Ah, the always interesting and always misguided demands of the liberal thinking organization, People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals! It’s been reported, their latest media antic is to write to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club demanding a “Cease and Desist” of the organization using groundhog Phil as their weather forecasting mascot.
No… you can’t make this stuff up! Really… Phil getting the boot to an Artificial Intelligence replacement!
PETA’s complaint is every Groundhog’s Day Phil is hoisted from a sound sleep in his burrow and exposed to all kinds of groundhog inducing trauma in the form of cameras and cheering crowds.
They say this is stressful, and Phil’s current “digs” (pardon my pun) doesn’t allow for burrowing, foraging or natural interaction like his wild and undocumented wood-chucking cousins.
It’s been reported the Punxsutawney Ground Hog Club has not responded.
I’m sure they probably have some serious questions such as… “Where might a robotic groundhog be acquired?” “Should the robotic groundhog be clad in faux fur?” “Should it have light receptor vision in order to detect or not detect its shadow?” “Would the anatomic pasture poodle have a robotic voice-over by Al Roker?”
Naturally, Phil has not responded to PETA’s demand as well. I’m sure he is not much for it, and he’s not about to put himself out of house and home.
According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s website, Phil has some pretty nice “digs.” (Yes… my dimwitted humor again.) Phil hangs in a heated and air conditioned “crib” and even has regulated lighting. (I’d love to see Phil operating the dimmer switch.)
Phil is the main deal at the local zoo, and is considered an attraction far surpassing the Punxsutawney Park, town square and the library.
It was reported PETA says the old ways of forecasting using a live groundhog has become passé and disconnected from today’s modern, more technically hip society. They insinuate our Nation’s young people will not be attracted by the out-of-date ritual. (Wait ‘till they hear about the party!)
Hey… there is a lot of tradition here! 1886 marked the first time Groundhog Day appeared in the Punxsutawney local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world.
I think this beats a groundhog robot any day!
Archery Program Reaches 500 schools In 15 Years
The Indiana’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®) has now surpassed the mark of having more than 500 participating schools in its 15 years of existence. Administrated through the DNR Division of Law Enforcement, NASP® was introduced to Hoosier state schools in 2005.
Currently, there are 529 participating schools. Statistics reported to the DNR by participating schools show there are more than 70,000 students in grades 4 through 12 who participated in NASP® during the 2018-2019 school year. In addition, more than 2,300 of those students were recognized by the NASP® Academic Archer program which started during the 2018-2019 school year. The program honors NASP® participants for their academic achievements, as well as their archery skills.
Indiana NASP® allows participants to experience a new sport while gaining self-confidence, learning sportsmanship and improving social skills. A fundamental goal of NASP® is to be inclusive and available to all students.
NASP® has been proven to increase educational performance, attendance and participation in the shooting sports, according to Indiana NASP® coordinator Tim Beck.
“The steady growth of this program has impacted schools all across Indiana,” Beck said. “Schools are realizing the benefits of the program by the sheer numbers of students who have expressed their interest in learning to shoot international-style target archery as a part of their in-school curriculum.
“This positive youth program is truly ‘Changing Lives…One Arrow at a Time,’ as the NASP® slogan says.”
Environmental Education Workshops Online
Indiana teachers, youth group leaders, home school parents, and others who want to educate children about the environment can now take a Project Learning Tree (PLT) workshop, online, at their convenience.
PLT is an international, award-winning environmental education program for children in grades Pre-K through 12. PLT’s activities have been developed by teachers, for teachers. Through PLT, students gain knowledge and develop critical thinking skills while participating in hands-on, multi-disciplinary activities. PLT’s well-organized activities teach to Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Math, as well as STEM, and are correlated to both state and national academic standards.
Participants in a PLT workshop will learn how to use the activities and receive a digital copy of the PLT K-8 curriculum guide. Other materials and opportunities will become available upon completion of the course. Cost is $40 per person. Four professional growth points will be awarded upon successful completion of the course. An outline of the course is included within the introductory pages.
To enroll in the course, teachers/youth leaders simply log in to: shop.plt.org. Once the course has been purchased, prospective participants go to “my account>my content” and click on K-8 course “online training” where they will be directed to the actual course. For more information, contact PLT coordinator Donna Rogler at the DNR Division of Forestry/PLT at 317-234-5143.
Jack