So, the Coffee’s kicked in (Starbucks Kenya Blend — yum) and I’ve gotten over the minor disappointment that Starbucks ran out of Summer Fruit Cobbler (WARNING: Addictive), and I’ve trawled the news sites and I’m ready to go.
Item One: The Justice Department decreed that it would not comply with a Freedom of Information Act request for information on foreign lobbyists because copying information from their database could destroy it. Yes, these people run your government. There are a few explanations for this, according to sense and slashdot:
I could go off on all the geeky things to say about it, but I’ll spare you that (check the relevant slashdot forum if you’re daring) In short, no matter how powerful the system, some lackey will always argue that the system is to blame instead of himself. Remember Heinlen’s Razor — ‘never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by sheer incompetence’. Also equally important, Occam’s Razor — ‘the simplest explanation is most often the best’. Slice.
Item Two: Six puppies were killed by fireworks, placed in their mouths by teenagers, and 18 children were taken away from a pair of foster parents who allegedly locked them in cages and the like. And likely these are people who say America is great. It is, but it would be better without these folks. Fence off a square state and put all the jerks there. Then televise it. Oh, wait, no one would watch it except the folks in the fenced-in square state. Hm.
Item Three: Only in America do public schools need to be told to spend their money. Two billion dollars, or just under nine bucks per citizen of the Republic, has gone unspent since 2002. The cash was intended for disadvantaged students (which, I argue, is anyone subjected to the public school system — my kids are going to private schools). At the same time, schools complain about a lack of funding. Teacher salaries are being cut. Schools are in disarray. And there are two billion smackeroos out there that administrators refuse to spend. If it weren’t for a few good teachers, friends, my parents and the internet, I don’t know how I could have got through the public school system as anything other than an indoctrinated clod.
And such.
Ambient album that happens to be amazing to listen to while driving to work on a cool summer morning: BT – Escm
