The state of the culture

I've been poor. There were no food stamps when I was growing up, but our family qualified for the government commodities program. I remember standing in line with my parents waiting to pick up staples such as potatoes and powdered milk and giant blocks of orange-looking cheese. I guess that qualifies me to have a skeptical attitude about this:

Is that your big baton, or are you just glad to see me?

A Miami International Airport federal security screener has been arrested for allegedly using an expandable police baton to beat up a co-worker.

The source of their conflict, police say: daily ribbing about the size of the screener's genitalia.

Just because someone is "homeless," that doesn't mean he doesn't understand the way the world works:

William Riley doesn't have a mailing address or, for that matter, a home.

Nevertheless, he wants to be counted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Riley is among many transient individuals in the area who say they have yet to be counted.

[. . .]

Weren't the 70s supposed to be the "Me Decade"? When did that end, exactly?

This story sent me straight into full fuddy-duddy mode, shaking my head about the terrible state of things today (when compared to the golden age of my youth, naturally):

The chief of police for Indianapolis Public Schools said the district's plan to cut 20 officers will mean staff and students won't feel as safe.

[. . .]

Garner said he believes the loss will be felt across the district.

A few years ago, I saw an episode of some sitcom in which one character said to another, "Well. it looks like somebody is missing the prize in his Happy Meal." It was a pop-culture image thrown in to describe someone's glumness because the writer knew it was a reference most in the audience would get.  And that's the problem, damn it!

The case of Charles Andrews brings up an interesting legal question. He says he came up with the winning lottery number but lost out on the $11.5 million prize because a convenience store refused to sell him a ticket with a few minutes left before the state-mandated 10:40 p.m. sales cutoff time. So he's suing the store for that amount and unspecified punitive damages.

By God, I love science:

CHICAGO - Can cleavage cause an earthquake? Women all over the country are testing the theory.

It all started with a blog post from Purdue University senior, Jennifer McCreight. She was upset over comments a senior Iranian cleric made about women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously.

[. . .]

Guess this will be a setback for the crusade for a motorcycle helmet law:

Motorcycle traffic fatalities in Indiana declined more than 14 percentage points last year, reflecting a nationwide trend, according to a new study.

The three reasons Larry King attracts all those hot, young babes. He's famous, so has access to all the best parties. He's rich. And:

The stereotypical woman likes to talk and the stereotypical man doesn't listen. But to most viewers King, perhaps one of the best listeners in the talk-show business, seems to be the opposite of that stereotype.