John: It's the myopia of the sheeple. A similar example is mountain climbing. Back in the day there was a debate about allowing people to do hard climbs on the cliffs or Yosemite or the big mountains in the NW. The argument was that they are dangerous and potentially require expensive rescues. The truth is that it's vastly more expensive to find a lost unprepared tourist than to pluck an unlucky climber off the most difficult face on El Capitan. Of course, should you suggest that Americans not be allowed to wander in the woods unprepared with their families or not be allowed to gorge themselves at a Micky D's, you'd hear all about freedom.
It's about understanding/accepting risk and ones own confidence level. Way back I used to messenger in Seattle, logged in tons of miles. I've been a mountain guide and a big wall climber. None of these things are safe to even think about. (Much better to go to the library, assuming it's close and you don't have to drive). I wear a helmet when I think the risk merits it. Other wise, I'll take the small additional risk with the increased pleasure/experience as I choose to do in so many other ways. Risk management, not risk avoidance.
Thanks Chris. I spent the morning reading his site. It certainly resonates with me. I've been using the term neo-tribal or neo-feudal internally to describe some of my thoughts that are parallel with Robb's. I quite like the concept of resiliency and iteration.
Thanks Scott. I found his site and have been having a good look around. I've been thinking along similar lines for a while. I look forward to picking Chris's brain.
Sorry, by above average I wasn't referring to the parents income level. To put it bluntly, I was meaning that the market should be able to start with the low cost kids.
"Because I don’t think poor kids who want out of failing public schools should have to turn to options funded by McDonalds and the Gap?"
Don't get all Freddy on me. Who's talking about the poor kids -- who are notoriously difficult. One would think that the market would at least be able to come up with something for the above average, that have supportive parents, that can beat the current system. Let's make it easy.
The fact that there isn't anything, indicates to me, that the market is not as ready as it pretends to be. Let the market show it's record with the low lying fruit. Then, and only then, should it be trusted with the hard cases.
John: Given the anachronistic character of our current school systems given the technology and communication improvements over just the last couple of decades, why can't private enterprise compete without vouchers? Why not drop the gauntlet at the feet of the entrepreneurs. If you can't beat this system independently, how good is what you're offering? Go ahead and set up private schools sponsored by McDonald's and the Gap that provide a superior product which the market will respond to. Trying to argue that the current system provides unfair competition undercuts the initial argument. Fed-x has done just fine against a government monopoly. It's the privateers that need to up their game rather than complaining.
Ok, so academic independence isn't important for the same reasons at K as it as at twelve. None the less, consider what you mock. Consider what would happen in places like Kansas with I.D.. Independence isn't just for cutting edge academics.
Tenure is more than a perk that allows us to pay teachers less money. It also ensures academic independence which is important.
I think there is probably more of a problem with bad kids than bad teachers ( though I certainly allow for the latter). When a teacher is trying to keep control of thirty kids, it only takes one to suck the oxygen out of the room. How about when a student gets multiple complaints? Should they be expelled? Then what?
This just seems too big a problem to even open up. My wife is a very good teacher that works in a school district that pays teachers a bit extra. Though she thinks well of some of her colleagues, she doesn't think the quality of teachers over all at her school are better than her previous school district that lacked the extra pay. We home school.
We started this year out in an accelerated program. After a semester, with very little math, and most one on one quality teaching came from the parents, we pulled her back to home schooling.
We also had a union problem in our school. There were a couple of long time employees that used their union positions to establish petty rule over other teachers and the principles. I just saw that they've succeeded in pushing out the current principle.... third in two years.
Ultimately, education needs to be reformulated. We're in an information age but still using some steampunk version of education. We need to have serious schools for the trades. We need meat and potato schools for the vast middle and programs for those parents that are willing to actually put in the work that it takes.
There's also the issue of adult education. When technology changes as fast as it has one can't rely on the education of ones youth. I'd support a government funded wiki or some such. Though to have it done right, it will most likely have to be done through the istore. I'd pay $1.99 to hear a great lecture or download a lesson.
Seems they have a different take at the Frontporch. I just ruined my morning coffee with it. It seems the problem is all the good city planners have moved to the coasts.
No reason not to share:
http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=3038
Cool. I've only driven through Flagstaff but love Sedona. Do you have a van? I'm a huge fan of vintage buses. I have a '79 and '78 Westy. I like the way they're set up for camping. I'm starting to get an awful itch for a 23 window.
"If I went on to say that I have trouble seeing a major difference between “imposition of *OUR* cultural values on Iraq” and “imposition of *OUR* cultural values on Houston”, you may see where I’m having the most trouble with your proposed solution."
I got a good chuckle out of this. The true limits of nation building?
"take away the American system of governance, and Americans largely cease to be Americans. I would argue that this is exactly what happens a little every time we fail to examine in painful detail the sins of our present and past or question whether those sins were truly worth committing; in so doing, we acquiesce to the undermining of the very ideals that we like to think define us as a people."
I really liked this passage. Of course, I'd argue that there are a number of different kind of "people" or social orders contained within the US which make the situation some what untenable
I'm not a helmet fan. I wear them for ice or aid climbing and pool skating.
Seattle (same for Van) is a wonderful city for cycling. The key is traffic. It has to be bad enough that the bike is faster than everyone else, otherwise you have people trying to pass when they shouldn't.
On “the imperial presidency (again)”
"Divisions of power are built in because we are indeed made from crooked timber"
The problem is that we haven't had substantial division of power for too long. Separation of powers is clearly not sufficient.
On “giving up cars”
Gym membership near work.
On “To Helmet or Not to Helmet?”
John: It's the myopia of the sheeple. A similar example is mountain climbing. Back in the day there was a debate about allowing people to do hard climbs on the cliffs or Yosemite or the big mountains in the NW. The argument was that they are dangerous and potentially require expensive rescues. The truth is that it's vastly more expensive to find a lost unprepared tourist than to pluck an unlucky climber off the most difficult face on El Capitan. Of course, should you suggest that Americans not be allowed to wander in the woods unprepared with their families or not be allowed to gorge themselves at a Micky D's, you'd hear all about freedom.
On “Master of Divinity”
Congrats. Vancouver is lucky to have your voice.
On “To Helmet or Not to Helmet?”
Well, if it's helped in hockey, let's introduce it to badminton.
On “US Religious Landscape”
Who's waiting for a revival? There are more maenads about now than any time in recent history.
On “To Helmet or Not to Helmet?”
It's about understanding/accepting risk and ones own confidence level. Way back I used to messenger in Seattle, logged in tons of miles. I've been a mountain guide and a big wall climber. None of these things are safe to even think about. (Much better to go to the library, assuming it's close and you don't have to drive). I wear a helmet when I think the risk merits it. Other wise, I'll take the small additional risk with the increased pleasure/experience as I choose to do in so many other ways. Risk management, not risk avoidance.
On “great powers critique: the nation-state in the 21st century”
Thanks Chris. I spent the morning reading his site. It certainly resonates with me. I've been using the term neo-tribal or neo-feudal internally to describe some of my thoughts that are parallel with Robb's. I quite like the concept of resiliency and iteration.
"
Thanks Scott. I found his site and have been having a good look around. I've been thinking along similar lines for a while. I look forward to picking Chris's brain.
"
Thanks Scott. I was hoping it linked to an essay on Robb's take (which I really like). Yup, early. Reading the blogs with coffee.
"
Hey Chris, the link to your global gaurillas/John Robb link seems to be broken. I'd love to read more on this.
On “One More Time Around the Track”
Sorry, by above average I wasn't referring to the parents income level. To put it bluntly, I was meaning that the market should be able to start with the low cost kids.
"
"Because I don’t think poor kids who want out of failing public schools should have to turn to options funded by McDonalds and the Gap?"
Don't get all Freddy on me. Who's talking about the poor kids -- who are notoriously difficult. One would think that the market would at least be able to come up with something for the above average, that have supportive parents, that can beat the current system. Let's make it easy.
The fact that there isn't anything, indicates to me, that the market is not as ready as it pretends to be. Let the market show it's record with the low lying fruit. Then, and only then, should it be trusted with the hard cases.
"
John: Given the anachronistic character of our current school systems given the technology and communication improvements over just the last couple of decades, why can't private enterprise compete without vouchers? Why not drop the gauntlet at the feet of the entrepreneurs. If you can't beat this system independently, how good is what you're offering? Go ahead and set up private schools sponsored by McDonald's and the Gap that provide a superior product which the market will respond to. Trying to argue that the current system provides unfair competition undercuts the initial argument. Fed-x has done just fine against a government monopoly. It's the privateers that need to up their game rather than complaining.
"
Ok, so academic independence isn't important for the same reasons at K as it as at twelve. None the less, consider what you mock. Consider what would happen in places like Kansas with I.D.. Independence isn't just for cutting edge academics.
"
Tenure is more than a perk that allows us to pay teachers less money. It also ensures academic independence which is important.
I think there is probably more of a problem with bad kids than bad teachers ( though I certainly allow for the latter). When a teacher is trying to keep control of thirty kids, it only takes one to suck the oxygen out of the room. How about when a student gets multiple complaints? Should they be expelled? Then what?
On “Teachers Unions, Performance Pay, and Autonomy”
This just seems too big a problem to even open up. My wife is a very good teacher that works in a school district that pays teachers a bit extra. Though she thinks well of some of her colleagues, she doesn't think the quality of teachers over all at her school are better than her previous school district that lacked the extra pay. We home school.
We started this year out in an accelerated program. After a semester, with very little math, and most one on one quality teaching came from the parents, we pulled her back to home schooling.
We also had a union problem in our school. There were a couple of long time employees that used their union positions to establish petty rule over other teachers and the principles. I just saw that they've succeeded in pushing out the current principle.... third in two years.
Ultimately, education needs to be reformulated. We're in an information age but still using some steampunk version of education. We need to have serious schools for the trades. We need meat and potato schools for the vast middle and programs for those parents that are willing to actually put in the work that it takes.
There's also the issue of adult education. When technology changes as fast as it has one can't rely on the education of ones youth. I'd support a government funded wiki or some such. Though to have it done right, it will most likely have to be done through the istore. I'd pay $1.99 to hear a great lecture or download a lesson.
On ““A Tale of Two Exurbs””
Seems they have a different take at the Frontporch. I just ruined my morning coffee with it. It seems the problem is all the good city planners have moved to the coasts.
No reason not to share:
http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=3038
On “heat”
Cool. I've only driven through Flagstaff but love Sedona. Do you have a van? I'm a huge fan of vintage buses. I have a '79 and '78 Westy. I like the way they're set up for camping. I'm starting to get an awful itch for a 23 window.
"
E.D. Where are you at in Arizona with mountains? Ever been to Jerome?
"
We're having our spring monsoons. It's wonderful. I went to high school in the desert; it ruined me for heat. I start bitching at 80 degrees.
On “An Exceptionally Moral United States”
"If I went on to say that I have trouble seeing a major difference between “imposition of *OUR* cultural values on Iraq” and “imposition of *OUR* cultural values on Houston”, you may see where I’m having the most trouble with your proposed solution."
I got a good chuckle out of this. The true limits of nation building?
"
"take away the American system of governance, and Americans largely cease to be Americans. I would argue that this is exactly what happens a little every time we fail to examine in painful detail the sins of our present and past or question whether those sins were truly worth committing; in so doing, we acquiesce to the undermining of the very ideals that we like to think define us as a people."
I really liked this passage. Of course, I'd argue that there are a number of different kind of "people" or social orders contained within the US which make the situation some what untenable
On “To Helmet or Not to Helmet?”
I'm not a helmet fan. I wear them for ice or aid climbing and pool skating.
Seattle (same for Van) is a wonderful city for cycling. The key is traffic. It has to be bad enough that the bike is faster than everyone else, otherwise you have people trying to pass when they shouldn't.
On “Not Knowing the Meaning of Words: Magic Negro Edition”
matoka: If E.D. is part of the conservative intelligentsia you have a problem with, you need to cut down on the kool-aid.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.