Friends, it's not easy to make sense of all the mixed signals coming out of the White House, but it appears that Trump and Co. are talking to...someone in Iran's government, and it appears we like what we're hearing. Trump implies that forces in Iran are prepared to do business with us and achieve a sort of regime change by proxy, as we did in Venezuela (?). That could be an ambiguous result to the present conflict, as indeed our achievement in Venezuela was and is, but it could also be a way out of the current impasse. We've always known that we need the cooperation of elements of Iran's security forces and bureaucracy to, well, Make Iran Great Again. What we don't want is to be hoodwinked by mullahs in sheep's clothing... Stay tuned!
In other news, Americans are growing more and more skeptical of the value of a college education, although the numbers of young people attending college are not exactly plummeting. If you ask me, the skepticism is justified, but it's very hard to make generalizations about the value of higher ed, since every college is different, every major degree is different, and the shape of the job market is changing moment to moment. I would say that anyone contemplating a college education should think long and hard about where, and how, and what is a reasonable price point. Better yet, get rick quick and avoid the rat race!!! That's the gold standard of career advice...
Dr. Waddy from Jack: While its on my mind, I see the Illinois Gov. has graced his commentary on the gratuitous murder of an undergraduate in his "just fine" city with a very telling "but": "but why do "they" have to politicize it?" I pray God grant her family deliverance from the unspeakable pain fostered by such an unimaginably clumsy remark.
ReplyDeletePolitics has a very objective effect on our daily lives; my PoliSci 100 Prof defined it as "the distribution of income, safety and deference (and I would add "property"). That abomination in Chicago is alleged to have been done at the hands of an illegal immigrant, who had been charged for another crime and set free because of "sanctuary" policies. One is reminded of Mass, Gov. Dukakis's touching compassion for a murderously vicious prison inmate who he granted a "furlough" during which the "grateful" thug freely did more mayhem. He richly deserved his Presidential loss.
Amoral and law breaking far left/Dem POLITICS apparently put that monster in the path of that young woman and it is entirely appropriate to politically comment on it in a responsible and mature manner. Presidential aspirant Pritzker indeed!!!
Dr. Waddy from Jack: You are right to say stay tuned. One measure of the efficacy of this assault on Iran's formal military power may be Israel's attitude. They have had the strongest of all justifications for permanently destroying the Islamist state; I would guess they will not be satisfied short of seeing radical Muslim terrorists put to the same impotent status as the post war Nazi "werewolves" . Israeli weariness at being constantly in physical danger might well be far beyond our understanding. Even Iran's conventional missile power is not yet eradicated. I think to seal a deal short of complete Iranian surrender, if there is to be a deal, Israel might want to consider a well aimed nuclear blast in some very remote spot in Iran. I mean , just to demonstrate to Iran how very determined Israel is that this futile neo medieval campaign against it end for good. Why should Israel give a hoot in the holler what the rest of the world might think of such an action? Much of the world loathes them and wishes their very extermination?! And that after all that world Israel has endured since 1933!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: I am from the first generation of everyday people to go to college ,(that is besides WWII vets on the G.I. Bill),when we flocked to the campuses in the mid 60's. Before all that , in NY state at least, liberal arts at university was assumed to be for affluent "swells "destined for the business executive or the law or medicine. It was celebrated at Ivy covered retreats ; some, mostly women , went to affordable state teachers' colleges. My pipe fitter father thought my wanting to go college was inadvisable and unaffordable but our generation was given unprecedented financial support for attendance at the many new liberal arts colleges which manifested in the 60s.
ReplyDeleteI did two years of PoliSci and Philosophy and then went in the Navy '68-'72. When I went back to SUNY New Paltz I noticed big changes. THere was much familiarity between faculty and students and some in class harassment of perceived conservative profs. Grade inflation was rife ; in one semester 2/3 of the Junior class was on the "Dean's List". I saw "research papers turned in on torn out note book paper. One prof told me that if he held students to conventional standards nobody would sign up for his classes and he'd lose his job.
Got my BA in Asian Area Studies in '75 and went directly to library school for my MLS. I think the astonishing decline in academic integrity, fostered by my generation and Marxist profs, has proliferated since then. The American academy has gained a reputation as a politically
Dr. Waddy from Jack (cont.) intolerant far left training institution. BA grads bereft of intellectual development but much indoctrinated are widely seen as typical product. No wonder many employers find them at best mediocre employees. These days I would think it best that if one is thinking BA, one better assume that grad or professional school or willingness to undergo rigorous employer training regimes will be a necessary credential for interesting prospective employers.
ReplyDeleteBy "new liberal arts colleges " above I was referring to the inexpensive state teachers' colleges in N.Y. which became half and half liberal arts and teacher education in the '60s . Eg. SUNY Geneseo, N.Y. Jack
ReplyDelete