Column of the Week: Goodnight, Uncle Ted

Even though I'm no longer teaching AP Language, I'll dig up an essay or two to share each week as an example of quality writing. Today, Andrew Sullivan's piece from The Sunday Times about the late Senator Edward Kennedy. Here's a bit:

For Ted achieved what neither Bobby nor Jack did: he worked in the legislative branch tirelessly over a long period of time, doing the dull stuff of politics that changes lives.

His office was legendary for its constituent outreach. You can’t go far on Cape Cod, for example, without bumping into one of his projects. A call from Kennedy’s office had more frisson than anyone else’s and more clout.

Barney Frank's Lessons in Logic

Thank you, Barney.

The mindset of this year's college freshmen

For the past twelve years, Beloit College has posted its annual Mindset List for incoming freshmen. You've probably seen one of these in email that's been forwarded twenty-plus times before landing in your spam filter. It's a good way for aging educators to better understand their students and avoid all of those "In my day. . . " lectures.

A fate worse than F

A university in British Columbia has created a grade worse than F. Presenting the FD - Failure with Dishonesty. How'd you like the parents to see that on your report card?

Goodbye John Hughes

If your kids want to know what it was like to live in the 1980's, show them a John Hughes film.

Column of the Day: Hang up and drive!

As my eldest prepares for driver's training, his father loses sleep for all of the same reasons his father lost sleep thirty years ago. Maureen Dowd's op-ed in today's NY Times shares some frightening stats about driving under the influence of cell phones:

Ominously, research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — suppressed for years and released on Tuesday after petitions were filed by advocacy groups — shows that there are “negligible differences” in accident risk whether you’re holding the phone or not. Hands-free devices may even enhance the danger by lulling you into complacency.

Fireball: The Craig Ferguson Apollo 11 Tribute

Nirvana gets Rick-Rolled

This is priceless.

40 years ago - no myth

Just watched Mythbusters crush the dreams of those loony "the moon landing was faked" conspiracy theorists. The boys were interviewed earlier today on CNN; this clip features a ticked off Buzz Aldrin confronting one of the non-believers. Brilliant.

The Onion 'Sold' to China

This week's issue of The Onion features news of its "sale" to the Chinese Government. You can see the new look here, or watch the Chinese Andy Rooney on the Onion News Network below.



China’s Andy Rooney Has Some Funny Opinions About How Great The Chinese Government Is