trouble when I was trying to follow the rules. I don’t want to think about what would have happened to me if a teacher had called my parents and said, “Brad didn’t take his test.” Honey, hush!
Anyway, I’ve been inspired by this new wave of patriotic civil disobedience to refuse to take the Brad Goins Test, which is given every year on the last Thursday in April.
You may have taken the Brad Goins Test. But in case you haven’t, here are a few sample questions:
1. Brad, you feel that the music of the bands Journey, Rush,
Foreigner, Boston and Styx is:
A. Weak
B. Unspeakably boring
C. Indistinguishable
D. All of the above.
2. Brad, the adjective you would use to describe the show American Idol is:
A. Toxic
B. Nauseating
C. Mindless
D. I wouldn’t use an adjective.
3. Brad, if you were asked to name the most attractive woman
in the world, you would name:
A. Keira Knightly
B. Scarlett Johansson
C. Jonah Hill
D. A Denver omelet.
4. Brad, which of these figures best describes the basic architectural
structure of the Brooklyn Bridge:
A. 3.14
B. The sixth decimal of the extension of pi.
C. Negative 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
D. 3 for $1
I think you’ll agree with me that all these questions are vague and don’t have one obvious correct answer. As they suggest that any answer is acceptable, they reinforce the idea that culture is amorphous and full of gray areas. In short, they undermine the traditional American culture that values the virtues of knowing right from wrong and working together to acquire the single best answer to everything.
Worst of all, the questions have nothing to do with education. They don’t make me a more educated person.
I thank the people for giving me the courage to finally walk away and say, “Thanks, but no thanks, Ms. Test Giver.” And to think, I never had the least bit of test anxiety. If only I had the option of opting out of making plumbing repairs. Maybe one day …
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