I'm planning to try walking again on Sunday morning...

and we'll see how it goes.  I'm hoping to get at least seven minutes out and eight minutes back, and probably won't go beyond ten minutes out and ten more back.  If it goes well, I'll spend the next week walking on alternate days for a minimum of ten minutes each way until I can build some stamina back up.

Friday I went to see a movie after class and I had to wait 20 minutes while they cleaned the auditorium from the previous showing.  So I sat there and pondered things.

Why is it that this particular split level theater has concession stands on both levels, but only bottled beverages on the upper level?  Was it too expensive to install a soda fountain on the upper level?  Carrying a drink and a bag of popcorn while riding the escalator up to that level can be a bit awkward but I have to imagine the profit margins are much higher on fountain soda over bottled soda.  Doesn't make economic sense.

Gas prices make no logical sense, as I've discussed before, but the recent spike in prices makes things seem really weird.  I do know that I wish I'd stopped on Thursday night and topped off the tank when I passed a gas station that had regular for less than $4.30 per gallon.  The cheapest gas within a reasonable driving distance at the moment is $4.47 and I'll be topping off today just in case we see another spike in prices.

The gas prices are changing my behavior today.  I wanted to go to the used bookstore after seeing a movie.  But I don't want to drive to Torrance for solely the reason of going to the used bookstore, so I won't be going.  Maybe when and if prices sink back down to more normal levels.  I may be looking for a used bookstore that is closer.  There was one in Santa Monica, but it's long gone.  There was one on Manchester between La Cienaga and the 405, but it is also long gone.  I might have trekked to Manhattan Beach (closer than Torrance although still further than I'd want to travel), but that used bookstore is also gone.

The "Price is Right" will have its first male model ever later this month.  But only one, and for one week only.  So is this just a publicity stunt, or are they serious about bringing down a gender barrier?  I suspect they won't be having a male model showing off the show's prizes on a regular basis anytime in the near future.  They're in love with what used to be known as "Barker's Beauties" and now that Drew Carey actually lets them talk, doubtful they'll want another man in the mix for the long term.

I channel-surfed onto "The Fashion Police" last night for a very brief interlude.  I had to change the channel when Joan Rivers began using her vagina as a metaphor.  I'm sure someone watching found it amusing, but I had to change the channel or I would have vomited all over the place. 

Bad umpiring came to the forefront during today's NL wild card game.  Why is it that they have umpires working playoff games who don't fully understand how the rules of the game are written?  The rules of baseball are simple on the surface, complex when you start to really get into them and someone who makes his living umpiring pro baseball games ought to fully grasp the rules.  This moron doesn't know that if he's going to call an infield fly, he has to do it right away.  You can't wait until the ball is about to hit the ground.  Did it change the result of the game?  We'll never know, but it might have.

I've noticed that the mannequin just inside the door of that adult novelty store keeps getting its outfit changed.  I guess someone is bored, has too much time on their hands, or is trying to show off everything in inventory. 

I read a news story that I found very disturbing and I'm wondering why what happened is being tolerated.  A teacher ridiculed a student for wearing a Romney/Ryan t-shirt to school.  The geometry teacher compared her to the KKK, told her to get out of the class, pulled her into the hall and tried to get other kids to make fun of her, and even allegedly tried to scribble on her t-shirt.  Then when the girl's father complained to the school's administration, the teacher attempted to explain it all away as a joke.

That's the individual political biases of teachers will be present in how they teach their particular course material is a fact of life.  As long as it doesn't get to be too overt, it's not a serious problem.  But when we're so focused as a society on not allowing students to be bullied by other students, teachers bullying students simply cannot be tolerated or accepted.  If the allegations against this teacher are true, she should be subjected to severe discipline and required to undergo sensitivity training.