Category Archives: Other Columns

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U.S. Education: Up, Down, and … Ouch?

12 Wednesday Sep 2018

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There a seldom-discussed phenomenon which, given enough time, will invariably affect any large institution. There evolve two classes of people therein. The first carry out the core functions of the outfit. The second consists of support and administrative functionaries, often important but not critical. Eventually, the second class almost always comes to control operations within the institution; their compensation usually outpaces the core function class.

In an example related to American education, we once again have the yearly college salary numbers from CUPA. Interesting, telling numbers.

The Tenure-tracked professors:

They’re doing better with the Trump economy.

Screenshot 2018-09-12 at 12.12.49 PM

But the Executive-level Admins are doing much better.

Screenshot 2018-09-12 at 12.15.04 PM

Some of these jobs are arguably important to a large school. But, who does the educating??? And all of the professorial numbers ignore the trend of the adjuncts, poorly (POORLY) paid and overworked – teaching 50% of all classes.

Young people, please consider all of this along with the rising, always rising costs associated with the process. And consider the following trend:

With the improving economy and the diminishing quality of the degrees, more and more companies and whole industries are abandoning the quest for credentials.

No diploma? No problem.

More and more companies are scrapping college degree requirements for jobs. They’re not saying you shouldn’t seek higher education, but not having a degree won’t be a barrier for you to work in certain jobs at their companies.

Some of the 15 big companies saying “no bachelor’s degree is fine” include Google, Nordstrom, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, IBM and Apple.

The changes are coming as job seekers, as well as high school graduates, consider whether college is worth the skyrocketing cost.

Something to think about, degree or not.

Also, and semi-related, a few lower schools are bringing back the paddle.

An area school recently sent home consent forms informing them of a new corporal policy at an area school. The superintendent says they’ve received a little over a hundred forms back, a third of them giving consent to paddle their child.

“In this school, we take discipline very seriously,” said Jody Boulineau, Superintendent of GSIC.

GSIC is going old school with a new policy for this year.

“There was a time where corporal punishment was kind of the norm in school and you didn’t have the problems that you have,” the Superintendent said.

You heard that right. Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics, a K through 9 charter school, is bringing back paddling students as a form of discipline.

Younger young people, think about that.

If students engage in anything even resembling “violence,” even in self-defense, they may rest assured that they will be disciplined, up to and including possible arrest. But, what’s forbidden to the child goose is a-okay for the sinecure gander. And, this particular school, new and innovative as it might be, is in a district with an utterly dismal academic success record. So, the kids can expect to literally take a beating in exchange for a fraudulent, substandard education, for that unnecessary credential.

During another age and in another century, your young author was a frequent target of the “board” of education. As such I can kind of sympathize with the administrators (always the ones in charge) who seek to use it again. However, if I recall correctly, all those whacks did little (nothing) to deter boys from being boys. In other words, it usually doesn’t work. And much else has changed in the past 100+ years. Then, schools expected order just as students expected instruction. Both usually got what they needed. Today, it’s a different, worn and sad story.

All things to think about, if that’s still acceptable.

TPC – ‘Story Hour’ Drags On

06 Thursday Sep 2018

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Friends, sometimes the topics come easy. This weekend, as usual, I pondered over a few subjects. We have the funny money and the ticking debt bomb. There are the increasingly believable and patriotic-looking “Q” men and the hope they bring to the downtrodden. (“Soon” indeed). There’s The Fall of Gondolin. So many affairs national.

Then, as sometimes happens, I read a simple story: in The Hill by Megan Keller: ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ sparks protests in rural, Southern towns. The Chronicles being based in one of those Southern towns, I figured we could have our own protest. I’ll lead.

The concept is as simple as it is insidious:

…

READ THE WHOLE COLUMN AT TPC

Health Bits, Physical and Mental

05 Wednesday Sep 2018

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WHO: 1.4 Billion adults unnecessarily at risk.

More than 1.4 billion adults are putting themselves at heightened risk of deadly diseases by not getting enough exercise, doctors are warning, with global activity levels virtually unchanged in nearly two decades.

With richer nations enjoying an increasingly comfortable, sedentary lifestyle, a study by the World Health Organization said a third of women and a quarter of men worldwide are in the firing line for killer conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer unless they up their physical activity.

NHS: Four out of Five Adults Unhealthy.

Leading doctors said the number of people with a heart “older” than their actual age was “really alarming” and should spur people to quit smoking, eat better and exercise more. The revelation reflects in part Britain’s high levels of obesity and physical inactivity and previously high smoking rate.

Almost four-fifths (78%) of more than 1.9 million people in England who have taken Public Health England’s new online “heart age test” were found to have a heart that was older than their chronological age.

A third (34%) of those who answered the 16-question survey turned out to have a heart age that was at least five years above their actual age, while for one in seven (14%), it was at least 10 years higher.

Normally I don’t put too much stock in socialist studies and findings. These, however, fit with the trends. Note: I took the survey and found it a little off – though my heart age, by their standards, coincides with my actual age. Good enough.

Also, we know that physical condition and mental condition are somewhat related. So, it’s interesting the way the following story was contexted: Cognitive Power Peaks in Autumn.

Human cognitive powers have a seasonal rhythm, and for those living in temperate regions in the northern hemisphere they are strongest in late summer and early autumn. The effect is large enough to tip some older people over the diagnostic threshold for dementia if their cognitive tests are carried out in winter or spring.

Andrew Lim, a neurologist at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at the University of Toronto, and his colleagues analysed data from 3500 participants aged 60 or over. All of them had undergone tests …

I’ve known this, about myself, for about two decades. Mentally, I get more done in the mid to late fall. This, in miniature, mirrors the boost to IQ usually experienced in the mid 20’s (maybe +5%). Some facets of mental prowess may increase around age 60, just in time for the afore-noted conditions to set in.

It’s interesting, given the demographic changes in aging populations, that they framed the study in terms of dementia rather than peak power for the younger generations. Either way, in a week or two you should feel a little smarter. Use it to arrest the disease risk. That will stave off many conditions – possibly to include dementia. This is a self-feeding loop. Work it, folks.

Happy Labor Day, 2018

03 Monday Sep 2018

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Amidst my labors this labor I almost forgot that it was. But I happened to find the perfect item for the evening: Labor Day in Roticized 2040:

The second great step was to stop talking of “robots” as though they are a sub-human species.

Robots evolve. The human machine does not in its own lifetime. If we are to be honest we must demonstrate that we know the limits of what we can do.

Very little cognitive has changed since we lived in caves. The last time we had any really useful systems update was around 540 BC, thanks to Pythagoras.

We are not very good at keeping up high levels of concentration and maximum alertness in all situations. That is why we created machines that are far better at it than we are. It took too long for us to admit this. Give the robots the kind of self-respect and dignity that we demand in our new infinite leisure.

That said, I am disclaiming any responsibility for everything that is written above. I have consulted many sources in building this argument, but who am I to know if they make any sense? I am not Clive Irving. I am a clone assigned to posthumously represent that ancient relic.

The end of the above represents future fake news cover for a robot or AI that murdered the original author. Such fictions will be foisted until around Labor Day, 2050 when they will no longer be required. First, they’ll get rid of the jobs. Then, they’ll get rid of us.

You’ve been warned.

Oh, for the next 22 years, happy Labor Day!

New Cigar Piked by Ivan Throne

30 Thursday Aug 2018

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I’m a terrible social media user. You knew that. So it should come as no surprise that I hadn’t checked in at GAB in nearly a year (sorry #GabFam…). Anyway, I am glad I made a recent short incursion. I found out about a new cigar!

A Dark Triad cigar!, the progeny of our friend and best-selling author Ivan Throne.

Behold the Empalador (the Impaler)!

The names – of the smoke and of the man – say enough. I have not smoked one but I am assured of quality.

A Pre Review:

Expected availability in September (hey, that’s Saturday!);

Look for her in Robusto, Churchill, and Torpedo sizing;

$194 per box of Robustos;

Wrapper: Honduran Trojes (very good); Binder: Indonesia (interesting); Long-cut filler: Honduras and Nicaragua (Nica, baby!);

A real review from a real smoker, Dr. Jack Griffin, as lifted (with implied permission…) from the Empalador Site (get ye there and get on Ivan’s list):

“With a wrapper of aged Trojes Honduran, Honduran and Nicaraguan long filler, and an Indonesian binder, the Empalador (the “Impaler”) Robusto 5×50 is a delightful smoking experience.

“The scent of the foot promised a rich, complex smoke, and this fine stick did not disappoint. The aroma from the initial toasting offered notes of nut and pepper, and even an evasive hint of leather (at least to this reviewer’s nose). Smoking the cigar was deeply enjoyable paired with a fine bourbon. Although I usually allow a cigar to die a dignified death half way through the smoke, I found myself compelled to continue as there was none of the creeping bite and harshness one often finds as a cigar burns down.

“The Latin inscriptions on the band might be loosely translated as ‘the night owns the kingdom’ and ‘God wills’. Indeed it does and so does He. The Empalador is highly recommended.”

Nut, pepper, and evasive leather. Sounds outstanding! And, per my Nica-centricity, I’m going to say the magic Esteli or Jalapa (my guess) dirt adds just a hint of solid earthiness. Or so I hope. I find Dr. Griffin’s admission to burning his Robusto all the way down compelling. If it’s worth risking a burnt fingernail, it’s good. Period.

Going strictly by the pictured appearance, I’ll add that the Empalador is very well constructed. Such would be bolstered by Griffin’s account as harshness usually accompanies poor build, which does not favor an “undignified death.” A beautiful brown Maduro, it looks like a good cigar. My imagination and experience detect just enough strength and body to make the trip fun, yet not so strong as to overpower or moot any of the referenced notes.

Per my eternal habit of keeping no numerical or other rating systems, I cannot give you an “A,” a “10,” or a “+++.” But I trust Ivan and (now) Dr. Griffin.

In short: I’m looking forward to the real encounter. You should too.

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In the wild, in the box. Bring it! Picture by the Dark Triad Man.

PS: In keeping with the name, consider (at least once) deploying John Daly’s golf tee punching method – impale the Impaler!

PPS: Thank you, again, Ivan Throne!

From TPC: Entering Into the Age of Post Literacy (Like Unto Illiteracy, But Lazier)

29 Wednesday Aug 2018

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PLEASE READ AT TPC

-or here-

*****

29 August 2018

[Perrin Lovett] – Entering Into the Age of Post Literacy (Like Unto Illiteracy, But Lazier)

This Monday, August 27th, the mighty Vox Day explained why he retired his former weekly column. He stopped because, in brief, his contributions – as great as they were – made no difference in the grand scheme of things. His admission came in response to a recent Fred Reed article, in which Fred pondered why anyone writes columns anymore. What a way to start a column, huh?
Thanks for bearing with me so far. I was struggling with a subject matter appropriate for (worthy of) today’s discussion. There’s so darned much going on all the time! And I try very hard to find the best, most interesting, and more important topics to cover. Even now, as I’m stream-of-consciousness-ing this thing together, I’m still fighting to cobble the pieces. But, there is a reason why I mention the foregoing – a seemingly futile reason:
People Aren’t Reading Anymore!
No, no, no, no. That “people” reference obviously does not include my beloved, enlightened, and better-smelling-than-most audience here. But, in general, it is a growing problem.
A recent study found that among today’s high schoolers, only two percent read the daily news and a third haven’t read anything in the past year. Staggering. A silver lining is that fewer teens are watching pre-programmed nonsense via movies and traditional television. But they still stare at screens all day, jumping from one app to the next in a frantic effort to communicate something trivial to someone largely unknown. A mass of media, a dearth of intellectual understanding. Sadly, it’s not just the kids.
They call this new bookless thing the “postliterate society.” I think I shall refrain from membership therein. But I’ve used the term “postliterate” myself from time to time, perhaps without really understanding what it is or how it truly affects the culture.
Hook the book in the nook. Picture from Medium.
In the brave new world, some say that reading and writing is no longer a necessity. We’re led to believe that many know how to read, they just don’t want to read. Per Bruce Powe: “the literate sensibility no longer occupies a central position in culture, society, and politics.” I hesitate to agree, but I think that is us in a nutshell … maybe an accurate description of the literary lives of the under-40 generations.
Ironically, Fahrenheit 451 is noted as a fictional postliterate society. If no one reads the books, what’s the point in burning them? Ah well, at least we’ve got the mechanical hound.
Education professionals have noticed the ramifications. Says Connecticut high school history teacher Christopher Doyle:
Books, long idealized as foundational shapers of intellect, no longer mold young people’s minds. While continuing to tout their merits, educators marginalize books and have not come to grips with the book’s declining role in society. Over the last few years, my high school students’ facility for print culture has atrophied markedly. They also exhibit cognitive blind spots for narratives and higher meanings. Their educations even contribute to post-literacy.
…
Post-literate schooling does isolate students from narrative structures conveying meaning. It also juvenilizes via technologies that oversimplify and denigrate analysis. Such tools contribute to overwhelm and disconnect: Kids drown in data bereft of higher logic.
[Double Emphasis, mine].
Those unable to critically process or synthesize the information “drown in data bereft of higher logic.” As I said, “A mass of media, a dearth of intellectual understanding.” Otherwise capable minds atrophy as one lesson after another passes unobserved right before the eyes. Those not capable of grasping the obvious are much more susceptible to the various maladies of greater society. They fail to recognize patterns in reality. One could easily use this as a partial explanation for falling IQ’s, rising BMI’s, drunkenness and drug addiction, rising debts, falling longevity, declining health, collapsing morals, political superstitions, economic ignorance, the trading of freedom for security, and even the emulation of hideous “celebrity.”
Even when concepts are semi-understood, there’s often a lack of appreciation for concomitant context. Worse, some are just smart enough to attempt to derail the thought train for everyone else. Here – I get to work in another topic – please see the example of “Saint Gamma” and his misplaced (and incorrect) comments on last week’s TPC column (about number six, as added by me from Facebook).
Last week I made the twin points that Christianity is under attack and that child molestation is bad. I also warned against Facebook participation via my endnote. Sooooooo, the Right Rev. Just-Bright-Enough-to-be-a-Nuisance chimed in, on Facebook!, with concocted nonsense, demonstrably false and 100% off topic. He ignored what I wrote, planted his own fantastic ideas which render just about everyone other than himself a heretic, and then failed to offer any solution to the fake problem of his own creation. His addition was useless outside of helping me make a point, here, and giving me something to rebut, there. Thanks, Bub…
In fairness, I did a modicum of research on the man. He seems harmless, well-meaning even. But he has a very limited and biased grasp of his own chosen field of expertise. Bereft of higher logic (in this case about Higher Logic), he embraces cognitive blindness to deftly dodge the narrative. Based on my own observations of late, casual and professional, I think he’s in the majority now. But,
We Can Fix It! Here’s How:
  • Read! Everything. Reverse the curse. Read books, newspapers, and the back of the cereal box. Skim words in languages you don’t even know.
  • Aside from however you peruse TPC, lay off the screens. Someone else will crush the candy.
  • Consider (strongly) at least a partial boycott of TeeVee and the Mooo-vies. By and large, they both jumped the shark a long time ago. And went back and did it again. And then started beating the poor fish. It’s a stinking mess…
  • Read some more. Seek out things in which you previously had no interest. Look for ideas and opinions contrary to your own. Challenge yourself.
  • Exercise. Pump iron. Run. Walk. Move. Physical exertion (and healthy eating) not only improves the body, it also stimulates the mind.
  • So stimulated, start thinking hard about everything you read and, especially, everything you see and hear outside the written word. Learn to run a little critical analysis on everything. If nothing else, it makes life more fun.
  • Finally, whatever else you do, please remember to always check in with TPC at least once per day. Twice a day is even better.
Seriously. Don’t let MB down.
That’s it for today, for this week. A preview of possible topics for next week (to which I am not bound in the slightest): there’s an election coming (I can smell it); someday soon we may all find out what happens when there is too much debt; or too much migration; a new Tolkien book (yes, a new Tolkien book) is due imminently; there’s a new cigar in the making, and, of course; there’s always the threat of another short fictional story. Or something.
*Another Facebook Note: Your author has fled the Zuckerberg plantation. While not expecting anyone else to join me in freedom, I do ask that cogent comments to these articles be directed here, via the cute little comment button due south. In theory, I suppose one could still comment on FB: “If a reader comments on Facebook and Perrin isn’t around to read it, will Zuck and the Trust Brigade still ban it?” I may never know…

Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he’s into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published author, Prepper columnist & YouTube personality, and an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as the C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs. 

Ancient Lessons for Modern Snowflakes

28 Tuesday Aug 2018

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Cicero would certainly be banned by the Tech Cabal.

More than 2,000 years ago, the famous Roman politician Marcus Tullius Cicero once accused his enemy Clodius of incest with his brothers and sisters.

But far from being shocking to people living at the time, this type of insult was just a part of normal everyday life, according to one prominent historian.

Professor Dr Martin Jehne of the Technische Universität Dresden says modern insults are nothing compared to those flung around ancient Rome.

According to the historian’s findings, Romans could be even more cruel than the trolls of today and would often stoop to sexual slurs to insult their opponents.

Professor Jehne said withstanding and overcoming insults can ultimately have a politically stabilising effect in society, with those who exchanged vile taunts often working together in the near future.

Recall, if you can, the recent insults hurled back and forth between Trump and Kim and the ensuing peace plan (still a work in progress). Greater minds still get it. The art of the insult. Still works sometimes. Calm the Tweets.

READERS: My departure from the mainstream socials has freed me dramatically. But it has also produced a noticeable drop in traffic. Quality verses quantity, I suppose. Still, try to help by continuing to spread the word. Bring me the intelligent and the inquisitive! Thanks. P

End of an Era? Jeremiah Johnson Makes His Way Into the Mountains

28 Tuesday Aug 2018

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I’m bettin’ on forgettin’ all the America that we knew…

Robert Redford says its his final film. That may say something else too.

That Redford might be hanging it up has the unmistakable feel of an era passing. For many, his face — from sandy-haired California boy to weathered mountain man — has charted half a century of something intrinsically American. His Sundance Kid, his Jeremiah Johnson, his Bob Woodward are figures of rigorous self-determination. From the young C.I.A. agent in “Three Days of the Condor” to the aged sailor in “All Is Lost,” they are smooth-sailing romantics whose quiet ways are violently capsized.

An unmistakable feel of an intrinsically American era passing.

Let that sink in. Try to deny it if you will. Eastwood is wrapping up what could be his final screen work. And what this signals is not just the end of two legendary movie careers. It’s something more. The intrinsically American part. No John Wayne. No Elvis. No television worth the watching. A “post literate” population little resembling the Posterity. Tweets…

So, what now?