Recent Comments

1. 3 days ago on Frazz

   BTW what’s so wrong about tests? How do you decide whether people know what they are doing without some kind of assessment? I have heard colleagues complain about the standardized tests their schoolchildren have to take, and then go on to discuss the talents (or shortcomings) of junior staff and bemoan the level of preparation of recent graduates. Assessment is always going to happen.

2. 3 days ago on Frazz

   Surely there are some dropouts at the top end, but most are not. There are also lots of “average” students who figure, like a 7th grader I tried to teach, that there’s no purpose to schooling if one can go work in the family business. His father made a good living paving driveways; when I suggested that math was useful for calculating materials and project costs and how much to charge, he replied that he could just look up all of that stuff on a chart.

3. 4 days ago on Non Sequitur

   To Catch A Thief – Cary Grant, Grace Kelly. Anyone who thinks it’s a caper movie isn’t paying attention.

4. 6 days ago on Frazz

   “Music is the silence between the notes. The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” – sentiment attributed to Debussy, Mozart, Miles Davis, and other musicians

5. 11 days ago on Over the Hedge

   No such event. The first Thanksgiving was proclaimed by George Washington for “the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving” to be held on “Thursday the 26th day of November,” 1789. The regular annual version on the last Thursday of November was declared by Lincoln in 1863 when the same calendar date fell on Thursday again. Washington sought advice from clergy of all faiths, which is why his public day is on Thursday – not Sunday or Saturday or Friday, not on any day claimed as the Sabbath by anybody.

6. 16 days ago on Frazz

   My father smoked 2 packs a day in our NYC apartment. Watching football games on a Sunday, eventually I couldn’t see the ceiling. Came home from 2 months at summer camp as a young teenager, noticed the stench bigtime. Came home from 4 months away at college, couldn’t breathe, and asked him if he’d talked to his doctor about quitting. (Of course his doctor had already told him to quit, since he was taking blood pressure meds by the pound.) A few summers later – while I was in the room – he said something about not feeling right, stood up, had a heart attack, and died. I can’t go anywhere that smoking is still allowed; the smell of stale smoke in the air is very much the smell of death.

7. 18 days ago on Frazz

   Not a tumor, that’s usually compact and concentrated. I was thinking more a skin condition, or a vermin infestation.

8. 18 days ago on Non Sequitur

   At least it’s not pigeon season . . . All the world is in tune on a spring afternoonWhen I’m poisoning pigeons in the park!

9. about 1 month ago on Frazz

   Anyone recognize the symbol on Frazz’ broom? Or is it just supposed to look more “witchy” like a Quidditch broom?

10. about 1 month ago on Frazz

    Twain’s “Literary Offenses” essay has great advice for a lot of writing, and debate, and computer programming too.