Your God
/Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God. -Martin Luther (born November 10, 1483)
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
Articles of Interest about Higher Ed - Nov 9
/***HIGHER ED
Here's why colleges are being forced to close their doors - and what they can do to stay open http://theconversation.com/heres-why-colleges-are-being-forced-to-close-their-doors-and-what-they-can-do-to-stay-open-126399
The Williams English Boycott https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/06/students-williams-call-boycott-english-department
American University Responds to Backlash https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/06/american-university-defends-itself-wake-public-backlash-over-students-forced-removal
State Court Rejects Prager University’s Lawsuit Against YouTube https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2019/11/state-court-rejects-prager-universitys-lawsuit-against-youtube.htm
***THE COST OF COLLEGE
The University of Chicago projected to be the first U.S. university to cost $100,000 a year https://hechingerreport.org/university-of-chicago-projected-to-be-the-first-u-s-university-to-charge-100000-a-year/
***HUMANITIES
When STEM Becomes STEAM, We Can Change The Game (opinion) https://www.forbes.com/sites/taliamilgromelcott/2019/11/07/when-stem-becomes-steam-we-can-change-the-game/
The humanities may seem pointless, but that is the point https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2019/10/31/humanities-pointless-Jesuit-education
***TEACHING
A teacher says he was fired for refusing to use male pronouns for a transgender student https://www.10news.com/news/national/a-teacher-says-he-was-fired-for-refusing-to-use-male-pronouns-for-a-transgender-student
How to teach sensible elementary statistics to lower-division undergraduates https://statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2019/11/03/how-to-teach-sensible-elementary-statistics-to-lower-division-undergraduates/
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Longtime Liberty University professor to leave school over concerns about academic independence https://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/longtime-liberty-university-professor-to-leave-school-over-concerns-about/article_1542e52b-e8b9-5aa0-b1fc-f0f6bf658bb5.html
Grand Canyon U: Ed Dept to treat it as for-profit for Title IV funding https://www.educationdive.com/news/grand-canyon-u-ed-dept-to-treat-it-as-for-profit-for-title-iv-funding/566792/
Baylor professor apologizes after guest speaker promotes conversion therapy https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/baylor-professor-apologizes-after-guest-speaker-promotes-conversion-therapy-n1079221
Northwest Nazarene University nears completion of new student commons https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/2cscoop/northwest-nazarene-university-nears-completion-of-new-student-commons/article_5715d176-0fd5-5109-96a6-0e0634b6f85a.html
Are Faculty At Religious Colleges Ministers? Gordon College prof's lawsuit claims she was denied promotion because of her advocacy for the college's LGBT students https://www.wbur.org/edify/2019/11/08/higher-education-religious-colleges-ministry-promotion-suit
What Liberty University Tells Us About Derelict Trustees (opinion) https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelpoliakoff/2019/11/07/what-liberty-university-tells-us-about-derelict-trustees/#6833eb394c41
***FREE SPEECH
The pro-free-speech documentary No Safe Spaces https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/11/documentary-no-safe-spaces-adam-carolla-dennis-prager-fight-free-speech-bans/
The free speech election https://www.axios.com/free-speech-election-tech-regulation-polarization-316a777c-0462-4c49-8c2c-7d88c396b7c1.html
***RESEARCH INTEGRITY
Ethical research — the long and bumpy road from shirked to shared https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03270-4
How do researchers acquire and develop notions of research integrity? A qualitative study https://bmcmedethics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12910-019-0410-x
Stanford professor who changed America with just one study was also a liar https://nypost.com/2019/11/02/stanford-professor-who-changed-america-with-just-one-study-was-also-a-liar/
***RESEARCH
Academics hide, play dumb, don't care or over-perform. Everything to oppose the system and administration https://sciencenorway.no/academia-work/academics-hide-play-dumb-dont-care-or-over-perform-everything-to-oppose-the-system-and-administration/1582885
Peer reviewers were more likely to reject papers from female authors, especially if the reviewer was male https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/rsc-report-finds-publishing-pipeline-hinders-women/4010608.article
This Science Vigilante Calls Out Bogus Results in Prestigious Journals https://onezero.medium.com/this-science-vigilante-calls-out-bogus-results-in-prestigious-journals-eb5a414c7f76
Are legal concerns stifling scientific debate? https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/are-legal-concerns-stifling-scientific-debate
***OK BOOMER
Watch the moment a millennial politician shut down a colleague by saying 'Ok boomer' https://www.insider.com/video-millennial-mp-says-ok-boomer-heckled-nz-parliament-2019-11
If You Call Me a “Boomer” You Are Committing a Hate Crime https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/if-you-call-me-a-boomer-you-are-committing-a-hate-crime
***STUDENT MEDIA
Fake news? No jobs? Prospective journalists soldier on https://apnews.com/5fe1a874e20c476d9d177f6628638b45
Univ of Portland student newspaper unpublishes opinion piece about student found dead https://www.imediaethics.org/student-newspaper-deletes-memorial-to-student/
***STUDENT LIFE: ESPORTS
Ohio State is taking its investment in esports to the next level https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/05/institutions-introduce-undergraduate-degree-programs-esports
Getting to Know the Next Generation of Video Gamers https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/video/2019/nielsen-tv-getting-to-know-the-next-generation-of-video-gamers/
***STUDENTS & FINANCE
Millennials earn 20% less than boomers—despite being better educated https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/05/millennials-earn-20-percent-less-than-boomersdespite-being-better-educated.html
***STUDENTS LIFE
14 SDSU fraternities suspended after student is hospitalized https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/11/08/14-sdsu-fraternities-suspended-after-student-is-hospitalized/
Lying to ourselves
/Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others. -Fyodor Dostoevsky
a saint
/Don’t call me a saint. I don’t want to be dismissed that easily. -Dorothy Day (born Nov. 8, 1897)
Articles of interest about religion - Nov 7
/***RELIGION BY THE NUMBERS
Spiritualism In 'The In-Betweens' https://www.npr.org/2019/10/27/773817425/spiritualism-in-the-in-betweens
In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/
***RELIGION
In World War II, spreading the Gospel while spying for the US http://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/in-world-war-ii-serving-jesus-while-spying-for-the-united-states/2019/10/24/c12f787e-bde7-11e9-a5c6-1e74f7ec4a93_story.html
Familiarity with religious groups is linked to warmer feelings toward them https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/10/31/in-u-s-familiarity-with-religious-groups-is-associated-with-warmer-feelings-toward-them/
American Academy of Religion releases new guidelines on what undergraduates should understand about all religions prior to getting their degrees https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/10/29/american-academy-religion-offers-new-guidelines-teaching-religion
Scammer poses as pastor of Fort Myers Presbyterian church https://www.nbc-2.com/story/41284364/scammer-poses-as-pastor-of-fort-myers-presbyterian-church
Beijing Changes Bible Characters to Ancient Chinese in Church Magazine https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/beijing-changes-bible-characters-to-ancient-chinese-in-church-magazine.html
***RELIGION AND POLITICS
Evangelicals have been reshaped into the image of Trump himself (opinion) https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/evangelicals-have-been-reshaped-into-the-image-of-trump-himself/2019/10/28/f37f5154-f9c0-11e9-ac8c-8eced29ca6ef_story.html
Trump wanted to build a megachurch with prosperity gospel grifter Paula White https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/trump-wanted-to-build-a-megachurch-with-prosperity-gospel-grifter-paula-white-report/
President Donald Trump taps pastor Paula White for White House job https://nypost.com/2019/11/02/trump-taps-pastor-paula-white-for-white-house-job/
Trump administration proposes rule that allows faith-based child welfare groups to exclude LGBTQ families https://www.10news.com/news/national/trump-administration-proposes-rule-that-allows-faith-based-child-welfare-groups-to-exclude-lgbtq-families
How Mike Pence’s Office Meddled in Foreign Aid to Reroute Money to Favored Christian Groups https://www.propublica.org/article/how-mike-pences-office-meddled-in-foreign-aid-to-reroute-money-to-favored-christian-groups
***PARACHURCH ORGANIZATIONS
Sanford residents fight to keep large Christian Evangelical ministry out of their historic neighborhood https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-sanford-downtown-christ-nations-residents-20191101-b6mzmd3hinfl5j5uw27v3noi7e-story.html
World Vision tinkers with its 70-year-old child sponsorship model https://theconversation.com/world-vision-tinkers-with-its-70-year-old-child-sponsorship-model-124383
***RELIGION & THE ENVIRONMENT
Why There's A Divide Between Environmentalists And Evangelicals https://www.npr.org/2019/11/04/776173312/why-theres-a-divide-between-environmentalists-and-evangelicals
Evangelicals in Brazil see abuse of God's earth as a sin – but will they fight to save the Amazon? https://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-evangelicals-in-brazil-see-abuse-of-gods-earth-as-a-sin-but-will-they-fight-to-save-the-amazon-126098-20191106-story.html
***DENOMINATIONS
Mohler, prominent Southern Baptist, will be nominated to lead denomination https://religionnews.com/2019/11/04/mohler-prominent-southern-baptist-will-be-nominated-to-lead-denomination/
UMC’s Western Jurisdiction announces ‘safe harbor’ for LGBTQ clergy https://religionnews.com/2019/11/06/united-methodists-western-jurisdiction-announces-safe-harbor-for-lgbtq-clergy/
***MEGACHURCHES
Only months after sexual assault allegations & resignation, Megachurch pastor looks to launch new church https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2019/10/28/andy-savage-looks-launch-new-church-after-sexual-assault-allegations/2485740001/
Flags wave, people protest at Dallas megachurch‘s ‘America is a Christian Nation‘ sermon https://valliantnews.com/2019/11/03/flags-wave-people-protest-at-dallas-megachurchs-america-is-a-christian-nation-sermon/
Josh Harris, fallen evangelical mega-pastor: "I excommunicated myself" https://www.axios.com/josh-harris-evangelical-pastor-excommunicated-64674ffd-4e09-458a-8697-3d207100e11e.html
***RELIGION & SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
Christian Comedian John Crist Admits to 'Addiction Struggles' as He's Accused of Sexual Misconduct https://people.com/tv/christian-youtuber-comedian-john-crist-apologizes-sexual-misconduct-allegations/
Sex abuse lawsuit against Southern Baptist leader headed to appeals court https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Sex-abuse-lawsuit-against-Southern-Baptist-leader-14815626.php
***MILLENNIALS & RELIGION
What are millennials killing now? Churches (opinion) http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-millennials-are-skipping-church-and-not-going-back/2019/10/27/0d35b972-f777-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html
Why millennials are skipping church and not going back https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-millennials-are-skipping-church-and-not-going-back/2019/10/27/0d35b972-f777-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html
***RELIGION & MUSIC
Kirk Franklin's reflections on police violence were cut from TBN’s broadcast of his Dove Awards acceptance speech https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5db848f1e4b036b6a1672803/amp?guccounter=1
Kayne West's Jesus Is King Hits No. 1 on Top Christian Albums Chart, Billboard 200 Chart https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/mikaela-matthews/kayne-west-s-jesus-is-king-becomes-no-1-on-top-christian-albums-chart-billboard-200-chart.html
Saying no
/Many of us seem to have great difficulty in simply saying “No” to requests made of us or even invitations to us. Somehow we assume – whether we are aware of it or not – that either the other person is too weak to cope with our refusal and will be offended or a relationship is impossible to maintain without 100 percent mutual agreement.
Daily examples of the results of this nonassertive belief can be seen when other people invite you out to join them in some social activity. How comfortable do you feel in assertively revealing your true state by saying simply and openly: “No, I just don’t feel like it this weekend. Let’s try it another time?” Instead you invent “good” reasons that will not allow the other person to get irritated, feel rebuffed and possibly dislike you. Most of us follow this inane behavior pattern because of our childish belief that we cannot function properly if we do things that cause other people to remove their good will toward us, even a little bit.
Although generalizations are suspect and typically useless, our behavior in this area is sufficiently childish to prompt me to make this observation: one cannot live in terror of hurting other people’s feelings. Sometimes one offends. That’s life in the big city!
Manuel Smith, When I Say No, I Feel Guilty
Learning From History
/When the generation that survived the war is no longer here, we’ll find out whether we have learned from history. -Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel (on Nov. 5, 1945, Germany surrendered to Allied forces)
Articles of Interest about Literature, Journalism, Writing & Languages – Nov 4
/***JOURNALISM
Here are the 34 news projects Google is funding in North America https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/10/audio-archiving-public-meeting-tracking-and-more-local-boosts-here-are-the-34-news-projects-google-is-funding-in-north-america/
These watchdogs track secret online censorship across the globe https://www.cnet.com/features/the-watchdogs-tracking-secret-online-censorship-across-the-globe-ooni/
Local news is more trusted than national news — but that could change https://www.knightfoundation.org/articles/local-news-is-more-trusted-than-national-news-but-that-could-change
***FAKE NEWS
'It's a fine target': Census bureau to fight misinformation https://www.apnews.com/7d310c83acc648cd8762d0fb05f49afb
“Data voids” on the web have opened a door to manipulators and other disinformation pushers https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/11/watch-your-language-data-voids-on-the-web-have-opened-a-door-to-manipulators-and-other-disinformation-merchants/
***SOCIAL MEDIA
The Most Frequent Emoji https://home.unicode.org/emoji/emoji-frequency/
Facebook’s removal of false ad shows a double standard for policing content https://wapo.st/2CdZ6tb
Instagram May Be Causing an Increase in Yoga Injuries https://www.thecut.com/2019/11/instagram-cause-yoga-injuries-increase.html
***LANGUAGE
What 26,000 books reveal when it comes to learning a language https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191025110311.htm
Do our reading lists determine how we process language?https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326891.php#1
From vocabulary to grammar, long-dead elements of the language still haunt our everyday speech (podcast) https://slate.com/podcasts/lexicon-valley/2019/10/zombie-elements-of-the-english-language
***WRITING & READING
An expedition reveals the perils of reading Dostoyevsky in Antarctica https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2019/10/10/an-expedition-reveals-the-perils-of-reading-dostoyevsky-in-antarctica
Scientific evidence on how to teach writing is slim https://hechingerreport.org/scientific-evidence-on-how-to-teach-writing-is-slim/
***LITERATURE
An 18th-century guide to hunting vampires inspired the first works of vampire fiction https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2019/09-10/vampire-mania-in-eastern-europe/
Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Novel Adaptation
www.openculture.com/2019/11/anne-franks-diary-the-graphic-novel-adaptation.html
***POETRY
'Love Poems (For People With Children)' https://www.npr.org/2019/10/26/773030262/sleep-loss-sunscreen-and-very-little-sex-in-these-love-poems-for-parents
One language dies every two weeks. How can poetry help? (podcast) https://www.theguardian.com/books/audio/2019/oct/29/one-language-dies-every-two-weeks-how-can-poetry-help-books-podcast
When poetry can help to ease the pain https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/28/when-poetry-can-help-to-ease-the-pain
New ‘Divining Poets’ Poetry Decks Spotlight Quotes By Rumi And Emily Dickinson https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelkramerbussel/2019/10/28/new-divinging-poets-poetry-decks-spotlight-quotes-by-rumi-and-emily-dickinson/#59dbc69763a0
***PRIVACY & SECURITY
Adobe left millions of Creative Cloud user records exposed online https://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/adobe-left-millions-of-creative-cloud-user-records-exposed-online /
Under digital surveillance: how American schools spy on millions of kids https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/22/school-student-surveillance-bark-gaggle
ACLU sues feds to get information about facial-recognition programs https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/10/aclu-sues-feds-to-get-information-about-facial-recognition-programs/
China touts dubious emotion recognition AI tech to find criminals http://bit.ly/2qmsVFe
***INTERNET
50 years ago, I helped invent the internet. How did it go so wrong? (opinion) https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-10-29/internet-50th-anniversary-ucla-kleinrock
The Internet Archive is adding digital previews of book sources to Wikipedia articles https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/4/20947403/wikipedia-internet-archive-book-citations-digitizing-online
Expecting Initiative
/Holding people to the responsible course is not demeaning; it is affirming. Proactivity is part of human nature, and although the proactive muscles may be dormant, they are there. By respective the proactive nature of other people, we provide them with at least one clear, undistorted reflection from the social mirror.
Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
loneliness & solitude
/Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self. -Mary Sarton
Maintaining
/It’s the maintenance of life, the plumbing of life that we sometimes slip into and forget the prose and poetry. It’s easier to make lists, it’s easier to call the plumber, its easier to wonder why the car doesn’t work, and spend our life, worrying about the plumbing. And one day at 50 we wake up and say, “Why is there no juice? Why is there no joy? Why is there no pleasure?”
Roger Fransecky
Articles of Interest about Higher Ed - Nov 1
/***HIGHER ED
East Carolina University Interim Chancellor Resigns Over Boozy Night With Students https://www.thedailybeast.com/east-carolina-university-interim-chancellor-dan-gerlach-resigns-over-boozy-night-with-students?via=rss
The University of Arizona is changing the way it refers to itself https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/university-of-arizona-is-changing-the-way-it-refers-to-itself/75-21e834f8-a0f9-477d-abfb-519a08ff6151
Do trustees have full freedom of speech? https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/01/do-trustees-have-full-freedom-speech
***HIGHER ED & FINANCES
Ashford University restructuring contributes to hundreds of layoffs https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/10/31/ashford-university-restructuring-contributes-hundreds-layoffs
***HIGHER ED IN COURT
Southwestern College Withheld Investigation Docs From Shooting Involving Former Police Chief: Lawsuit https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Southwestern-College-Accused-of-Withholding-Investigation-Into-Accidental-Shooting-by-Former-Police-Chief-564129871.html
***FREE SPEECH
University of Michigan settles free-speech lawsuit https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/university-of-michigan-settles-free-speech-lawsuit/article_3e189a51-8889-5f99-a8cc-a212294cb091.html
***TEACHING
A teacher says he was fired for refusing to use male pronouns for a transgender student https://www.10news.com/news/national/a-teacher-says-he-was-fired-for-refusing-to-use-male-pronouns-for-a-transgender-student
Dueling Brain Waves Anchor or Erase Learning During Sleep https://www.quantamagazine.org/dueling-brain-waves-anchor-or-erase-learning-during-sleep-20191024/
Faculty support for online learning builds slowly, steadily -- but not enthusiastically https://www.insidehighered.com/news/survey/faculty-support-online-learning-builds-slowly-steadily-not-enthusiastically
***ACADEMIC LIFE
Oxford professor ‘failed to properly acknowledge’ Chinese colleagues https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/oxford-professor-failed-properly-acknowledge-chinese-colleagues
Catchy findings have propelled this young ecologist to fame—and enraged his critics https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/10/catchy-findings-have-propelled-young-ecologist-fame-and-enraged-his-critics
Professor Pleads Guilty to A Scheme to Defraud the National Science Foundation https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/pr/professor-pleads-guilty-scheme-defraud-national-science-foundation
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Generational Divide Among Evangelicals Shakes Prominent Seminary (sub req’ed) https://www.wsj.com/articles/generational-divide-among-evangelicals-shakes-prominent-seminary-11572354000
People want to know: Who gave Gordon College all that money? (sub req'ed) https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/10/28/the-world-wants-know-who-gave-gordon-college-all-that-money/26cc4ZGp345s5x1UAknwiP/story.html
Why attend a Christian university? Here’s an answer you weren’t expecting. https://christianchronicle.org/why-attend-a-christian-university-heres-an-answer-you-werent-expecting/
Student on Cincinnati Christian University's decision to close: 'l feel like I’ve been lied to' https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/student-on-cincinnati-christian-universitys-decision-to-close-l-feel-like-ive-been-lied-to
Liberty University: A Cautionary Tale https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2019/10/liberty-university-a-cautionary-tale/
Northwest Christian University sees record enrollment https://nbc16.com/news/local/northwest-christian-university-sees-record-enrollment
Mid-America Christian University offers state’s first bachelor’s degree in data analytics
Hundreds to attend conference at Wheaton College to advance evangelical-Muslim dialogue
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS & DISCRIMINATION
How Christian Colleges Are Responding to LGBTQ Regulations https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/no-obvious-answer-christian-colleges-responding-lgbtq-regulations /
Some Christian Colleges in SC exempt from anti-discrimination law https://www.postandcourier.com/news/some-sc-colleges-exempt-from-anti-discrimination-law-leaving-lgbtq/article_ed967c90-c04f-11e9-980e-ef21a5b3da55.html
***RESEARCH
Is Science working well as it did in the 40s? (Podcast) http://www.theblackgoatpodcast.com/posts/everybody-act-normal/
China publishes “new standards defining plagiarism, fabrication” etc. http://www.ecns.cn/m/news/society/2019-10-23/detail-ifzpzfnq8046778.shtml
Ghostwriting Peer Reviews https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/01/ghostwriting-peer-reviews-advisers-more-common-you-might-think
***STUDENT LIFE
A doctoral student wore a skirt made of rejection letters to defend her dissertation. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/dissertation-phd-doctor-rejection-letter-skirt-caitlin-kirby-a9166866.html
Working while in college might hurt students more than it helps https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/24/working-in-college-can-hurt-low-income-students-more-than-help.html
Major In Esports At Ohio State https://www.npr.org/2019/10/27/773817348/major-in-esports-at-ohio-state
Survey: Number of kids watching online videos soars https://apnews.com/6d2694d32a7d44bf9619172d26c674da
College athletes permitted to be paid for name, image, likeness https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/10/30/college-athletes-permitted-be-paid-name-image-likeness
New data on the 36 million Americans who left college without a credential https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/10/31/new-data-36-million-americans-who-left-college-without-credential
The millennials taking on France's funeral business https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191028-the-high-tech-start-ups-taking-on-frances-funeral-providers
Listening is
/Listening is not thinking about what you are going to say when the other person has stopped talking. – H Norman Wright
The March of Technology
/The designs built into modern technology comes from savvy, white-coated engineers working tirelessly in their laboratories to create the most effective devices. Right? Kevin Kelly offers this example of how decisions made by generations past stay with us in unexpected ways:
Ordinary Roman carts were constructed to match the width of Imperial Roman war chariots because it was easier to follow the ruts in the road left by the war chariots. The chariots were sized to accommodate the width of two large war horses, which translates into our English measurement as a width of 4' 8.5". Roads throughout the vast Roman empire were built to this spec. When the legions of Rome marched into Britain, they constructed long distance imperial roads 4' 8.5" wide. When the English started building tramways, they used the same width so the same horse carriages could be used. And when they started building railways with horseless carriages, naturally the rails were 4' 8.5" wide. Imported laborers from the British Isles built the first railways in the Americas using the same tools and jigs they were used to. Fast forward to the US Space shuttle, which is built in parts around the country and assembled in Florida. Because the two large solid fuel rocket engines on the side of the launch Shuttle were sent by railroad from Utah, and that line traversed a tunnel not much wider than the standard track, the rockets themselves could not be much wider than 4' 8.5."
As one wag concluded: "So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of two horses' arse."
Kevin Kelly
too short!
/Life is too short for drama and petty things. So KISS slowly; LAUGH insanely; LOVE truly; And FORGIVE quickly!
Choosing Prison
/Our capacity to choose changes constantly with our practice of life. The longer we continue to make the wrong decisions, the more our heart hardens; the more often we make the right decision, the more our heart softens – or better perhaps, comes alive.
Each step in life which increases my self-confidence, my integrity, my courage, my conviction also increases my capacity to choose the desirable alternative, until eventually it becomes more difficult for me to choose the undesirable rather than the desirable action. On the other hand, each act of surrender and cowardice weakens me, opens the path for more acts of surrender, and eventually freedom is lost.
Erich Fromm, The Heart of Man
Articles of Interest about Religion - Oct 27
/***RELIGION
How Westboro Church Founder’s Granddaughter Is Working to ‘Dismantle’ Family’s Legacy of Hate https://people.com/human-interest/westboro-church-founder-granddaughter-dismantle-legacy-of-hate/
Religion is fueling a new wave of immigration activism https://www.axios.com/religion-is-fueling-a-new-wave-of-immigration-activism-6443e1a9-9c2d-4670-a3c4-4b0d219e766e.html
The making of world's first 'Scientology city' in Clearwater https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2019/investigations/scientology-clearwater-real-estate/
Tennessee pastor, Freedom From Religion Foundation spar over ad, book https://fox17.com/news/local/tennessee-pastor-freedom-from-religion-foundation-spar-over-ad-book
Founding principal of Christian colleges in Australia charged with historic sex abuse https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/founding-principal-of-christian-colleges-charged-with-historic-sex-abuse-20191025-p5348z.html
***RELIGION AND POLITICS
Teaching Democrats to Speak Evangelical https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/teaching-democrats-to-speak-evangelical
New polling suggests that Trump’s base is totally unified behind the president, no matter what investigations might reveal https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/10/trump-white-evangelical-impeachment/600376/
ICE drops $300,000 fine for an immigrant in church sanctuary https://religionnews.com/2019/10/25/ice-drops-300000-fine-for-an-immigrant-in-church-sanctuary/
***RELIGION & MONEY
Chicago Churches Help To Pay Off Cook County Residents' Medical Debt https://n.pr/367iTZ2
Here's how much money these megachurches bring in across the US https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apos-much-money-megachurches-bring-145031393.html
***MEGACHURCHES
Megachurch pastor tells Beth Moore to get out of the Pulpit and Go Home https://religionnews.com/2019/10/19/accusing-sbc-of-caving-john-macarthur-says-beth-moore-should-go-home/
One of the first of many sexual abuse lawsuits expected under a new California law targets Modesto megachurch https://baptistnews.com/article/one-of-the-first-of-many-sexual-abuse-lawsuits-expected-under-a-new-california-law-targets-modesto-megachurch/#.Xa-q7y2ZPNI
Joel Osteen reportedly invites Kanye West to megachurch service https://www.wthr.com/article/joel-osteen-reportedly-invites-kanye-west-megachurch-service
***CONVERSION THERAPY
My own bouts with ‘conversion therapy’ https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/kirby/2019/10/21/robert-kirby-my-own-bouts/
Conversion Therapy leads to LGBT scholarship https://www.king5.com/article/syndication/heartthreads/seth-owen-georgetown-gofundme-gay-student/507-6f7dca7e-5507-41a9-9104-7a5da75afd60
***CHRISTIAN MUSIC
TobyMac's oldest child, 21-year-old aspiring rapper Truett Foster McKeehan, dies https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/10/24/truett-foster-mckeehan-tobymacs-son-rapper-dies-suddenly/4080913002/
We Asked Religious Experts About Kanye West's 'Jesus Is King' https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/j5ynv3/we-asked-religious-experts-about-kanye-wests-new-church-album-jesus-is-king
***RELIGION AND THE ARTS
A visual history of Soviet anti-religious artwork https://boingboing.net/2019/10/23/antitheology.html
Author and ex-nun Karen Armstrong on scripture: 'Religion ... is an art form' www.startribune.com/scripture-should-be-viewed-as-art-not-the-final-word-says-british-author-karen-armstrong/563842812/
Articles of Interest about Literature, Journalism, Writing & Languages – Oct 26
/***WRITING & READING
Machine learning beats humans on advanced reading-comprehension tests—but in doing so reveals how AI has to go
"Everybody Is Freaking Out": Freelance Writers Scramble to Make Sense of New California Law
***JOURNALISM
Donald Trump Letter to CNN Promises Legal Action for "Highly Biased" News
How Reporters Figured Out The Identities Of The Men Who Vandalized The Emmett Till Memorial
Five tips for journalism students from ONA President Mandy Jenkins
https://journalism.uoregon.edu/news/five-tips-journalism-students-ona-president-mandy-jenkins
The Hong Kong Protests are Also a Fight for a Free Press
***THE BUSINESS OF JOURNALISM
One-in-five U.S. newsroom employees live in New York, Los Angeles or D.C.
First Draft launches nationwide project to help prepare US newsrooms for online threats ahead of 2020 election
SmartNews is paying publishers to be on its platform
https://digiday.com/media/theres-clarity-around-youll-make-smartnews-paying-publishers-platform/
Five takeaways from a new study of local digital news publishers
https://www.rjionline.org/stories/five-takeaways-from-a-new-study-of-local-digital-news-publishers
***FACEBOOK “NEWS”
Watch Mark Zuckerberg duck a question about including Breitbart in Facebook's News tab
https://mashable.com/article/mark-zuckerberg-breitbart-news-tab/
Facebook will pay some publishers for ‘News’ tab items
***STUDENT MEDIA
When the Student Newspaper Is the Only Daily Paper in Town
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/19/us/news-desert-ann-arbor-michigan.html
Student Newspaper Adviser Punished for Critical Coverage
Harvard Crimson, university's student newspaper, defends contacting ICE for comment
Chapman University president right to apologize for censoring student newspaper
https://www.thefire.org/chapman-president-right-to-apologize-for-censoring-student-newspaper/
***FAKE NEWS
Trademarking "fake news"
How fake news conquered the world
https://www.vox.com/world/2019/10/24/20908223/trump-russia-fake-news-propaganda-peter-pomerantsev
To Predict the Role of Fake News in 2020, Look to Canada
https://daily.jstor.org/to-predict-the-role-of-fake-news-in-2020-look-to-canada/
Fake News Trivia Quiz
https://factcheckingday.com/articles/35/want-more-fake-news-trivia-take-our-2019-fact-checking-quiz
My Journalism Organization Is Trying to Trademark "Fake News" to Stop Donald Trump From Using It
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/trademark-fake-news-stop-donald-trump-from-using-it
***SOCIAL MEDIA
Senators Call for TikTok Investigation Over Chinese Espionage Concerns
The power of social media influencers is shrinking
https://www.axios.com/social-media-influencer-marketing-1b7875c5-89f9-4fe1-938e-060ca4c8fb3c.html
***LITERATURE
Dublin Wants to Reclaim James Joyce’s Body Before the Centenary of ‘Ulysses’
The US Release Of Naomi Wolf’s ‘Outrages’ Just Got Canceled Months After An Awkward Interview Revealed An Error In The Book
https://digg.com/2019/naomi-wolf-realizes-thesis-is-wrong
In Venezuela, Victor Hugo's 'Les Misérables' Resonates With Caracas Residents
Found: A Long Lost Chapter from the World’s Oldest Novel, the 11th-Century Japanese Classic, The Tale of Genji
www.openculture.com/2019/10/found-a-long-lost-chapter-from-the-worlds-oldest-novel.html
Flannery O’Connor knows you can't handle the truth
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/flannery-oconnor-knows-you-cant-handle-the-truth
***POETRY
Why poetry matters
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2019/10/why-poetry-matters
5 Reasons Why You Should Habitually Read Poetry in College https://studybreaks.com/culture/reads/reasons-to-read-poetry/
***PRIVACY & SECURITY
You Got a Brain Scan at the Hospital. Someday a Computer May Use It to Identify You.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/23/health/brain-scans-personal-identity.html
Research participants' privacy threat
***INTERNET
The FTC fosters fake reviews, its own commissioners say
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/10/the-ftc-fosters-fake-reviews-its-own-commissioners-say/
Google Is Making A Big Change To The Way It Serves Search Results
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nicolenguyen/google-search-bert-natural-language-processing
Learning to Dance
/Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Articles of Interest about Higher Ed - Oct 25
/***HIGHER ED
Colleges and universities track web activity of potential applicants
Why Do We Have Business Or Education Schools In Universities?
The largest community college in Pennsylvania is eliminating mental health services on campus—more struggling two-year institutions may follow suit
www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/10/18/mental-health-low-priority-community-colleges
Are Liberal Arts Colleges Doomed?
Bill would require accreditors to flag failing colleges sooner
NCAA comes down on Cal Poly for books violation
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/26554592/ncaa-comes-cal-poly-books-violation
***HIGHER ED & FINANCES
College costs have increased in all 50 states over the past 10 years
DeVos, Ed Dept get $100K fine over for-profit student loan collection
***FREE SPEECH ON CAMPUS
Why the Supreme Court’s Davis standard is necessary to restore free speech to America’s college campuses (opinion)
SDSU launches Free Speech site, Inclusivity portal to raise awareness of student rights
***TEACHING
A teacher says he was fired for refusing to use male pronouns for a transgender student
My Classroom Is Not a Safe Space
https://humanparts.medium.com/my-classroom-is-not-a-safe-space-406927bfeab6
How can you get students to put down their cellphones and engage in class?
***ACADEMIC LIFE
19 Professors And Students Who — For Better Or Worse — Hit "Send" On These Emails
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jonmichaelpoff/students-professors-emails-college
Professor says she was fired for refusing to disclose a victim's name
Professor apologizes for controversial survey
https://www.wilx.com/content/news/Professor-apologizes-for-racist-survey-563655381.html
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
In Tennessee, One Christian College Breaks Enrollment Records, While Another Fights Declines
Why We Still Need Christian Colleges
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/october/kapic-we-need-christian-liberal-arts-colleges.html
Chapman University accused of lying to student newspaper
How these Christian schools use campus policy to cultivate Christian sexual virtues
Locker room videos of Christian College female athletes posted to porn site
***LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
The Cautionary Tale of Jerry Falwell Jr. (opinion)
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/november/jerry-falwell-jr-biblical-leadership.html
Longtime Liberty prof to become the first research professor and one of the only female faculty members at the Southern Baptist college
***RESEARCH
A Python code glitch that causes computations to vary depending on the operating system used may have caused errors in more than 100 published studies
Not reporting a retraction leaves people unaware of how retractions can sometimes actually advance our scientific understanding
https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/10/a-tale-of-two-retractions/
***STUDENT LIFE
Teen suicide rates are rising, despite efforts at prevention
Millennials sleep and work more than previous generations
https://www.axios.com/millennials-lifestyle-work-social-bureau-labor-statistics-7fbabcc6-d5cb-4066-8ca1-f9724019905b.html
Under digital surveillance: how American schools spy on millions of kids
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/22/school-student-surveillance-bark-gaggle
Life360 and other ‘tracking apps’ allow parents to keep close watch over their adult kids
The Student Vote Is Surging. So Are Efforts to Suppress It.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/us/voting-college-suppression.html
UConn satisfies no one with punishments of students who used racial slurs
***STUDENTS IN COURT
College students are taking their schools to court over campus marijuana use
***CRIME ON CAMPUS
The Fake School-Shooting Threats Getting Kids Arrested
Utah universities vary in Lauren’s Law implementation
https://www.ksl.com/article/46660845/utah-universities-vary-in-laurens-law-implementation
Univ. of Utah Students Walk Out
https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/clery/univ-of-utah-students-walk-out/
Student says that even after professor who abused her left campus, fellow students continued to harass her