Thursday, September 21, 2006

One hundred and nine years ago today

Much as I love Atlanta and the South, even I must admit that, once in a great while, a good idea does come from somewhere else. One of the greatest of all ideas came from a newspaper in New York.

It came from a question asked by one of its youngest readers, and from the man that fate—and the editors of the New York Sun—chose to answer it.

Read more...

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Save it for Biology class

Warning: Post contains stick-figure nudity.
YAHOO (AP) | X-rated font used on third-grade handout
MONROE, N.Y. - School officials apologized after an X-rated font was used on a third-grade spelling packet handed out to parents. The font showed male and female stick figures in provocative poses to form the letters of the alphabet.

Officials with the Monroe-Woodbury School District in Orange County apologized last week after parents at Pine Tree Elementary School were given the spelling packet at an open house.

Administrators said the teacher did not use the font intentionally.

Monroe is about 45 miles northwest of New York City.
I have two questions.

One: Just how "x-rated" can you get with stick figures?

Two: "The teacher did not use the font intentionally." How does one use a font accidentally?

Fortunately, for those of us who want the whole story, Yahoo links to the original source, where there is significantly more information. There's even an image of the "offensive" cover sheet in question.
Times Herald-Record | Central Valley teacher gives x-rated handout
...At first glance, it's difficult to make out the salaciousness of the type font.

Sources said the teacher had no idea the alphabet was offensive when she downloaded the font from the Internet...

The design is so subtle that even school officials missed it. And many parents didn't know what they were looking at until they received a letter of apology Friday from Pine Tree principal Jean Maxson.

Okay, I get it. Teacher in a rush, found what looked like a cute cartoon alphabet, didn't look at it too closely (who would?), and next thing she knows she's getting a call from the PTA.

One still has to wonder why she felt a need to use a cute cartoon alphabet on a handout intended for parents.