Tonight's Speech

We shall remember where we were as we listened to President Obama's speech tonight and the inspiration it offered.

NEW SPECULATIVE COMMODITY?

Here in Missouri, cows have become a speculative commodity and they are being stolen from their bucolic fields. Criminals are not just found on Wall Street or robbing banks or people, now they are becoming cattle rustlers. This is a serious with mega bucks involved.

Yet, I can't help thinking all this would make a great Marx Brothers movie. I picture Groucho showing his accomplices which end of the cow to grab hold of while Harpo and his horn and flapping coat tails try to redirect a stampede headed his way.

Then, in all seriousness I go back to the theft. I wonder who buys these cows and for what purpose? Would a smart Wall Street Broker push such a commodity? Whatever
the answer, we better catch the culprit soon. Until we do, I'll stick to a meatless diet.

SEPARATE CLASSES?

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently reported that some public grammar schools are introducing same sex classes. Though studies of how effective this practice is are not yet in, the belief is that girls and boys learn differently, and that both do better in same sex classes. The front-page story was a long one and carried photos of children at work in a local school.

One photo showed a group of second-grade girls excitedly cheering on another girl playing a computer game. In another photo a first grader was squatting on his knees atop a stool, bent over with pencil in hand working diligently even while in a pretzel-like position. The last photo showed another first grader sitting quietly in a rocking chair, intently reading her book.

Having raised two sons of my own, the kid in the pretzel-like position put a smile on my face and convinced me the idea may have merit.

INTERNET II?

Bill Gates made the tools to use the Internet. Bernie Madoff used the Internet to become a world-class criminal. My grandchildren, with the guidance of their parents and teachers, glide around the Internet as if on roller blades.

I know that when I hit "send," somehow my message reaches people around the world quickly. I still don't understand how it works. Be that as it may, I figured I would just go ahead and start blogging on this Internet.

Now I learn that the masters of technology are trying to develop Internet II. I have even less of an idea about what that means.

I do know that I feel like Alice in Wonderland when she tries to make sense of the Mad Hatter's conversation. The conversation made little sense to Alice but the Hatter thought he knew what he was talking about. Maybe he did. And maybe Internet II makes sense but don't ask me to explain either.

CHARLES DICKENS

Yesterday, February 13, the NY Times carried a front page story by Ian Urbina and Sean D. Hamill. The story could have been written by Charles Dickens.

Two Northeastern Pennsylvania Judges have worked a scheme to convict and sentence adolescents to private detention centers. The children, who had no former offenses, had been found guilty of small infractions of the law.

Since 2003, the Judges were paid $2.6 million for referring 5000 children to these detention centers. Last week the Judges pleaded guilty in the Federal District of Scranton to wire fraud and income tax fraud.

Would that these child abusers and scoundrels are sentenced to a Dickensian jail.

After Andrew's Class

I have been attending my son Andrew Rehfeld's class on "The History of Political Thought: Justice and the Soul." It is both informative and provocative. I am especially impressed, intrigued and privileged to hear him as well as the comments by his students.

Starting my blg

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the blogging game. Andrew (my son) is helping set me up. I have good news: my cat scan at 18 months is still cancer free!

I just came from Andrew's class and he was brilliant!

Beverly