When did we run out of dead presidents and patriots?

I heard a report this morning so obscene that had to be true. I live in the City of Angels, after all.

The daily fish-wrap is reporting that The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is selling the naming rights to the new downtown arts high school.

Here are the buildings available for naming, and the amount the school hopes to receive for each:

School - $25 million
Theater - $5 million
Dance program - $2 million
Drama program - $2 million
Music program - $2 million
Administration building - $2 million
Visual arts building - $2 million
Library - $3 million
Amphitheater - $1 million
Black box theater - $1 million

LAUSD has banned selling a can of cola, to protect the health of the children, but they do not seem to have a problem selling out the children a la Staples Center, Home Depot Center, Disney Concert Hall, etc.

Maybe I’m starting to show my age, but there was a certain pride in being a Hamilton Yankee, a Kennedy Cougar, or a Lincoln Tiger.

Who wouldn’t be excited to cheer for Roosevelt High – home of the Rough Riders?

So, what are they going to call these poor kids?

• The CitiBank Bailouts?
• The Wachovia Bankruptcies?
• The AIG Cash-Cows?
• The GM Money Grubbers?