Some notes and a scam.

(I'll have to drop in the links later. Sorry.)

So, coup d'état in Thailand, civil unrest in Hungary.
_____

Seattle fans are louder than other fans. First of all, our buildings are engineered that way; the Kingdome, Husky Stadium, Qwest Field. Even the Key. Seating angles are steeper than in other stadiums.

Also, we all make noise. All of us.

I went to a game in Ann Arbor once; Michigan versus Boston College in 95. They all boasted that the stadium sat 100,000. I said it then, and I'll say it again; I was really surprised how quiet 100,000 people could be.

Sorry, New York Giants. Maybe you should try earplugs.
______

I think my recent back pain has broken my hunger spiral.

You know how I was always hungry? Well, I'm not anymore. I couldn't even finish my lunch today. It's dinner time, but I couldn't care less.
_______

Thank goodness some universities are starting to blow off the SAT. You know that the ETS is a big fat scam, right? They've created a whole economy based on the perception that prestige schools make all the difference, but you can't get to the prestige schools without paying them to jump through their hoops.

In the 1980s, we used to be horrified at the Japanese educational system, with their school days, their after school prep courses, and their high suicide rate. Remember?

Well guess what, we're living it now. Sure, the details are different, and we handle stress differently. But it's the same thing.

So you know how your daughter plays on two select soccer teams? That's a scam. If her high school team's coach has not identified her as a standout, SHE'S NOT GOING TO GET A SOCCER SCHOLARSHIP.

Same with your son and his club baseball teams.

It's good for kids to have activities and learn about leadership and teamwork, but tell your overcomitted kids to scale back, and instead learn how to write a paper.

And if your kid is as dumb as you think he is, he doesn't need four years of SAT prep. He needs to learn how to read literature for pleasure.