The Nightmare of Undergraduate Prose

Here's the money quote from a college professor tired of reading undergraduate essays:

"I've stared at the black markings on the page until my vision blurred, chronicling and triaging the maneuvers I will need to teach them in 14 short weeks: how to make sure their sentences contain a subject and a verb, how to organize their paragraphs around a main idea, how to write a working thesis statement or any kind of thesis statement at all. They don't know how to outline or how to organize a paper before they begin. They don't know how to edit or proofread it once they've finished. They plagiarize, often inadvertently, and I find myself, at least for a moment, relieved by these sentence- or paragraph-long reprieves from their migraine-inducing, quasi-incomprehensible prose."

That's the experience of an undergraduate humanities professor in a nutshell. Trust me!

Joe H.

The Liberal Vision of America

"But there has always been another thread running throughout our history – a belief that we are all connected; and that there are some things we can only do together, as a nation. ... Part of this American belief that we are all connected also expresses itself in a conviction that each one of us deserves some basic measure of security. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, hard times or bad luck, a crippling illness or a layoff, may strike any one of us. “There but for the grace of God go I,” we say to ourselves, and so we contribute to programs like Medicare and Social Security, which guarantee us health care and a measure of basic income after a lifetime of hard work; unemployment insurance, which protects us against unexpected job loss; and Medicaid, which provides care for millions of seniors in nursing homes, poor children, and those with disabilities. We are a better country because of these commitments. I’ll go further – we would not be a great country without those commitments."

President Obama, Arril 14, 2011.

I wholeheartedly agree with Jonathan Cohn who, while discussing this passage, noted:

"If there is an essence of the liberal vision for America, that passage captures it. It's the idea that a modern, enlightened society promises economic security to all, notwithstanding illness, accident of birth, or age. The liberal vision is not an imperative to establish equality, as its detractors sometimes claim. But it is expectation that government will guarantee sustenance, peace of mind, and simple dignity--that the pursuit of these goals will bolster, rather than impede, freedom."

Amen!

Joe H.

The Evolution of a Preacher's Thought on the Sinfulness of Homosexuality

This short article is highly worth the 10 minutes it will take to read it. I particularly enjoyed it because, while not a minister, I traveled a very similar road in arriving at my current attitude about gayness and gay love. Is also describes the growing tension in the church on this issue in a remarkably lucid and compelling way.

Even if you don't share my conviction that homosexuality is normal (for homosexuals), morally neutral, and that gay love should be supported and celebrated within the context of traditional marriage, you'll learn alot from this pastor.

Joe H.

Cyber-bullying

My family has been discussing the issue of “cyber-bullying.” They are convinced that posting cruel and hurtful statements about someone online, or calling them names, or otherwise making fun of them, constitute cyber-bullying.

My position is that an online act can only be “cyber-bullying” if it first constitutes “bullying.” Making cruel hurtful statements about someone, calling them names, and making fun of them certainly qualify as harassment. But these acts, in and of themselves, don’t constitute bullying.

Bullying necessarily involves intimidation, threats, an attempt to create fear of harm, or to humiliate. A bully is not someone who is merely mean and hurtful, although bullies are mean and hurtful. A bully is someone who intentionally threatens and intimidates others in order to get his or her way - or to receive personal gratification from dominating another person. A jackass, however meanspirited and cruel, doesn’t do this.

This seems obvious to me.

Trouble is, I can’t get anyone to agree with me. Everyone in my family - and these are very intelligent people - insists that the acts described in the first paragraph are cyber-bullying.

So what? Am I missing something? If so, explain it to me.

I know its no big deal. The conceptual universe is not going to collapse if we fail to maintain the distinction between “jackass” and “bully.” But if there’s one thing I can’t stand its wilful conceptual confusion.

Joe H.

Tsunami Center - in Eva Beach

Whose bright idea was it to build the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Eva Beach?

Eva BEACH!

I've been to Eva Beach many times. I'd estimate its elevation to be about 5 ft. above sea level. The center is only a few hundred yards from the shoreline.

I see something like this and think to myself, "surely they must know something I don't." But you'd be suprised at how often that assumption is dead wrong.

Joe H.

Addiction

I haven't posted much lately and, although I have been busy with work, that is not the real reason for the dirth of posts.

I have a confession to make. I've become addicted . . .

to online poker on facebook!

Please help me. Refuse all chip requests for my good, no matter how much I beg.

Thanks in advance. I'm going to beat this thing - and it helps knowing you're standing with me.

Joe H.

Constitutionality of the ACA?

Hi everyone. Sorry for the dirth of recent posts. Been busy.

I recently read Florida federal district Court judge Vinson's decision declaring the Affordable Health Care Act unconstitutional. I had planned to excerpt some of his reasoning and comment (negatively) on it.

But this morning I stumbled upon this law review article by Professor Mark Hall, and decided, "what's the point - "that settles that!" Professor Hall's legal analysis is an analytical and methodical tour de force. It is also readible and mercifully short - 23 pages.

For those of you who wish to educate yourselves about the constitutional debate over the ACA and the "Individual Mandate," start here.

Joe H.