Hey Uki,
Big thanks for the Team Ukraine shout out, money is coming in with kudos to the podcast!

I found a budda sitting on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, five miles from the nearest paved road.

I tried to take it, but it was too heavy for me and my adult daughter. It was an awesome budda, totaly awesome in its awesome awesomenes.

As far as I know, it's still there, waiting for someone to take it home.

Ah, Raiders Of The Lost Ark is great
Da da da daa, da da DAA, da da da daa, da da DAA DAA DAAA *punches a nazi off a truck*
They don't make 'em like that any more.

No parent should choose a school on rumors, and what the system was like when they were growing up. They should wait until the kid can actually walk and talk, and see what different schools are like. Talk to other parents. Actually visit the schools. They change, even in a five year span.

Because it does not matter what the sign says outside the school, but the people inside the building. So don't prejudge.

My kids got a very good science education in their public school. One reason was cooperation with the local large research university, and lots of parent support. It did not start that way, but it was changed.

As a point, a friend of my son was visiting. This young man went to the school that was part of the Lutheran Church up the street. For some reason he blurted out he did not believe in evolution because it does not happen anymore. My kids retorted back to him "Yes, it does!" And then they gave a few examples.

My kids went to the same elementary, middle and high school as Dr. Harriet Hall.

Kudos for covering Steve Ramsden and http://solarastronomy.org/ I always visit his telescopes at Dragon*Con, hang out, and donate a few dollars. He's out there in the schools promoting astronomy, inspiring the next generation of astronomers.