Here's something I agree with 100%: Suppressing Intelligence Research: Hurting Those We Intend to Help, by Linda Gottfredson.  Don't get me started.  Anyway read the article, it makes great points in a very balanced way.  [ via GNXP ] 

If you liked that one, check this out: Anti-racist multicultural math.  "The school department was recently forced to publicly admit that the sixth-grade MCAS math scores have steadily declined over the past three years to the point where 32 percent of sixth-graders are now in the 'warning' or 'needs improvement' category..."  And yet "In 2001 Mr. Young, Mrs. Wyatt and an assortment of other well-paid school administrators, defined the new number-one priority for teaching mathematics, as documented in the curriculum benchmarks, 'Respect for Human Differences - students will live out the system wide core of 'Respect for Human Differences' by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors.'"  I'm not sure unbelievable is the right word.  I actually do believe it. 

Wired wonders Wither the Wall Street Journal?  "The paper still carries a lot of weight in the business world, but some clumsy decisions about web content are making it insignificant in the online world."  I think this is an example of the echo chamber in action.  There are still millions of businesspeople who read the WSJ and who don't even use a computer, let alone know what a blog is... 

Oh, look, the AP now has RSS feeds!  Cool.  I'm going to try their headline news feed, but I'm guessing it will be a firehose.  I'll probably have to rely on bloggers to filter it, first. 

AlwaysOn reports the video rental business generates $8.2B per year.  Wow.  People sure will pay a lot to entertain themselves. 

So, do you think Apple will buy Tivo?  That would be interesting, for sure, but actually I'm not sure what Tivo would bring to Apple's party.  Seems like Apple will be able to execute an IP-based video strategy without them.  George Hotelling reviews the pros and cons...  It would put an end to the Tivo deathwatch :) 

This is a great story.  Monowi, Nebraska, a one-person town with a library.  Why does this make me happy?  I don't know why, but it does.  [ via Mark Frauenfelder ] 

Doc Searles: Without the Smog, everyone would freak.  Yes, you can ski in Los Angeles! 

So, are you following the debate about the  new Google toolbar?  Apparently it automatically highlights terms in whatever you're browsing; essentially, it modifies what you're looking at.  Dave Winer thinks this is the top of a bad slippery slope, similar to Microsoft's ill-fated SmartTags.  It seems okay to me, as long as they make this an option.  Could be a test of whether the new, bigger, more powerful Google is truly "not evil".  [ Later: Here's Scoble's take. ] 

P.S. As a Firefox user, who cares?  I have a Google search bar built in already.  Yet another reason, if any were needed to check out Firefox...

Here's what I want for Christmas whenever - a Samsung 102" plasma TV.  Wow.  I know it costs a bizillion dollars but I want it anyway. 

This is really cool: Heathkits, a walk down memory lane.  Yeah, I remember Heathkits, boy do I ever; as a kid I used to help my Dad build stuff for our boats.  Here's the Heathkit virtual museum.  Wouldn't it be cool if they were still around?  You could make your own iPods, 'n' stuff...