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Ah, syllabus week. That wonderful first week of school when the class routine consists of showing up, calling role, handing out the course syllabus, and enduring the indignity of having the syllabus read aloud to you by the course professor.

Sadly, all but one of my classes began in this wasteful and most insulting of fashions.

Once--and just once--I had a professor do this:

"Hello, class. My name is Trevor Douglas. Here's the course syllabus. You're all literate people, I trust (if you're not, this isn't the class for you), so read this on your own time."

And then he began lecturing. It was amazing. The down side, however, is that ever since, when I've shown up on the first day and the Prof has wasted the class period reading the syllabus aloud to us, I've been thoroughly annoyed.

So here's a plea, professors of the world: start your class out right. Start your class with high expectations. Don't waste an hour of our time, then send us on our way the first week. It doesn't engender respect for the course, and it doesn't demonstrate respect for your students' time. So far as I'm concerned, if I'm showing up to class, it's because I want to learn. Please don't disapoint.

I'm pleased to note that Professor Andy Hanssen is one such professor who respects his students time. Class started at 6:10 pm last night. By 6:15, the class was engaged in a discussion of differing models of economics. After a while, he passed out the syllabus, mentioned a few of its salient points, and then went right in to a lecture. Thank you, Andy. I'm looking forward to your class.

In re: the Hurricane Gustav of the blogosphere: the scurrilous rumors surrounding Sarah Palin and her fifth-born child, Trig Palin.

Edit 2 - 1:34pm, 1 Sept 2008: Barack Obama has condemned the explosive attention to the emerging Bristol Palin pregnancy scandal and rumors. He stated in no uncertain terms that he "would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories. You know my mother had me when she was 18," he continued, "and how a family deals with issues and, you know, teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that's off limits."

See more on ABC News.

Well, now I feel a bit chastised and juvenile. Nevertheless, it's part of my nature--and probably human nature--to revel in painfully exposed episodes of hypocrisy, especially from politicians, and especially from the condescending, moralizing holier-than-thou Christian Right.

In any case, Bristol's pregnancy is a singeing example of the failures of abstinence-only education, very close to home with one of its very visible and vocal proponents.

Edit - 10:45am, 1 Sept 2008: The Associated Press has released an announcement from Sarah and Todd Palin that their 17-year-old daughter, Bristol Palin, is pregnant. The article states that they claim Bristol is about five months along--effectively ruling her out as the mother of four-month-old Trig. We shall see, dear readers!

It started here: Daily KOS

I don't believe that Bristol Palin is the mother of Trig. Or, I'm skeptical, at the very least.

But I do know that either:

1) Sarah Palin was reckless and potentially endangered her child by traveling from Texas to the small and poorly equipped hospital where Trig was born.

Or

2) There's a bigger scandal afoot.

I also know that a lot of the pictures used to support this theory are highly suspect. The most prominent picture used (below) was taken in October of 2006, and so is completely bunk.


But the whole scenario is so tremendously strange that it will, inevitably, reflect negatively on Sarah Palin, in one form or another.

Right-o. Well, after a whole day of reading the myriad articles speculating wildly about the situation, and following the literally thousands of Wikipedia article revisions, I'm going to bed. I'll let this thing work itself out on its own, I suppose.

Also, in other news, David Keto and Christina Carr have announced their intention to marry (...each other). When asked why, they both gave incoherent answers about "lots of cool stuff ... extensive registry list ...". More news when I have it.

Here! a worthwhile article!
What McCain Didn't Know About Sarah Palin

This presidential election has just taken a turn for the sinister. As excited as I am about Barack Obama (and now Joe Biden), I've hitherto felt that John McCain being elected would NOT be the end of the world.

Well, enter Sarah Palin.

Perhaps Jon Stewart would be the appropriate individual to introduce her:



Or, for a more conservative perspective: Steven Colbert


Let's go ahead and bring a few facts to light about Sarah:

She has traveled to three countries outside of the United States: Ireland, Germany and Kuwait (to visit National Guard members).

Won her high school beauty pageant. Placed second in the competition for Miss Alaska.

Has extensive experience as a political leader (especially at the national and international level), including:
-two terms on the Wasilla City Council (pop. 5500)
-two terms of the Wasilla city Mayor
-twenty months as Governor of Alaska

Ran for Governor on an ethics reform platform, yet is currently under investigation for abuse of power, and is buddy-buddy with the indicted Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens.

But perhaps its time to let Palin speak for herself. Here's her concise nomination acceptance speech:

(Or the full version, here.)

Her speech seems a little hollow, especially when juxtaposed to Joe Biden (Obama's Vice-President nominee):


All of this is of great concern because
1) as Vice-President Dick Cheney has proved, the VP is far from a lame duck position (though, based on Palin's interview, included in the Colbert and Stewart videos, above, Palin wouldn't know it).
and
2) McCain has one foot in the ground. And, as Alaska State Senate President Lyda Green put it, "'[Palin]'s not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president? Look at what she's done to [Alaska]. What would she do to the nation?'"

Also, there's another interesting, lingering question related to the timing of her marriage and the birth of her first-born son, Track Palin. This question is relevant only to the extent that Palin is a champion of conservative family values and government intervention into one's bedroom and personal decision making. Read more about it at: http://www.americablog.com/2008/08/sarah-palin-and-children-conceived-out.html

Dear Hollywood Screenwriters Guild:

I'm writing you today because I'm sick and tired (and just downright annoyed) with your pathetic and hokey attempts to created realistic impressions of "hackers" and "nerds." To the best of my knowledge, you've never gotten it right yet, and you give people the wrong ideas.

So, if you'll allow me, I'll let you in on a few secrets.

1. Just because you don't know how to use your Mac doesn't mean someone who does is capable of using it to penetrate any computer network anywhere in two seconds flat.

2. Most electronics hardware is incompatible. There's nowhere you could even PUT the SIM card from your cell phone in your computer, and even if you did, you wouldn't suddenly have access to a network of satellites and bank accounts. Sorry.

3. Bad fake operating systems are like bad fake actors (see: Nicolas Cage). Bad fake operating systems make your movie look bad, just like bad acting. It's nice to think that "hackers" use operating systems that are lightyears more advanced than anything known to man, where windows slide and shimmer and dance and swirl, and where everything in the known universe is available at the touch of a few keys. But the truth is: all of your fake "super advanced" operating systems look stupid and fake. Give us a break.

4. Most "nerds" are actually normal people. They eat normal (sometimes even healthy) food; drink water, coffee and beer (not just energy drinks), tend to have good complexions (see: no pimples), friends (girlfriends, too!), and other hobbies. In fact, most of the nerds I know are outgoing, athletic and attractive. They just happen to like and be good with computers.

5. Copying equations out of a math book doesn't make your movie look smart.

6. No one can calculate logarithms or advanced physics equations in their heads. Much less instantly while dodging bullets in a burning nuclear reactor.

7. Most "nerds" have clean, well-lit work stations. Darkness causes eye strain.

8. Computers are essentially secure and impenetrable.

9. Even if "hackers" existed, there's absolutely nothing on your home computer that a "hacker" would possible want? What? To steal your scripts? To steal the pictures of your girlfriend? Don't flatter yourself.

10. Not all "good" guys use Macs. And not all "bad" guys use PCs. Honest.

11. Most "hacking" is done by brilliant social engineers with only a minimum of computer proficiency. Not by drinking Mountain Dew in a dark room listening to German techno typing furiously into a green-and-black console.