Society
We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane. Kilgore Trout -Kurt Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions, Ch 1.
The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found. -Barack Obama
Memories of Ann Williams
I was sad to hear that Ann Williams died, and I extend my sympathies to her family. Ann Williams was my English teacher at Jackson High School during my Junior year. Miss Williams, as we knew her, was an involved and caring teacher. Her love of literature was apparent in her teaching. As a class, for example, she had us do a full reading of Macbeth, with assigned parts, which gave us all, the great majority of us with no dramatic experience, a serious exposure to the beauty of his language, a personal glimpse into the difficulties of "playing" a part, and for my part, contributed to a life-long appreciation of Shakespeare and of Shakespeare done well.How did we get ourselves into this terrible financial mess?
The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.
How did we get ourselves into this terrible financial mess?
Macroeconomics, the rap version
John Maynard Keynes and F. A. Hayek rap out their macroeconomic differences in Fear the Boom and Bust. This parody is funny, but is also a 'simple' primer on the extremes of our current economic choices.
Recasting the American Dream
Are we going in the right direction as a country? Do we have effective leaders? Are our goals, our American Dream, achievable? If not, what should they be?Book review, Title Relentless Pursuit, Author Donna Foote, Rating 3.5,
Relentless Pursuit
Donna Foote
Book review
Teach for America
Donna Foote's book Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches with Teach for America describes the controversial teacher program, following five of its young college graduates who immediately out of college and just after a short training stint, are teaching for the first time, and in failing inner city schools.
Thanks to my favorite professor, Dr. Kenneth Krane
I recently stumbled across the path of my favorite professor from my college years, Dr. Kenneth Krane, after lo these many years; he was describing his approach to writing Physics textbooks. I was happy to discover that he has been given awards for teaching excellence, and has written textbooks of his own. In particular, he was invited by the authors of the best general physics textbook, Halliday and Resnick, to co-author their extended version of General Physics so as to include those topics of modern physics that he taught me so long ago; this version is also held in high regard.Resident physicians: Too tired, or what?
Residents, or resident physicians, are young physicians who are completing their training by working, under the supervision of other physicians, very long hours for several years in a teaching hospital. Concern is routinely raised regarding being treated by physicians who are still learning, and might be exhausted and perhaps making poor judgments. Two current medical residents debate the issue.
Louise Watson – In Memoriam
Louise Watson passed away last week; I attended her memorial service yesterday, and the sanctuary was filled to overflowing; Louise was involved with many throughout the community.
Watson family.
Family.
The promise of new life
In the face of my grand-niece, Sophia Catherine Wiebe, shines all of the promise of new life. She inspires me every day. I look forward to the day when Cindy and I have our own grandchildren.
Attrib: W. Burt Ferguson, Family.
Burt Ferguson Remembered: passions
My father-in-law Burt died recently, and before he died, we, Cindy, Scot and I, had some conversations with him about his passions. Cindy and Scot sat up through the night during Burt's last days, and reminisced about their Dad's many pastimes and loves. Aside from words and reading, Burt had many other passions. When he became interested in a pastime, he became “obsessed” with it. His greatest sporting passions were probably tennis, chess, and bicycling.
Oregon Scribbler.
Burt Ferguson Remembered: words, words, words
My father-in-law Burt died recently, and before he died, Burt and I spent many hours talking about language, history and philosophy, his great passions. Burt spent more time reading than any other of his pastimes. He was a serious reader, meaning both that he read carefully, and that he read very little fiction or humor, but focused on more sober subjects. One of the most powerful and recurring memories that his children have of him is Burt sitting in his den, reading and taking notes. This habit continued into his last days; Burt spent much of his retirement hours in his den engrossed in reading about his favorite subjects.Burt Ferguson Remembered: WWII
My father-in-law Burt died recently, and before he died, we, Cindy, Scot and I, had some conversations with him about his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Taken prior to Operation Anvil, per Burt.. Attrib: W. Burt Ferguson, Family.
Attrib: W. Burt Ferguson, Family.
Burt Ferguson Remembered: early life
My father-in-law Burt died recently, and before he died, we, Cindy, Scot and I, had some conversations with him about his early life. William Burton Ferguson was born on January 12, 1925, in Portland, Oregon. His father and mother, Mel and Stella Wood Ferguson . . .Burt Ferguson: in memoriam
Burt Ferguson died last Thursday morning of heart failure; he was 85 years old. Burt's four children were with him at the end; one from afar, in spirit, even at that moment en route to him, and the rest around his bedside.
Family.
Burt is my father-in-law, my wife Cindy's father. He brought Cindy into this world, and for that alone I am deeply grateful to him.
Healthcare and the last days – Letting go
The surgeon Atal Gawande asks, "What should medicine do when it can’t save your life?" In the U.S., terminally ill patients are most often given aggressive cure-at-all-costs treatment rather than palliative, or comfort care. But while patients live about the same amount of time whichever choice is made, for aggressive treatment the quality-of-life is much lower, and the economic costs are enormously higher. Gawande suggests that, for terminally ill patients, by changing the focus of their care to quality-of-life rather than aggressive treatment, the economic problem itself will be significantly lessened as a result.The Mosque near Ground Zero, continued – Britt Towery
Britt Towery weighs in on the mosque near Ground Zero, in his post entitled All religions subject to U.S. Constitution. Here is a highlight : The center is not at Ground Zero but two blocks away. It is not designed as a local mosque but to serve the wider community. It also is meant to improve interfaith relationships among people of every faith. In a nutshell it is promoting tolerance.
The Mosque near Ground Zero, continued – Leonard Pitts
Leonard Pitts asks:
... One wonders how far from Ground Zero ... [is it] proper for Muslims to build? A mile? Twenty? A hundred? Or maybe nowhere within the borders of these United States.
The Mosque near Ground Zero – Uniting Americans Against Terrorism
"Build the mosque near ground zero! Families of the Christian and Muslim victims can share common grief, and Christians and Muslims, together as Americans, can show common cause in the fight against global terrorism." -Thomas A. Wiebe, The Oregonian, Short Takes, Aug 1, 2010The Bard of Wasilla
Sarah Palin is now the self-styled Shakespeare of Twitter, and has stimulated a twitter-based exchange of wit; however, the humor only served to obscure the fear-mongering of Palin's initial message.
Iraq as a Failed Anti-Terrorism Policy
The Bush administration has seriously hurt America’s anti-terrorism efforts with a failed policy in Iraq. For the past 18 months, the Bush administration has focused America's military almost exclusively on Iraq, spending precious lives and money to fight internal Iraqi terrorism that was created by invading Iraq. Over 600 US troops and a half a trillion dollars have been lost on Iraq, tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed, with no end in sight.
Examining race and innocence
Here is a thoughtful article regarding race and innocence, entitled "I'm black, you're white, who's innocent? Race and power in an era of blame", by Shelby Steele. It was published first in the Atlantic Monthly in June of 1988, and it is still relevant.
Is the International Baccelaureate program anti-American?
The International Baccelaureate (IB) program has slowly been catching on in U.S. high schools as a college preparatory alternative to the more typical Advanced Placement (AP) program. Some opponents to its introduction have labeled it 'anti-American'.
Watch USA v England . . . in Lego-motion!
A Lego reenactment of the goals scored in the USA vs. England 2010 World Cup group match.
For my brother Peter.
The bigotry of "judicial activism"
Stephanie Jone's Washington Post article, entitled "Thurgood Marshall's legacy deserves cheers, not sneers", is a solid response to the GOP flogging of Thurgood Marshall during the Kagan Supreme Court confirmation hearings last week; Marshall was accused repeatedly of being an "activist" judge. "Activist" is a term which is often used by conservatives to define a judge who goes beyond the Constitution to make law, rather than interpret it.David Brooks over-reacts to McChrystal’s firing
David Brook's opinion piece in the New York Times, The Culture of Exposure, was written in response to the article in Rolling Stone about General Stanley McChrystal, which precipitated McChrystal's loss of his Afghanistan military command. While I generally agree with Mr. Brook's sentiments regarding sensationalism from the media (of which he is part), some of which serves to over-expose poor private behavior, I find his response to Gen. McChrystal's dismissal from command incomplete and inadequate.
Oregon Scribbler.
Congratulations to Dr. Jon! Woohoo!
Our son Jonathan Wiebe graduated from the University of Virginia medical school recently, and just started his residency at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. Congratulations, Jon!
"Superman violates the laws of physics!" (I will never live that down.)
Many years ago, my wife and I viewed the Superman movie with Christopher Reeve, which featured a scene wherein Superman sees Lois Lane being crushed in an earthquake, and so he flies around the earth faster than the speed of light so that he can go back in time and rescue Lois just before she is crushed.
My immediate response to this was "That couldn't happen; nothing can move faster than the speed of light." My wife's response was to start giggling without pause.
Book review, Title Angler, Author Barton Gellman, Rating 3.0,
Angler
Barton Gellman
Book review
The historic Cheney Vice-Presidency
Bart Gellman's book Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency is a competent and sometimes surprising look at Dick Cheney's vice-presidency. The most surprising revelation? Cheney's fall from W.'s grace.
Waving the flag for the right reasons
Federal law was changed a few years ago to allow veterans and servicemen not in uniform to salute the flag when it was being hoisted or lowered or presented, typically at a ball game. Prior to that, only servicemen were allowed that privilege. Civilians who haven’t served still should remove their hat and hold it or their hand over their heart.
Book review, Title Sh*t My Dad Says, Author Justin Halpern, Rating 3.5,
Sh*t My Dad Says
Justin Halpern
Book review
Candid, loving portrait of Dad
Pungent humor is the outward appeal of this loving and candid portrait of Dad; that it is often poignant and contains a surprising amount of insight is the hidden delight.
Cheating on a metaphysics exam
Selected one liners from Woody Allen:
"I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me."
"Those that can't do, teach, and those that can't teach, teach gym."
"I failed to make the chess team because of my height."
The wisdom of Mark Twain
"I want to be in Kentucky when the end of the world comes, because they are always 20 years behind."
-Mark Twain?Substitute for Kentucky a place that you feel is less aware than you think you are.
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