It's Daylight Saving Time, and We're All Dazed and Confused

Quote of the Day: I Need To Say This To My Undergrads

Here's something:

The test will measure whether you are an informed, engaged, and productive citizen of the world and it will take place in schools and bars and hospitals and dorm rooms and in places of worship. You will be tested on first dates, in job interviews, while watching football and while scrolling through your twitter feed. The test will judge your ability to think about things other than celebrity marriages, whether you’ll be easily persuaded by empty political rhetoric, and whether you’ll be able to place your life and your community in a broader context. The test will last your entire life and it will be comprised of the millions of decisions that when taken together make your life yours. And everything - everything - will be on it.

Now that's some education.

Awesome: A Day at the Beach in 1910

Via Pseudo-Polymath comes a link to this blog post noting a splendid vintage photo from the Jersey Shore in 1910 and -- even better -- a lovely essay about that photo, with beautiful attention to its many details and to a meditation on life and history.  Carpe diem, gentle reader, and make time for one more day at the beach while it's still summer!

Life Lessons: What Would Katharine Hepburn Do?

Hey, ladies, when in doubt, just think: WWKHD?

Hilarious.

Nerd News: 7 People Arrested at Graduation Ceremony -- for Cheering

This is even more ludicrously stupid than the "no throwing of mortarboards" incident. Here's the short version:

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Authorities say seven people attending high school graduations in Rock Hill, South Carolina, are facing charges after police say they cheered while students' names were being called.

. . . Police say those arrested yelled after students' names were called while diplomas were handed out.

. . . A police spokesman says school officials request police patrols to prevent graduation disruptions that include standing, hollering and clapping. He says those attending the commencements are told their behaviour can be prosecuted.

WHAT?

I don't know what these people are thinking, but they sound like killjoys who think commencement exercises are only solemn parades to the gravitas-laden strains of "Pomp and Circumstance."

Frankly, if happy parents, friends, and relatives (and, oh, especially happy parents) want to cheer when their loved one's name is called at graduation, then let them cheer. The students -- have only this one tiny moment to shine in public. They'll never be in that spot again. Let them have it. Let them celebrate! A moment of high spirits isn't a CRIME -- or it shouldn't be.

Idiots. *snort of derision and contempt* Oh, and I don't at all buy the argument that somehow a little joyful, spontaneous applause and cheering is lethally disruptive or dangerous. Graduations are supposed to be happy occasions, remember?

Look, cheering isn't disorderly conduct in my book. Of course, some types of behavior are inappropriate for graduation -- such as this (it's also inappropriate for acceptable public behavior in any setting at all, though arresting the guy might not be the best response either).