Opinions

Trendy politics can capture momentum-gathering movements that are oftentimes precursors of changes that are needed. They can also be prone to prompting ill-advised laws that are knee-jerk reactions.

If you own a Pink Perfection camellia bush and don’t care, I may have to report you to the authorities.

The first night, when I awakened at 2 a.m., (yes, I realize that’s actually morning), I wondered why the strains of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Beautiful” were circulating in my subconscious. Even then, in a trancelike sleep, I recalled that this song had appeared on the display of my car radio, as XM Sirius gave it another turn in the spotlight.

As school districts across Texas are planning the 2023-24 school year, many are deciding to switch from a traditional five-day week to four days. These districts cite teacher retention, recruitment, and overall cost savings as justification for making the change. During the 2022 school year, 41 districts had four-day weeks, up from 14 districts in 2021. It is alarming that so many districts have decided to move to a shorter school week despite the overwhelming data that shows the switch does not achieve cost savings more than 1-2% and it is not beneficial to student academic or social outcomes. Unfortunately, the uptick in the four-day school week is not expected to slow any time soon.

A month after China excused its apparent weather balloon as going rogue across America’s spacious skies, the squinty-eyed leader of the United States said he is establishing sharper rules to detect, monitor and even shoot down unknown aerial objects.