Archives for May 2013

“They Just Don’t Get It” part 2

Now The Atlantic doesn’t get it.  Here is their post for today, followed by my reply which I think contains some interesting facts I only recently discovered. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/should-you-go-to-college-the-i-atlantic-i-faq/276392/#comments “Should who go to college where? That is the appropriate question; not, should you go to the generic college because a generic (and suspect) average says the generic […]

Worried they “just don’t get it”

Before I post a link to the most recent instant of this, an explanation is justified.  Here is my worry.  Too many newspapers, radio shows, tv commentators talk about a college “degree”.  When someone points out that not all degrees represent an education, I worry that the authors, etc… think, “Everyone knows that not all […]

Two sides to the “online course coin”

There is an article in today’s Wall Street Journal titled “Web Courses Woo Professors: Online Firm Opens Way for More Educators to Create Their Own Internet Classes” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324682204578513541557842934.html?mod=WSJ__MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird#articleTabs%3Dcomments I commented about my worries after reading these two paragraphs that I think show both sides of the coin.  First, the good side, “I think that what […]

Here is an informative comment I received on the post on Adolf Carlson

As only one of Dolf’s multitude of friends and admirers worldwide, I would like to provide just a bit of background information* about this author — an educator and scholar — who, throughout his brilliant and accomplished life, remained a humble and sincere friend to every person he came to know. “His education and scholarly […]

NY Times article on Visas and hi-tech

Here is the link http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/technology/tech-industry-pushes-to-amend-immigration-bill.html?ref=business#comments I don’t feel I am knowledgeable enough to know whether Silicon Valley companies want more visas to hire cheaper labor; or, whether they really can’t find enough qualified Americans.  I do know, as do readers of this blog, that one can’t determine how many people are qualified for jobs based […]

New Quote Added

From Harvard University’s President Derek Bok’s 1996 Report to the Board of Overseers, “The commercialization of universities is perhaps the most severe threat facing higher education…Universities appear less and less as charitable institutions seeking truth and serving students, and more and more as a huge commercial operation that differs from corporations only because there are no shareholders and […]

My take on today’s front page article in NY Times “Chinese Creating New Auto Niche Within Detroit”

Here is the link to the article http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/business/global/chinese-automakers-quietly-build-a-detroit-presence.html?ref=todayspaper The article starts, “Chinese-owned companies are investing in American businesses and new vehicle technology and ….hiring experienced engineers and designers in an effort to soak up the talent and expertise of domestic automakers and their suppliers.” I worry that, for reasons I give in the following comment, […]

“How Colleges Are Selling Out the Poor to Court the Rich” by Jordan Weissmann in The Atlantic

The study Jordan referrs to is interesting.  It can be found at http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Merit_Aid%20Final.pdf The link to Jordan’s article is http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/how-colleges-are-selling-out-the-poor-to-court-the-rich/275725/ Here is a copy of my comment, a response to it, and my reply: (If you are a regular reader of this blog, there is not much new here, but the study (referred to above) […]

Are we going to replace Adolf Carlson?

I just read an excellent review of one of Tolstoy’s short stories. The reveiw was written by Adolf Carlson.  He was a West Point graduate – class of 1969.  He was an infantry officer and served in Vietnam.  There he was a Platoon Leader and Company Commander.  He had read Tostoy’s story in the original Russian […]