A High-Five Might Get You Five...

MSNBC Link: School Enforces Strict No-Touching Rule

You've got to read this story. Summarizing will not do it justice. This is just friggin' pathetic. Another example of clusterf*ck that is the public school system.

I can understand if a school outlaws public displays of affection or gang-related hand signals, etc...but for crying out loud...you can't pat someone on the back, put an arm around your boyfriend or girlfriend, or even hug a friend?

This quote just floored me:

"You get into shades of gray," Kilmer Principal Deborah Hernandez said. "The kids say, 'If he can high-five, then I can do this.' "

I don't know about any of you...but I never knew that a high-five was the "gateway" touch. My God, if they high-five, next thing you know they'll be prowling the halls just waiting to pinch a butt, squeeze a boob or grab a crotch. Next thing you know, there'll be a scare campaign warning against the heathen dangers of "Fiver Madness."

This all boils down to fear...fear of lawsuits. The school, or most likely the school district, is so afraid that a parent will sue because Johnny touched Susie when he shouldn't have and the school didn't prevent it. Instead of Johnny's parents having taken responsibility in the first place to teach him to treat people with respect, what inappropriate touching is and why it is wrong, they leave it up to the Community Babysitting Service, oops, the Public School System to do it for them. And when it doesn't happen, and Johnny does "the bad touch", they sue, claiming the school should've taught him not to do that.

Parents...be responsible, be accountable...once you decide to have children (planned or unplanned), you are the one to teach them morals, values and what's right and wrong. The schools are SUPPOSED to be institutions of education and learning, NOT a daycare center.

Gym Etiquette

Over the last few weeks, I've been making the most out of my membership to American Family Fitness. The place is great, tons of equipment, nice pool, hot tub and sauna.

The thing that SERIOUSLY ANNOYS ME are some of the other members. Here I am, taking great care in using a towel to wipe down any sweat off the machine when you have other people come in, use the Tricep Extension after they been pouring sweat for an hour on the treadmill. They do their sets and reps then just up and leave. Meanwhile, I'm next in line, left with a nauseated stomach because I realize I'M going to have to clean Steroid Stu or Anorexic Ann's gland secretions.

God knows no one wants to put their hands on grips or sit on a seat that I've left the gift of sweat on, and I would hope people would think the same. Apparently not.

In defense, most of the members do abide by etiquette and do wipe down the machines. It always seems to be the 'roided up men, grunting their alpha-male mating call; the excercise-obsessed eating disorder-rattled chick who's probably more concerned with making it back to her car without fainting than if she's cleaned up her sweat; or the age-advanced members who probably think their sweat glands dried up at the same time their sperm or eggs did, so they don't think about it.

Thank the Lord for the hand sanitizer dispensers, paper towels and spray cleaner all around the gym, otherwise I'd probably end up with rashes and other nasties. Ugh.

A final note: AFF does all it can to enforce wiping down equipment. This is all about common courtesy by the members themselves. So, how about following the Golden Rule? "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!"

"Sensational" Sherri Martel Passes at 49

From WWE.com: "Sensational Sherrie Passes Away"

A sad day for the kid in me. I remember Sherri Martel from the days she was a manager for "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair (as Sensuous Sherri), and finally Harlem Heat (as Sister Sherri).

I remember her most fondly as a "heel" with her banshee-like screams from ringside. She paved the way for women wrestlers and managers. There would be no Melina, Queen Sharmell, Victoria or Mickie James without Sherri Martel's wrestling and managing legacy. She will be missed.

South Park in ASL

This is not my usual post...but a dear friend of mine posted this on YouTube. She's not the one in the video, but it is one of her friends. Very funny and creative, and ya know, why should the deaf be deprived of "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut." Bravo.