John Dickinson

John Dickinson opposed the radical strategies of the Adams cousins, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and others.  He wanted American independence, but not at the expense of a war.  The Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congresses spoke against the measures that, he knew, would lead to war.

Yet, he was the one asked/assigned by the Continental Congress to write the first document of governance of these new United States, the Articles of Confederation.  Why, if he had steadfastly disapproved of what most of the delegates had advocated, that is, war for independence?

The reason is a lesson for all of us today.  Dickinson was reasoned and respected.  He opposed the others, but they realized he was an honest man, one committed to independence and freedom, but through other tactics.  He was an opponent, but was treated with respect because of both his own integrity and that of his opponents.

Look at how others--the "99%," the "Tea Partiers," etc.--are disparaged.  See how they are belittled, often ignorantly, erroneously, and dishonestly.  See how they are called names, unflattering names.  Note how there is no dialogue, just name-calling. 

Then remember the story of John Dickinson...more than two hundred years ago.

Fri Musings

There was an article in yesterday's newspaper about the U of M President.  The headline read, in part, "President strives to sustain academic excellence and affordability at U-M."  I don't know about the "academic excellence," but the rest of the article leaves me wondering about the "affordability."  Later, the article informs us that, when she took over, tuition was $7,298 a year.  Now, it's more than $12,800 and "the increase for out-of-state students has been even greater."  Affordability?  I guess our definitions of "affordability" differ.

Another article, in this AM's newspaper, notes that one of five families is burdened with college loan expenses.  As I've noted in earlier posts, I wonder how many of those students went to college with cars, big screen televisions, the latest cell phone gadgetry, etc.  Again, just wondering....

Yet another sign that the Apocalypse is nearly upon us.  NYC schools are offering girls 14 and older the "morning after" birth control (abortion?) pill.  Of course, the rationale is that "it provides relief and solace to a young woman or man" (yep, those are the exact words, not a kid, ah, but we do so much to have our kids grow up sooner and sooner) "who has made a mistake...." 

And the NFL referees, the regular ones, received an ovation upon their return last night--or so the newspaper recounted.  I don't watch much NFL, so I'll have to take its word for that.  How cool a couple of letters-to-the-editor said, "Who cares?"  Oh, yeah, I forgot, the "integrity of the game."  Silly rules, drugs, increasingly violent play, numerous players in trouble with the law...yep, the "integrity of the game."

Again, outside of those who get "freebies," that is other people's money from the government, and most teachers (the "sheeple" that they are), I can't imagine anyone voting for Obama.  The evidence of his ineptitude is ubiquitous.  (It's great to use that word!)  His arrogance is written all over his face and is loud and clear in his words.  His dishonesty and disingenuity are readily apparent.  His disdain for the Constitution and the rule of law are well documented--just look around at the appointment of so-called "czars" (an odd name to use in a democracy!) and the grotesque use of executive orders to circumvent the legislative process--that is government of the people, by elected representatives.  But, I guess, as Lincoln once said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time...."

As I look around and see what is going on, I am again reminded of Lincoln, who once said in the darkest days of the Civil War, "I'm too old to cry, but it hurts too much to laugh."

School Testing

I went over my grandson's English homework (can I still call it "English?) last night.  I almost laughed, but it was too serious.  I assume the work reflected what will be on the test, the state test.  What teacher, whose evaluation depends on the results of the test, wouldn't teach to the test?  It was more than a little ridiculous....

There were action verbs and linking verbs and helping verbs and verbs that were two of the above.  Some of the verbs fit more than one category....  OK, I understand knowing tenses--past, present, future--but all these types of verbs, why?  I don't need to know how a computer works to use one.  I don't need to know how a car works to drive one.  I would think that actual writing, using verbs instead of identifiying "helping verbs" or "linking verbs" would be better learning.  Ah, but what's on the test?

I guess it's like the NFL and receptions--it's a process.

Coincidence?

How coincidental that the guy who made that anti-Muslim film trailer and posted it on You Tube was arrested for "parole violations."  There were, I read, "eight violations" of the guy's terms of parole.  But, they were only discovered after the film trailer appeared??????  Doesn't that seem just a little tough to believe?  So much for free speech in this country....

Funny, how a guy can put a crucifix with Jesus on it in a beaker of urine and call it art and it is defended as freedom of expression.  A guy can smother a representation of Mary in dung and call it are and it is defended as freedom of expression.  As despicable as this junk is--and I won't call it art!--I agree it is protected, no matter how offended Christians are.  This nut case in California deserves the same freedom of expression, unqualified support in firm terms from the Obama Administration and State Dept.  BTW, why doesn't the President condemn the Broadway play, "The Book of Mormon?"  Gee, I wonder if Christians started killing themselves and Mormons started rioting, would that bring any reaction?  No, I don't think so....  Hypocrisy reigns.

BTW, does anyone believe the Presidential polls, that is, anyone other than Kool-Aid drinkers?  OK, Obama may be ahead of Romney (and I stillt think Obama will win--dread, dread) in the polls, but by 10 and 12 points?  C'mon!  Tell me that isn't a biased trick trying to seal an election victory. 

I wrote about media accuracy or inaccuracy a while ago.  I mentioned the "Pinocchios" awarded by the Wash Post for the most blatant of lies, er, misspeaking.  It was great to read something from the Post itself the other day that criticized the "fact checker" himself for being, if not dishonest, at least deception and/or disingenuous.  One of the examples was spot on--starting with a false premise.  As my math buddies often said, "Start with a false premise and you can prove anything."  There are reasons why newspapers are dying and the national TV networks are losing viewers.  One of them is stuff like this--lots of people don't like being lied to or deceived.

Several sports writers were critical of the NFL for the replacement officials.  I didn't see the big bad call from the other night.  I don't care.  I almost wrote to each of these sports writers, who wrote as if the replacement officials and the cry-baby responses from players and coaches was as big as World War 3.  C'mon.  I, for one, couldn't care less about the "integrity" of the NFL.  I don't care who wins.  The NFL, like so many of the professional sports, has become like the WWF, more entertainment than competition.  The NBA is the best example.  But let's get real serious..."integrity" and the NFL?  I turned on the Lions Sun and there was a review of a play, a reception by a Lions receiver.  He cleanly caught the ball, near the sideline, but clearly had both feet down in time and was never bobbling the ball.  He was tackled out of bounds, still not bobbling, still with those feet in bounds. When he hit the ground, he lost the ball and it was called "incomplete."  I wondered why.  The network brought on "an expert," a former NFL overseer of officials.  He said it was the right call, because "a reception is a process."  I had a process, too--I turned off the tube and quit watching.  Mowing the back grass was preferable to watching this "process."  By the way, why is it not a fumbled when a back is tackled and loses the ball when he hits the ground?  If the ground can't cause a fumble, how can it cause an incomplete pass?  I guess carrying the ball isn't a process.  And people still watch this stuff??????

Words for the Season

From Dictionary.com's Word of the Day have come some very timely words lately.  In light of the election season, they draw laughs and then resigned sadness.

One recent word was "pharasaic."  It means "hypocritical; self-righteous."  Ha!  Another was "palter."  It's meaning is "to talk insincerely or deceitfully."

On a related note, a recent newspaper article noted the reliance on "fact checkers" in various newspapers.  Candidates'/parties' claims are "checked" for accuracy.  One newspaper even gives "Pinocchios" for lies or at least deceit.  The article, though, indicated that some of these "fact checkers" need to be "checked" themselves.  In fact, it cited an instance where the "Pinocchio" newspaper deserved a "Pinocchio" itself.  Now, why isn't that a surprise?

Glee?

Now, not this movie or television show, although I haven't seen a minute of it/them--and have no plans to do so.  But glee as in joy and, in some instances, even giddiness.

I was thinking of this the other day, handing back papers/essays to students.  How disappointed many of them looked.  And, I noted, even some with Bs and Cs looked like they weren't too happy.  Hmmm.....  There was a day when I almost shouted with "glee" when I received a paper back with a B or even B- on it.  And, to get a B+?  That was almost sheer giddiness. 

How times have changed!  Now, a B is a let-down for many students.  Back when, my classmates practically exulted over Bs on papers; certainly we bragged about them.  I suppose it's the times.  Of course, it may also be the schools.

For a long time I was under the impression I had about the worst GPA among my classmates and friends at Amherst.  Only much later, maybe 25 or 30 years, did I discover it wasn't.  My GPA wasn't the best, but I was far from being the anchor.  My B- average was about, well, average. 

I remember being struck, hard, at how easy graduate school was--three different universities over the years.  I'm not sure it was that easy or if it was merely comparatively so.  I wondered, but appreciated it, when my advisers gave me graduate credit, up to three courses if I recall correctly, for my Amherst undergraduate courses.  Hmmmm....  It save me time and, at the time, money when it was very tight for us.  It all added up.

If I remember correctly, for the first two degrees, I only had to do 18 hours of credit.  And the third one, I think, I did 24 hours.  Each degree "required" 30 or 32 hours.  Yep, that's a lot of time and money.

And, not only was the work much, much easier, but grading was much more lenient, in all but one or two cases/classes.  I laugh when I think how my classmates at Amherst would react if they knew I was a Phi Beta Kappa (or whatever the equivalent is) in grad school--they don't.  In fact, before this admission, I think the number of people who knew this could be counted on one hand. 

Yes, I remember looking at my returned papers or even my report card at the end of a term at Amherst and thrilling at Bs and B-s.  I never had an A there, at least never for a course grade.  I was proud of the half dozen or so B+s I received.  I still have a few of those papers.  I look at them--and the B grades--and compare them to the B grades my students get...they don't match up too well.

 But, as I realize, times and places change.  I don't know if that's for the better or not.  It just is, I guess.

An all-A average v a B- average?  Nah, I wouldn't trade at all; I wouldn't even consider it.  I was a very, very lucky guy.

Differing

The editor of the Detroit Free Press retired last week.  Ron Dzwonkowski will be missed.  Oh, I often disagreed with what he wrote.  But he was always reasoned in his arguments.  His columns/editorials were thoughtful, insightful, and sometimes humorous.  He was an editor who, even though most often held views different from mine, I looked forward to reading and who I respected.  Perhaps as much, whether I wrote to him in support or in opposition, he always replied.

I didn't know Dzwonk had retired when I heard Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in an interview.  Just coincidentally, he talked about a similar thing--differences and disagreeing.  His example was his colleague, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  He noted, as everyone must know, that he and Justice Bader Ginsburg have very different views.  Yet, he said, "We are good friends."  He acknowledged that they differed, often greatly.  (He also made a joke, saying there was one category of cases on which they always agreed--unanimous decisions!  I thought it was funny.)  But, he also stressed, each recognized that the other, in his/her own way, was working to try to make things better.  That, Justice Thomas clearly stated, is what it is all about--doing one's best to make things better.

Yes, we can differ.  After all, this is America.  I don't think it's the differences that bother me very much; it's the hypocrisy.  That's a very different matter.

No matter one's political persuasion, we all can learn a few lessons from Ron Dzwonkowski and Clarence Thomas.