Three Best Things 8/24/09 - 8/30/09: Rap Quietly To Yourselves

• Repentant KKK leader reflects on the moment when hate succumbed to grace.

  (Grace as in “mercy,” but also grace as in “charm,” right?)

• Thoroughly enjoyed Wired’s series on the ultimate mystery that is the existence, let alone dominance, of Craigslist. More here, here, and here, every bit of it worth marveling at in hushed wonder.
• Young fellow plays an obscure instrument known in southern Philadelpha as a “pens & desk.” While rapping!
  

This reminds me of my semester as a middle school student teacher. There was one kid who didn’t like class stuff, but loved writing raps. Obviously, I encouraged him to write rhymes then.

We had a free period one day, and he was spitting while another kid banged on a table. Most of the other students were trying to read, so I uttered a sentence that may never have been spoken before or since: “Guys, please rap quietly to yourselves.”