Out of Her Mind -- Musings on Education and Life

(Photo from here.) This was meant to be a memorial blog. However, a surprising number of my freshmen don't remember the tragic events of 9-11-2001. Therefore, this is more of a WTF lament blog! I mean, what is this world coming to when the most horrible event in their lifetimes is forgettable? Granted, they were 6 at the time, but isn't it part of our duty to remember and to teach them to remember?  (Photo from here .)      Maybe they don't remember this event or haven't learned about it in school because for most of their lives, we have been at war.  In a climate of violence and unrest, one event might not stand out as much.  When asked what the most important event in their lifetime was so far, one student replied, "Michael Jackson dying has been the most major event so far."  This reply was the most common, beating out Obama's presidency, Hurricane Katrina, 9-11, and other such responses.  Another major event that was predominat...

If you're thinking of lap band surgery, of stomach stapling, of using Alli, of dieting, or of working out, STOP!  Don't act until you read the benefits of being fat!  Really!  Did you know the fatter you are, the less likely you are to be raped?  And you're more likely to "survive malnutrition."  That does it.  Chocolate cookies, here I come.  Bring on the cheese and the Crisco I.V. (Photo from here .) I read some old National Enquirers and other such enlightening tabs at a friend's house recently (outloud).  It made for some fun party talk.  Here's a synopsis of an article entitled:  "20 Great Reasons to Stay Fat" in the Weekly World News , circa December 5, 2000.  It was a good for a few laughs and some, "No they didn'ts!" Here they are: 1.  Beat the cold.   Your fat insulates you from the elements.  (Blubber!) 2.  Ward off malnutrition.   As I always say, the upside is that it will ...

Me--thrilled to be a spectator When I was in college, a boy who will remain nameless (a.k.a. the Italian Stallion) heartfully proclaimed me un -American because I had never watched Star Wars. He even went so far as to say I was communist! Everyone I met those days seemed scandalized by the fact that I had not, would not, watch these films. They just wouldn't take my word for it--I detest(ed) science fiction. It is based on the fantasies of geeks with limited imaginations--ones who base their projections of futuristic people on what they know of life today. Great. What else is there to go on, right? Urggghhh . There's enough going on in reality to occupy me, thank you very much, like which serial killer is on the loose and coming for me, or, back then, whether or not Bill Clinton did, indeed, have sexual relations with that woman. There was the Columbine tragedy to watch on CNN, over and over, and later, there was the whole 9-11 trauma that kept me, like almost every...