Does anyone have any good recommendations for somewhere in the far east where I can get cheapish accomodations and lolly gag on the beach for a week or two? Actually, I'll even mix it up with some sight-seeing.

My sister just got back from Boracay in the Phillipines and loved it. My guess is it's cheaper to get there from LA than from NYC.

So I'm reading this article [link] about some college students who were kicked of the Semester at Sea program for plagiarism. And what's striking me about pretty much all the quotes from the students is that they seem to think that it's not plagiarism if it's not a direct quote. I remember, starting in at least ninth grade, if not earlier, lots and lots of lessons about how to cite a paraphrase, examples of what proper and improper citation was, and so on. Do other high schools not do that? (Based on some of the information given in this article about the students involved, I know it's not a rich school/poor school issue.)

High schools do it. Colleges do it. All of them. Students decline to get it.

I remember that, too, Hil. In fact, I was so scared of accidentally plagiarising something, I cited almost everything, including things like "Albany is the capital city of NY). But from what I remember, they were really into "if you find the same thing in three sources, it is common knowledge and you do not need to footnote".

Awesome xkcd comic about google maps directions: [link]

So I was just in Burritoville, waiting for my lunch order to come up, when suddenly there was a power outage, and the lights went out -- just in the restaurant, and nowhere else.

This may be a sign that I personally am the epicenter of the apocalypse. I'll let you know if the Darkness continues to follow me around.

I am, however, disappointed that the plush nucleons are not zippered covers that contain little up and down plush quarks.

Diet Coke hurts when exiting nose.

This may be a sign that I personally am the epicenter of the apocalypse.

sweet! that is kind of cool.

I wish officemate's called would understand that if officemate is not answering either of his phones, perhaps the man is NOT HERE. Leave a damned message already.

I'll let you know if the Darkness continues to follow me around.

Hello Darkness my old friend...

The 4x100 free relay was very exciting.

I was torn, but happy for Phelps. I'm still trying to get used to the fact of the French being competitive in something that doesn't involve a sword or a paddle. Or judo. It's weird.