Operation Pipsqueak

This pipsqueak Republican is trying to become the Atwater-Rove-Abramoff successor by intimidating 'radical' professors at UCLA. The method is to pay students to obtain recordings or notes of 'radical' speech in class. The group has already gotten press. I heard about it on NPR Thursday morning. The aim is to quash criticism of Bush and Republicans -- all in the name of quality, unbiased education.

We can't prevent political speech on campus, but I do object when McCarthyist tactics in the classroom threaten academic freedom.

I want your feedback on my idea. What if we collected money via Paypal and donated it to whoever was that week's "Radical of the Week" on the Bruin Alumni page?

It might make BAA founder Andrew Jones feel a little twinge of regret every time BAA labels a professor "Radical of the Week." It might also help show how many of us are tired of pipsqueak Republicans trying to intimidate faculty. And that makes a good news story which the outlets that covered BAA story might want to cover as well.

But here is my question: Gathering money via Paypal is easy enough, but how to distribute it to the professors in such a way that:

(a) There is some audit or verification mechanism so that donors feel comfortable that I am not spending it on iTunes music

(b) I don't have to do all the work of writing a check every week?

According to Paypal, you can send money to anyone with an email address. I bet all the UCLA faculty have email addresses. I guess I wouldn't mind doing that with a chuckle once a week. But what about (a)?

Suggestions welcome.

Clearly there is no need to criticize Bush, because he's handling things so well.

Last night, as part of Dr. Quack's plan, I started taking 100 mg of oral minocycline twice a day. This morning I woke up with a mild headache that I associate with antibiotics. Extra Strength Excedrin rode to the rescue.

Dr. Quack looks a lot like Dorman. Now there's a strange fact.

Left grip is 20 pounds (19, 18, 20), right grip is 67 pounds (66, 60, 67).