The Godparent Trap

I don’t pretend to understand what constitutes a discussion about social mores in England, but these days it apparently involves something called the Tatler, Martin Amis, and fairy godparents. That is, British godparents suck: It’s what one might call the Godparent Trap: Like a horror B-movie, legions of zombie godparents are walking mindlessly among us. The …

Minor League Spelling: The Cabal!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the time has come yet again for that annual celebration of home-schooled religious wingnuts, first-generation-immigrant-over-parented-over-achievers, and all-purpose Asperger spectrum adolescents: the Scripps Spelling Bee. An interesting–if borderline xenophobic/racist–article in Slate reminded me of this. “Why Are Indian Kids So Good at Spelling? Because they have their own minor-league spelling bee circuit” …