A couple decades ago I learned a valuable lesson from an unusual source. I was attending a state-wide event with some friends. We were in a que waiting for the next event when one of them said “we all agree that X, right?” Turns out I didn’t agree that X but rather than be the ONLY person in the que that didn’t I hesitated briefly while considering response. Before I reached a conclusion two other people spoke up and admitted that did NOT agree. And then two more. Unlikely allies. Fast forward two years. Sitting in a dressing room waiting for the show to open. Again someone opines “we all agree that Y is an idiot, right?” Without hesitating I responded “probably not.” I was followed by two others who quickly chimed in “nope.” Further discussion did NOT erupt.

Fast forward to today. I’ve been subbing for eight years. Been coming to this school for six and the HS building sub for three. I’ve achieved a comfort level with most of the faculty. But there are half a dozen or more new members every year. And one would think they’d try to feel out the temperature of the teachers lounge. Read the room as the interwebs say. But they can’t be bothered with that.

And so it was that one of the new ones decided to open lunch with an oration about how awful and redneck and conservative small towns were. The town that was the basis for his lecture has a population of about 40k. I’m quite familiar with it. It’s about ten times larger than the village in which I grew up and about eight times larger than the community in which we’re currently teaching. So I’m pretty sure he was talking about ME even though he was NOT talking about me. But he felt comfortable stereotyping and demeaning a significant part of the population, without realizing that SOME folks in the room might fall into those categories and be offended. And I know at least one other person in the room WAS offended because we have … certain things in common.

I didn’t speak up. Didn’t feel the need. I’ll just let the bigots continue to self identify. And I now know very clearly how this teacher feels about me … or would, if he knew who I was, rather than assuming that I’m just like him because we happen to occupy the same faculty lounge. Could I change his mind? Probably. But would it be worth it? And would it stick? And would he be willing to apply the lesson learned to other like situations? Doubtful. So we’ll allow him to continue to espouse his beliefs until such time as he over-reaches, which he likely will. And then we’ll speak up. Like those good folks in the que.

I’ve been more scattered than usual of late. Even these missives have been “a collection of stuff” more than applying to one specific topic. Now that school has started and Labor Day5 has passed (which USED to mean the same thing but doesn’t any more) perhaps it”ll pull together. AND I’ll start doing a weekly football post. So there’s that. Until then, another conglomeration.

I got downsized from the best job I ever had and this was on of the reasons: THE CONSEQUENCES OF GOVERNMENT MEDDLING: What Do “Gainful Employment” Regulations Accomplish? My little For Profit school’s numbers were comparable to the local community college, not quite as good as the local private institutions and better than the state schools, NONE of whom had to meet the same guideline. Make em all play by the same rules.

I listen to a growing list of historical podcasts and the one thing I require if you’re gonna occupy my ear time is that you avoid presentism. And here are some good guidelines on how to DO that: The laws of history

And speaking of presentism: In September 1868, Southern white Democrats hunted down around 200 African-Americans in an effort to suppress voter turnout.

FEMINISM IS SITUATIONAL: “On one hand, I feel bad that I’m playing into sexist tropes, but on the other hand, if you want to change my flat tire for me, I’m going to let you.”. Also : Body positivity is for women, not lazy white guys with dad bods. “If you have a dad bod, it’s time to hit the gym. It’s good for you – and we’ll appreciate you more. This movement isn’t for you and you need to stay in your own lane.”

For those of you not paying attention:

Ignoring Biden’s Fallout in Africa. “As a growing number of African countries devolve into chaos and seek alliances with countries opposed to US policy, the Biden administration is nowhere to be seen on the national stage. . . . It’s worthwhile noting that before Biden handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban, progressives at the State Department hoisted the rainbow flag over Kabul in a symbolic gesture that thoroughly infuriated small conservative nations around the world. Aside from the optics of turning our friends over to the terrorists, the Biden administration forgets that gestures like this do not sit well with many of the small African countries sitting on valuable oil and rare earth minerals. The result is many of these countries simply do not trust us. Instead of seeking help from the United States, a growing number of small, poor countries are running to Wagner for military support and China for shady loans.”

Related: “But the truth is, when we’re engaged with the Chinese, we get an airport. And when we’re engaged with you guys, we get a lecture.”

And I’ll close today with a lengthy quote which will likely be repeated:

To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so. To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, taxed, stamped, measured, numbered, assessed, licensed, authorized, admonished, prevented, forbidden, reformed, corrected, punished. It is, under pretext of public utility, and in the name of the general interest, to be place under contribution, drilled, fleeced, exploited, monopolized, extorted from, squeezed, hoaxed, robbed; then, at the slightest resistance, the first word of complaint, to be repressed, fined, vilified, harassed, hunted down, abused, clubbed, disarmed, bound, choked, imprisoned, judged, condemned, shot, deported, sacrificed, sold, betrayed; and to crown all, mocked, ridiculed, derided, outraged, dishonored. That is government; that is its justice; that is its morality.

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, “General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century,” first published in

French 1851.

Since I did the “what have I done” post I thought I’d spend a few minutes digging up the “where have I lived” thing.

58-61: Ohio Avenue

Next 7-10 years: Darbyview Drive

Next 5 or so years: Old house on Middle Pike

NEXT 5 or so years: NEW house on Middle Pike.

That gets me to college: Ada Ohio. Three years in Founders Hall, four years in the Northland Mobile Home Park! But home was still the new house on Middle Pike.

’85: Moved to Annadale, then to Dennison, then to Westmont. That was about five years. Then to West Liberty for a few months before relocating to Urbana. Was there for four years.

College Avenue “north” for just over a year. College Avenue “south” 99-09. In-laws for a few months, then here from 8/24/09 to date, (with a two-year interegnum to Hague Avenue.) And so I have lived HERE longer than I have lived ANYPLACE.

Finally settling down at 65!

JOHN HINDERAKER: PROOF THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST BLACKS.

Not news – nor a surprise: The Government Lost the War on Poverty

response to a post from last week: Yes, David Brooks, You Are the “Bad Guys”

GIVEN THE REPLICATION CRISIS, YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD DISTRUST AND VERIFY: Distrust the science.

related … maybe: COLOR ME UNSURPRISED: JAMA network open paper policing misinformation is full of misinformation.

School start has been …. interesting. They’ve added another building sub. Nice guy. Graduated from here a decade ago so is familiar with the culture. Freshman class is the size of Sr. and Jr. classes COMBINED.

Speaking of being dead … TRUST THE SCIENCE: Medical mistakes kill, permanently disable 795,000 Americans a year, study finds

Since summer was a test run for retirement: Visiting Death

Posting again, because it’s NEVER enough: NO, OF COURSE THERE WON’T BE AN APOLOGY, BECAUSE AN APOLOGY WOULDN’T BE ENOUGH:  Will There Ever Be an Apology for Covid Overreaction?

This is NOT following the science: SOMEONE GIVE HIM A COPY OF THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, THEN EXPLAIN THIS IS FUNNY ONLY ONCE:  WEF Advisor Describes COVID as Model for Making Change .

FOLLOW THE ACTUAL SCIENCE: ‘Caught-Red-Handed’: Scientists Call for Full Retraction of Nature’s Proximal Origin Paper, as Fraud Accusations Mount.

SCIENCE IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE:  ‘TrUsT tHe ScIeNcE!’ – Study Retractions Up 13,650% in 22

I’ll just leave this right here … NOW THEY TELL US: FDA explicitly recognizes that doctors do have the authority to prescribe ivermectin to treat COVID.”

and to wrap it all together: What does it mean to “trust science”?