Some educators had the bright idea of lying to their students convincing them that some of their classmates had died in a car accident due to drunk driving. It was all a hoax in order to scare them about the dangers of drunk driving. Boy who cried wolf mean anything?

I thought this quote effectively demonstrated how a young mind can be confused by this sort of tactic:

“You feel betrayed by your teachers and administrators, these people you trust,” said 15-year-old Carolyn Magos. “But then I felt selfish for feeling that way, because, I mean, if it saves one life, it’s worth it.”

I’d say you ought to stick with your first instinct on this one: you were betrayed and it doesn’t matter if it saves a life or not – they’ve helped lower the quality of life of those at the school.

Don’t know who Joe Jackson is, but I like what he says. It’s amazing how fast, rapid and expansive the shift in “common sense” on smoking has become. Considering man has always lived with one vice or another, I can’t help but wonder what’ll take the place of smoking in the decades to come (unless there’s some sort of closet resistance to smoke).

Ever wondered what the front pages of 100s of newspapers looked like? Wonder no more.

Here’s a link to Nigel Kennedy playing a mean Vivaldi – the first movement to the Winter Concerto. Powerful stuff.

Here’s an interesting take on the West’s perception of Bhutto compared to some of her own countrymen.

How big, for example, is the gap between the Western perception of Hamid Karzai, the well-spoken, well-meaning, liberalizing president of Afghanistan, and the perception of his Afghan countrymen? So far, attention has focused on how Bhutto’s assassination might affect the course of events in Pakistan. My wish, for 2008, is that it not be a harbinger of what is to come elsewhere.

Mr. Richard Caborn (Sheffield, Central) (Lab):

I beg to move,

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

If this kind of link isn’t fit for a site called Allthemorereason, I don’t know what possibly could. It’s an excerpt from a documentary on James Randi, who dedicated his life to discrediting psychics and the like. I particularly love the way the git Uri Geller is completely stuffed on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

 J.S.

This is a hilarious article on Hitchens by Hitchens going to spas and whatnot. There’s one photo of him which is positively shameless!

This guy’s been the bane of our existence in Iraq since day one.

Interesting interview with Hirsi Ali on the French 20 heures this evening. She was accompanied by the French spokeswoman for human rights, whose name escapes me right now.

J.S.