FNP for Vendetta?

Either the Frederick News-Post has massively incompetent editors, or it has a vendetta against Frederick County Public Schools (or possibly a combination of the two).

Over the past few years, the paper of record in Frederick has published stories that because they lack all the facts, seem to make FCPS look bad (the story about FCPS saying it wouldn't do immigration checks comes to mind).  However, today's paper (since corrected on the webpage), ran a headline saying the school board approved a decision that was actually voted on by the county commissioners.  The decision essentially gives the developers in the county the right to develop anywhere even if there are not adequate public facilities like roads and schools by paying a mitigation fee.  Unfortunately, paying fees does not guarantee that the infrastructure will be upgraded.  Knowing this board of commissioners, the money will probably go to more short-sighted privatization studies.  Even though a few weeks ago the BOE voted unanimously to oppose this policy, the editor put the wrong board in the headline.  Either this is a subconscious response to the institutional bias against the public schools at the FNP, or is the height of incompetence for the editor.  Either way, I would hope the editor (a term I can only use loosely at this point) suffers at least a suspension with pay.  I'm not too sure this isn't a firing offense.  Imagine, sending out 40,000 newspapers with the wrong headline.  On the bright side, I think I have a nice scenario for a word problem at the Frederick County Academic Tournament next winter.

So, yeah, I can't say that I miss living in Frederick County right now.

Godspeed, Atlantis

Today for the last time, an American space shuttle took off for orbit.  In about twelve days, Atlantis will land, bringing a close to the shuttle program.  Good luck to the astronauts, and all those involved with the program.  Now, for a few thoughts:

• When I went to sleep last night, there was only a 30% chance of the weather cooperating with the launch.  Looks like things turned out well on that front (no pun intended).
• The launch pad almost didn't let the launch happen.  At T minus 31 seconds, control reported a failure.  The "beanie cap" for the liquid fuel tank had not fully retracted.  However, a quick check on the cameras showed it had retracted enough, and the countdown resumed.
• The major networks (ABC, Fox, CBS, NBC) cut it close when breaking in for the launch.  I think ABC cut in about a minute before the scheduled launch at 11:26.  For crying out loud, this was the LAST ONE!  Couldn't they have cut in around 11:15 at the latest?
• President Obama also cut things close with his address on the jobs report.  I'm sure people will complain about not waiting until the shuttle launched.

In more personal news, I have signed the lease at the new place, set up the accounts for electric and gas, set a date for discontinuation of service for my cable account, and given my 30 days notice here.  Next week, I will be moving things over each day.  So if anyone has any free time and wants to help...

Also, I found out I'm getting an extra thousand dollars this summer.  Yay for advisors' research grants.  However, I do have to have a first draft of my paper ready by next Friday.  At least I'm a third of the way there.