Charles Krauthammer’s WaPo editorial today argues that Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki and Gen. David Petraus are working at cross-purposes in Iraq — and that it’s time for al-Maliki to go.

HT: CoyoteBlue

Our beloved Anlir has suggested another topic for our new category: With autumn drawing near, what’s the coolest thing you and/or your family did this summer? This “thing” need not be vacation-oriented. For example, if I had answered this question two years ago, I would’ve said, “Had central air installed in our home.”

This year, I’ll say: I took the last seven days nearly, almost, practically all-the-way off — a truly amazing feat if you could get an inside peek at my life!

So…what’s your cool summer story?

Somewhat related to the genteel discussion happening under Poem 2, below, a new book on art asks, “What is painting?” And a book review of the book answers, “Who cares?”

And thus we have “A Dilettante’s Guide to Art,” a terrific review of the unnamed book.

In contradistinction to the previous poem – a poem about work – here’s one about the circumstances of so much of it: boredom.

“Bored” by Margaret Atwood

All those times I was bored
out of my mind. Holding the log
while he sawed it. Holding
the string while he measured, boards,
distances between things, or pounded
stakes into the ground for rows and rows
of lettuces and beets, which I then (bored)
weeded. Or sat in the back
of the car, or sat still in boats,
sat, sat, while at the prow, stern, wheel
he drove, steered, paddled. It
wasn’t even boredom, it was looking,
looking hard and up close at the small
details. Myopia. The worn gunwales,
the intricate twill of the seat
cover. The acid crumbs of loam, the granular
pink rock, its igneous veins, the sea-fans
of dry moss, the blackish and then the graying
bristles on the back of his neck.
Sometimes he would whistle, sometimes
I would. The boring rhythm of doing
things over and over, carrying
the wood, drying
the dishes. Such minutiae. It’s what
the animals spend most of their time at,
ferrying the sand, grain by grain, from their tunnels,
shuffling the leaves in their burrows. He pointed
such things out, and I would look
at the whorled texture of his square finger, earth under
the nail. Why do I remember it as sunnier
all the time then, although it more often
rained, and more birdsong?
I could hardly wait to get
the hell out of there to
anywhere else. Perhaps though
boredom is happier. It is for dogs or
groundhogs. Now I wouldn’t be bored.
Now I would know too much.
Now I would know.

Here’s a poem in honor of Labor Day, and of laboring.

“Don’t Worry if Your Job Is Small” by Anonymous

Don’t worry if your job is small,
And your rewards are few.
Remember that the mighty oak,
Was once a nut like you.

Public education seems always to be in a pendulum swing between “We’re professionals and know what’s best for your children” and “Why aren’t you more involved with your children’s education?” The latest swing seems to be toward the latter, where public schools are asking fathers to be more involved.

Created four years ago, the Million Father March is sponsored by The Black Star Project, a Chicago group working to build strong students, encourage parental involvement, and improve life in African-American and Latino communities. The goal is to eliminate the racial academic achievement gap, says Black Star Project founder and director Phillip Jackson. One key, he believes, is the commitment of dads.

This notion – fathers and father-figures taking children to school on their first day – is partly inspired by the Million Man March and partly by a South American practice of dads thanking principals and teachers on the last day of school, says Mr. Jackson.

The notion is also inspired by the need of families to give a rip, but families who give a rip usually have opinions, and administrators and teachers don’t always like those.

Plans to construct two foot-washing stations continue at the University of Michigan at Dearborn (lately called Dearbornistan by some bloggerati) amid concerns that such action would constitute an establishment of religion by the public university. The Washington Times reports:

The 8,700-student school near Detroit, which begins fall classes Tuesday, came under criticism in June when it announced that it would spend about $25,000 on the two foot-washing areas that were requested as an accommodation by a Muslim Student Association’s task force…

Data from a study of entering freshmen suggest that about 10 percent of students at the university are Muslim, and many have in the past used bathroom sinks for the foot washing, called an ablution, which Islam requires as a purity ritual before its five-times-daily prayers.

The cleansing practice prompted concerns from other students and administrators that it was not only unsanitary but also created a safety hazard by making the lavatory floors wet. The new foot-washing stations, built at ground level, are part of a renovation project at two locations on campus and will be paid for with money from the school’s general fund.

The foot baths, while benefiting Muslim students, are open for use by all students and will be located in two new unisex bathrooms that will be renovated on campus.

The footbaths are being constructed using money from the school’s general fund (read: tax dollars.) I noticed that UM has a chapel, and that it preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ, but that appears to have been purchased using private funds. Can anyone else add to the data here? Has UM constructed Christian accommodations using tax dollars? Is the school crossing the church/state line with its tax-funded footbaths?

Massachusetts? Yeah. California? Probably. But Iowa? The DesMoines Register reports:

A Polk County judge on Thursday struck down Iowa’s law banning gay marriage. The ruling by Judge Robert Hanson concluded that the state’s prohibition on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and he ordered the Polk County recorder to issue marriage licenses to six gay couples.

“This is kind of the American Dream,” said plaintiff Jen BarbouRoske, of Iowa City. “I’m still feeling kind of shaky. It’s pure elation, I just cannot believe it.”

I always find it interesting when people suggest that it’s Christians who wont leave this issue alone.

Good morning!

Today’s movie line: “Papa, what is it like to die?”

HT: Ann

Rumors swirled all day that Republican Fred Thompson was ready to announce his candidacy for president. He is, but he won’t officially proclaim it until next Thursday on a Webcast from his campaign site. On the eve of his formal announcement, he will appear on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” while his fellow Republican candidates debate in New Hampshire that evening.