04 Jan 2005
City kids take to studying agriculture

This ain't a bad thing. The FFA is a wonderful organization, and it does a lot of good to help keep country kids in rural areas after high school and college. Hopefully it can help repopulate some of our agricultural areas with this initiative.

But it is kinda troubling that they're teaching alot of "soft ag" - landscaping and the like - although they are making an effort at more core disciplines. And the remarks of the kids, like those of kids thinking about any kind of future, bother me. "Show me the money..." is hardly the basis for a career choice, in the not so humble opinion of this middle aged grandpa. But what do I know - it's not like I've ever been there or done that or anything. (Sorry if any sarcasm dripped on your keyboard, but I just couldn't help myself.)

Inside a greenhouse in Toledo, Ohio, high school students studying hydroponics are growing lettuce and basil without soil.

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Et tu, Marvel?

It never fails. Every time I think that the "intellectual property industry" has finally gone completely insane, they come out with a new thrust to "protect" their precious commodities that goes even further into the rarefied realms of lunacy. Now a major comic publisher is suing it's fans for pretending to be a comic character. How nuts can they get?

...if the court accepts Marvel's notion that playing Wolverine or the Incredible Hulk online is unlawful, you can expect a chill to spread through all the MMO universes. Rights holders will begin insisting that MMO operators police their games for unauthorized elements -- robots that look too much like C3PO, uniforms that look too much like Captain Kirk's, haircuts that mimic Bart Simpson's, in-game face paint that evokes KISS, or blonde vampire slayers named Buffy.

Or better, as the article concludes, carrying this online battle into "meatspace", and prosecuting little Johnny for pretending to be Captain America in a backyard game with his buddies.

The comics have survived the numerous attacks mounted against them by government and culture over the years, but I doubt that they'll survive if they persist in their own suicidal attack on their fans.

For kids reared on comic books, what could be more natural than tumbling into the backyard with their friends to make up new adventures for their favorite superheroes? How many comic book fans adorned their grade-school notebooks with hand-drawn images of the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk, and Captain America?

(link) [Law.com]

via Overlawyered

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

Faith-based groups given $1 billion in 2003

I think I'm feeling sick ... these are my tax dollars at work.

In New Haven, Connecticut, AIDS counselors don't hesitate to stop and pray anytime someone needs a boost.

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Asatru | 0 comments | permanent link