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
Milwaukee Photos
I took a couple of pictures in and around the hotel where we stayed:Hotel AtriumU.S. Cellular ArenaGrand Avenue Mall Somehow, I don't think the Grand Avenue Mall is the most fun place in Milwaukee for teens to hang out. I think it was this huge list of Stuff You Can't Do that clued me in:Mall Etiquette Here's a close-up of the rules: … [Read more...] about Milwaukee Photos