Current Affairs

I've written before (can't remember if it was here or in the paper) about the disappearance of barber shops and my ongoing struggles to keep a barber. Every time I find one, he's already semi-retired and down to one chair. In some states, this is a result of the regulatory state, not just an unfortunate byproduct of changing times:

Is there really such a thing as "hot news" anymore?

Even on a slow news day -- which we haven't had a hell of a lot of lately -- this would be a pretty silly story:

Looks like America's effort to pump self-esteem into its young people has, unfortunately, been all too successful:

Some people used to read tea leaves to predict the future. Not many people really brew tea that way in this country, so we must make do with sifting the coffee grounds:

Starbucks is a leading indicator for our broader economy.

Golleee, people, these students today sure have some newfangled stuff!

As it stands now, South Bend students will have the opportunity to go to a high tech high school in the next few years. As the district develops its vision, neighboring districts may be a model.

"When you walk into a 6th grade classroom here, their computers are up.”

There's an intriguing article by Gary Kamiya at salon.com. If newspapers die, he writes, reporting dies and, along with it, our shared vision of life. The world will become a less-known and therefore more dangerous place. His suggested remedy:

Speaking of food, enjoy that hamburger while you can. If you don't become a vegetarian, you will likely be arrested and charred with Depraved Indifference to the Fate of the Planet:

When it comes to global warming, hamburgers are the Hummers of food, scientists say.

The "I don't have any sticks and stones, so I'll do the best I can with names" attack:

"What Alex did was wrong and he will have to live with the damage he has done to his name and reputation," the commissioner said Thursday, three days after the Yankees star admitted using banned substances from 2001-2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers.

Let's hear it for the old folks!

At 10 years old, Stump the Sussex spaniel should be well into his dotage. Instead, the dog who technically retired four years ago took home Best in Show on Tuesday at the 133rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club show at Madison Square Garden, becoming the oldest to win the award.