Mr. Terry Hull, over at the very excellent Terra Extraneus, has written the best review this blog has ever received.
Granted, it’s the only review this blog has ever received, but still . . .
Clearly, Mr. Hull is a man of great genius and perception. Do go read his blog.
“I think the big mistake in schools is trying to teach children anything, and by using fear as the basic motivation. Fear of getting failing grades, fear of not staying with your class, etc. Interest can produce learning on a scale compared to fear as a nuclear explosion to a firecracker… I never learned anything at all in school and didn’t read a book for pleasure until I was 19 years old.”
-– Stanley Kubrick
Despite being struck down with the AvianBirdFluSarsEbola during Spring Break, I managed to read all five of the books in Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series.
I highly recommend them. Colfer writes for young adults, yet manages not to be patronizing or condescending. I read them based on the word of one of my 6th graders. The fact that we could both enjoy them says volumes about the quality of Colfer’s prose. These are, as they say, ripping good yarns. I’m already looking foward to #6, which is due out in the fall.
If you answered “Yes” to these three questions (and if you read this blog, I think the odds are pretty good), you’re going to HATE me for the following link:
Of course you’re going to click it . . . we’ve already established you’re obsessive, so you’re probably compulsive as well.
(cue evil laugh)
I don’t know that I’d go spreading the word on this just yet:
FOX ANNOUNCES MAJOR OIL FIND IN MEXICO
VERACRUZ, Mexico – President Vicente Fox climbed aboard a drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday to formally announce a new deep-water oil discovery he said could eventually yield 10 billion barrels of crude oil.
I mean, the way things are going in Iraq, you have to think those boys in Washington are just looking for someone to invade. You know, just to get back on track.
Geez, Vicente, why don’t you just invite the 82nd Airborne over for dinner?
I think I have the Bird Flu.
It might even be the Bird Flu’s evil twin, the Avian Bird Flu.
It could even be the Avian Bird Flu SARS.
With a side order of Ebola.
And . . . and . . . and . . .
It’s SPRING BREAK!
Is this fair? Is this JUST!
What?
In an ideal world, the [Oscar for] Best Picture would alternate between Rio Bravo and Caddyshack every year.
– Andrew Leigh
This is the kind of thing that, at one point in my life, would keep me awake at night. Since that time, other cares and concerns have put such concerns on the back burner. But when I read something like this, the old anger starts to flare up.
Homeland Security Targets Citizens Who Pay Down Debt:
. . . [Walter and Deanna Soehnge] paid down some debt. The balance on their JCPenney Platinum MasterCard had gotten to an unhealthy level. So they sent in a large payment, a check for $6,522.And an alarm went off. A red flag went up. The Soehnges’ behavior was found questionable.
They just paid a hefty chunk of their credit card balance. And they learned how frighteningly wide the net of suspicion has been cast.
After sending in the check, they checked online to see if their account had been duly credited. They learned that the check had arrived, but the amount available for credit on their account hadn’t changed.
So Deana Soehnge called the credit-card company. Then Walter called.
They were told, as they moved up the managerial ladder at the call center, that the amount they had sent in was much larger than their normal monthly payment. And if the increase hits a certain percentage higher than that normal payment, Homeland Security has to be notified. And the money doesn’t move until the threat alert is lifted.
The last time I started getting this upset about government abuses of basic rights, I ended up becoming active in Libertarian politics. It did no good whatsoever. I don’t know what I’ll do this time to vent my anger. There really isn’t anything to do, it seems, except vote. But that does no good if there is a complete and utter dearth of good people running for office. I almost believe that the very act of wanting to be a politician diqualifies you as a worthy candidate.
What I wouldn’t give for some honest politicians who believe in the constitution.