Odds of societal collapse in US...

[HuckFinn]

Here's the best read I can give you on the subject (Well, at least most of what I said).

The Closing of the American Mind - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Couple the content of that book with unlimited student loans from the federal government, and you get sky-rocketing tuition with a lower quality of education and worse outcomes for graduates year after year.

I get that the intent behind the federal student loan program was to give everyone the opportunity to attend college regardless of the wealth of their parents. The irony is that the result had been price increases that have pushed many away from college.

The increases in tuition and fees is the problem. But. The solution is for State legislatures to resume the support and funding they have chipped away for decades. The dependence on more loans is the result of the hatred the Republican Party has for public schools at the secondary and post secondary levels, while they siphon billions to private institutions. I have seen it up close and personal and have heard the voices of the Repubs confirm my views.

NB: Have not had time to look at the article you mention. Will try later.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

The increases in tuition and fees is the problem. But. The solution is for State legislatures to resume the support and funding they have chipped away for decades. The dependence on more loans is the result of the hatred the Republican Party has for public schools at the secondary and post secondary levels, while they siphon billions to private institutions. I have seen it up close and personal and have heard the voices of the Repubs confirm my views.

NB: Have not had time to look at the article you mention. Will try later.

You think the main cause of tuition at universities rising... Is republicans pulling funding?

 

[HuckFinn]

You think the main cause of tuition at universities rising... Is republicans pulling funding?

I don’t think so. I know so.

 

[Gibsonian]

I don’t think so. I know so.

In Iowa we now provide funding to private schools. It takes funding away from out public schools and there is near zero oversight of these private schools. It’s law provided by Republicans

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

I don’t think so. I know so.

I guess you’d also know how that’s causing tuition to rise in blue states as well.

 

[HuckFinn]

I guess you’d also know how that’s causing tuition to rise in blue states as well.

I don’t have a handle on every State.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

I don’t have a handle on every State.

Weird that you only have a handle on the red ones. Well, good luck with all that knowledge.

 

[Gibsonian]

There is plenty of evidence that private institutions are being funded more and more over public schools wherever there is GOP majority. For whatever reason this is the direction of the GOP. What is the mystery here?

 

[HuckFinn]

Weird that you only have a handle on the red ones. Well, good luck with all that knowledge.

Buzz off, Labas. I told you where I was coming from. I talked about the two states, Iowa and Wisconsin, where I spent 40 years as a public school employee at levels from HS English teacher to the Superintendency. Just so you will know, I have a Doctorate in School Finance and School Law. Worked with the Iowa State legislature with the VP for Finance at the U of I, Dr. George Chambers, on school finance issues.
As a school superintendent I chaired a committee that met monthly with our local legislators, so I was deeply involved in discussions on financial issues facing public schools.
If you ever want to engage in a discussion on this topic, I will be happy to supply you with more information than you can likely absorb. You read a simple source written by someone and now you are an expert on school finance encompassing the entire Country. Neither you nor I have a clue about that topic. So don’t insult me with your assumptions.

 

[HuckFinn]

There is plenty of evidence that private institutions are being funded more and more over public schools wherever there is GOP majority. For whatever reason this is the direction of the GOP. What is the mystery here?

The mystery is that Labas thinks he is an expert in school finance because he read an article that fit his narrative.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

The mystery is that Labas thinks he is an expert in school finance because he read an article that fit his narrative.

You have some shockingly poor reading comprehension skills for a retired high school English teacher and Ph.D.

It's questionable that you think your experience as a local high school educator is informative of the situation in higher education, and rather disturbing that you've never heard of The Closing of the American Mind. I would hope you would hold your former students to a higher standard of critical thinking. I mean, your entire argument rests on an argument to authority, in which you yourself are the authority. Did you use self-citations in your dissertation as well?

It's unfortunate that you've engaged with what I've said at such an elementary level that you are still calling an incredibly influential book an "article." The book isn't even about school finance.

The point of my raising this book was in response to your claims about attacks on academic freedom. I'd really encourage you to read the book, though I don't expect you to gain much from it given your extreme distain for right-leaning individuals. IMO, the far more damaging trend in academic freedom is the complete closing out of right-leaning thinkers in higher education.

I understand you have intense political biases. They are totally clouding your judgement here. Nationwide increases in tuition at public colleges are not principally caused by Republican funding cuts. I'd encourage you to reread our discourse here. Market forces, including the Federal Student Aid program, ballooning administrative salaries and staffs, and political biases in hiring are all vastly more impactful to trends in higher education. I've linked this to problems with academic freedom more generally. These are the claims I would've like you to engage with, but you were more interested in going on a tirade about your own illustrious career in K-12 education.

I would however like to thank you for you service in K-12 education. It's genuinely admirable. I have a few long-tenured public educators in Iowa in my immediate family.

Buzz off, Labas...
If you ever want to engage in a discussion on this topic, I will be happy to supply you with more information than you can likely absorb. You read a simple source written by someone and now you are an expert on school finance encompassing the entire Country. Neither you nor I have a clue about that topic. So don’t insult me with your assumptions.

Youch. I am not going to engage in any further elder abuse here.

I am going to eject for now since you'd rather argue in bad faith and just insert your bias than have an actual discussion or seek alternative opinions, which is not a big deal. We are shooting the shit on a sports message board, after all.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Buzz off, Labas. I told you where I was coming from. I talked about the two states, Iowa and Wisconsin, where I spent 40 years as a public school employee at levels from HS English teacher to the Superintendency. Just so you will know, I have a Doctorate in School Finance and School Law. Worked with the Iowa State legislature with the VP for Finance at the U of I, Dr. George Chambers, on school finance issues.
...
If you ever want to engage in a discussion on this topic, I will be happy to supply you with more information than you can likely absorb. You read a simple source written by someone and now you are an expert on school finance encompassing the entire Country. Neither you nor I have a clue about that topic. So don’t insult me with your assumptions.

I'd be interested in reading your dissertation. I assure you; I am capable of absorbing whatever it is you wrote.

 

[HuckFinn]

You have some shockingly poor reading comprehension skills for a retired high school English teacher and Ph.D.

It's questionable that you think your experience as a local high school educator is informative of the situation in higher education, and rather disturbing that you've never heard of The Closing of the American Mind. I would hope you would hold your former students to a higher standard of critical thinking. I mean, your entire argument rests on an argument to authority, in which you yourself are the authority. Did you use self-citations in your dissertation as well?

It's unfortunate that you've engaged with what I've said at such an elementary level that you are still calling an incredibly influential book an "article." The book isn't even about school finance.

The point of my raising this book was in response to your claims about attacks on academic freedom. I'd really encourage you to read the book, though I don't expect you to gain much from it given your extreme distain for right-leaning individuals. IMO, the far more damaging trend in academic freedom is the complete closing out of right-leaning thinkers in higher education.

I understand you have intense political biases. They are totally clouding your judgement here. Nationwide increases in tuition at public colleges are not principally caused by Republican funding cuts. I'd encourage you to reread our discourse here. Market forces, including the Federal Student Aid program, ballooning administrative salaries and staffs, and political biases in hiring are all vastly more impactful to trends in higher education. I've linked this to problems with academic freedom more generally. These are the claims I would've like you to engage with, but you were more interested in going on a tirade about your own illustrious career in K-12 education.

I would however like to thank you for you service in K-12 education. It's genuinely admirable. I have a few long-tenured public educators in Iowa in my immediate family.


Youch. I am not going to engage in any further elder abuse here.

I am going to eject for now since you'd rather argue in bad faith and just insert your bias than have an actual discussion or seek alternative opinions, which is not a big deal. We are shooting the shit on a sports message board, after all.

Enough personal insults, enough underestimation of my background, and just enough of you as a person. My political bias: If you are too stupid to see what the current and much of the past performance by the Republican party is opposite of their task to represent the people of this once fine country, you need to see someone. Soon.
oh. You read a book, not an article. That clears you of your single source bias.
I am a pretty good authority on lots of things. Of course, you would not get that.
My career was mentioned since you seemed unaware of my background. I guess that went over your head. Sorry.

I love your summary of the reasons tuition hikes. Sounds like repub dogma via Trump and Elon. Good grief. MAGA much? Hint: The earth is not flat, except in Iowa.

Elder abuse. Wow. Another of your bias targets? I assume you mean I am mentally challenged? Nice try.

Finally and at long last, I am going to do what I do when personal insults from posters dominate. (Yes, I have briefly exited my preferred stance on insults, just for you.)

I have blocked your posts. Bye

 

[thedukeofearl]

An strange deep-sea fish washed up on the Oregon shore recently, but it didn't surprise the fish nerds at the Seaside Aquarium.

The crew at the aquarium were familiar with the fish, which had fanged teeth within a wide mouth and measured nearly 5 feet long, as a longnose lancetfish. Known to swim as deep as over a mile below the ocean's surface, lancetfish typically live in warmer waters, but do migrate as far north as the Bering Sea, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

Damn...

 

[thedukeofearl]

Florida woman poses as ICE agent, kidnaps ex's wife

From USA Today, got a 6-month online subscription for One Dollar, do the crossword every day

Fun Crossword, fills in the correct letters which makes it a bit easier, also has timer to determine
how inept one is...

 

[thedukeofearl]

Societal Collapse, for certain

Alabama woman faces charges for running over father of her kids
According to the Birmingham Police Department, 30-year-old Shatice Jackson was charged with capital murder in connection with the death of Mickese Bostic, who was killed on April 20.

Witnesses told police that Jackson ran over Bostic, "causing the vehicle to collide with him and his neighbor's house," the press release stated.

WBRC and WBMA reported that Bostic, 27, was between the car and the home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Happened on Easter Sunday

Damn

 

[HuckFinn]

View attachment 11443

An strange deep-sea fish washed up on the Oregon shore recently, but it didn't surprise the fish nerds at the Seaside Aquarium.

The crew at the aquarium were familiar with the fish, which had fanged teeth within a wide mouth and measured nearly 5 feet long, as a longnose lancetfish. Known to swim as deep as over a mile below the ocean's surface, lancetfish typically live in warmer waters, but do migrate as far north as the Bering Sea, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

Damn...

EEeeK