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For certain, not much was accomplished academically this week. We all came down with the flu in the early part of the week and I can honestly say, "I've never been sicker in my life!"LiteratureWe've nearly finished The Phantom Tollbooth. Both of the kids find it amusing... I, on the other hand, do not.

Banned Books Week flies by way too fast.  So many banned books, so little time. Was it appropriate for Sarah Palin’s only debate with Joe Biden to come in Banned Books Week?  Or, was it fate? Liam Sullivan at Panorama of the Mountains had a great idea, running a list of good blog posts on banned books,

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To:            Andrew Rotherham, Jonathan Schnur, Michael Johnston,                  Robert Gordon From:        Mike Petrilli Re:            David Axelrod’s statements about Reading First Good morning, gentlemen.

I’m pleased to announce the publication of A Manifesto for Media Freedom, which I co-authored with Brian C. Anderson of the Manhattan Institute. Brian serves as editor of Manhattan Institute’s excellent City Journal and he is the author of best-selling books like South Park Conservatives and Democratic Capitalism and Its Discontents.

It’s Banned Books Week. Had I not been reading Babbledog today, the week might have slipped past me unnoticed because I had forgotten to try to find out when it is. Sadly, my schedule this week won’t allow me to borrow any challenged books from the library.

No, I refer not to the failed bailout, but to the extension bill or “continuing resolution” needed now that Congress has failed to pass a 2009 budget prior to the end of the 2008 fiscal year (today). This summer, Mike offered “three cheers for broken government,” noting that a continuing resolution would at least let Reading First survive another year, defying its recent death.

Last Thursday Washington, D.C. saw an advance screening of Fox Searchlight Pictures Feature Film’s The Secret Life of Bees – based on the best-selling and critically acclaimed book by Sue Monk Kidd. As one of the movie’s promotional partners, First Book was thrilled to send a team of its own to attend the red carpet premiere, hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus at the beautiful new Newseum.

By now, we've all come to accept that education issues just are not going to be major players in the presidential election.  We didn't see it in the political primaries.  For the most part, we didn't see it during the two national conventions.  And it is incredibly unlikely we will see it over the next six weeks.

Throughout the week, I frequently catch myself thinking negatively, "We really need to buckle down. We haven't been doing many formal lessons." Then when I sit and compose the weekly report, I am amazed at how much we have actually accomplished.Science & Nature StudyThe kiddos watched 2 episodes of Life in the Undergrowth on DVD.