Beware of the internet

I know I don’t have to tell most of you this, that there are predators out there, and that it’s people like you who make the best prey. And I’m not addressing students now. Adolescents know perfectly well the dangers of dirty old men, on- or off-line. I’m addressing this, instead, to the dirty old men out there who read this blog; I don’t know exactly who you are, but I suspect that you exist. And I am referring to the cautionary tale recently reported of the two underage teenage girls who arranged to meet some dirty old man over the internet and then robbed him at gunpoint. The world is filled with predatory adolescents! They will attack you given the slightest opportunity! Beware of the internet!

Anyhow, the news of the moment is, unfortunately, the demise of the Modest Novice. I’ll be sending out a broadcast notice today through the MHL gmail account. To wit:

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I’m sorry to report that I have been unable to generate the unanimity required in the region in support of the proposal for a standard novice starter topic. Given the overlap of schools in multiple leagues in the area, we couldn’t do it unless all of us were to agree to it.

There was much interesting discussion generated by this proposal, however, and lots of good dialogue both for and against, in emails and in personal meetings. I appreciate the time and effort people gave to weighing the merits of the proposal, and the various suggestions that helped develop the proposal over its months of consideration. In what is a time of unquestionable difficulty, and serious controversy, in LD, I think we need to continue to work toward whatever we think will keep the activity vital for our students. The willingness of everyone to address this proposal was, I think, indicative of everyone’s dedication to doing that work. The bottom line in the decision seems to be that while there may be difficulties with some of the topics as starters for newbies, and therefore the idea per se of a well-chosen starter topic was appreciated, the complications of multiple topics running at the same time appeared simply too daunting when balanced against the benefits.

So, we will continue to trod the path set for us by the NFL, and we (the MHL) will use whatever topic is selected by the organization for Sept-Oct.

Thanks again for your patience and your commitment. Have a good summer. (And keep your fingers crossed for a great Sept-Oct topic!)

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And that’s all true. There was lots of interesting discussion, and while I’m a little disappointed, I don’t necessarily feel that it’s that big a deal. It would have been fun, and it would have been interesting, with some easily recognizable benefits, but there is no question that it would have been administratively complex at all levels (coaching, tabbing, training judges). So, we putter onwards.

I did catch up with CLG yesterday, and made plans for a series of Camwegian dinners over the coming millennium now that she’s staying in the US. Rubin is also going to be in her neck of the woods next year. The opportunities for postgraduate noodling will be legion (and Lexingtonian). Of course, now I won’t be able to bring the team over to the south of France to stay with her for a month, as I had originally planned, but one makes the best of the situation in which one finds oneself. Tant pis, as they say in Cambridge. (You can apprise yourself directly of the comings and goings on Planet Claire by reading her blog, noted over on the right. You can also follow Burgers’s adventures in dietary limbo on his blog, if such is your inclination, if you don’t mind going off your feed for a couple of months as a result. That lad's cordon bleu is still just a pipedream.)