Quickies

STORIES THAT TICKLED MY FANCY

Nice work if you can get it: The Los Angeles Unified School District is hurting for money and is laying off teachers yet pays some 160 “employed” teachers to do nothing because of union agreements. Awaiting disposition of various misconduct charges ranging from “sexual contact with students, harassment, theft or drug possession . . . they collect about $10 million in salaries per year — even as the district is contemplating widespread layoffs of teachers because of a financial shortfall.” Two million dollars has already been expended in salary and legal fees on a single teacher. And we thought the UAW has it good! (http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-teachers6-2009may06,0,6604006.story?track=rss)

Mahmoud and Bashar and Barack: Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Assad had a little conference after which “Ahmadinejad boasted that ‘those who one day called Iran and Syria part of the axis of evil now want to develop relations with Iran and Syria. Circumstances are changing rapidly in our favor. . . We are on the road to victory.’ ” I do believe Mahmoud was referring to George W. Bush and his administration as “those.” I also believe congratulations should immediately be extended to Barack Obama for dissolving that axis of evil after barely 100 days in office. Great victory, Mr. President! What’s next? Ending blizzards and hurricanes? (http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47702)

Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow: One particular, mighty rotten little ACORN is making news again. Rumors are afoot that Arthur Sulzberger, Chairman of the soon-to-be-defunct New York Times, is still playing his favorite game of Hide All the News That Doesn’t Fit. It seems . . .

(Read the rest at http://genelalor.com/)