Here's a Farsi translation of the letter to the Iranian people that's been floating around the blogosphere. (via Kathy Kinsley)

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From Andrea Harris comes this article which explains why history is taught poorly, if at all in American schools. Andrea has a great take on this, so you may want to go over and read her page, but I have to put my two cents in as well.

1. I'm not sure the teachers learned it to begin with. Andrea thinks it's because there are a lot of Education majors. Valid point, as a history major will go for a job at the college level. However, I think that the teachers know as much as their students about the subject - and they don't know how to teach it. If they can't teach them ANYTHING, the least they can do is get them caught up with current events. Turn on C-SPAN for an hour and have them observe how our government works (or doesn't). It's provided by the goverment, and kids are familiar with television. Hey, they might learn something.

2. Political correctness. This also overlaps with one of my other reasons - the Hollywood reason. Kids don't want to know the REAL reason things have happened, especially after the Disney video has come out. Pocahontas, The Road to El Dorado, and Anastasia come to mind. Disney pisses me off. It's REAL convenient that nobody dies in the Hollywood versions so the little kids are happy and Disney's bottom line doesn't suffer, but their heads are screwed up when they get to school. It's the fault of the House of Mouse that they're all on Ritalin. It's not all Disney. There are just some things that teachers or school boardfs would prefer not to teach, despite the fact thethat they are important in our history, for fear of offending someone. These subjects are glazed over, ignored, or subject material is changed, and students are none the wiser, until faced with the truth in high school or college - or worse yet - in real life.

3. History is BORING. To most kids, that is. I found it fascinating. I hated math. I still do. History was wonderful, with all the names and dates. Most kids prefer having their teeth cleaned than sitting through history class. If I had to simply pass history, I'd have my damn CS degree by now. But that's another subject... The subject matter is repetitive, and it's no fun to teach unless you make it fun for the kids. No subject is. I speak from the vantage point of a technical trainer, and the worst feeling is to have a bunch of unresponsive students. If they're taking notes on the lecture, or asking questions, at least you know there's some response. But if they just sit there, well, then you're in trouble. It's kind of like being a stand-up comedian that nobody laughs at.

4. I touched on the Hollywood factor earlier when I lumped it in with the PC element, however, there is the fact that Hollywood has packaged major historical events into two-hour segments. I love Andrea's discussion of Mel Gibson. One more point about the Australian hero - don't forget that Mel Gibson led the American Revolution. Thanks to Oliver Stone, my whole lifetime has been one giant conspiracy. Since they're learning Hamlet by watching Mel Gibson, are they learning Romeo and Juliet by watching Leonardo di Caprio? For Shakespeare on film, try the Kenneth Branagh versions out for a spin. I believe he did several of the Bard's plays, along with Emma Thompson.

Question - When this generation runs for office and the candidate's foreign policy skills come into question, can the candidate get away with the excuse that he was never taught that there were foreign countries?

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The Toronto Star gets a first hand look at Amsterdam's "coffeehouses." (via Protein Wisdom

In the trailing haze of Justice Minister Martin Cauchon's recent admission that he'd smoked marijuana in his youth (he's still only 39), there has arisen (I'm told) a rekindled debate about loosening up Canada's drug laws. Britain took that political toke last week, where those in possession of marijuana and hashish will not be arrested for simple possession. Millions of potheads lit up a spliff to celebrate; the national drug czar resigned in protest.

But in Holland, where I felicitously happen to be at the moment, possession of pot for personal use has been legal since 1976, which makes Amsterdam in particular the mecca for stoners. A very laid-back place, especially in the Damstraat area near the central train station, where the majority of the city's 300 recognized "coffeeshops" — euphemism for dope joints — can be found. (Of these, 86 also sell alcohol.)

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The Toronto Star gets a first hand look at Amsterdam's "coffeehouses."

In the trailing haze of Justice Minister Martin Cauchon's recent admission that he'd smoked marijuana in his youth (he's still only 39), there has arisen (I'm told) a rekindled debate about loosening up Canada's drug laws. Britain took that political toke last week, where those in possession of marijuana and hashish will not be arrested for simple possession. Millions of potheads lit up a spliff to celebrate; the national drug czar resigned in protest.

But in Holland, where I felicitously happen to be at the moment, possession of pot for personal use has been legal since 1976, which makes Amsterdam in particular the mecca for stoners. A very laid-back place, especially in the Damstraat area near the central train station, where the majority of the city's 300 recognized "coffeeshops" — euphemism for dope joints — can be found. (Of these, 86 also sell alcohol.)

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Quana Jones e-mailed me last night to tell me that Erisitic has finally moved. The site has both off Blogspot and now is converted over to Greymatter as well. Looks pretty slick. If you haven't checked it out, please do so.

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When Hollywood hits too close to home? Charles Johnson reports that there is something brewing that sounds much like a recent Hollywood blockbuster.

Chechen rebels have stolen radioactive metals, possibly including plutonium, from a Russian nuclear power station in the southern region of Rostov, according to US nuclear officials.

The theft, which took place within the last 12 months at the new Volgodonskaya nuclear power station near the city of Rostov-on-Don, has heightened US fears that weapons-grade plutonium may have fallen into the hands of terrorists or countries such as Iraq or Libya.

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Due to Blogger's burping on the customized template I had installed, I found it easier to just go back to one of the Blogger defaults for the time being. This template is a little easier on the eyes, and it's the same one that Eric Olsen and Edward Boyd both use. So I know I'm in good company. Maybe I'll have to improve the quality of my writings to account for the lack of quality graphics. Anyway, I'm in search of a host and all. Once we get this thing over to a domain host, we'll see about a serious redesign.

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Take the Hello Kitty Psych Test! (yes, THAT Hello Kitty.)

Here's how I did:

You easily feel stressful.

Only with a little bit of work plus controlling your temper, you would then lose energy.

Not only you would accumulate your stress, you are weak to release it. For this type, exercise and Karaoke will be the best way.

Exercise and Karaoke, eh? If HELLO KITTY says so, it must be good advice!

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It's a case of investigating is "good" only when it's beneficial. Ari Fleischer, who is quickly becoming the biggest blowhard in Washington, had this to say about a potential Democratic investigation of Vice President Cheney's role in Halliburton:

When asked about the possibility that Senate Democrats will hold hearings on Halliburton, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer accused the president's opponents of engaging in "old-style Washington antics at a time when our nation is sick and tired of that."

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Mexican radio stations have banned drug music:

There will be no more drugs and violence on Mexican radio stations in and around Tijuana.

Baja California state radio stations signed an agreement Thursday to ban songs known as narco-corridos, and instead have decided to play only songs that promote positive messages and good values. They also urged Spanish-language U.S. stations across the border in California to do the same.

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The feds have nabbed another Al-Qaeda suspect:

U.S. Customs agents have arrested a Jordanian-born man who was allegedly carrying $12 million in false cashier's checks, alarming counterterrorism officials who said the suspect may have been trained in al Qaeda terrorist camps in Afghanistan.

U.S. officials said the name of Omar Shishani, 47, who was detained Wednesday as he arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport from Indonesia, appears on a watch list of people trained in Afghanistan by al Qaeda. Shishani's name turned up in documents captured in Afghanistan, sources said.

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Here's yet another case of an illegal imigrant dying on the job. The Register is trying to spin this story of one of the poor, untrained immigrant, but then they quote the late immigrant's brother:

"I still can't believe he's dead," he said. "I'm all alone here. He just wanted to send money to his family."

In other words, this man, and others like him, do not contribute to our economy, but rather, FUNNEL MONEY OUT OF IT. It's a pretty good bet that the man's family spends the money in Mexico, not in the United States, so this adds to our trade deficit. This adds fuel to my argument that the border should be closed to only those that cross legally.

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An arrest has been made in the Samatha Runnion case:

A desperate search for the sexual predator who killed Samantha Runnion ended Friday with the arrest of a man who was acquitted last year of molesting her former playmate.

Alejandro Avila, 27, was picked up near his mother’s apartment in Lake Elsinore, three days after Samantha’s nude body was found in a remote area off Ortega (74) Highway. More than 400 investigators followed thousands of leads in one of the largest manhunts in Orange County history. The case sparked international attention as parents wondered why a man would kidnap then asphyxiate a little girl who was planning to celebrate her sixth birthday at Disneyland next Friday.

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The drug charges against Robert Downey Jr. have been dismissed. Too bad his series was canceled in the meantime.

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Zacarias Moussaoui may finally be cooperating with authorities. However, the judge won't allow it - yet.

Zacarias Moussaoui, the only individual charged in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks, attempted to plead guilty Thursday but was stopped when the judge insisted he take a week to think his decision over.

"I am a member of Al Qaeda" pledged to Usama bin Laden, Moussaoui told U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who moments earlier had entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to a third indictment. Shortly after that, Moussaoui tried to plead guilty.

"I want to plead today guilty because I want to save my life," Moussaoui said, adding as he has in numerous motions that he knows who committed the September attacks. He said the guilty plea would allow him to tell what he knows.

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A giant recall of contaminated hamburger has been issued.

In the second largest meat recall in U.S. history, a Colorado company asked Americans nationwide Friday to check their refrigerators, stores and backyard grills and destroy 19 million pounds of hamburger meat because of E. coli concerns.

Seventeen people in Colorado already have gotten sick from beef provided by ConAgra Beef Co. of Greeley, Colo. At least six other cases of E. coli-caused illnesses have been reported in California, Michigan, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming, but none of those cases have been linked yet to the ConAgra beef.

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This law is almost as foolish as the Islamic tribal policy of "mercy killings" for the crimes of fellow tribesmen.

Opening the door to a tough new policy, Israel's attorney general determined Friday that relatives of West Bank suicide bombers can be expelled to the Gaza Strip if they encouraged or were linked to terror attacks, officials said.

posted by Brian 11:24 PM

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While cruising Blogdex, I found this tidbit. It's called One Hundred Albums You Should Remove from Your Collection Immediately. Apparently the editors of this article, which there are several, are a bunch of twentysomethings, as the majority of the albums mentioned are the ones I grew up on. Some of them DO suck. I agree that you should pretty much pitch everything by U2, The Police, The Beastie Boys, and Prince. Their albums were either just bad, or they've become stale. However, there are some others that make me flinch:

The Clash - Combat Rock

Nirvana - Nevermind

The Beatles - Let It Be - I'm not a big Beatles fan, but surprised to see it on the list.

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

The Who - Tommy

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band

Grateful Dead - ALL RECORDINGS
Did I say they might be a bunch of twentysomethings?
The Doors - The Best of the Doors

OK, now they've trashed everything I fing musically dear, I have the following question: why isn't Eminem, poster boy for all that is despised by parents, on that list? Or Tupac Shakur, who had to die to sell records? There are a number of so-called artists in the hip-hop community that have garbage fitting for that list, however, I would rather listen to Pink's Mizundahstood which IS on the list than any of it.

posted by Brian 11:05 PM

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Although its origin is questionable, Cynthia McKinney appears to get a ringing endorsement from the Arab News. (via Charles Johnson)

posted by Brian 10:14 PM

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UPDATE: Ken Layne reports that Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from Billy Bob Thornton. In a related story, the 27-year old star of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider has been seen frollicking with the writer of this article. :)

posted by Brian 9:44 PM

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Al Gore seems to be the Democrat that will cause the least damage. Not that they're crazy about any of the contenders. (via Ken Layne)

posted by Brian 9:39 PM

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All we need is Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson here in Arizona, because it's becoming in vogue to drop the race card in order to justify winning your argument. Take the case of Republic columnist O. Ricardo Pimentel. Those of you familiar with his writings know that he tries to make everything about the "repressed Hispanics." However, he seems to write well enough to make his column worth reading. His latest column, however, is different. He drops the race card in the John Walker Lindh case.

Three U.S. citizens accused of terrorism.

One is Latino and a former street criminal. Another, though born in Louisiana, has Saudi roots and a thoroughly Middle Eastern name. And the third is from an affluent Marin, Calif., family.

Guess which one got due process in civilian court and which two are still being held as unlawful combatants by the military without access to counsel?

I hate to burst your bubble, Mr. Pimentel, but John Walker Lindh not only was arrested first, but he also is the only one that agreed to cooperate with authorities. It has nothing to do with his race, which you insinuate. Yasser Esam Hamdi, who is only a U.S. citizen by birth, has lived in Saudi Arabia for the majority of his life, so the government is technically treating him like a Saudi. Jose Padilla, or whatever he calls himself now, was arrested much more recently than Lindh and Hamdi, and also is being held as a witness. The goivernment believes that he knows more than he is letting on, and if he opens his mouth, he'll likely get the same treatment Lindh got. Also, the crime he was arrested for is pretty scary - conspiracy to plant a radioactive bomb.

As for Richard Reid and Zacarias Moussaoui, they are being tried under pre-9/11 laws. These scenarios are new to us, as well to our legal system, and growing pains need to happen. However, in these times of war, it's no time to be dropping the race card in reference to our judicial system.

In other Arizona "race card" news, the issue is pointing its ugly head up in the aftermath of the "Rodeo-Chediski" fire. The person who started the "Rodeo" fire is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and has confessed to starting the fire so he could make money fighting it. Here's more on the person who started the "Chediski" fire. She was not brought up on any charges. Here's what they are saying:

The decision infuriated White Mountain residents who were burned out by the last month's "Rodeo-Chediski" fire, and Apaches concerned about unequal justice because charges were filed against a tribal member who set the Rodeo half of the blaze.

And we had a local commentator wondering why we never had riots (like those in L.A back in 1992) here in Phoenix. Hrm...

posted by Brian 9:18 PM

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Wednesday, July 17, 2002

 
A report on the Samaritan Patrol, the group that claims to be "helping" by giving border crossers water, when, in effect, they are breaking the law as what they do is a threat to national security: (via Gail Davis)

"It's a pretty upsetting situation and, frankly, very outrageous. We are in a humanitarian crisis," said 23-year-old Matt Moore, a member of the volunteer patrol whose red Isuzu Trooper, with a bumper sticker saying "Jesus Was a Refugee," is one of the Samaritan Patrol vehicles.

"I don't think I'm breaking the law, from what I understand of the law," he said.

First of all, Matt, you ARE breaking the law. The people you are allegedly "helping" are BREAKING THE LAW by entering this country. By helping them acheive those means, you are aiding and abetting in the commission of a felony or misdemeanor, as stated in ARS 13-302.

Second, you are putting both yourself and your country at great risk. While you think it might be a great idea to assist these people through the desert on their journey northward, you could, in effect, be helping not a Mexican field worker, but a member of the Taliban taking the easy way into the country.

Finally, by invoking the name of Jesus on this great crusade of yours, you equate yourself with the fundamentalist Christians over in Israel that are taking the side of the Israelis for miguided purposes - they want to convert them to Christianity after the war is over. Jesus may have been a refugee, but he wouldn't have approved of an insecure border during wartime.

posted by Brian 10:36 PM

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One of the more ridiculous lawsuits out there. If Ted Turner wants to clean up his image, it would behoove him greatly to drop this claim, and let the land stay in the hands of the Gullah heirs. Otherwise, people will continue to see him a the loudmouth white Southern bigot - and this one might hurt him in the bottom line. Expect his "damage control" people to settle this dispute quietly, as it appears that now that it's been made public, it's now an embarrassment. (via Gail Davis)

posted by Brian 10:13 PM

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Those Bush girls just can't seem to stop making headlines for substance abuse. Guess it's a good sign that the war on drugs isn't working.

posted by Brian 9:25 PM

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One of Hollywood's most bizarre couples have separated:

They flaunted their love with his and hers tattoos, blood-filled pendants and side by side cemetery plots but the two year marriage between Hollywood's most eccentric couple is now on the rocks.

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie told Us Weekly in an interview released on Wednesday that she and husband Billy Bob Thornton had been living apart in separate hotels for four months and had not seen each other since June 3.

Jolie, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for her role as an unhinged teenager in "Girl, Interrupted," said she did not want to start "a war of words" with Thornton, adding; "I don't want to attack him publicly. That's not what I am about."

But it appeared that the Cambodian orphan the couple adopted earlier this year had come between them, adding to friction between Jolie's role as a United Nation goodwill ambassador and Thornton's pursuit of a music career.

Maybe Angelina will move on to someone else. I hear Marilyn Manson's available.

posted by Brian 9:21 PM

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Tuesday, July 16, 2002

 
On those high school students facing deportation to Mexico since they crossed the border with their parents, and got caught visiting Niagara Falls, here's one activist's point of view:

"It's a perfect illustration of the problem," said Josh Bernstein of the National Immigration Law Forum in Washington, D.C. "It is so un-American for these kids to be punished as a way of getting at their parents."

I'm not unsympathetic. Therefore, that's why I propose sending the entire FAMILY back across the border where they belong. Any that crossed, should go back. Period. I'll repeat it time and time again in this space. This is not an bleeding-hearts issue. We are at WAR and it is an issue of national security. One of those students could have been a Palestinian suicide bomber. Think about it before calling me names and such.

posted by Brian 7:03 AM

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Sunday, July 14, 2002

 
Joanne Jacobs shows us how charter schools should work.

At YES, not only is the school day longer (from 7:50 a.m. to -5 p.m. every school day), but students also attend Saturday school twice a month, and attend one extra month during the summer. Every year since 1998, more than 99 percent of the students at every grade level have passed every section of TAAS, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test.

The school's charter stipulates that a student must be accepted by a four-year college in order to graduate from YES. Even though 85 percent of YES' student population are considered "at-risk" students, all of the graduating students in YES' second senior class were accepted to at least two colleges or universities around the country.

posted by Brian 5:33 PM

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Al-Qaida has been meeting in Seattle, and they have one of them in custody down at Gitmo.

posted by Brian 1:36 AM

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From Zonitics comes the story of four high school students that entered this country illegally when they were very young. They now face deportation, as they went to Niagara Falls and were questioned by immigration officials. I can sort of understand the bind that these students are in, and the immediacy it would call for a law to get everyone legal or face deportation. However, then their lawyer had to open her trap:

But Flanagan said she believes the students were targeted because they are Latinos.

"It's racism pure and simple," she said. The students plan to fight deportation, she said. She contends immigration officials failed to inform the students of their rights. She also said the immigration officials questioned the students for more than nine hours and used intimidation and scare tactics.

Yes, Counsellor, and I'm sure you would have felt the same had your client been Mohammed Atta. The same laws apply to everyone. That's part of living in a society where "all men are created equal." Or did some bleeding heart interpretation of the law teach you to ignore that basic principle?

Sorry about that. Lawyers just don't know when to keep their mouths shut.

posted by Brian 12:55 AM

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Gail Davis reports of two more border crossers found dead in the desert.

Border Patrol agents found the bodies of two men, apparent illegal immigrants, in the desert southwest of Tucson yesterday, authorities said.
A 27-year-old Mexican man died on the Tohono O'odham Reservation yesterday while his cousin went to get help, said Ryan Scudder, a Border Patrol spokesman.

I hate to repeat myself, but since Ms. Davis is trying to make a point by posting every reported case of a border crosser found dead on American soil, I'm going to refute it by repeating myself. These men entered this country illegally, and are violating the LAW. Gail, I know you mean well, but there are NO JOBS for them here in Phoenix. That's what the street buzz is, and it looks there's more of them gathered at the regular meeting place every day - which I pass on the way to my office. A combination of a slowdown in the construction industry, as well as the government's crackdown on Social Security has made employers less willing to take these workers on.

However, the worst thing about this border issue is that it's a major security risk. For all we know, Al-Qaeda could be sneaking through the desert. And I doubt those guys will get found by the Border Patrol.

posted by Brian 12:30 AM

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