Signal 46

A California teen (I like CA, but am not surprised at all the origin of this story) got stopped by a police officer for doing 62 in a 40. Mommy and stepdaddy went to fight it in court because of the GPS unit they installed in their kid’s car stated he was going 45 in nearly the same location.

The court decided sided with law enforcement based on mathematics. Given the distance between the two points that the GPS unit recorded the speed and location (one of which was at a stop light), as well as the speed the officer clocked him at they decided the kid had to have exceeded the speed limit. The best part is that the GPS unit actually gave the court more information to uphold the ticket.

[Sonoma County (CA) court commissioner] Bonilla ruled the GPS data confirmed the prosecution’s contention that Malone had to have exceeded the speed limit.

“The mathematics confirm this,” she wrote.

Priceless.  It’s been a two-year battle over $190.00.  So the kid will have to pay the money – not really. Mommy is going to pay it. So the kid learns no responsibility in this situation. The irony is that his stepfather is a retired Lt with a local sheriff’s office. Um…what? And their attorney actually questioned the accuracy of the radar…um, what?  A link to the kid’s MySpace (where he lies and states he’s 23) shows he’s spoiled…no surprises, really.

Via /. , Press Democrat

So Jamie and I got two kittens from the Charleston Animal Society last weekend. It was the weekend they were waiving the adoption fee for adult cats. We didn’t go until Sunday, and there was only one adult left. The staff there was most helpful and very kind. We fell in love with two kittens so we went and got them. They’re litter mates – sisters – and they are happily attached. One is named Izzy, and the other Ashley. I call her Trashley. Just because I think it’s funny, and I can. Right now Izzy is in Jamie’s ‘inbox’ on his desk, and (tr)Ashley is sitting in front of my monitors completely enthralled by the cursor, the mouse, anything that moves. Here’s a few shots of her that I got. I blame (but not a bad blame!)  Janet from Kittens on the Keyboard for inspiring me to keep a camera handy whenever the kitties are doing something silly.

Chris, there's something on your monitor there. See it?

Don't worries, I gots it for you.

They’re so silly…hehe.

At least that is likely the case with the talk of SC changing the way it grades the achievement tests administered statewide (link here). Ahh, another byproduct of NCLB.

Or is it? I read this article in the P&C about the President mentioning the need for more hours in a school day. I remember when I was in school, not sure which particular grade, but there was talk about expanding the school year not the school day to year-round schooling. The argument was, much like is pointed out below, we don’t exactly go out and harvest the crops on our summer breaks.

“Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy, and not too many of our kids are working the fields today,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

I lived in PA in during High School, and I can assure you that I can’t even think of one of my classmates that mentioned harvesting crops or working the fields. I lived in the Lehigh Valley, and there is a significant amount of farmland surrounding my hometown of Whitehall. Now…if I was Amish and lived down near Reading I’d imagine that would be a different story – but I think that what I experienced is the likely story for most school-aged children.

“I was like, ‘Wow, are you serious?’ ” [a student] said. “That’s three more hours I won’t be able to chill with my friends after school.”

Put “chilling with friends” on your resume and see where that gets you. As a kid, I didn’t want to be in school any more than I needed to be – but today, seeing the state of the young adults that graduate school and move forward, especially in the poor school system here in SC…I realize the value of it.

While it does not address the multitude of problems that face the school systems and the students, it is a step in the right direction – especially with how much in taxes we pay for these schools. I’d like to see my investment do more than lay dormant for 12 weeks each year.

I promise, I am indeed alive and well. Mostly settled into the new apartment, it was so nice and quiet until the unit upstairs got what appear to be some obnoxious college students in it, or recent grads of college, anyways. They walk on the kitchen floor as if they weight 1000 lbs. I’m giving them a few more days before I go upstairs and talk to them and just ask them to tread lightly on their kitchen floor as it’s very loud down here and it even makes our light fixture rattle. It’s either they just don’t know, or they just do not care. I just have to come up with a nice, non-confrontational way to speak to them so that they won’t just blow me off thinking I was being a dick (which is what I really want to be to them…because it feels so good, even if it accomplishes nothing).

Today Jamie and I went walking along the Sawmill Branch Trail in Summerville. It’s ridiculously long, and even though it cuts right through Summerville, it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere for the most part. We probably walked about five or six miles. It makes me want to get a bike. We had numerous bikers passing us, and one lady even said “Have a nice week!” instead of the usual ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello.’ I thought that was very nice of her, and I’m even a Yankee and would prefer that no one say even a word to me. I think that her choice of words was interesting.. have a nice week.. I think that it is an excellent thought, and I think I will have a nice week. So – to the random lady on the path – you have a nice week too, and thank you!

I bought a cast iron skillet today and promptly burned everything I cooked in it. Yeah, so it holds heat really well, and coupled with the awful temperature control of an electric stove, not so great. The food wasn’t burned so badly that it was inedible, but it was disappointing. I generally cook pretty well most times. I’m seasoning it in the oven right now so hopefully it will be a little better next time.

Now to finish this beer and relax before bed…