beterwas
honestly misbehaving
Archive for April, 2007
April 17, 2007 at 10:44 pm · Filed under Live & Let Live
There’s already so much being written and discussed on the tragedy in Virginia, that it’s hard to know what to say and which chorus to join.
There will be calls for stricter gun control, particularly regarding the 19-round 9mm ammunition magazines found in Cho Seung-hui’s possession. Formerly illegal under the expired Assault Weapons Ban, these will certainly be the centerpiece of much debate.
There will be investigations into the university’s response, specifically the two-hour delay between shootings, during which time campus police failed to lock down the facility, or notify students and faculty. There will be many procedural questions, no doubt followed by a flurry of ineffective and ove-compensatory regulation, legislation and resignations.
What stuck with me the most, though, was the descriptions of this troubled young man’s psyche that grew increasingly disturbing throughout the day – like a diseased onion.
The clincher, however, was listening to one of his English professors recount her experiences with Seung-hui. Concerned with his behavior, she advised VT’s administration that he may be a threat to himself or others – last year. He also had run-ins with campus police over stalking and other predatory behavior – two years ago.
Unfortunately, as with Columbine, there was no procedure in place to provide much-needed mental health care to this ticking bomb of a human being. In addition, school administrators, on every level, tread too carefully in fear of a lawsuit and become ineffective in any situation without a clear procedure.
So the chorus I will lend my voice to is the one that calls for the expanded availability of mental health care, and the means by which to connect it with the people that need it. Colleges and universities need to provide facilities for mental health, as well as physical health. The government needs to make provisions that allow the faculty to trust their instincts and take steps to protect themselves and their students, and to get potentially dangerous students the help they desperately need.
More information: HealthyMinds.org, National School Safety Center, US Department of Health and Human Services.
April 16, 2007 at 10:45 pm · Filed under Raise The Debate, Call Bullshit
Senator Mel Martinezn (R-FL) wrote in a recent op-ed piece that the Democrats need to reach accross the aisle and be more bipartisan in their approach.
After six years of lording themselves over the world (and six years before that doing their best to keep anything good from getting done), the freshly-neutered GOP are finally going to get to be the underdogs they are always portraying themselves to be.
Personally, I always found the GOP to be a bunch of cry-babies. They come across all tough, but they’re the ones to come up with pedantic nuggets like “freedom fries” and “homicide bombers.” Anyone smarter than them is “elite,” and anyone different from them is a degenerate.
Mel Martinez, who viciuosly and personally attacks anyone who disagrees with him, wants the Dems to work harder get along with the likes of himself, James Inhofe and Ted Stevens. More Ted here. And here.
I hate to disappoint you, Senator, but no can do.
I’ll tell you what we will do, though. In the spirit of compromise, in 2009, we’ll be happy to work closely with the new Democratic senators from Oklahoma and Alaska.
Don’t worry, you’ll still have two years left to enjoy the newfound friendship before you go.
April 8, 2007 at 6:16 pm · Filed under Musings, Live & Let Live
Last week, Orlando developer Cameron Kuhn bought the long-beleaguered Church Street Station complex.
CSS was the brainchild of Bob Snow, who converted the historic train station and surrounding buildings into an old-time entertainment venue call Rosie O’ Grady’s.
During the 70’s and 80’s, Rosie’s was a popular spot for locals and tourists. There was fine dining, live music – mostly dixieland jazz – and shopping.
For the past five years, CSS has been owned by boy-band creator Lou Pearlman. Like most (if not all) of Pearlman’s dealings, the purchase and operation of the complex was on the shady side. Promises were made in exchange for a backroom sweetheart deal from city, but those promises never came to fruition after the sale was closed.
Pearlman’s been bad news for downtown for a long time, but he’s loaded and connected, so he’s gotten away with giving the city the finger – until he went bankrupt. Suddenly, not-so-loaded equated into not-so-connected, and Pearlman found his assets on the auction block.
But who has $34 million lying around to buy some prime downtown real estate – to be made all the more prime by the pending plans to build a new arena down the street? Cameron Kuhn, that’s who. His goal is, after all, to own all of downtown Orlando; and he’s well on his way.
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April 5, 2007 at 4:57 pm · Filed under Finish Ahead
My younger brother got married this past weekend. The ceremony was on a beautiful beach in Siesta Key, FL; the weather was absolutely perfect; and there were fifty happy people that all enjoyed each others’ company immensely.
I was never so happy to be wrong.
When we received our save-the-date card, I thought I was being punk’d. Sunday at sunset? April 1st? They’re kidding, right?
We had to make arrangements to miss work and school, people had to travel to the Florida Gulf Coast during spring break, there was only one hotel on the whole condo-filled island – let’s just say that it was hard to get excited about it.
Then there was the issue of having our entire family together in one place. My family is a sprawly network of exs, steps and halfsies; and we don’t all exactly get along. The parents’ table alone needed to seat eight (and we all wanted to sit nearby to watch whatever may happen)!
The weekend came, though, and it was nothing like I expected. Thankfully.
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April 3, 2007 at 4:48 pm · Filed under Musings, Call Bullshit
I had a bunch of memes rattling around to write on, but I either never got the chance, or else there wasn’t much there.
Either way here goes:
• In DC, I noticed that the Metro trains and stations are full of ads for miltary vehicles. Not just the line that goes to the Pentagon, either. And even on that line, can the Pentagon officials making purchasing decisions can be swayed by a placard in the Pentagon City station?
What does that say about the seriousness with which the Pentagon regards our military?
• I believe that the Iraq war funding bill showdown is really a way for Congress to test the waters for impeachment. President Bush is on the ropes, and they know it. He’s also predictable, as all arrogant men are. So when he vetoes HR 1591, just as Nancy Pelosi knows he will, we get to see just how much support he still has from the Republicans in Congress.
If I could see it go differently, though, there is one thing that I would change: The earmarks. I realize that concessions had to made to ensure passage, but if there ever a time for a true one-issue bill, it’s now.Shame on you, Congress (you know who you are).
• Did the President just criticize Congress for being on vacation – just before he left to go on yet another vacation, himself??
