Van
The rash of school shootings over the course of the last 15 years has really sickened me. It's inconceivable to me that a person would want to go to a place of learning and start taking potshots or detonating explosive devices at one of the few places a person should be safe. So any attempt by authorities to quell such happenings is fine with me. Proactive is the name of the game here. But, seriously, can't the FBI find a better name for the wifi services in their surveillance van? Read this article and pay particular attention to the final paragraph. Mind-blowing in its idiocy.

Return
Speaking of school, today marked the first day back for many area schools. Crossing guards were in place and school busses were on the move during my morning commute. Love it! This means that the downtown area will once again be mine during lunch breaks! No more scads of teens at the coffeeshops or wandering around the Riverwalk or filling out lines in restaurants. PEACE AND QUIET!

Joplin
Speaking of back to school, officials in Joplin, MO, which was ravaged by a tornado in May, came up with a creative solution to the need for classroom space (10 schools were obliterated by the twister)... they are using an abandoned department store in a local mall. How cool is that? Okay, it may be kinda weird, but lord knows there's gonna be plenty of parking and a food court for lunch! Seriously, though, stay strong, Joplin.

Geese
If there is one other thing I would like to see less of in public areas besides teenagers right now, it's geese. In fact, I'd trade geese for kids any day. But back on point, apparently an area man (woman?) shares my distaste of these poop-filled mongrels. They've gone so far as to kill geese in two Chicago parks. Poison, they believe. I know I shouldn't be happy as it's not like the geese are doing anything other than what they've been bred to do... fly, sleep, cluck, eat, and shit... but I still hate them. So, yes, in a morbid way, I was smiling as I read this.

People-eater
Katie and I were at my parents' house last night and I happened to check out a few boxes of stuff in their crawl space. I found a few old toys that I brought back with me and need to decide what I want to do with. Stuff like a Rough Rider 4x4 of Magnum, P.I.'s Ferrari, a little Battlestar Galactica figure of a Colonial Viper pilot (the original series), an original Teela with full accessories from Masters of the Universe, a figurine of Stripe from Gremlins, and this little guy whose identity I do not know at all. I've had him since, probably, the mid-80s and always liked him. But I have no idea what it is or what it's from. Do any of you have an encyclopedic memory of 1980s toys? I'm not even sure how to Google it other than "purple, inch tall, armless, toothy creature." I guess I could amend it with "CBS Inc." as that is stamped on the back of its head. No year, though. I used to call it a Crite as it reminded me of a hairless version of those creatures from the movie Critters (and its many sequels), just without arms.

Well, I'm off. See y'all soon.