Mike the Musicologist and I were exchanging emails last night about Highlight, the latest “social” application
designed to help you connect with people you don’t know just yet: your Facebook friends of friends.
I observed at the time that what used to be considered creepy stalkerish behavior now had an app for it, and that there was probably a blog post in that. It turns out that, yes, there was a blog post in that – and Tam beat me to it. (Stupid Capstone class. Grumble. Grumble.)
It has been one year since Prakashanand Saraswati disappeared, ahead of his sentencing on charges of indecency with a minor. How close are we to catching him? It looks like law enforcement thinks he’s in Baja, and that he’s running out of funds. Plus, we’re talking about an 82-year-old guy in a wheelchair…
The NYT reports from Whiteclay, Nebraska. You may remember Whiteclay as the wide spot in the road near the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where beer is sold, leading the Oglala Sioux tribe to file a lawsuit against various parties (including the Whiteclay stores and several brewing companies).
At some point, I need to write a longer and more thoughtful post about this issue. I can almost understand what the goals of the Sioux are, given how hard the reservation has been hit by drinking. At the same time, the Libertarian side of me says “Look, this paternalistic, Prohibition-driven approach to the problem clearly is not working. Maybe you need to find another approach.”
(And I wonder: if the Whiteclay stores stop selling beer, how long will it be before folks start brewing their own beer on the reservation? I’d be shocked to find out it isn’t happening already.)
Edited to add: Oops. Forgot something. “Terra Nova” is dead, and I’m delighted. But what will TMQ have to kick around next season?