Imperfect Ten There’s an issue with kids these days. Jeff Pilchiek sees it in the Westlake High School upperclassmen he counsels on college admissions. “These are kids who don’t want to get rejections,” he says. “In the past, we’d just apply to schools and hope, but the student today is scared of rejection because they haven’t had much of that in their lives.” This might not invoke much sympathy from the grow-from-your-failures generation, but it’s an attitude that’s been encouraged by state law. In the 12 years since the top 10 percent law (HB 588) was passed, The University of Texas at Austin (along with the other public state universities) has guaranteed admission to all in-state applicants who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school classes. In 2008, HB 588 alone accounted for 76 percent of UT-Austin’s freshman class. Projections showed that the campus would be entirely occupied by HB 588 admissions within a decade. The school had, according to UT President William Powers Jr., “lost control” of its admissions process. More

2010 MLB predictions (AL edition) I think this will finally be the year when the Colorado Rockies are a powerhouse and not a Cinderella. I think the Texas Rangers will shake off some organizational accursedness to win a pennant. And I think I should probably trash this entry instead of publishing it, because my predictions are always wrong and I’m probably jinxing it all just by typing. Nonetheless, here’s my notoriously untrustworthy outlook for the 2010 Major League Baseball season: More

Digital magazines — just one step left As a magazine nerd, I find this video from Bonnier endlessly fascinating. I’ve watched it half a dozen times now, and it still makes me gasp at the appropriate moments. Much more intelligent and intuitive than either the iPad demos or the Time Inc. reader previews that have been flying around. It’s quiet, and there’s a lot of Ikea-like stage dressing to make you feel cozy with the idea of digital reading, but hang with it and watch the features unfold. More