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Every year on March 14th, the nerd community gathers round to celebrate the beloved mathematical constant pi. We know that pi is so much more than the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameterits critical to understanding the best things in life, which are all circular. Pizza, for example, is an excellent circle. So is pi(e), the food. Even our own mortality can be abstractly considered a circlea circle of life and death. This is neither good nor bad, it merely is.

But sadly, not everyone is jazzed about Pi Day. In 2009, a group of congressional Republicansincluding our very own vice president, Mike Pencetried to prevent Pi Day from being recognized as a holiday (and not even a federal one). While its unclear how Pi Days recognition became a congressional issue, House Resolution 224 became quite the hot topic.

Heres what the resolution stipulated:

(1) Supports the designation of a Pi Day and its celebration around the world;

(2) Recognizes the continuing importance of National Science Foundations math and science education programs; and

(3) Encourages schools and educators to observe the day with appropriate activities that teach students about Pi and engage them about the study of mathematics.

HR 224 passed in a 391 to 10 vote. Aside from Pence, the nine other Republicans who voted against Pi Day were: Jason Chaffetz (Utah), Jeff Flake (Arizona), Dean Heller (Nevada), Timothy Johnson (Illinois), Jeff Miller (Florida), Randy Neugebauer (Texas), Ron Paul (Texas), Ted Poe (Texas), and Bill Shuster (Pennsylvania). According to TeachPi.org, Mike Pence was in favor of Pi Day, but 15 minutes into open voting, he changed his mind and voted nay.

A lingering question remains: Why would Mike Pence want to prevent students and teachers from celebrating pi? Its like voting against puppies, Christmas, or Bob Sagets smile. But might I remind you that Mike Pence, a grown man, refers to his own wife as mother, even though she is not in fact his mother, but his wife. This is a man who could vote against common sense itselfand has.

Some of the other Pi Day naysayers had their reasons, sort of. In 2009, Rachel Mills, then-spokeswoman for Ron Paul, told the Houston Chronicle that Without discussing it with him directly, I assume that pursuant to his oath of office, he could not come up with a good reason to vote for [Pi Day]. Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz said on Twitter that he could not support Pi Day as just one day, adding that it should go on forever. Heh.

On some level, its wholly unsurprising that Mike Pencewho appears to be a creationistwould oppose a completely innocuous day dedicated to math. Lets face it: Hes a weird dude, and even Bob Saget would frown upon him.

[Newsweek]

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Reminder: Mike Pence Voted Against Recognizing Pi Day - Gizmodo

The fallout over the report reveals the kind of political pitfalls that Pence is increasingly facing as he emerges as one of the most important figures in the administration. The vice president must deal with the baggage from the administration's actions and President Trump's statements.

Over the past few weeks, Pence has been playing a number of important roles inside the administration. The most important is that he has become a bridge to the conservatives on Capitol Hill, trying to calm nerves over bills like the health care reform.

In this role, Pence is facing some of the challenge that then-Vice President Walter Mondale confronted when he had to sell President Jimmy Carter's more controversial ideas, like energy conservation and fiscal austerity, to a Democratic Congress that was hoping for another Great Society, not some kind of middle way.

Mondale, previously a senator from Minnesota who had impeccable liberal credentials with his former colleagues in Congress, worked hard to persuade Democrats that Carter, despite his unorthodox ways, still was on the same political page. His efforts were only of middling success as Carter ultimately proved to be unpopular with Democrats despite Mondale's efforts.

Pence has a better chance of succeeding since, generally, Trump is not doing much to depart from the party agenda, unlike the way that Carter did with the Democrats. This is a debate over how conservative to be in going after the Affordable Care Act, not whether to stick to the political middle.

Now with the CBO report, Pence will be needed more than ever. Not only does he need to sell the conservatives that this not "Obamacare Lite" but a serious move in the right direction toward market-based health care. He also needs to persuade moderates that this bill is still worth the political risks that could result from rolling back health care coverage for millions of people.

If Pence can pull this off he will emerge from this battle as a real power player within the White House. The only thing that has insulated President Trump thus far from the ongoing attacks by Democrats, the relentless investigations from the news media, and the growing scrutiny of the courts is the Republican Congress.

President Trump, the divider, is depending on the fact that partisanship will hold and that in the end the Republican Congress will not abandon him or, even worse, turn against him. Until that happens it will be very difficult for any Democrat to make headway against this White House. So, if the vice president can get them through this challenging moment with an actual piece of legislation and without an open right-wing revolt, the President will keep turning to him as his point man on the Hill.

Pence has also become an important voice on foreign policy, The president sent him to Europe to help ease concerns among U.S. allies about Trump's commitment to NATO. Pence is taking a lead role in deliberations with Japan.

The vice president is also being used as the "clean-up man in chief." After many of the President's more controversial statements and decisions, Pence has stepped in to try to smooth things over.

When Trump attacked the "so-called" judge who halted his first executive order on immigrations, Pence took to the airwaves to justify the attack. Pence tweeted out that the administration joined the "Jewish people" on Holocaust Remembrance Day after the White House came under fire for having rejected the State Department draft of a statement that mentioned Jews.

Pence has also been important in the appointment process. A number of people who Pence considered allies are now in the administration, including former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats, who the Senate confirmed as director of national intelligence, and Marc Short, one of Pence's former aides who has been named legislative affairs director for the President.

Pence is clearly looking to solidify his credentials not just to have greater standing in this White House but also to keep making the case that he is one of the most promising prospects as a Republican presidential candidate for future elections.

His commitment to the right is already well-established. What being vice president offers Pence is the ability to show that he can govern and that he can be a conservative leader with polish.

The biggest threat for Pence is that the bigger his role becomes the more he will suffer from the baggage of the current administration. Besides the tensions over health care there are the scandals. With the Russiagate investigation looming large over the White House, as steady drips of information keep raising questions about what happened in the 2016 election, Pence has to beware the possibility of becoming part of a historic political scandal.

If things go south for Trump through scandal, failed legislation, or diminishing approval ratings among Republicans, Pence will be seen as part of the problem as well. He would do well to remember the fate suffered by Walter Mondale, who could never overcome Carter's shadow when he ran in 1984.

Clearly, Pence is willing to take this risk as was evident when he first signed up for this job last summer. In the coming days, he will have to show that he can live up to this difficult challenge as he tries to shore up the president's support amid the furor over health care.

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CBO report adds to Mike Pence's woes - CNN

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - A City-County Council committee is expected to appoint a new member to the Beech Grove Economic Development Commission on Monday.

His name: Mike Pence.

Seeing that, we had to ask at least a couple of questions.

At first, it was kind of hard to track him down. We eventually reached him.

Mike Pence agreed to meet us at a southside restaurant. He didn't have a driver, no security detail and the only media following his every step was us.

When he walked in and found a table, and not a single person recognized him. That doesnt stop people from calling him.

I get it all the time, Pence said said. It's amazing.

That's because his name really is Mike Pence. In fact, at 65, he's had the name longer than the former governor and now vice president.

When he became governor was the craziest because we were getting calls constantly on my company cell and my phone at home, Pence said.

Sometimes he'd get calls inviting him to speak at an event.

He doesn't know it, but I accepted a couple of dinner reservations for him.

But, he says, most of the time, people weren't too nice.

They don't even give you a chance, said Pence. Most were calling because they're mad at what he did.

That's why you get a this number is no longer in service message when you try to call him now.

This Mike Pence isn't related to the VP and has never met him, but he has a routine message ready for introductions.

I go I'm Mike Pence, not the governor, not the vice president, I just work for IPL and they all laugh.

The two Mikes do share other things in common. Both have run for office and won. This Mike served on the Beech Grove City council. He's also been very active in the community and, like the vice president, he is a Republican.

Yeah, I like him, Pence said. He has heck of a job in front of him to calm Trump down.

Pence says while it's definitely odd having the same name as a such a well-known figure, he's gotten used to it.

Doesn't bother me. It did when he first ran for governor, but it doesn't bother me anymore, Pence said. He has a job. I got a job. I don't want his.

And in case you're wondering, this Mike's wife is Debbie, not Karen.

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'Other' Mike Pence had to change his phone number - WTHR

JAKARTA U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia next month, sources said on Monday, as part of an Asian tour amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia".

U.S. President Donald Trump has already withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which was seen as an economic pillar of the strategy.

The tour will also include South Korea and Australia, the Nikkei Asian Review reported, with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and South Korea's political crisis likely topics for discussion.

China has been infuriated by South Korea's plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system, targeted at the North Korean threat, and South Korea is going through political turmoil after the dismissal of its president in a corruption probe.

Pence is also expected to visit Tokyo for the U.S.-Japan economic dialogue, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The visit comes after North Korea's latest missile launches and the assassination in Malaysia of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother added urgency to the region's security.

It will also follow this month's trip by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Japan, South Korea, and China.

The TPP had been the main economic pillar of the Obama administration's pivot to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of a fast-rising China.

Proponents of the pact have expressed concerns that abandoning the project, which took years to negotiate, could further strengthen China's economic hand in the region at the expense of the United States.

Indonesia's chief security minister said Pence would meet President Joko Widodo to discuss terrorism and other security issues on his visit.

Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population and has recently grappled with a series of low-level militant attacks inspired by Islamic State. .

"We discussed the planned visit of U.S. vice president Mike Pence to Indonesia and the strategic problems that can be on the agenda to discuss with our president," chief security minister Wiranto told reporters after meeting the U.S. ambassador to Jakarta.

He added that no dates had been finalised.

In Indonesia, Pence is also expected to discuss a brewing contract dispute between the government and American mining giant Freeport McMoran Inc, said two Indonesian government sources.

Freeport has threatened to take the Indonesian government to court over newly revised mining regulations that have prompted a major scale-back in its operations in the eastern province of Papua.

(Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Kanupriya Kapoor; Additional reporting by Malcolm Foster in TOKYO; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie)

GENEVA North Korea boycotted a U.N. review of its human rights record on Monday, shunning calls to hold to account the Pyongyang leadership for crimes against humanity documented by the world body.

MOSUL Iraqi forces battling Islamic State faced tough resistance from snipers and mortar rounds on Monday as they tried to advance on Mosul's Old City and a bridge across the Tigris river in their campaign to retake the western part of the city.

BEIRUT The Syrian army and its allies gained control of an arterial road in a small rebel pocket in northeast Damascus early on Monday, bringing them close to splitting the enclave in two, a Britain-based war monitor reported.

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Mike Pence to tour Asia next month amid security crises - Reuters

Vice President Mike Pence said the "Kentucky is a textbook example of Obamacare's failures" and promised that it will be repealed and replaced. Sam Upshaw Jr./C-J

Vice President Mike Pence smiled at supporters before making remarks at the Trane Parts and Distribution Center in Louisville. Mar. 11, 2017(Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./C-J)Buy Photo

A budding bromance, protests and a vow to repeal Obamacare. Here arefive takeaways from Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Louisville.

More than 600 people gathered along the road before Vice President Mike Pence arrived at a warehouse facility to speak. Many of the protesters chanted, "Save our care." There was a sign of Vladimir Putin holding a baby Donald Trump, and a sign saying "No! to Ryancare," a reference to House Speaker Paul Ryan. When Trump supporters showed up, it was civil but some sharp words.

READ MORE: Protesters rally to 'Save our Care'

READ MORE: Pence calls Obamacare a 'nightmare'

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Pence had a friend during his visit: Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.And they were effusively praising each other. Bevin made his "dear friend" Pence a Kentucky Colonel, the highest title of honor bestowed by the commonwealth. Pence, Indiana's former governor,said he was a Bevin supporter "before it was cool." Shucks, they evenkick around a football, together.

READ MORE:Bevin makes Pence a Kentucky Kernel

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Bevin called the Affordable Care Acta "disaster" in Kentucky, saying there is only one provider in some areas of the state. Pence joined in, saying,"Obamacare has failed the people of Kentucky" and that the state's Medicaid expansion is threatening to bankrupt the state. More than half a million Kentuckians have gained health coverage under Obamacare.

Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear speaks at the Green Building on East Market Street in Louisville as he defends the Affordable Care Act and its benefits to Kentuckians. March 11, 2017(Photo: Alton Strupp/CJ)

That's right. During his speech, the vice president said former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear was a friend, noting they worked together as governors of their two states. But, Pence said, they disagree on Obamacare, and that's all right. The debate is good, Pence said. Beshear, who gave the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's first address to Congress,doesn't think his implementation of Obamacare as governor was such a bad thing. Matter of fact, he feels quite the opposite.

READ MORE:Beshear: GOP is playing life or death

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., criticizes the House Republican healthcare reform plan as "Obamacare light" during a television interview on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017.(Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, AP)

Despite all the talk about Obamacare being bad for Kentucky and Pence's effusive praise of Bevin and President Donald Trump the target of Saturday's visit may well have been Sen. Rand Paul. The Kentucky senator and ophthalmologist has denounced the repeal-and-replace plan promoted by Pence. And this week, Paul reintroduced legislation from the last Congress to fully repeal Obamacare.

In recent weeks, the vice president has gone on the road to promote the plan, and Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said this week that it's common for politicians to show upin the backyard of key legislators they want to pressure. But Dr. Paul has shown no sign of backing down.

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5 takeaways from Mike Pence's Kentucky visit - The Courier-Journal