This crieth out to heaven for some kind of dramatic reenactment

The BBC reports the following shocking story today:
Texas has told the European Union to mind its own business after the bloc called on the state’s governor to get rid of the death penalty.
Oh. My. God. This is the best story ever.
But Robert Black, a spokesman for the Texas governor, told the BBC News website: [...]

Yes, I am procrastinating. Shut up.

I read the story on the BBC this morning about the London Olympics logo, and I am much amused that when I went to reread it just now I first found the link for readers’ alternative submissions …. then a forum piece for debate (i.e. complaining) ….. and only then did I find a link [...]

No kidding

There is a theory to everything. When I dipped my toes into the world of teacher training, I discovered the vast quantities of theory that have been produced on everything from writing on the board to arrangement of desks to structuring of exam questions. I worked retail for a particularly conscientious company and discovered all [...]

Tell the one about your computer’s built-in cup holder!

Wow. Mad props to the Tribune for giving the task of writing up “fast takes on Web news” to someone who apparently is woefully out of touch with the ol’ tubes. Click to read:

I mean, really. I feel like someone just walked up to me wearing neon parachute pants and suggested we order some ‘za [...]

Is that like butter?

 The BBC reports:
The idea of hospitals recording violent crime has now spread south of the border. One hospital in London has piloted the scheme and it will soon be extended across the capital, according to Det Chief Supt Chris McDonald, head of Operation Blunt, the knife cream taskforce at the Metropolitan Police.
Knife cream? Ew.
I can [...]

Mad props

Is it because I’m in the research business (so to speak) that I think this article about hobby aviation from the NYT is sorely remiss in not even mentioning the EAA?
The article is good so far as it goes, exploring the reasons why the field is shrinking and skewing older (funny how those go together). [...]

Compassion and forgiveness

The BBC reports on Virginia Tech memorials and notes a trend of including the gunman in the count of victims:
The Reverend Howard Anderson drew comparisons between Cho’s bloody rampage and the carnage in Iraq, but he also called for compassion for the gunman.
“He too is a child of God, and a victim of [...]

Doomed to repeat it

There’s a very interesting article on the Daily Mail’s website by a Major Judith Webb, retired British Army, about women in combat (she’s against). At the end, she notes:
I worked in intelligence for seven years and think women have more patience and can be better at analysing fine details.
They can be incredibly useful working as [...]

Cheese wiz

Today’s edition of the student paper has an article about a new “bridal fitness” class being offered on campus to help women get in shape for their wedding day. Thrilling, I’m sure, but the gem is the quote used to close the piece (they must teach the journo students to end articles with a quote [...]

Lord have mercy

From a NYT article on the Virginia Tech shootings:
 “It’s weird because this is like the safest place,” Mr. Hall said. “It’s the middle of nowhere,” added his roommate, Ryan Gatterdam.
I graduated high school in Northern Virginia, right up by DC. My high school sent lots of people to VT every year; I’m dreading an alumni [...]