Just keep moving

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Great strategists.. respond to the moment, like children. Their minds are always moving, and they are always excited and curious. They quickly forget the past – the present is much too interesting. 

The Greek thinker Aristotle thought that life was defined by movement. What does not move is dead. What has speed and mobility has more possibilities, more life. You may think that what you’d like to recapture from your youth is your looks, your physical fitness, your simple pleasure, but what you really need is the fluidity of mind you once possessed. Whenever you find your thought revolving around a particular subject or idea – an obsession, resentment - force them past it. Distract yourself with something else. Like a child, find something new to be absorbed by, something worthy of concentrated attention. Do not waste time on things you cannot change or influence. Just keep moving. 

Robert Greene, The 33 Strategies of War

Articles of Interest about Higher Ed - Nov 9

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***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/

Articles of interest about religion - Nov 7

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***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

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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

Articles of Interest about Literature, Journalism, Writing & Languages – Nov 4

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***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

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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

Maintaining

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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

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***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 

https://oklahoman.com/article/5645628/mid-america-christian-university-offers-states-first-bachelors-degree-in-data-analytics

Hundreds to attend conference at Wheaton College to advance evangelical-Muslim dialogue  

https://www.christianpost.com/news/hundreds-to-attend-conference-wheaton-college-advance-evangelical-muslim-dialogue.html

 

***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 

The March of Technology

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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

Choosing Prison

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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