Blog clog

Too much to write about in the past week, but posts on several topics are coming:
1. Went to see City Rep's "Grapes of Wrath" play at OCU Sunday. Astounding, moving. On the 75th anniversary of Steinbeck's book, I found this play perhaps the most powerful I've seen.

2. Attended the opening of Mark Zimmerman's photo show of his wife Meredith's battle with cancer, one I consider of national significance.
3. The blog at 130--Coffee with Clark just registered a reader from the 130th country to click on it...Macau.
4. News stories cropping up about the gun nuts wanting students to be able to carry guns on campus. What a tom-fool, stupid idea, of 18-year-olds being able to blow away a classroom and a prof. If it happens, I will lead a strike of professors to abandon the classrooms. Or, I will pack a gun, place it at the front of the class  in front of me, pointed at the students. The minute some pistol packing pouty, pimple-faced teeny looks like he's upset and twitches, I will take appropriate action.
Is this what these Neanderthals really want? What has happened to the fabric of our society? More coming.
5. Turns out Bill Bennett, Reagan's cultural warrior, was right, in railing against the way student financial aid is administered, saying it just allowed universities to raise tuition, and not help poorer kids. Terrific article in the NY Times about that today...college in the US is the highest priced, and while graduation rates are oaring elsewhere, they're not up much here. Here's the link: Missing the mark.
6. Australia is considering  a ban on "Hate preachers" entering the country. Doesn't apply to Australians. Quote: "By all means, let Australians who want to say stupid things can say stupid things, but there's no point in importing troublemakers." Amen.
7. More and more evidence shows that  turning off the phone, TV and tablet, and reading ink on paper helps your health and children learn to read.
8. Quote from a Christian student: "Saying all Muslims are like Isis is like saying all Christians are like Westboro Baptist Church." Amen, amen.
9. The fear-mongering media and the ebola crisis, and fears of Muslims. People wearing masks in Dallas? Ebola is not airborne--I asked a doctor. Media are flat out irresponsible on this.