CSI

We are currently watching CSI, which tonight features my college roommate, Bill Chott, as one of the victims. I'm rapidly discovering that the cutting-open-the-body-for-the-autopsy shots are much more disturbing when you know the body.

It is a sad day for American music . . .

when Kristin Chenoweth is the oldest singer in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

"Cowards cut and run; Marines never do"

This statement, made on the House floor by Jean Schmidt of Ohio, seems to reflect a lot of what is really the problem with the Bush administration -- a refusal to accept that, at some point, alternatives to a given course of action have to be considered.

By all accounts, the Bush administration (and just the Bush) surrounds itself with political yes-men, rather than those who give genuine analysis and advice. Although this method of governance affords a tremendous amount of confidence to be exerted, it doesn't examine the extremes -- what happens if everything goes wrong. That was the problem with Harriet Miers. She was a nominee forwarded while the administration was under attack, and without the support of congress that Bush has (reasonably) taken for granted for five years. When it's within his administration, its not such a bad thing -- he only risks his own image. However, when, as with the war, he takes a "no dissenting views" attitude, he risks lives and the well-being of a nation.

"Cowards cut and run; Marines never do" is a terrific slogan if your goal is to convince troops to obey commands and not to desert. But it can't be an attitude with which to direct a war. Retreat is never a goal, but it always has to be an option. Isn't that a basic tenet of warfare? If men keep dying, and no progress is made, what is the tactical advantage in sending more and more men (and women) to die? Consideration of alternatives has to be part of an intelligent action of any sort.

Greetings from the Front Row

This is what we get for trying to see Harry Potter in prime time on opening night.

My word, this is horrible

I haven't visited Classkc.org for a while, but was motivated to by the recent comment inquiring as to sources for parental reviews for student literature. I continued to be appalled by both the attitudes and the arguments expressed. I can tolerate the former, but not the latter. In the interest of maintaining my blood pressure, I'm just going to look at the page linked above.

First of all, the page kicks off with the headline "Blue Valley Board of Education Supports the teaching of bestiality and oral sex." I love the idea that because something is being exposed or discussed that it is being taught. It's like saying that because the inquisition is taught in a world history class "Board of Education supports the teaching of torture." Or "Jesus supports the teaching murder." Matthew 15:19.

Each book listed refers to a low reading level -- that a 12th graders are reading at a 7th grade reading level or whatever. But if you look at their link, the reading level refers exclusively to a "textual difficulty." That is to say, it applies only to what the words themselves pose as a challenge. Not the ideas, or the concepts. If we want youth to be exposed to more challenging words, why assign more than a dictionary? Part of learning to appreciate literature is to learn about different points of view, and by exposing ourselves to things that we hope never to go through. Aristotle wrote about the dramatic "purgation of pity and fear" -- we read about events so that we can experience the emotions associated with them without actually going through the actions. We share the Oedipal horror at his marriage to Iocasta without actually sleeping with our own mothers. It's part of the purpose of art. Look at the William Carlos Williams poem: "so much depends/upon/a red wheel/barrow/glazed with rain/water/beside the white/chickens." It could be read by a second-grader. But there's enough there to challenge graduate students.

Next, the page features excerpts from the book. What a great idea. Instead of encouraging parents to look at the book to see why the group is against it, why not just post the dirty parts? Perfect. Several of the pages with excerpts on them have a screen that pops up warning of adult content. But if you click on Bestiality in the headline on the front page, you get no such warning. Beautiful consistency. Not that a click-through screen helps, but I would think you would at least pretend to be using it.

Also, I love the arguments that are presented at the bottom. No college English department would confirm that Beloved is essential college preparatory material. I'm sure that's right. If you wrote a college and asked "Will a student be denied admission because they haven't read . . ." of the answer will be no. But if you ask if an English student should have been exposed in High School to a broad range of classic and contemporary literature, with varying themes and ideas, of course the answer would be yes.

It's not on the linked page, but I continue to be amazed at the books that they do recommend that dont' comply with their own standards (apparently to be contemporary literature is the greater sin than the content of the literature) : The Aeneid, The Odyssey, The Cenci . . . apparently incestuous rape is a-okay as long as it doesn't take place on American soil, or in the 20th century.

Blecch.

I seem to be coming down with the cough-flu thing that several of my friends have had (including the friend with whom I share a bed). So, I'm using the laptop in bed, at least for the morning. Plus, I have saltines.

The weekend was fun. Friday night was the wedding reception, and we used a coupon we had for a free night at the Doubletree. We swam and had breakfast Saturday morning in the hotel. I met a funny lawyer there named Stan who works for Shook, Hardy, and Bacon. I have decided not to hold this against him. Saturday afternoon and evening was the wedding and reception, both of which were lovely. After the reception, Tracy and I facilitated finding a Plaza bar where the couple could take their out-of-town friends for a cocktail. This is a feat easier discussed than achieved, but they seemed in good spirits when we left them.

Sunday was a LOT of church, including singing, services, and organizational meetings. Tracy and I shared a pizza, watched the last half of the Chiefs game, and both manged naps in the afternoon. Finally, Sunday night was rehearsal for the improv show I'm directing. It was a weird rehearsal, but Tracy described the problems as good ones to have, and I suppose she's right.

No pictures from the sickbed.

Despite my protestations, no one wants the preacher dressed like Elvis

Tracy and I are singing today at the wedding of our friends Dennis and Melissa. They've set up a pretty cool website, linked in the title above. I always like singing with Tracy, and this is no different. We're doing "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge. I wasn't familiar with it, but its a nice wedding piece. Last night was the rehearsal, followed by a lovely rehearsal dinner at Mimi's Cafe located what I refer to as "down South in Johnson County" and what the bridal party refers to as "where we live."

This is also the first time I'm getting to see our new preacher, Bart, do a wedding.

The pictures are all creepy because of the lighting in the church combined with a phonecam. For clarification, the church itself is not creepy.

Cross with tulle.

Alana Coyle, the pianist and another friend from church.

The lovely Tracy, tired of having her picture taken.

DBP3

Kristina, who let me take her picture when I asked.

Tracy on the pay-money-to-get-zapped machine.

Jockeying for cheap plastic crap.

More Dave and Buster's pics (see prior post)

Big ol' video game screens including what appears to be a swell bowling sim.

Michelle, Mistress of Gravity

Ah, the Plinko lessons begin to pay divendends.

Dave and Buster's Shakedown Cruise

Tracy and I received an invitation to the VIP night for the new Dave and Buster's by the speedway in Kansas City, KS. We're not sure how we got on the list, but we love the D&B's, and were glad to go. Tracy's (and my) good friend Michelle also had an invite, and the three of us had a great time. Dave and Buster's is rather like an adult Chuck E. Cheese. Pretty good food, a bar, and LOTS of video games, modern and classic, as well as midway-type games like skeeball.

We had a great time. We were primarily impressed at the smooth crowd flow. They kept people, food and drink moving with remarkable ease. Plus, everyone we encountered was extremely pleasant.

As the evening ended, and I stood in a small room teeming with strangers, multicolored tzotchke and the other two members of my party determining investment strategies for their skeeball tickets, I had a brief exchange with an apron-clad fellow who said he had been shuffled into the room to help people, but he wasn't sure what to do, or how to help anyone when it was too crowded to move:

Me: You guys have really done a great job tonight.
ACF: Yeah, but there are still a lot of kinks to work out. A LOT.
[I spot my wife.]
Me: Tracy, I'm going to go wait outside.
ACF: Can I wait outside too? Please?

I'm sure the guy was right, and there's still a lot to be cleaned up before the place is hitting on all cylinders. But, I had as good a time last night as I've had at any D and B's that's been open for a while. I would have recommended it anyhow, but last night's experience do nothing but reinforce that.

Pictures:

People.

Tracy concentrates on her Plinko skills.

Adam rescues Michelle's errant tokens.

Indian Summer

This is the view from the South lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in KC -- probably one of my favorite places in the world. In the middle of urbania, it's a beautifully maintained expanse of grass and art. The field sometimes looks like it should have a "keep of the grass" sign, but it doesn't. Runners, walkers, sitters, and players of tean sports are all welcome, year round. It's lovely and its free.

The sun is bright and the screen is dim, so I apologize for what I presume is a poor pic, even for this venue.

Nickel Creek Concert

Last night I joined Tracy and Jane, a friend, at the Nickel Creek concert in town. Tracy really likes Nickel Creek, and I think they're pretty good, so I was looking forward to it. The concert was a bit too much repitition and bluegrass jam for my tastes, but certainly worth the investment.

What really blew me away though, was the opening act -- The Ditty Bops. I didn't realize it until the final song, but I had heard them recently on A Prairie Home Companion. They are really good musicians, and put on a heckuva show. Whether it was genuine or an act of artifice, they really made it feel like everyone in the club was having a great time -- like we were all on the inside of an inside joke. Anyhow, I bought their CD off of itunes first thing this morning. See them if you get a chance.

The Ditty Bops: an example of a poor application of the cameraphone. From our seat in the balcony, I knew that they were witty and talented. Apparently, according to their website, had I been closer on the floor, I would have found them to be cute, too.

Not So Spooky

My mom's birthday is Halloween, so instead of handing out candy, we went out to Fayette and had dinner with her and Dad. Tracy and I hadn't seen the new Student Union at CMU yet, and it is really impressive. I commented to Dad that it really doesn't match the rest of the campus, and he pointed out that none of the buildings really did when they were built. Mom pointed out the distinction between historic and old as applied to some of the buildings. We had dinner at Emmet's, which each member of my family has known as various local businesses in various incarnations. The dinner was quite lovely, and everyone was really pleasant. On the way home to KC, Tracy and I ate a lot of the candy that we weren't home to pass out. Actually, the words "Tracy and" can be removed from that last sentence.

My mom, my dad, my onion rings, and my wife. Infer nothing from the order