Muscles' Shiny New Year

Here's what's on my mind for '07:

School vouchers: I concede it's our money and, therefore, it should be ours to spend more freely; Mrs. Muscles and I, however, in our second decade of public and private K-to community-college-level teaching, have seen little evidence to support Friedman's assertion that vouchers "would bring a healthy increase in the variety of educational institutions available and in competition among them. Private initiative and enterprise would quicken the pace of progress in this area as it has in so many others."

Simply put, teachers, both public and private, can't compete. People-pleasers and collaborators to the core, Boxers to the administrating Napoleons, teachers will work harder in their classrooms, but leave institutional "progress" to the same sloganeers and sham artists who for a generation have run us ragged in the same ol' system-stymied circles that are the antithesis of innovation.

For my money? It's the teachers, stupid. Let 'em work.

Legalization: "If drugs were legalized, there would be a drug spot in every corner. It wouldn't be a Starbucks. It'd be Weedbucks. McDonald's? McCokeald's. Krispy Kreme? Kracky Kreme."--Chris Rock, "Never Scared"

Drug use should be entirely the user's business if he or she is of age and the rest of us are able to go on with our lives. But if drugs were legalized, where would the business of drugs be done, and who would do it? My guess: on the same corners and by the same kids doing it today.

Physics: What's new?

Jump in, if you please, one and all, especially with "required reading" I should do on any of the above.

Happy New Year!