Hot off the Press: Detroit in ruins edition

"Fairfax High's prom queen is a guy": http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prom-queen28-2009may28,0,2700821.story.

Why are airports trying to become malls?: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-me-airport28-2009may28,0,5332521.story. More and more everyday I realize that all this country is about is trying to get people to spend money.

The California legislature may take the reigns of the UC system, long run autonomously from lawmakers: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc28-2009may28,0,3431789.story. I'm definitely against bloated executive and administrative pay (some people get rich at the expense of students and education, as in Iowa), but it's sad to think this may be the only way to control it. Where is the sense of a common goal, of community?

Speaking of the public university system in California, the state is set to be the first to raise fees and decrease aid: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-calgrants29-2009may29,0,694495.story.

No, cigarette butts are not biodegradable: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/us/29cigarettes.html?ref=us.

You know, I don't feel for these people at all: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/us/29paycut.html?ref=us. Finding it hard to live with less? Well, you're the dumbasses who wanted to get married, buy a house, have four kids, and drive a van. You were asking for it.

Organic farmers, especially organic dairy farmers, have been hit hard by the recession because dumbasses like those just above are sacrificing their health to keep their satellite TV: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/us/29dairy.html?ref=us.

The CRANDIC rail line, in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, is storing boxcars from other companies because the demand for freight has decreased with the economic downturn: http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090529/NEWS/705299961/1002/NEWS.

When rich developers go in over their heads, they ask the city for a bailout: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-resort-bailout31-2009may31,0,6098453.story. This is probably the most disturbing thing I've learned about coastal California: all anybody wants to do is attract new affluent residents and get them to throw away their money. Build condos and townhouses, then put in tons of stores. You see this up and down the coast. Rich people ruin everything.

Budget cuts look to reshape California: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/us/31calif.html?ref=us.

A small town in New Mexico is looking to capitalize on toxic sludge from the Hudson River being buried nearby, but some people are not happy and very concerned, as they should be: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/science/earth/31waste.html?ref=us. Two words: Love Canal.

The LH keeps hauling in awards: http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090526/GETPUBLISHED10/905260329/City+High+newspaper+staff+hauls+in+journalism+awards. Congrats to the award winners, from a former award winner.

Speaking of newspapers, unused vending racks are being recycled and put to alternate uses: http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/second-lives-for-newspaper-dispensers/?hp. I myself stole an Icon rack and used it as a bookshelf in college.

More Americans are joining the Peace Corp: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-peacecorps2-2009jun02,0,2239945.story.

LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has a thing for local newscasters: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-villaraigosa2-2009jun02,0,312871.story. The press eats this up, but the public doesn't give a shit.

Autographs are harder to come by at the New Yankee Stadium: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/nyregion/03autograph.html?_r=1&hp.

The headline alone probably attracted thousands of hits to Paul Krugman's NYT column this week: "Reagan Did It": http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/opinion/01krugman.html?em.