Just want to share a little poem that makes a point some may agree with:
MY JOB
It’s not my job to drive the train,
The whistle I can’t blow.
It’s not my job to say how far
The train’s allowed to go.
It’s not my job to blow the horn,
Nor even clang the bell.
But let the damn thing jump the track
And see who catches hell.
Maybe a better title would be: NOT MY JOB
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The Face Of America
Essie Mae Washington-Williams, the child Strom Thurmond had with a black maid, passed away on Monday, February 4, 2013. This photograph, taken in Charleston in 2003 when the relationship became public, can be seen as the face of America.
I am particularly struck by the face of the man to Essie Mae's left. He is Essie Mae's son, Strom Thurmond's grandson. To her right is her daughter. These are strong faces. The faces of leaders.
Our American faces.
Growth In Spending - Recent Presidents
Economist Mark Thoma has posted a bar chart showing per capita changes in government spending under recent presidents (Nixon to present). You may find it interesting.
Had there been growth instead of contraction during Obama's presidency, it seems fair to suggest that unemployment would have already returned to a normal range.
We have Republicans in both houses of Congress to thank for where we stand.
Had there been growth instead of contraction during Obama's presidency, it seems fair to suggest that unemployment would have already returned to a normal range.
We have Republicans in both houses of Congress to thank for where we stand.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Black Death And Papal Resignation
I read this morning that Pope Benedict XVI has announced his resignation. The Washington Post account mentioned that the last papal resignation was in 1415.
The 1415 resignation is one of the most interesting events in European history. It was preceded by the Babylonian Captivity of the Pope, the Black Death, and the Burning of Jan Hus. It was followed by the first Protestant regime in Europe, that of Bohemia and Moravia, the subsequent Protestant Reformation and the Renaissance and Enlightenment. These events were all accompanied by the end of serfdom in Europe, at least until 1619.
And by the way, the 100 Years' War between England and France.
It was all set in motion, or at least accelerated, by the Black Death (bubonic plague) of 1348, which killed from a quarter to two-thirds of the population of Europe.
Survivors wanted to know who to blame. In Germany and much of France, the answer was obvious: Jews had poisoned the wells. Thousands of Jews (who by the way were dying in great numbers also) were rounded up and slaughtered.
In Bohemia, however, many saw the plague as God's punishment for a corrupt church. One manifestation of that corruption was the fact that, since 1309, the Catholic Church had had two Popes, one in Avignon, under influence of the King of France and one in Rome. Another example of the church's corruption in the view of many clerics was the sale of indulgences, which so offended Martin Luther a century later.
The situation was exacerbated, in the eyes of the church hierarchy, by dissident priests challenging central tenets of Catholicism. The most prominent of these in the late 14th century was John Wycliffe of England, who escaped papal retribution by dying in December, 1384. The other prominent voice of dissent was the Bohemian Jan Hus, who was very much alive.
By 1415 there were three popes. Church authorities hoped to resolve the problem by scheduling a Council at Constanz, in present-day Germany. They also hoped to resolve the matter of their troublesome priests. John Wycliffe was already dead, but the Council declared him a heretic, ordered his body exhumed, decreed that his books be burned. The exhumation was carried out in 1428 when, at the command of Pope Martin V, his remains were dug up, burned, and the ashes cast into the River Swift.
Jan Hus was "invited" to the Council under a safe conduct. The safe conduct was not enforced. He refused to recant, and was burned at the stake.
Gregory XII, the Roman pope, resigned so that a special council in Constance, which is today a German city, could excommunicate the Avignon-based pope and start fresh with a new, single leader of the Catholic church.
A year later, just to show they weren't kidding, the Council burned Jerome, Jan Hus' deputy, at the stake.
If the new pope thought that would end the problems with Bohemia and Moravia, he was badly mistaken. The countryside rose up against the pope and his supporters among the nobility. The supporters of Hus fled to the Bohemian hills and fortified their headquarters. Appointing a one-eyed general (Jan Zizka) to lead their peasant army,during the following seventeen years, the Hussites fought back against seven different papal crusades, defeating the Catholic Nobles at every turn.
Eventually cutting a deal with the least militant Hussites, the Utraquists, the pope looked the other way while Bohemia and Moravia were allowed to practice what amounted to protestantism for nearly two centuries.
The 1415 resignation is one of the most interesting events in European history. It was preceded by the Babylonian Captivity of the Pope, the Black Death, and the Burning of Jan Hus. It was followed by the first Protestant regime in Europe, that of Bohemia and Moravia, the subsequent Protestant Reformation and the Renaissance and Enlightenment. These events were all accompanied by the end of serfdom in Europe, at least until 1619.
And by the way, the 100 Years' War between England and France.
It was all set in motion, or at least accelerated, by the Black Death (bubonic plague) of 1348, which killed from a quarter to two-thirds of the population of Europe.
Survivors wanted to know who to blame. In Germany and much of France, the answer was obvious: Jews had poisoned the wells. Thousands of Jews (who by the way were dying in great numbers also) were rounded up and slaughtered.
In Bohemia, however, many saw the plague as God's punishment for a corrupt church. One manifestation of that corruption was the fact that, since 1309, the Catholic Church had had two Popes, one in Avignon, under influence of the King of France and one in Rome. Another example of the church's corruption in the view of many clerics was the sale of indulgences, which so offended Martin Luther a century later.
The situation was exacerbated, in the eyes of the church hierarchy, by dissident priests challenging central tenets of Catholicism. The most prominent of these in the late 14th century was John Wycliffe of England, who escaped papal retribution by dying in December, 1384. The other prominent voice of dissent was the Bohemian Jan Hus, who was very much alive.
By 1415 there were three popes. Church authorities hoped to resolve the problem by scheduling a Council at Constanz, in present-day Germany. They also hoped to resolve the matter of their troublesome priests. John Wycliffe was already dead, but the Council declared him a heretic, ordered his body exhumed, decreed that his books be burned. The exhumation was carried out in 1428 when, at the command of Pope Martin V, his remains were dug up, burned, and the ashes cast into the River Swift.
Jan Hus was "invited" to the Council under a safe conduct. The safe conduct was not enforced. He refused to recant, and was burned at the stake.
Gregory XII, the Roman pope, resigned so that a special council in Constance, which is today a German city, could excommunicate the Avignon-based pope and start fresh with a new, single leader of the Catholic church.
A year later, just to show they weren't kidding, the Council burned Jerome, Jan Hus' deputy, at the stake.
If the new pope thought that would end the problems with Bohemia and Moravia, he was badly mistaken. The countryside rose up against the pope and his supporters among the nobility. The supporters of Hus fled to the Bohemian hills and fortified their headquarters. Appointing a one-eyed general (Jan Zizka) to lead their peasant army,during the following seventeen years, the Hussites fought back against seven different papal crusades, defeating the Catholic Nobles at every turn.
Eventually cutting a deal with the least militant Hussites, the Utraquists, the pope looked the other way while Bohemia and Moravia were allowed to practice what amounted to protestantism for nearly two centuries.
Education What's Wrong?
Too Many Cooks Spoil The Broth, at least according to an old bit of folk wisdom.
I have taken a preliminary look at bills introduced into the General Assembly that concern education.
A plethora of cooks!
I have been amazed for years at the steady stream of venom aimed at public schools, their teachers, and all who labor mightily at educating our children.
Our schools are failing! How do we know? Everyone says so.
When did everyone start saying that? As it happens, people started saying such things about 1970. Why? I'll save that for another post.
Since (we all know) the schools are failing, we have decided to give them more tasks, increase class size, and provide more direction by politicians.
How is that working out?
As it happens, we have the testimony of witnesses.
One such witness is Kenneth Bernstein, a recently retired high school teacher from Maryland. He has written a warning to college professors about the students about to enter their domain. His essay is definitely worth reading.
As is too often the case, actual experienced practitioners are keenly aware of problems in their area of expertise, but are powerless to do anything about it.
Bernstein makes it clear how much teachers resent the fact that their professionalism and dedication are not taken seriously.
IMHO, he has a point.
The late W. Edwards Deming, world renowned expert in quality control, observed in general that 85% of problems in quality are because of management. Mismanagement, if you will.
And teachers are workers, not management. In short, they are not to blame. Only those who make and run a system are responsible for the outcome. Increasingly that is meddling legislators and other elected officials.
Not long before he died, Deming completed a book titled The New Economics For Industry, Government, Education. Anyone interested in making a positive contribution to any of these three areas of human endeavor should read his book.
I have taken a preliminary look at bills introduced into the General Assembly that concern education.
A plethora of cooks!
I have been amazed for years at the steady stream of venom aimed at public schools, their teachers, and all who labor mightily at educating our children.
Our schools are failing! How do we know? Everyone says so.
When did everyone start saying that? As it happens, people started saying such things about 1970. Why? I'll save that for another post.
Since (we all know) the schools are failing, we have decided to give them more tasks, increase class size, and provide more direction by politicians.
How is that working out?
As it happens, we have the testimony of witnesses.
One such witness is Kenneth Bernstein, a recently retired high school teacher from Maryland. He has written a warning to college professors about the students about to enter their domain. His essay is definitely worth reading.
As is too often the case, actual experienced practitioners are keenly aware of problems in their area of expertise, but are powerless to do anything about it.
Bernstein makes it clear how much teachers resent the fact that their professionalism and dedication are not taken seriously.
IMHO, he has a point.
The late W. Edwards Deming, world renowned expert in quality control, observed in general that 85% of problems in quality are because of management. Mismanagement, if you will.
And teachers are workers, not management. In short, they are not to blame. Only those who make and run a system are responsible for the outcome. Increasingly that is meddling legislators and other elected officials.
Not long before he died, Deming completed a book titled The New Economics For Industry, Government, Education. Anyone interested in making a positive contribution to any of these three areas of human endeavor should read his book.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
When Homeowner's Associations Get Out Of Hand
This is a Fairfax County, Virginia case, but is probably of interest elsewhere. Turns out even HOA's have to follow the law. Worth reading.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
2013 Session, NC General Assembly
The 2013 session of the North Carolina Legislative Assembly has been in session for a little over a week. So far, representatives have introduced 87 bills and senators have introduced 75. It's a safe bet that more drafts will be filed in the weeks to come.
Some of the bills are necessarily complex and their effects obscure.
In all cases, key questions that must be answered for each bill are: "who benefits" and "who pays."
I plan to examine selected bills, especially those bearing on elections, education, energy and transportation.
Once I feel that I understand the bills, I plan to share my thoughts on this blog.
So far, I am prepared to lend my support to two bills:
H 38: Repeal Second Primaries. I support that measure. As I have previously written, not only are second primaries expensive, very few voters turn out. Only eight states, all from the former Confederacy, still hold second or runoff primaries. Best save some money and do away with them.
H 62: Pamlico and Neuse River Ferries/No Tolling. This bill does away with tolls on the Cherry Point/Minnesott Beach and the Aurora ferries. No resident of Pamlico County needs any further explanation.
More to come.
Some of the bills are necessarily complex and their effects obscure.
In all cases, key questions that must be answered for each bill are: "who benefits" and "who pays."
I plan to examine selected bills, especially those bearing on elections, education, energy and transportation.
Once I feel that I understand the bills, I plan to share my thoughts on this blog.
So far, I am prepared to lend my support to two bills:
H 38: Repeal Second Primaries. I support that measure. As I have previously written, not only are second primaries expensive, very few voters turn out. Only eight states, all from the former Confederacy, still hold second or runoff primaries. Best save some money and do away with them.
H 62: Pamlico and Neuse River Ferries/No Tolling. This bill does away with tolls on the Cherry Point/Minnesott Beach and the Aurora ferries. No resident of Pamlico County needs any further explanation.
More to come.
Refurbished Town Hall In Oriental
Oriental, NC had the official opening ceremony for the newly refurbished Town Hall. The event was well attended by public officials as well as local citizens. All who attended enjoyed the opportunity to see inside. Everyone seemed quite impressed with the facility.
Any resident who didn't make it to the grand opening should still make it a point to drop by as soon as possible.
This was a job well done, and the building will serve the Town well for many years.
Any resident who didn't make it to the grand opening should still make it a point to drop by as soon as possible.
This was a job well done, and the building will serve the Town well for many years.
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