I don't understand what the issue is when people talk about making English the official language. It was one of the questions at the presidential debates of both parties. Closer to home, Fran Eaton at Illinois Review links approvingly to an article by Phyllis Schlafly and to a report that Carpentersville has passed a symbolic resolution to make English its official language, … [Read more...] about What the Heck Is an Official Language?
On My Reading List: The cult of the amateur
I've just picked up The Cult of the Amateur: How today's Internet is killing our culture by Andrew Keen. I spotted the book at Borders and read the jacket copy, which surprised me in its ability to make me seethe with anger: in a hard-hitting and provocative polemic...Andrew Keen exposes the grave consequences of today's new participatory Web 2.0 and reveals how it threatens … [Read more...] about On My Reading List: The cult of the amateur
Watching the Detectives
Radley Balko on videotaping the police: There's been a rash of arrests of late for videotaping police, and it's a disturbing development... ... As noted, police are public servants, paid with taxpayer dollars. Not only that, but they're given extraordinary power and authority we don't give to other public servants: They're armed; they can make arrests; they're allowed to … [Read more...] about Watching the Detectives
The Eternal Question
Radley Balko comes face to face with the Eternal Question About Politicians: Are they stupid enough to believe what they say? Or is it that they think you're stupid enough to believe what they say? … [Read more...] about The Eternal Question
You Can’t Touch That
Just when I think the zero tolerance rules in public schools can't get any more idiotic, this story hits the net: Fairfax County middle school student Hal Beaulieu hopped up from his lunch table one day a few months ago, sat next to his girlfriend and slipped his arm around her shoulder. That landed him a trip to the school office. Among his crimes: hugging. All touching -- … [Read more...] about You Can’t Touch That