How Dan Rodricks should spend his next 10 columns

Sun columnist Dan Rodricks recently took issue with Elon Musk spending his own money to buy Twitter, calling the purchase “obnoxious self-indulgence” and suggested 10 ways Mr. Musk could better spend his money “to have a positive and powerful impact on society” (“Dan Rodricks: 10 better things Elon Musk could do with the $44 billion he’s spending for Twitter,” May 6).

Setting aside the possible self-indulgence of such a column, assuming Mr. Rodricks made his suggestions in good faith and since he likes to tell others how to spend their money to improve society, perhaps Mr. Rodricks would be amenable to good faith suggestions about how he could use his time and column space to have a positive impact on our local community.

Here are some (mostly serious) topics for future columns:

1. What happened to the billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds sent to local governments and school districts? What was the money spent on and to what effect? How much money remains unspent?

2. How long will the Baltimore Orioles who, directly and indirectly, benefit from millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money continue to have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball?

3. How much money is spent on Safe Streets in Baltimore and with what measurable positive results?

4. Why are many teachers, administrators and support staff, new and experienced, leaving public schools? To what extent do policies (or lack thereof ) on attendance, lateness, grading, discipline and safety contribute to this exodus? Talk to people who work in schools, not policymakers or “education experts,” for insights.

5. Why are many parents taking their children out of public schools? To what extent do policies (or lack thereof ) on attendance, lateness, grading, discipline and safety contribute to parents leaving public schools? Talk to parents, not policymakers or those education experts, for insights.

6. What do people who actually vote think about the newly drawn Maryland congressional maps? Ridiculously gerrymandered, very fair or somewhere in between? Do the new districts represent people with common interests and concerns? Ask voters, not politicians, professors or other “political experts.”

7. Baltimore and Washington, D.C.’s, bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup: economic boon or boondoggle for the region?

8. Should the Baltimore Book Festival return to its former location in Mt. Vernon?

9. Old Bay or J.O. seasoning? Or neither?

10. Are there any “Rodricks’ Rangers” still extant?

There you are, Dan. Looking forward to columns on any or all these topics.