Scratching my head and tapping my chin...

here are the latest news stories that made me scratch my head or tap my chin ... or yell and stomp. Oh, and some of them made me smile, ear to ear.

I am all for justice that is compassionate and thoughtful and takes into consideration fiscal responsibilities in a state/country that has too many people incarcerated, she said, adding her incredulity to the setting of a parole date for one of the Chowchilla kidnappers. Read the article carefully, and then try to apply the logic to any other premeditated kidnapping for money. Yeah, it won't work... it only works here because these were wealthy, lazy white boys. That is to say, it doesn't work, but the logic is based on the idea that wealthy, lazy white boys do not pose a danger to the public. Hmmm... those who were kidnapped beg to disagree, but, then again, they aren't wealthy, so they just don't understand?! Oh, yeah and then there are all those wealthy white men from Wall Street and places like Enron (though there weren't the only ones) who also were thought to pose no danger to the public. Still scratching my head... I would be so much more pleased to see them just be honest. We feel that these poor wealthy, lazy white boys were just kidding, not really planning a way to not have to work for their drug money. Seriously...

On a lighter note, but not really, Toyota is celebrating selling its millionth Prius. Still the best car I ever bought.

Thanks to C., for this little reality check. It is very well written ... in my opinion, truth telling counts for a lot. The fact is, slashing budgets sounds really good until it means that your kid isn't going to get into the state school... yeah, try to blame that on undocumented immigrant kids all you like, YOU were the one who didn't want to pay more in taxes. You were the one that said, yeah, cut back all that pork in higher education, or k-12 or medical expenses. We are super famous in the US for cutting off our noses to spite our faces, and this time, it is going to really hurt.

On cafe sitting and storytelling, courtesy of B. I love this story... and I have more to say about this and "making friends" at the cafe. Perhaps it will be another post.

Oh ... and today that creep who kidnapped Dugard (still not naming him, he doesn't need any more attention unless it is sentencing) didn't plead guilty. One public defender said the other public defender didn't have a right to speak for him... um, you waited until today to say that instead of refuting the earlier article that went national? Talk about jerking the victim around. Those are some sick puppies.

Lest you think I don't enjoy the lighter fare, here's a little story about his purple badness setting up shop in LA. I bet he will go to that trendy restaurant we went to while I was in there...

And my two Friday radio favorite: StoryCorps (features a story about a little town I loved to explore in NJ) and The Barber Shop... the boys are on fire, super raucous good time, VINTAGE Barber Shop!!

YouthRadio presented this piece on Thursday about narco novelas ... love the way that group helps to bring out the best in youth!

Heartbreaking stories Saturday morning ... but well worth the listen. One is about helping dying people leave a legacy; the other is about Mexican students who are crossing the border to go to school as a result of the drug violence and how the schools are dealing with the trauma they have survived.

Sorry to end on such a disheartening note, perhaps next year will bring us better news... report on undergraduate women and leadership at Princeton and soured relationship between Virginia and Ikea.