Mark Steyn does it again
Another fantastic opinion piece by one of the greatest wits of the war on terror.
"Profound changes in the above countries would not necessarily mean the end of the war on terror, but it would be pretty close. It would remove terrorism’s most brazen patron (Syria), its ideological inspiration (the prototype Islamic Republic of Iran), its principal paymaster (Saudi Arabia), a critical source of manpower (Sudan) and its most potentially dangerous weapons supplier (North Korea). They’re the fronts on which the battle has to be fought: it’s not just terror groups, it’s the state actors who provide them with infrastructure and extend their global reach."
BTW, I just want to snicker at Wesley Clark whose complaint is that we should be fighting a war on terror, not states. I don't think Gen Clark has much of a clue. Put right up there with McClellen.
Sunday, November 30, 2003
Jesse Jackson protested
Recently, Megan McArdle wrote about the Principal-Agent Problem in regard unions and membership. Many observers believe this problem exists as well between Black leaders and the Black community. WLS TV in Chicago has a report on a protest against Jackson and his effort to draw attention to the need for jobs.
"We are tired of coming here to voice our opinion when we got African-American people sitting at the table and saying they represent our interests and playing this puppet game," said one protester.
Another said, "What has he sacrificed for his beliefs? Us. We've been sacrificed. On the altar of his political ambition our people have been destroyed."
What is interesting is Jackson's responce: "They lashed out at Dr. King, they lashed out at Nelson Mandela, they lashed out at Jesus, so all of those who fight for change become the object of frustration."
This statement only reflects how out of touch Jackson is from the people he claims to represent. Principal-Agent Problem indeed.
Recently, Megan McArdle wrote about the Principal-Agent Problem in regard unions and membership. Many observers believe this problem exists as well between Black leaders and the Black community. WLS TV in Chicago has a report on a protest against Jackson and his effort to draw attention to the need for jobs.
"We are tired of coming here to voice our opinion when we got African-American people sitting at the table and saying they represent our interests and playing this puppet game," said one protester.
Another said, "What has he sacrificed for his beliefs? Us. We've been sacrificed. On the altar of his political ambition our people have been destroyed."
What is interesting is Jackson's responce: "They lashed out at Dr. King, they lashed out at Nelson Mandela, they lashed out at Jesus, so all of those who fight for change become the object of frustration."
This statement only reflects how out of touch Jackson is from the people he claims to represent. Principal-Agent Problem indeed.
Thursday, November 27, 2003
More on Movies
This article by James Pinkerton at Tech Central Station provides an interesting, allied view to what Matthew was talking about in the previous link. Pinkerton writes about the SW series and the Matrix movies as well.
This article by James Pinkerton at Tech Central Station provides an interesting, allied view to what Matthew was talking about in the previous link. Pinkerton writes about the SW series and the Matrix movies as well.
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Movie essay Arrived
My brother says "... going through Two Towers goodness.... will be writing a blog explaing with LOTR examples how George Lucas Screwed up Star Wars."
He pauses and continues, "Well not screwed up.... more like could have told differently"
Here is the link.
My brother says "... going through Two Towers goodness.... will be writing a blog explaing with LOTR examples how George Lucas Screwed up Star Wars."
He pauses and continues, "Well not screwed up.... more like could have told differently"
Here is the link.
Monday, November 24, 2003
Velvet Revolution in Georgia
EUobserver reports that Eduard Shevardnadze has resigned as president. A useful run up to today/yesterday's events can be found at rantburg. A brief bio of Shevardnadze can be found here.
EUobserver reports that Eduard Shevardnadze has resigned as president. A useful run up to today/yesterday's events can be found at rantburg. A brief bio of Shevardnadze can be found here.
Sunday, November 23, 2003
Prager rebroadcasts show on Social Reconstructionism
My last post, or post attempt, failed when this show was originally broadcast. Dennis exaggerates the influence of social reconstruction in the schools. Its a significant philosophy of teaching to be sure, but its not dominant. The dominant philosophy of education is progressivism. Progressives and social reconstructionists get along well, as I detail in the above link, the later emerges from the former in the same way that essentialists emerged from perennialists. The real problem, however, is not the schools. Especially after 9-11 the number of teachers displaying and encouraging patriotism clearly outnumbers the social reconstructionists. The problem is textbooks, education departments in colleges, and professional teacher organizations, especially the NEA. The professional organizations and the text books promote a social reconstructionist perspective (the professional orgs as advocates of the glorious future that awaits and the textbooks in order to avoid offending anyone). This reinforces the progressivism and social reconstruction that is promulgated by teacher education. All of this insidiously created ontological commitment from teachers who otherwise would have little interest in social justice and all the rest. It is also organizations outside the school who impose political correctness on the school. Social reconstructionists are their allies in the school, but no one imposes punitive penalties for free thought on themselves, and since teachers normally operate without observation of the work, political correctness can be said to be an externality. This is especially a problem because most teachers lack a formal intellectual training and so lack disciplinary integrity, that is to say a commitment to the teachings of their subject as revealed by a method.
So why am I not affected? First I was an Aristotelian prior to ed school. I know how to reason, I understand the primacy of metaphysics, I have a theory of society and human conduct. Second, I had formal academic training, getting a masters in history before starting teacher training, so I had further developed my reasoning ability, but specifically I studied intellectual history and my undergraduate advisor was a specialist in the conflict between the humanists and the scholastics. Hence, tracing the movement of and analyzing ideas was well developed. As a result, when I was given an idea in teacher ed, I was able to put it in an intellectual framework and make sense of its place in the history of education. Once you know what progressivism and social reconstructionism are, you can elect to embrace, reject, or dabble in their philosophies. Those who lack such a capacity are far more apt to accept the world as its described by a teacher ed program, and is then reinforced by professional organizations.
For example, teacher education wrings its hands about poorly performing students. It speaks about them at great length and with great concern. It has almost nothing to say and no concern about students who are doing well. The teacher college does not recognize the gifted, talented, or exceptional student as a problem to be addressed as though they presented no special challenge to a teacher. Certainly poorly performing students is a problem. But, its not the only problem, its just only problem teacher ed has anything to say anything about. All of its totems and fetishes concern the poorly performing student, motivationally, culturally, cognitively, and so on.
As a final note, Prager comes away looking an awful lot like a Rousseau, and Jean-Jacques is the father of all this wackiness Prager finds so offensive. I propose Prager bush up on his Aristotle and Locke.
My last post, or post attempt, failed when this show was originally broadcast. Dennis exaggerates the influence of social reconstruction in the schools. Its a significant philosophy of teaching to be sure, but its not dominant. The dominant philosophy of education is progressivism. Progressives and social reconstructionists get along well, as I detail in the above link, the later emerges from the former in the same way that essentialists emerged from perennialists. The real problem, however, is not the schools. Especially after 9-11 the number of teachers displaying and encouraging patriotism clearly outnumbers the social reconstructionists. The problem is textbooks, education departments in colleges, and professional teacher organizations, especially the NEA. The professional organizations and the text books promote a social reconstructionist perspective (the professional orgs as advocates of the glorious future that awaits and the textbooks in order to avoid offending anyone). This reinforces the progressivism and social reconstruction that is promulgated by teacher education. All of this insidiously created ontological commitment from teachers who otherwise would have little interest in social justice and all the rest. It is also organizations outside the school who impose political correctness on the school. Social reconstructionists are their allies in the school, but no one imposes punitive penalties for free thought on themselves, and since teachers normally operate without observation of the work, political correctness can be said to be an externality. This is especially a problem because most teachers lack a formal intellectual training and so lack disciplinary integrity, that is to say a commitment to the teachings of their subject as revealed by a method.
So why am I not affected? First I was an Aristotelian prior to ed school. I know how to reason, I understand the primacy of metaphysics, I have a theory of society and human conduct. Second, I had formal academic training, getting a masters in history before starting teacher training, so I had further developed my reasoning ability, but specifically I studied intellectual history and my undergraduate advisor was a specialist in the conflict between the humanists and the scholastics. Hence, tracing the movement of and analyzing ideas was well developed. As a result, when I was given an idea in teacher ed, I was able to put it in an intellectual framework and make sense of its place in the history of education. Once you know what progressivism and social reconstructionism are, you can elect to embrace, reject, or dabble in their philosophies. Those who lack such a capacity are far more apt to accept the world as its described by a teacher ed program, and is then reinforced by professional organizations.
For example, teacher education wrings its hands about poorly performing students. It speaks about them at great length and with great concern. It has almost nothing to say and no concern about students who are doing well. The teacher college does not recognize the gifted, talented, or exceptional student as a problem to be addressed as though they presented no special challenge to a teacher. Certainly poorly performing students is a problem. But, its not the only problem, its just only problem teacher ed has anything to say anything about. All of its totems and fetishes concern the poorly performing student, motivationally, culturally, cognitively, and so on.
As a final note, Prager comes away looking an awful lot like a Rousseau, and Jean-Jacques is the father of all this wackiness Prager finds so offensive. I propose Prager bush up on his Aristotle and Locke.
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
College Readiness
The St Louis Dispatch had a story yesterday on readiness for college. The story refers to this report by the Manhattan Institute. The demand in our society is not for plumbers, but for the college educated. There are not enough of them.
The St Louis Dispatch had a story yesterday on readiness for college. The story refers to this report by the Manhattan Institute. The demand in our society is not for plumbers, but for the college educated. There are not enough of them.
Universal Education
There are those who imagine that the traditional liberal education is fine for the wealthy (if they want it) but that the common man and woman benefits from a different kind of education, which despite its theoretical claims amounts to vocational education. This offends me on grounds both egalitarian and meritocratic. As an egalitarian I am offended by the notion that some students cannot profit from knowledge about the natural world and the social world as reflected in math, science, history, and literature. That they should be content with the life of a tradesman. This is especially curious in a world in which mechanization has eliminated so many jobs. Mechanization, as well as self-service and globalization constantly threaten the simple tradesman. Less so the engineer. Indeed the engineer may profit from all of these trends. As a meritocrat I am offended by the notion that the children of tradesmen are themselves best suited for trades and that the professionals of tomorrow will inevitably spring from the children of professionals. This denies the very real possibility that some of tomorrow's professionals will spring from the children of tradesmen if only they are given educational opportunities, rather than guided into vocational instruction. My own parents, professionals with four masters degrees between them, were the children of a janitor and an envelope cutter. This I think is the American experience.
There are those who imagine that the traditional liberal education is fine for the wealthy (if they want it) but that the common man and woman benefits from a different kind of education, which despite its theoretical claims amounts to vocational education. This offends me on grounds both egalitarian and meritocratic. As an egalitarian I am offended by the notion that some students cannot profit from knowledge about the natural world and the social world as reflected in math, science, history, and literature. That they should be content with the life of a tradesman. This is especially curious in a world in which mechanization has eliminated so many jobs. Mechanization, as well as self-service and globalization constantly threaten the simple tradesman. Less so the engineer. Indeed the engineer may profit from all of these trends. As a meritocrat I am offended by the notion that the children of tradesmen are themselves best suited for trades and that the professionals of tomorrow will inevitably spring from the children of professionals. This denies the very real possibility that some of tomorrow's professionals will spring from the children of tradesmen if only they are given educational opportunities, rather than guided into vocational instruction. My own parents, professionals with four masters degrees between them, were the children of a janitor and an envelope cutter. This I think is the American experience.
Monday, November 17, 2003
Updated your bejo lately?
If proscriptivists ever replace "blog" with "web journal" they must understand that "web journal" will be contracted into something like "bejo" or something else as irrational as "blog". Like it or lump it sayeth the rabbit.
If proscriptivists ever replace "blog" with "web journal" they must understand that "web journal" will be contracted into something like "bejo" or something else as irrational as "blog". Like it or lump it sayeth the rabbit.
Sunday, November 16, 2003
Monday, November 10, 2003
Lileks asks "This Riyadh bombing story would be cause for a brief dank gust of saudenfreude if the damage hadn’t been so horrible. Will the Saudi newsmagazines run covers that say “Why Do They Hate Us” – or, more accurately, “Why Do We Hate Us”? It’s a blue-pill / red-pill moment for the Saudis; it reminds you – if you needed just a jab – that history is moving swiftly around us. And it would seem to be an act of audacious stupidity by Al Qaeda – this isn’t just biting the hand that feeds them. This is biting it, tearing it off, chewing it up, and blowing smoke rings with the bone powder.
"And it makes me wonder: They stick the shiv in the ribs of their richest and most enthusiastic backers.
"What makes them this confident?"
The answer to Lilek's final question is a key one. Al Quaeda doesn't just attack the West, they attack states which are insufficiently Islamic. One thing you can see is that from the POV of Al Quaeda, the Saudis are insufficiently Islamic. Do they think they will shame the Saudis into rejecting the West?
"And it makes me wonder: They stick the shiv in the ribs of their richest and most enthusiastic backers.
"What makes them this confident?"
The answer to Lilek's final question is a key one. Al Quaeda doesn't just attack the West, they attack states which are insufficiently Islamic. One thing you can see is that from the POV of Al Quaeda, the Saudis are insufficiently Islamic. Do they think they will shame the Saudis into rejecting the West?
Sunday, November 09, 2003
Observation
Those who would criticize privatization in schools totally ignore the fact that public schools are also slaves to the dollars they need to keep operating, and so seek to send parents and legislatures away happy (with or without satisfaction). Focus on test scores, dropout rates, or class size are intended to please the constituents of the public schools to keep tax dollars rolling in and the critics at bay. Government serves customers just as private companies do, they just do it differently. The willingness of schools to sell junk food and candy to students in huge quantities leaves me in no confidence that the public schools are immune from the same kinds of pressures as private schools would be.
Those who would criticize privatization in schools totally ignore the fact that public schools are also slaves to the dollars they need to keep operating, and so seek to send parents and legislatures away happy (with or without satisfaction). Focus on test scores, dropout rates, or class size are intended to please the constituents of the public schools to keep tax dollars rolling in and the critics at bay. Government serves customers just as private companies do, they just do it differently. The willingness of schools to sell junk food and candy to students in huge quantities leaves me in no confidence that the public schools are immune from the same kinds of pressures as private schools would be.
Saturday, November 08, 2003
Books Arrive
Diane Ravitch's book Left Back: A Century of Battles over school reform has arrived. It looks very good. I'll comment on it as I get more reading done.
Diane Ravitch's book Left Back: A Century of Battles over school reform has arrived. It looks very good. I'll comment on it as I get more reading done.
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
Odd Occurance
Going through matchbooks at Lileks.com. Matchbooks with phone numbers for their businesses like MAin 3297 (sic), TEmpleton 8-7987, and ELdorado 5-9858. It put me of a mind for Pennsylvania 6-5000, by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Suddenly it appeared on MoonTaxi, the internet radio I was playing. Coincidence, or master plan of the Martians?
Going through matchbooks at Lileks.com. Matchbooks with phone numbers for their businesses like MAin 3297 (sic), TEmpleton 8-7987, and ELdorado 5-9858. It put me of a mind for Pennsylvania 6-5000, by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Suddenly it appeared on MoonTaxi, the internet radio I was playing. Coincidence, or master plan of the Martians?
Sunday, November 02, 2003
Dumbing Down Our Kids
Been reading Charles J. Sykes book Dumbing Down Our Kids. Its a stark indictment of our schools. Its specific examples of what is goofy about our schools strike me as the most egregious examples rather than representative ones, but I can attest from within the beast that the differences are only of degree, not of kind. I have since gone ahead and ordered Diane Ravitch's book Left Back. Typical teaching methods are so riddled with utopian fantasy, that I'll have to seriously examine contemporary practice and the long history of educational practice to devise a more reliable classroom practice.
Been reading Charles J. Sykes book Dumbing Down Our Kids. Its a stark indictment of our schools. Its specific examples of what is goofy about our schools strike me as the most egregious examples rather than representative ones, but I can attest from within the beast that the differences are only of degree, not of kind. I have since gone ahead and ordered Diane Ravitch's book Left Back. Typical teaching methods are so riddled with utopian fantasy, that I'll have to seriously examine contemporary practice and the long history of educational practice to devise a more reliable classroom practice.
America and Europe
Thomas Friedman has a columnn today on the breech between Old Euope and America (he doesn't use that term). He postulates that we have different goals and that this is the source of our problem. Indeed, but I don't think things are as technocratic as some of the lines in his column suggest. He quotes Carl Bildt, the former Swedish PM, "Every European prime minister wakes up in the morning thinking about how to share sovereignty" and "the U.S. president wakes up thinking about where the next terror attack might come from and how to respond." [the quotes are of TF paraphrasing CB]
Yes, and no. Another line gets closer to the heart of the matter. "Pretending to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people — by calling for the removal of sanctions but keeping Saddam in power so he can buy lots of stuff from Germany and France — is priceless to them. But easing the suffering of the Iraqi people by removing Saddam's whole sick regime is worthless to them." France has shown a certain unwillingness to embrace the globalization the US granted the world in 1944 at Bretton Wood. They resent US interfearance in what was effectively a satalite state, Iraq. Hence the notions of a counterweight to the US.
Thomas Friedman has a columnn today on the breech between Old Euope and America (he doesn't use that term). He postulates that we have different goals and that this is the source of our problem. Indeed, but I don't think things are as technocratic as some of the lines in his column suggest. He quotes Carl Bildt, the former Swedish PM, "Every European prime minister wakes up in the morning thinking about how to share sovereignty" and "the U.S. president wakes up thinking about where the next terror attack might come from and how to respond." [the quotes are of TF paraphrasing CB]
Yes, and no. Another line gets closer to the heart of the matter. "Pretending to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people — by calling for the removal of sanctions but keeping Saddam in power so he can buy lots of stuff from Germany and France — is priceless to them. But easing the suffering of the Iraqi people by removing Saddam's whole sick regime is worthless to them." France has shown a certain unwillingness to embrace the globalization the US granted the world in 1944 at Bretton Wood. They resent US interfearance in what was effectively a satalite state, Iraq. Hence the notions of a counterweight to the US.
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