Where Most Needed

Homeless Dumping & The Wild World of LA Skid Row Charities

Proposals to criminalize the practice of discharging homeless hospital patients to the streets don't address the peculiar institutional structure of homeless support in Los Angeles.

Plain Sorority Sisters Sent Packing

The national office of the Delta Zeta sorority kicks out 23 of 35 members in the chapter at DePauw University in the week before fall final exams, including all the overweight ones.  The sorority's leadership claims there was a miscommunication. 

Missed Target: National Gallery of Art Not Part of Smithsonian

Smithsonian's mall neighbor provides some perspective on director compensation.

Chief Justice Defies Sen. Grassley on Smithsonian Perks

The Smithsonian trustees dismiss an inspector general report that criticizes Lawrence Small's spending on himself and his staff, to the dismay of the Senator from Iowa.  Meanwhile, you'll never guess who is sponsoring the blockbuster Jasper Johns retrospective at the Smithsonian's National Gallery of Art. 

Wikipedia Reinforces Digital Divide

Blogger points out that the coding required for Wikipedia entries has the effect of excluding all but the most technically literate and wonders whether it's deliberate.

PTAs Go Corporate

Professional, goal-oriented parents have taken parent-teacher associations to new levels of organization. 

Sidebar: No Jesuit Theology at U Cal Berkeley

Separation of church and state prompts a correction from the New York Times.

Habitat Failing Humanity

Volunteer rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast are falling short.  The Habitat for Humanity volunteer-and-sweat-equity model is proving ill-suited to the massive rebuilding efforts needed. 

Sidebar: Yale's Wacky Form 990

A major institution defies the IRS on financial disclosure (and nobody notices). 

Few US Universities Jump on MIT's Free Courseware Bandwagon

Many schools are limiting their open online offerings to a few select course videos.