Friday, September 17. 2021
Thursday, September 16. 2021
Wednesday, September 15. 2021
A few sips of Generations 80 Years Old from Glenlivet Distillery
No, there will be no Wooly Mammoths
Meta-dishonesty
Can better schools significantly improve the academic performance of minority kids?, I think that the answer is unequivocally yes.
As US Schools Prioritize Diversity Over Merit, China Is Becoming the World’s STEM Leader
Europe’s Climate Lesson for America. As wind power flags, energy prices are soaring amid fuel shortages.
As Biden Says Islam is Peaceful, D.C. Imam Calls for Jihad
Tuesday, September 14. 2021
His name came up in conversation this weekend and I figured Bulldog would have included his famous arch in Washington Square in our urban hike plans. I'm wondering whether there might be other White buildings near our hike.
White was a bad guy by today's standards but nobody complains about his architecture. He had a crazy, reckless life (and dramatic death), but nobody at McKim, Mead, and White made an issue of it. It's not clear to me whether his wife cared either. Despite his behavior, he was friends with everybody including Mark Twain.
Yes, he did design Rosecliff in Newport (been there?) and tons of other appealing places:
Monday, September 13. 2021
Sunday, September 12. 2021
“Believe me my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
So says Ratty to Mole in Kenneth Grahame's classic 1908 novel 'The Wind in the Willows'.
Mark 8:27-38
8:27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"
8:28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
8:29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."
8:30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
8:31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
8:32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
8:33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
8:34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
8:35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.
8:36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
8:37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
8:38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
As weather gets cooler, I think today will be the last day of the year we have Rose for sunset boat drinks. I do not know how to put accents on letters, but I mean the wine.
We've done a fair bit of day touring and have learned all we can about our engine and other systems. Still practicing docking but, as I always say, boats are not designed to be near land. Next year we will take on longer overnight trips although I will never do nighttime or fog.
Saturday, September 11. 2021
Friday, September 10. 2021
The chorus of crickets chirping on these late summer evenings is one of the finest things in life, and last night they were loud. That evening bug-song has followed me through most of my life, and fills me with joy.
Field Crickets are found across the US. In New England, we have the Black Field Cricket (photo) who is at his prime in early October until the first hard frost. They are mainly nocturnal insects and eat almost anything.
Taxonomically, crickets (along with grasshoppers, locusts, katydids) are in Order Orthoptera of Class Insecta.
The males rub their forewings together producing the chirp or trill, of which the frequency is temperature-related. The function of the trill is, of course, to attract females desirous of fertilization - or to fight. Only males chirp.
Around here, we still have the Katydids singing at night along with the rapidly-growing Field Crickets. Open the windows. Or open the doors: two Field Crickets are occupying the Maggie's HQ right now, and I need to leave them some crumbs from my Subway sandwich to keep them happy.
Thursday, September 9. 2021
Wednesday, September 8. 2021
Achievement gaps in kids have many causes which anybody can list. IQ is on the list, but not at the top although 50% of people have below average which could knock them out of the calculus game.
Personality traits, parental support, cultural ideals, cognitive issues, etc etc all play roles in how people do academically. And, of course, males do not do as well except at the top end.
At Quillette, Remedial Education for All. It's about "dumbing down."
As calls for equality of outcome gain steam and schools make plans to reduce educational gaps that have been exacerbated by 18 months of virtual learning, we’d do well to remember the predictable costs of pretending we can make everything fair. Mass education will never be a perfect fit for everyone. Schools have to identify the competencies and attitudes that are most valuable and optimize in a way that brings the most possible students to high, yet reachable standards. When high school students fall too far behind and decide they aren’t interested in catching up, they should be able to pursue a vocational track that pushes them to develop other meaningful skills. These students will be far more likely to apply themselves if we give them relevant options like work apprenticeships, trade programs, and so on.
Trades are not for low IQ. They are good for people who do not like regular school.
Tuesday, September 7. 2021
Monday, September 6. 2021
Sunday, September 5. 2021
Isaiah 35:4-7a
35:4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you."
35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
35:6 then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
35:7a the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water.
Saturday, September 4. 2021
Reposting in case anybody missed it: The Social Science Monoculture Doubles Down
ET TU, PRINCETON?
WSJ: What 9/11 Taught Us About Trauma and Resilience. Distress is a normal reaction to mass tragedy, but so is a relatively prompt climb back to good mental health.
MC: The topic of the moment here at Manhattan Contrarian has been how judges with a religious zeal to perfect the world (according to their own woke vision) can go completely off the rails with sweeping orders to transform the entire country.
China Rebuffs Kerry In Climate Talks: 'We'll Follow Our Own Roadmap"
Joe Manchin Is Singlehandedly Destroying Biden's Presidency.
Friday, September 3. 2021
Thursday, September 2. 2021
This article applies to heavy weight training, not for the hand-weights typically used in conditioning classes.
Age is a factor. Also, there is an amount which is optimal. More is not always better. I do heavy weights (powerlifts, etc) twice weekly, but have been slacking off on the nutrition.
Wednesday, September 1. 2021
|