A Long Way From Anything

Some photos from when I was at Callaway Gardens:

A restaurant that we ate at:


The view from said restaurant:


One of the gardens (with Koi fish):


Where we went for ice cream:


A little something for Heather:

I recently got a little note in my email arguing that an 8th grade education in 1895 was actually pretty good. I'm sure some of you have gotten it as well. If not, you can read it at Office Humor. After I read this, something my former German professor said to me bubbled up from my unconscious. Paraphrased, he said "I'm trying to uphold the educational standards of this institution by myself. It's far too easy nowadays." He was responding to a complaint of mine saying his class was very difficult for me. People always say that school was harder in the old days, my parents, my grandparents, everybody. Are we really lowering our standards? Yes we are.

In 1895 I seriously doubt if most people actually went to school. At the time we (the U.S.) were still largely an agrarian based economy (especially here in the south). Families had lots of children because they were needed to help plow the fields. This continued up into the 20th century. Many of my parent's childhood friends grew up this way. So, back then, when your parents had money (probably because they had a successful business) you were allowed to go to school. It also stands to reason that if your parents had a successful business they were pretty intelligent. So, most likely you were too. So, basically, only the intelligensia went to school back then. Or, to paraphrase one of my favorite sci-fi authors John Ringo, in referring to someone of the "greatest generation": "When he grew up going to the 8th grade was for overeducated nerd-boys."

So, yes, we have lowered educational standards in this country. We've done so that there will be "No child left behind". We've brought the bar down so that any idiot can get a highschool diploma. It's now on your list of inalienable rights. Up there with a big-screen TV and an easy job. Now we are starting to make it seem as though a college diploma is up there too. It used to be the case that a minority of people got a Master's degree. Now I hear adverts for them on the radio. Basically what is going on is educational inflation. When will it end? When I am an old man will a doctorate be worthless? Some schools don't even require Comps anymore...sheesh.

Okay, a more comprehensive update on my life. I've got to make it quick though, my lady friend and I are heading down to Callaway Gardens. We've got a nice little cottage reserved and a weekend of strolling through botanical gardens ahead of us. Good, no?

I, physically, am doing pretty well. While my knee has not fully healed, it has reduced itself to a minor ache. Except when I run. Then it acts up and screams at me. Other than that, it's fine.

On top of this, school is about to start. Monday morning I go back. Ugh. I am sincerely conflicted about it. This will be my last year of Uni. So while I am anxious to get it done, facing the idea of being an "adult" is quite frightening. This semester I am taking: Medieval Philosophy, Senior Seminar (focusing on Charles Pierce), Professional Ethics, Astronomy (yeah, yeah, I know, it's a Mickey), Math Modeling, and Abnormal Psych. Total in all: 19 hours (psych is 4). Fun huh? This semester I'm shooting for straight "A's". No pesky German courses to get in my way.

Well, I haven't posted in a while...so here's something utterly mundane and not that interesting: I'm dating someone. She's older than me, but I don't have a problem with that. In fact, it's actually kind of nice. Older women know what they want better than these 21 and 22 year-olds I've been dating. So things are cool with me...

A little humor to go around: One for France and One for the Patriot Act. Thanks to Fort Liberty.

Shouldn't it be illegal to call something a documentary when it's political propaganda? Well, no it shouldn't really (we have enough damn laws as it is). But still. I personally don't believe the tinfoil-hat types. And catering to sympathy for wounded servicemen is low. Really low. How about something different for a change?

Oh, and the French still suck. And they surrender.

God I love The Onion. Their political coverage is always excellent.

After I got back from my run I watched the 10 o'clock news (or at least part of it). One of their major pieces was on Bitter Orange, a supplement similar to Epehedra (which, as we all know has been banned by the FDA).

FOX 5 (the local news station) even had a legal activist (is there such a term) on whose (fully grown and a soldier in the Army) son had died from taking Ephedra. She pledged her undying support to the quest to ban Bitter Orange. Now, I see several avenues by which her quest would be justified: 1. If her son was forced to take the pills (nope, sorry, didn't happen). 2. If he had a batch that was somehow defective or otherwise inconsistent with the description of the drug (again, nope.) 3. If the packaging did not have a warning on it (possible, but every package of Ephedra that I've EVER bought has had a warning). Simply put, this kid ODed on the pills. Now, do we go around banning sleeping pills because some angsty teenager decides to take the whole package? Where is the personal responsiblity in this? I'm sorry her son died but he did it doing something stupid. If I decide to take my Mossberg 500 shotgun, load it, then start playing around with it while pointing it at my head, don't be surprised if I end up dead by morning! Guess what though? It's not Mossberg's fault! As an adult, I read the instructions for operating my shotgun and decided to act stupidly. Her son, as an adult, neglected to read the instructions and killed himself. I understand that she wants someone to blame for her grief, but this is ridiculous.

Maybe this is where we are today. We no longer believe that we are responsible for ourselves. Maybe this is an outgrowth of Baby-Boomer psychology - "Oh, it's not your fault, it's your parent's!" (this, of course, is not to bash people who's problems are a result of their parents, i.e. being abused, molested, etc... NOT being fat!) Over time our belief in reality has only grown weaker...when will this stop? While I'm not exactly in favor of big business (I'm not a Republican) I'm also not in favor of litigation-happy idiots like this lady! (I'm not a Democrat) I feel like I'm sinking into some sort of Orwellian dystopia (to rip off the daily show)...

Went out for a run this evening, yeah yeah yeah, Doctor's warnings and all of that. As Bill the Cat would say pppphhhhttt! I only did a mile and a half but it still kind of hurt. Most of the pain is in my knee now (tendon and ligaments taking longer to heal than muscles). But I still managed to finish it in 10 minutes. Not too bad considering that I haven't really run since I got back from OCS. I've taken a two and one half week break - the longest I've taken from running in the past year and a half...

HAH! Take THAT my old highschool english teachers!


You are a MASTER of the English language!


While your English is not exactly perfect,
you are still more grammatically correct than
just about every American. Still, there is
always room for improvement...


How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Happy Birthday to Crickie! Here's to many more to come!

I'm sure some of you have heard of it, but recently I discovered that a new version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is currently in production. If any of you have seen the old (1981?) version you'll appreciate how much this new version is needed. It's set to be released in 2005 and so far features a pretty good cast. Interestingly enough, John Malkovich is part of the cast. His character is not in the book but was added by Adams shortly before he died in 2001. I can't wait to see it!