I haven’t forgotten I owe you a post from the ScienceOnline09 sessions about allies but I’ve been so excited about the inauguration… Years ago I was one of those “outside agitators” who registered voters in Mississippi. (Ok I did register voters but once Charles Evers’ team found out what my skills were, I spent more time writing proposals and checking the legitimacy of vote counting software but that counts too doesn’t it?). As have so many others, I worked to try to make things better, yet I was one of those people who really felt “never in my lifetime”. I’ve spent much of today getting teary eyed at inappropriate times.

Or maybe they were appropriate times. I also spent much of today with “preGED students”. These are, too often, our throw away kids-- young people, almost all minority with hard lives, who’ve left, or been pushed out of school, with reading levels low enough (below 8th grade) that they can’t qualify for programs to help them get a GED (general equivalency diploma).

Today I listened to them speak about President Obama—including a wise young woman said she was “scared; everyone’s excited. There is so much hope on one person; it’s so easy to be let down—he will make mistakes, we should all relax and give him some time.” You know I think she has a point.

PS to add a bit of science to the post—or more accurately add a bit of “no science” to the post, these are young people badly in need of science knowledge and skills and there is basically nothing available for them. Any ideas or volunteers are very welcome.