S'Cuse me, while I kiss...

the ceiling?

Strange, but oddly compelling.

My State of Mind

"If you want to know how I'm doing, all you have to do is look around. If I'm depressed, it'll be obvious."

"I suppose there's a study on that, too."

"Well, I don't know about a study, but depression and clutter are highly correlated."

Agent Cleese and Potus Intelligence

I have been getting the most amazing education since the US Election on Nov 4th.

One of the things I'm learning about is this whole anti-intellectual, what, bias? agenda? It is something I've seen before--in books on educational policy, no less.

Following the honoured footsteps of the King's fool, John Cleese gave me the clearest expression and example of the plausibility (if not the desireability) of an anti-intellectual POTUS in this guest spot on Olbermann.

"

Well, all was clear except for that bit about the Berkeley Hunt.

Remembering

First snow, last night.
It brought a poignant hush to our two minutes of silence outside the City Hall cenotaph at the 11th hour. And as the snow plopped off the trees onto our heads and shoulders, it felt like a giant's tears.

The Intellectual Elite vs Populism, perhaps?

I don't like to get caught up in events as they are happening. I'm much too apt to put my foot in my mouth. As I have been perusing the results of the US Presidential campaign and "doing my homework" I have become appalled at the Republican's choice of Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President. But not as appalled at that as at the thought it may have been a considered, deliberate choice.

Here's the Wall Street Journal article which argues this.

And here's something which concerns me, personally.

Traditional conservatives were always suspicious of populism, and they were right to be. They saw elites as a fact of political life, even of democratic life. What matters in democracy is that those elites acquire their positions through talent and experience, and that they be educated to serve the public good. But it also matters that they own up to their elite status and defend the need for elites. They must be friends of democracy while protecting it, and themselves, from the leveling and vulgarization all democracy tends toward.

See, I'm deliberately raising my average children to become one of the "intellectually elite." And if that's too much of a stretch, then I am certainly doing my best to raise them above the fray of what passes for education in the public school system which, at best, is anti-intellecual.

Lilla says, "They must be educated to serve the public good."

Interesting question: What would that be? And who gets to define it? I think I may be looking up some of the authors he mentions in the artcle.

5 cents and Milk

I loved your responses to my accidental post last week. Indeed, it is all about the conversation!

In my beginner's tentative steps to be frugal, I was computing the cost of liquid milk (the stuff that comes in the cartons) to the cost of powdered milk (the stuff that, here, comes in bags.) I was greatly confused. I measure the powdered stuff by volume, you see, and it is sold by weight.

So, these calculations only work if 1/3c (or 75 ml) equals 25 g.

Here we go:*

A 2.5 Kg. bag of powdered milk costs $24.49.
If 100 g makes up 1 litre
then, 1 litre = $1.02

A two litre carton of 1% milk costs $2.82
so, 1 litre costs $1.41

That's a significant savings! So, last week, I mixed a 4L jug with 2L of powdered milk and 2L of milk from the carton. My son never noticed and my daughter (who saw me do it) refused to drink milk all week.

Last night, however, I was in the grocery store--and lo and behold if I didn't notice that buying 4L of 1% milk costs $4.51. (Whole milk, marketed here as 3.25% is ten cents more) Holy cow, Batman, that's only $1.13 per litre! (Making last week's 4L mixed milk at $1.22/L way more expensive.)

However, I have learned my lesson. Indeed I have. In my fridge, I now have a 4L jug of mixed milk. Cost: $1.08/L (and I have 1/2 of a 4L jug of unmixed milk, too.)

Do nickles really add up?

*PS: A quart is slightly less than a litre.

Got milk?