Congratulations S

My sister got into law school and will be attending the University of Maryland next year. So congratulations to her.

Classic Cinema 2.0

Some clips from the Hollywood of yesteryear - as interpreted by the cast of SpongeBob.

Ahhh, Berkeley

The city of Berkeley, CA has attempted to ban Marine recruiters from working in the city. Because they are using their free speech rights to stop the marines from trampling on other people's free speech rights - to say that they want to join the marines. I know, I don't understand Berkeley's argument either. Not that I'm in favor of the war, nor do I think it's okay that the military is seen as the only opportunity for advancement by many inner city kids, since the military is almost the only institution in the US that will provide training to people who were otherwise forgotten by the system. But that doesn't mean that the military in evil as a concept. It just means we have problems in America in addition to the war, and Berkeleians seem to have forgotten that in their rush to make their statement. That and banning speech doesn't exactly protect free speech. It in fact hurts the cause of free speech.

Articles here, here, here, and here.

Don't ask the person on the street, because that person is crazy

In anticipation of the upcoming "Potomac Primary", as it has come to be called, the BBC did a photo essay of voters in Baltimore and their opinions of the candidates. Apparently Obama is a Muslim, and Hillary can't be the president of "no country" because that's too much power to give to a woman. Nothing says informed and conscientious electorate like crazy people.

Burns Night

Today (January 25) is poet Robert Burns' birthday, so it is the traditional day in Scotland to eat haggis. Prepackaged haggis can be bought in either the traditional meat variety, or a new vegetarian variety. Unfortunately though, there is a ban on importing real haggis to the US because of BSE concerns regarding the use of offal (or variety meat as we call it here) from the UK. I suppose somehow we will all have to learn to live with the disappointment of not eating boiled sheep lung stuffed into natural stomach casing. Mmmm, sounds tasty.

Who comes up with these ideas?

I've been watching season 4 of the Wire lately, which focuses on the failing school system in Baltimore City. So I was struck by this article about a proposed plan to pay kids to do better on the MSA tests. Because that doesn't at all seem like a plan that will be taken advantage of. Nor, for that matter, does it seem like a poor way to be spending education dollars in a city that is already deeply in debt. Why don't they try actually fixing problems rather than just covering them up?

An oversight on my part

I was upbraided for not crediting S for sending me that link. So now I've done it and you all know.