Funny, but sad, post about a Dartmouth prof who plans on suing her students for giving her poor evaluations. Here was one her evaluations:
Aside from the fact that I learnt nothing of value in this class besides the repeated use of the word “postmodernism” in all contexts (whether appropriate or not) and the fact that Professor Venkatesan is the most confusing/nonsensical lecturer ever, the main problem with this class is the personal attacks launched in class. Almost every member of the class was personally attacked in some form in the class by either intimidation or ignoring your questions/comments/concerns. If you decide to take this class, prepare to NOT be allowed to express your own opinions in class because you have “yet to obtain your Ph.D/masters/bachelors degree”. We were forced to write an in-class essay on “respect” (and how we lacked it) because we expressed our views on controversial topics and some did not agree with the views of “established scholars” who have their degrees.
The funniest line comes from the comments:”…I don’t think the courts are the way to go for redress. What we need is more effective Right to Suck legislation.
Fantastic column from Peggy Noonan in the WSJ. Her topics: airport security, Obama’s view on America, and Bush’s total loss of support.
Luckily, B.A. Barackus was hiding in that wedding cake. He sure did get out of it quickly.
Here’s a slideshow about celebrity aging. Some stars who haven’t had plastic surgery are sprinkled throughout so you don’t get too freaked out.
Ineresting article on the new Grand Theft Auto game and its favorite audience — kids 12 to 14 years old:
Like its predecessors, Grand Theft Auto IV is rated ‘M’ (for ‘Mature’), and stores are only allowed to sell it to folks ages 17 and up. The game industry’s ratings board has even spelled out the types of content that could make parents squirm. The game, to be released Tuesday for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, hits all the hot buttons: It contains ‘blood,’ ‘intense violence,’ ‘partial nudity,’ ’strong language,’ ’strong sexual content’ and ‘use of drugs and alcohol.’The game’s developer, Rockstar, has mostly kept quiet about the storylines of its latest game, set in Liberty City, a satirical version of New York City. Previous installments of the best-selling games have all followed the paths of young strivers who go from rags to riches, building careers as gangster kingpins. On the way, there tend to be a few zillion explosions, flattened pedestrians and rival gangs that need to get squeezed out.
Rockstar did not respond to requests for comment last week. But one of the game’s writers, Lazlow Jones, who has also appeared as a radio deejay in the games, spoke on a local D.C. radio station this past week and put it as plainly as possible that the game is ‘too intense’ for kids.
“If you let your child play this game, you’re a bad parent,” he said. “The thing is, Rockstar does not want kids playing this game.”
The article also notes that the game’s launch may affect the debut of Marvel’s “Iron Man” movie. A video game dampening movie ticket sales. Would’ve been crazy to imagine that a few years back.
Also some good stuff in there on research of kids playing violent video games. Hey, just go read it yourself. What am I? Cliff’s Notes.
Doing a little research on the O.J. Simpson case as part of my latest paper. Click here to watch the Frontline episode produced on the 10-year anniversary of the acquittal. I just watched “Chapter 5″ which I think explains the reaction of the black community to the verdict quite eloquently. Al Sharpton’s quote at Johnnie Cochran’s funeral was particularly apt:
With all due respect to you brother Simpson — we didn’t clap, when the acquittal of Simpson came, for O.J. We were clapping for Johnnie.
It was a victory not for a murderer to go free. But a victory against an unfair system.
Started writing my doctoral dissertation this morning. <– A sentence one usually writes just once in a lifetime.
The winner of a contest to come up with a six-word motto for the United States:
Our Worst Critics Prefer to Stay
Tends to be true.
My news writing class enjoyed some milk and oatmeal raisin cookies* today as part of our end-of-semester festivities. Here they are enjoying one of my humorous witticisms. Everyone appears to be having a great time — well, almost everyone.
* A highly underrated treat, too often lost in the shadow of the mighty chocolate chip cookie.
