Isn't this just the stupidest thing you've heard (lately)?

Gun-shaped medal results in supension

AP, Pontiac, Michingan-
School officials have suspended a third grade student under the state's zero-tolerance weapons law after he brought a 1-1/2"-long gun-shaped medallion to class.
The boy apparently foundt the piece of jewelry in a snowbank and brought it to Owen Elementary School on Wednesday, school officials said.
"State law takes precedence and requires us to take action even though it was a toy," said Donna Poag, director of elementary education for the Pontiac School District.
The item posed no threat to students but could frighten someone who didn't get a good look at it," Poag said. The boy, whose name was not released, never pointed the item or threatened anyone with it, she said.
School officials have not determined how long the suspension would last, The Oakland Press reported Friday.


How the hell could that frighten anyone? It is one and a half fucking inches long!! If any kid is frightnened by that, they deserve to be. "Teacher! Billy has a gun!" "What? What do you have Billy?" "It's not a gun. See?" "Look, Sally. It's not even a toy gun, it's just shaped like a gun. Billy, put that away and don't bring that back here."

And anyway, what's wong with fright? A little of that is healthy. People have to learn what they should and shouldn't really be frightened of.

The kid's in the third grade! You don't punish him for somehting that he had no clue was a crime. You tell him that what he did was wrong, or at least explain to him why it could be a problem, and tell him not to do it again. Then if he does it again, punish him. But good.

And why did the school officials HAVE to suspend the child? Couldn't they have decided that it didn't resemble a gun because guns aren't under two inches long? And then told the kid not to bring it back?

Hmmm, that's odd

I thought my e-mail address was displayed on my user info page. I wonder if I asked someone to e-mail me, and didn't give them my e-ddress because I thought it was up there. I wonder if it used to be, but recently disappeared.

dating

I hate dating. I've always said that. It's this formal thing where the two of you go out together, and try to find out if you're going to like each other. But when you've found someone that you really like, dating is a lot of fun. Then it's this formal thing where the two of you go out and enjoy each other's company like it is totally new. Of course it is new, when the relationship is young enough that you are learning about each other.

Cyn and I went to the symphony. We dressed up and went out to dinner, and then to the concert. It was so much fun. And hearing the symphony (Which was very nice - Schubert, and Mozart's #36) was so much different than it usually is. I've been going for ten years, and I've taken many different people with me, and it's never felt quite like it did tonight. I heard it with someone I love. Someone I'm in love with.

random music related thoughts

Geddy Lee's mother was liberated from a concentration camp. She said she felt an incredible amount of betrayal when she got out and discovered that the world hadn't been destroyed, and that even though the war had happened, everything was more or less still going on as usual outside the camps.

David Gilmour hates progressive music. Not only the current "prog," but even the old progressive bands, like Yes and Genesis.

The prog show on WMSE (sunday night 9PM) was really cool, but I had to leave it to listen to the Grateful Dead Hour, which was really cool. It was a show from 1966. Way cool.

WMSE is my favorite radio station. Check out their schedule. They have everything. And if you miss it when it is live on the air (either on the 'net, or on the radio) you can listen to it later.

I think Mozart's symphonies are beautiful. I guess the snobby people who are serious about their symphonic music thing Mozart is a little "base." But it is all so interesting. None of the voices are ignored, and they play off each other so well. Anyone who says classical music is boring, has never listened closely to a Mozart symphony.