The general decline in standards today

[jamespowers]

It is a terrible pity that you seem to think that objection to the promulgation of falsehood is partisan. It says something about someone's idea of partisanship, doesn't it?

Falsehood depends on who is looking at it. If you were to read The Great Degeneration, you would see a huge appendix at the back that gives sources and background for everything he says. Yet you jump to the conclusion that because a few hack sites say he is partisan that he is using falsehoods. So, yes it depends on who is objecting to what. Partisans see partisanship. lol lol

 

[jamespowers]

I know a lot of electricians and plumbers making $90 an hour, and I know a lot of college graduates making $10 an hour working retail. Who's the saps now?

My point exactly. Another reason I see public education as in a serious decline.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I wonder if at the back of their mind they are thinking something like that. Oh and that would include gardeners too I suppose.

Interesting that you bring up gardeners because I've noticed that hardly anybody mows their own lawn around here anymore -- they hire someone to do it. When I was a kid on Saturday mornings the neighborhood would be humming with the sound of lawn mowers as all the Dads did the weekly mowing.

 

[jamespowers]

Interesting that you bring up gardeners because I've noticed that hardly anybody mows their own lawn around here anymore -- they hire someone to do it. When I was a kid on Saturday mornings the neighborhood would be humming with the sound of lawn mowers as all the Dads did the weekly mowing.

Another decline in standards. Just let someone else do it and be lazy on weekends.

 

[sheeplady]

Interesting that you bring up gardeners because I've noticed that hardly anybody mows their own lawn around here anymore -- they hire someone to do it. When I was a kid on Saturday mornings the neighborhood would be humming with the sound of lawn mowers as all the Dads did the weekly mowing.

The family across the street from us (they live in a house that's about 3 times the size of the typical house here and have a double lot) hire someone to put out their Christmas lights. There are two well-bodied adults in that house (the wife stays at home; the man is an assistant coach at the local university) and three teenagers.

But then, when a bush lit on fire in their front yard, the kids and wife hid in the house until the fire company had put out the fire. Either they don't own a fire extinguisher or they are too dumb to know that their house could catch fire... perhaps both. (I was walking home at the time and saw the fire trucks coming up the street.)

 

[dh66]

I know a lot of electricians and plumbers making $90 an hour, and I know a lot of college graduates making $10 an hour working retail. Who's the saps now?

When I was in college a friends dad gave me a summer gig doing plumbing work. After graduating it paid waaay better than table waiting or shoe selling and was a good job to move around a little with. See a little of the country, you know. Not really much demand for history majors anyway. It's proven to be a fairly recession-proof trade at least.

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[jamespowers]

When I was in college a friends dad gave me a summer gig doing plumbing work. After graduating it paid waaay better than table waiting or shoe selling and was a good job to move around a little with. See a little of the country, you know. Not really much demand for history majors anyway. It's proven to be a fairly recession-proof trade at least.

There is nothing wrong with a trade and the sooner we get that through The Intelligencia's minds the better off our next generations of school age children will be. As my parents used to tell me: "If you aren't going to college then pick a trade."

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

The time zone difference makes it difficult to keep up with the threads sometimes. But having just read the last half dozen pages it has dawned on me that my thinking that the old world and the new world are, well, world's apart, is a nonsense.

The posts on the last six pages about the ins and outs of recycling, of the lack of academic teaching in schools, the promotion of multiculturism and other noneducational agendas, the adulation of new babies, with a you-kneek name, posting a picture of babies first crap, on FaceBook and so much more, I could be on a Brit-site for Brits.

lol A very astute observation though with some of the unique personalities here I just can't quite imagine, for example, James as a Brummie or a "LizzieLancashire".

 

[vitanola]

Falsehood depends on who is looking at it. If you were to read The Great Degeneration, you would see a huge appendix at the back that gives sources and background for everything he says. Yet you jump to the conclusion that because a few hack sites say he is partisan that he is using falsehoods. So, yes it depends on who is objecting to what. Partisans see partisanship. lol lol

Yes.

Sumner the Bolsheveik!

The Atlantic Monthly as a haven of leftism! A muffled titter can doubtless be heard in the Cambridge and Mount Auburn Cemeteries, as Howells, Lowell and Aldrich hear the accusation.

I have Ferguson's "Great Degeneration" before me now, and would not presume to criticize it before thoroughly digesting same, which may take some time, as I find his prose less pleasant than that of the (translation of the) other great Degenerationist, Max Nordau. The little bit of Ferguson's writing with which I am familiar was patently mendacious. Sorry if I offended you by making that assumption about his greater body of work.


BTW, do you follow Larison?

 

[scottyrocks]

They tried to get rid of shop here by throwing away the equipment over the summer. Someone saw it and gathered up the equipment. The resulting publicity made them reinstate shop and the equipment---some new equipment was donated by the public as well. We have morons running our school system here. :doh:

They're (almost) everywhere.

 

[jamespowers]

Yes.

Sumner the Bolsheveik!

The Atlantic Monthly as a haven of leftism! A muffled titter can doubtless be heard in the Cambridge and Mount Auburn Cemeteries, as Howells, Lowell and Aldrich hear the accusation.

I have Ferguson's "Great Degeneration" before me now, and would not presume to criticize it before thoroughly digesting same, which may take some time, as I find his prose less pleasant than that of the (translation of the) other great Degenerationist, Max Nordau. The little bit of Ferguson's writing with which I am familiar was patently mendacious. Sorry if I offended you by making that assumption about his greater body of work.


BTW, do you follow Larison?

Sumner still hasn't convince me yet. I'll read further. I might be an economic Darwinist but not necessarily a social one.

Don't forget that Mort Zuckerman formerly owned the Atlantic Monthly. David Bradley has turned it around from the money losing mess that it once was. Even the New York Times had to say that the "Cultural transfusion" caused the paper to actually make money---the first time in over 10 years. I still don't completely trust the "centrist."
If you have the book before you then you will notice the nearly twenty pages of notes at the back. Not to mention his help putting the book together by the Vaunted NPR. I won't even mention the little blurb at the back. Let me know what areas you disagree with. I figure that you will not love the Civic organization section but there are points to be made about their demise.
He is not Ma Nordau. lol

Daniel Larison?

 

[jamespowers]

They're (almost) everywhere.

It sure seems that way here. The public manages to keep their feet to the fire though---me being one of them.

 

[vitanola]

He is not Max Nordau. lol

Thank heaven for small favors.




I'm sure the former Mrs. Ferguson agrees. (or rather agreed)

I must admit that I thought very highly of "The Pity of War" when first I read it so mnay years ago.

Daniel Larison?

Yes. I am a rather a fan of TAC in general. Certainly don't agree with everything (or much) that they publish, but that web periodical gives food for thought, and though some of their writers I may find (to be) misguided they always come across as sincere.

 

[Zombie_61]

I had a class in high school called "Practical Record-Keeping," which covered a lot of that, along with basic bookkeeping methods. The emphasis was on the "Practical," and along with typing and home-ec it was one of the most useful classes I ever took. I've had absolutely no use for algebra in the thirty-odd years I've been out of school, but I use skills from those three classes every day of my life.

The only high school class that had any practical application in my adult working life was typing, which really paid off at my last place of employment. Apart from that and a history class here and there, for me high school was nothing more than a refresher course for everything I'd learned up to that point.

...We have morons running our school system here. :doh:

If by "here" you mean the state of California, I agree completely.

 

[GHT]

I know a lot of electricians and plumbers making $90 an hour, and I know a lot of college graduates making $10 an hour working retail. Who's the saps now?

Two stories: A female journalist, writing in the British press, bemoaning that her Cambridge educated husband has been unemployed for two years. It seems that he wants what was, or nothing at all.
About a year previous to this story, my local paper featured a story on the new general manager of the bus company. He too was an Oxbridge graduate, out of work, struggling to find anything at all. He decides to take a temporary job, driving a bus. It will, he argues, give him some income and the shift pattern will give him time to attend interviews.
Four years later, he's the head honcho.

I lost my managerial job at the age of 52, no point wringing your hands, I hocked the house and went for it alone, my brother joined me a year later and we never looked back. Without boasting, we were modestly successful.
The work is, bottom of the food chain sort of stuff, delivery vans, forklifts and such like. Not what you would call a profession.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Another decline in standards. Just let someone else do it and be lazy on weekends.

I'd pay someone to cut my yard, but I don't want to give money away, when I can do the job myself.
When it's 99 outside, it's tempting though.
Considering $40 isn't bad to cut and trim a corner lot.
But then my chances of getting exercise go down if I do this.

 

[dh66]

If by "here" you mean the state of California, I agree completely.

I feel for you gents, and California has only the third longest state constitution in the country. Down here in Bama we have the dubious distinction of having the hands down longest (translated: most f-ed up). You should see the plan these fools have come up with to "improve" education here. Lowering standards based on race and income levels. Seriously.
Jim Crow is rising phoenix-like from the still smoldering ashes and this time he's coming for everybody. The worlds largest insane asylum is looking better to me everyday.

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[Matt Crunk]

Yeah, dh66, don't you just love our state leaders. The lottery issue really bugs me too. We're losing so much education money to surrounding states (Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida all have it. Mississippi doesn't have a lottery, but they have casino gambling along the Mississippi river.) because Alabama won't bring in the lottery, yet we've had dog tracks. I love my state, but absolutely hate my state government.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Yeah, dh66, don't you just love our state leaders. The lottery issue really bugs me too. We're losing so much education money to surrounding states (Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida all have it. Mississippi doesn't have a lottery, but they have casino gambling along the Mississippi river.) because Alabama won't bring in the lottery, yet we've had dog tracks. I love my state, but absolutely hate my state government.

Texas has a very successful one, and I play it a couple of times when I go to see the inlaws.
I'm out maybe $10 dollars for a week's worth.
My FIL has won enough to pay for groceries numerous times, or a tank of gas.
Me? I've won enough for a free drink from the garden hose.
BTW I have a family member that gives lotto tickets for Christmas.
Really? Why don't you just give me the money you spent so I can use it for gum or something?
They always say "hey I could have gotten you nothing, or I could have gotten you $100 thousand dollars."
Okay when I actually win this, we'll think back on the Christmas you gave me 100 thousand dollars, otherwise just give my ticket to someone else.
TN is a community property state (I think) so if my wife wins I win anyway.

 

[jamespowers]

If by "here" you mean the state of California, I agree completely.

Yes, I mean here. I have heard horror stories from all over the country though. I can't comment on those directly. I can comment on the Insane running the edumucation s'tem here. :doh:
What they are succeeding in doing is stratifying the state by insuring that the poor will always be with us because they get the worst education you can imagine. The industrial revolution brought us the free education. What we need now is the GOOD education.
I understand your school experience. When I was in it, I described it as begrudgingly satisfying a societal requirement until I could get to college and study what I really wanted. Then I went to college and found out that I had to waste nearly two years satisfying more stupid General Education requirements---and I couldn't use some courses in my major to satisfy General Education requirements. It was like a huge system dedicated to fleecing you so that people who had degrees in fluff had a job teaching somewhere. :doh: I would have been happy not doing that crap and graduating two years earlier.