"BATON ROUGE - Gov. Mike Foster yesterday signed the nation's first state law requiring students to address teachers as 'ma'm' or 'sir' or use the appropriate title of Mr., Miss, Ms., or Mrs.
     "The Republican governor and other politicians said the law will help return respect to the classroom.
     "The law will apply to those in kindergarten through fifth grade beginning next fall.  Higher grades will be phased in over the next few years, one grade per year."

- Story on page 3 of the July 7, 1999 edition of the Toledo Blade

     Although it's now been a full 10 days since I first read and clipped this story, it continues to weigh heavily upon my mind.
     Having carefully considered all the issues raised by its few but important words, I think I'm finally ready to take some positive action of my own.
     First, in an attempt to restore respect for online journals everywhere, I am going to require friends and family members to begin referring to this work as "Almost A Mr. Jester's Journal" come Septemeber.
     Second, so as not to unduly tax the brains of Louisiana school children, I've decided to phase in the rest of this entry over the course of the next 7 years.