First, the pithy. From Gawker, a blog post about criminals tweeting from jail, such as “The Hipster Grifter” Kari Ferrell:

In contrast, New York Times blogger Alison Leigh Cowan discusses one college working to educate inmates to lower rates of recidivism:

Cowan discusses the selective admission process for prisoners in Wesleyan’s program: 120 prisoners competed for 19 spots in the program. In addition to the 19 students at the penetentiary, students from the residential college visit the Cheshire prison for joint classes. The two-month old program began this fall with Composition and Sociology courses:

CHESHIRE, Conn. — In many ways it was just another day, another class of Wesleyan University, one of the more selective colleges in the Northeast. The topic was multiculturalism in schools. The discussion focused on methods of evaluating the rhetorical skills of various commentators, from Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. to Dinesh D’Souza.

I’m fascinated by this article because of a friend who began to educate me on the detrimental effects of prison several years ago. What’s the role of the prison industrial complex to the U.S.–a country that puts more of its citizens behind bars than any other nation? How do we fight recidivism? Who exactly are we sentencing, and what can we suss out from the demographics of race, gender, and socio-economic status?

As a means of introduction to prison conditions, one of the texts that I recommend is Malcolm Braly’s On the Yard, a fictional take on his years in San Quentin in the 60’s. I’ve been teaching it for years and my students love it. It’s useful not only for its social commentary, but for its mastery of literary craft. Braly has sharp turns in plot, a revolving third person point of view, and characters–from inmates and wardens to families and employees–that will make your heart ache.

Or New York City (ranked #1). Or Boston (#7).

It’s the list of strangest cities–and states–as ranked by Tableseed.com. The results come from analysis of 2,000 “strange news” reports from the Associated Press (itself a much-ballyhooed object after warning of layoffs in the near future).

Highlights of the 169 odd news stories from Florida, named the top strangest state:

“Florida lotto winner seeks to open a nude dude ranch” — Brooksville, FL

“Man wearing sleeping bag as cape attempts robbery” – Gainesville, FL

“Man allegedly flings jellyfish at teens at beach” – Madeira Beach, FL

Florida may be tops in stange states, but New York City topped the list of strange cities (no surprise) followed by Lincoln, Nebraska. I grew up in the midwest, and thought Lincoln was pretty normal but I must have failed to see its strange subculture.

In the Department of Totally Useful Things, a quick tip from Hack College on how to avoid the kinks and twists in your earbuds. Nerds unite.

So we all know California, as a state, is bankrupt. Now the jewel in the state’s  system–its prestigious, trail-blazing public colleges and universities–is feeling the effect. Yesterday, the Board of Regents approved increases in student fees that will raise individual student costs by more than $2,500, or 34%. Needless to say, UCLA students were not happy.

Nearly a dozen students were arrested and reports claim one student was tasered. The first increase of $585 will take effect in January, and another $1,000 hike will take effect next fall. California’s public education system may soon rival Florida’s State University System for the title of worst-managed public school system.

In the department of irrelevant information: Kellogg announced that a shortage of Eggo Waffles is expected next year. Flooding in an Atlanta facility and repairs at a warehouse in Tennessee caused the shortage.

I’m assuming that the long lines for the shortage of H1N1 vaccination won’t apply to Eggo Waffles. Guess we’ll have to wait til next year to see.

By now, you’ve heard that Representative Anh “Joseph” Cao from Louisiana cast the single Republican vote in favor of the health care bill.

Quin Hillyer writes a reasoned response to the outcry from conservatives on The American Spectator, citing Cao’s longtime promise to support the bill if it included pro-life language. Representative Cao posted a statement himself on his website:

“I read the versions of the House bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health care costs are exploding — if they are able to obtain health care at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children.”

Say what you want about Cao’s politics–whether he made a “secret” back-door deal with the Obama administration in return for Hurricane Katrina funds, for example–but to attack Cao’s ethnic heritage? In what is lauded so often as a post-racial, Obama-happy world? How could this be?

I’m always in shock when I read blatant racial epithets like those directed at Rep. Cao. Just take a look at the public tweet in the graphic to the right for an idea of misdirected vitriol.

Nine prominent poets memorialize the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in today’s NYT. Mark Doty writes about an ordinary construction site in his U.S. neighborhood; Russian poet Vera Pavlova contrasts the momentous occasion with her everyday experiences as a mother.

Yusef Komunyakaa writes in “Nostalgia” (my favorite of the bunch):

While the east slept in the arms of the west

each house broke into two divided houses

& concertina rolled out across the dead of night

to cleave a full moon.

and

Let’s not speak of official good & evil,

but of a man and woman spooning bodies,

knowing what it takes to make love

go through gray concrete brightly.

The Wall Street Journal compiles that oft-visited subject of writers and their habits. In “How to Write a Great Novel,” top-notch novelists from Edwidge Danticat to one of my favorite writers, Dan Chaon, discuss hours clocked, font size (Ann Rice uses 14-point Courier), and plot points outlined on notecards.

Interesting little highlights:

• Nicholson Baker writes early, early in the morning (about 4 a.m.) with the lights off, his laptop darkened with light gray text, and, once finished, goes back to bed at 8:30.
• Kazuo Ishiguro spends two years outlining his novel and one year writing the first draft.

Many writers discuss the painful process of ditching a novel: Margaret Atwood and Amitav Ghosh among them.

The feature article about writers on writing has been done repeatedly, but this WSJ article is notable for its comprehensive compilation of writers.

James Parker presents a clear analysis of Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand, and their diverse approaches to comedy in this month’s The Atlantic.

As he points out, Gervais is a card-carrying atheist. Brand, too, may well be an atheist, but in Parker’s commentary on this clip, Brand is less focused on metaphysics and more interested in a bit of flirtatious humor with the interviewer. Or, as the author points out, Brand’s “sexual wattage of his grip.”

I admire Parker’s argument that Gervais’ schtick is centered on “littleness”: the details, the micro, the intricacies of his topic. Brand, on the other hand, is driven more by a post-modern, gender-bending approach to humor. Different approaches to a brainy sort of comedy.

In the department of absurd uses of streaming video, this clip of a salsa-dancing labrador takes the cake. There is, of course, more important news in the world (the least of which is that Washington state voters approved Referendum 71, that affords crucial benefits to domestic partners). But isn’t there also room for dogs who can do circus tricks?

I used to be one of those naysayers who clucked his tongue at dog lovers. And then I got a dog. Click play.