One Sentence Reviews

heres some albums I've bought this year and what I think of them.

Artic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not
Believe the hype.

The Strokes-First Impression of Earth
"This record may finally save rock and roll

The Subways-Young for Eternity
White hot rock and roll goodness

Lords of Altamont-Lords Have Mercy
Fuzzy good garage rock

We are Scientists-With Love and Squalor
Fine.

Pretty Girls Make Graves-Elan Vital
Difficult but worth a listen.

DMC-Checks, Thugs, and Rock and Roll
Unlistenable.

Public Enemy-Rebirth of a Nation
Bring back the Bomb Squad, Please

Prince-3121
The best one since Gold Experience

Anti-Flag-For Blood and Empire
As always, super melodic punk goodness

Donna Martin Graduates

In California, they have a test that the kids have to take when they are seniors to allow them to graduate. As far as I know its the same test for everyone, and its a general knowledge test of things they should have learned while they were in school. If you don't pass it, you don't get your diploma.
Surprisingly, I know, people are all up in arms about this cause most kids cant pass it. Some cant pass it cause they don't speak English, some say its a culturally biased test, and I have to assume, some don't pass because they didn't pay attention in school and shouldn't have made it to the 12th grade cause they just don't know the answers.
Oh wait, it couldn't be that last one could it, it must be that the test is unfair.
Hmm, see I think that that is what the test is for. To weed out the kids who didn't do the work, who didn't study, who somehow, didn't learn enough English in school to fill out a job application, from going out into the world where they will be eaten alive by the job market and perhaps join the ranks of the societal leeches on our welfare rolls.
Of course, there is a school district in Contra Costa county that is going to thwart the evil oppressors of the state government and just hand out diplomas anyway.
What about the kids who did the learning? Put in the work? Studie? Paid attention? Participated? Got educated? How do they feel about Johnny Dozeaway getting handed a diploma and passed along.
Sure, there are some kids who get good grades, have done the work, and cant pass the test. Just like SAT's Maybe there should be some way around this, I don't know but it seems to me that really what this test does, is force the kids who cant pass it to get their asses in gear to get the knowledge to do so, or start over again. And that I think can only help them and us.
By the way, the new Tori Spelling show, "So Notorious", is awesome.
See, the title works on two levels. I learned that kind of stuff in school.