Barb, remembering your opting out of fundraising efforts - around here they're having a serious fuss about fees for school things - gym towels, textbooks, etc. Seemingly some of the suburban schools have been instituting these fees - for necessities, not optional things - and the parents (who pay hefty property taxes for this "free" education) are fed up.

Everyone here is doing a fine job. I keep teasing Mark by saying, "Well, you're no o_a."

Seemingly some of the suburban schools have been instituting these fees - for necessities, not optional things - and the parents (who pay hefty property taxes for this "free" education) are fed up.

That's interesting-- around here, the parents are very sheep-like. Not so much with the protesting, even though we pay big time property taxes as well.

All of the kids in Abby's class are required to buy flash drives, which, admittedly, not terribly expensive, but then we're hit with, "But of course, if your child has their own computer, we'd prefer if they bring it to school, since we only have limited numbers of loaners we can issue to each classroom."

Now, Abby has her own laptop, so that's not even a huge problem-- where I drew the line was when her teacher said with a straight face, "We'd prefer if the children left their computers here during the week and only brought them home on the weekends."

To which I respectfully replied, "Oh, I prefer if Abby brings her computer home every night, in case she needs it to do her homework or any other research."

Then the teacher tried to tell Abby she thought it would be quite the hardship for Abby to tote her laptop to and from school each day. Which, predictably, made the top of my head nearly explode. But I kept it together and told Abby it was a good lesson in responsibility. I mean, seriously-- leaving a $1K laptop in a classroom all week? Are they kidding?

Then the teacher tried to tell Abby she thought it would be quite the hardship for Abby to tote her laptop to and from school each day.

Right. And when it gets stolen from the school, the school is going to replace it??? I don't freakin' think so. That's RIDICULOUS!!!

And honestly, asking the students to provide their own computers is pretty damn ridiculous too. Especially in middle school!

Aimee! You got some 'splaining to do!

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is clearly trying hard to ditch his boy wizard image.

The 19-year-old actor confessed in a revealing interview to losing his virginity to an older woman - whose age would raise eyebrows.

Radcliffe admitted he celebrated reaching the age of consent, 16, in the customary manner with a much older girlfriend.

But although he insisted the age difference 'wasn't ridiculous', he did say it 'would freak some people out'.

In an interview with US style bible Details, he also admitted he'd like to try his hand at playing a drag queen.

The 19-year-old actor confessed he would love to play a cross-dresser just so he could wear lots of slap and eye make up.

'I think part of me would love to play a drag queen,' he says in the September issue of Details magazine.

'Just because it would be an excuse to wear loads of eye make-up.'

And honestly, asking the students to provide their own computers is pretty damn ridiculous too. Especially in middle school!

Not even middle school. Elementary school. Abby's in 5th grade. And her classroom is in a glorified doublewide portable-- even more NO in this mom's eyes, re: leaving the computer there overnight.

Congrats, omnis! Geri and I were just talking about getting a group to go see it. We're thinking probably weekend after this one. Geri and Amy have the TACA gala this weekend.

Also, I'm sad to see that it runs through the 28th, which means you'll miss the Grapevine's anniversary party and Jon's mad BBQ skills.

Barb, why did they prefer the kids to leave them? I mean, who else would be using them? Why wouldn't they assume the kids would need to use their laptops at home? WTF? That's completely ridiculous and insane for them to suggest that. When we lived in Columbus, our neighborhood newspaper's police report was chock filled with lists of stolen items from the elementary, middle and high schools: musical instruments, cell phones, iPods, etc. What idiot would think it would be safe to leave the computers in the classroom?

What idiot would think it would be safe to leave the computers in the classroom?

This teacher isn't the most sensible on the planet, I'm discovering, Cash. I think it's more for her convenience-- if the kids leave the computers at school, then they can't forget them the next day, ergo, not inconveniencing her. At least, that's the vibe I got. There was never any clear explanation given-- this teacher is big on giving directives without fully explaining herself. Like when we got the email on Monday night that informed us when the class was done with patrol duty next week (each fifth grade class takes a two week turn at being the school patrol) that she would expect the kids to be in class no later than 8:15 in the morning.

One problem with this-- school doesn't officially start until 8:30 and Abby's bus doesn't even pick her up until 8:14. So I emailed the teacher and informed her that Abby would be in class as soon as possible after the bus dropped her off. I'm not going to make myself crazy in the insanely long drop-off line just to have her there fifteen minutes early. And I hope to hell she doesn't penalize Abby for not being there that fifteen minutes early. It's bound to get ugly then.

And, I have to ask, what are they doing on the computers that can't be done without one? If learning how to use a computer is part of the curriculum, then they damn well ought to provide the computers or not have the class.

Also, a pet peeve of mine, students shouldn't be using advanced technology in school until they have mastered the basics. Which, sorry, a fifth grader has not. I got really pissed off when my daughter's sixth grade math class insisted on everyone having a calculator for class. BS. If a student doesn't know how to do the math without using a calculator you're not doing them any favors. If they're using one to save time, then you're trying to teach them more information than they can retain, which is counterproductive. Ghod knows, being able to do all my own math saved me on any number of exams where my calculator was deemed illegal for having forbidden functions on it.