Author Archives: admin

The Whole Truth

Posted on November 14, 2019 by admin

Two stories caught my attention over the last week. On Sunday, 60 Minutes ran a Bill Whitaker piece on the dangers of reporting facts in the Philippines since Rodrigo Duterte became president. Maria Ressa, who runs a news site call … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics | 1 Comment

A Problem with Privilege

Posted on November 11, 2019 by admin

Attorneys regularly counsel against asking witnesses questions on the stand when they don’t know how they’ll answer. Thank goodness I’ve never had to run a classroom that way. When I asked my 9:00 UE I section if they perceived any … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics, Pop Culture | 7 Comments

Brick and Mortar Purgatory

Posted on November 5, 2019 by admin

Everyone likes a vibrant Main Street. Whether you’re in Columbus, Oxford, Starkville, Natchitoches, New Orleans–wherever–people enjoy shopping in boutiques where they get treated well, especially if they can prop their feet up in a good restaurant or cafe afterwards. I’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Pop Culture | 7 Comments

The Shelter

Posted on October 31, 2019 by admin

                Nuclear warfare—it isn’t pretty, and it isn’t quite as thorough as everyone thought it would be. Eleven people and an infant somehow manage to find a bomb shelter six miles out of Columbus, somewhere near the ruins of Waverly … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics, Pop Culture | 2 Comments

The Social Contract

Posted on October 24, 2019 by admin

Pres. Donald Trump has three rhetorical ticks that give me heartburn. He uses the phrases “people tell me all the time” and “they say” when he’s making things up. He accuses the media of disseminating “fake news” whenever reporters disagree … Continue reading →

Posted in National Politics, Politics, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

People are People

Posted on October 23, 2019 by admin

The cover article in this month’s edition of Harper’s, “Manhood in the Age of #MeToo,” stimulated more than a little interest when I got it out of the mailbox. In it, Barrett Swanson attends an Evryman retreat to test whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Gender Issues, Pop Culture | 2 Comments

What’s in a Joke?

Posted on October 16, 2019 by admin

While watching last weekend’s cold open for Saturday Night Live, I found myself wondering how funny the show would be if it couldn’t rely on satirizing politicians. The episode provided a running answer to that question. From the “Oscar the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts, National Politics | 5 Comments

Process, Process, Process

Posted on October 7, 2019 by admin

People from other parts of the country often look at Mississippi as a banana republic somehow washed up on our nation’s shores. Its citizens, this stereotype goes, favor indolence over labor, ignorance to education, demagogues over democracy. Apparently, some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics | 5 Comments

Improving Education in Mississippi

Posted on September 27, 2019 by admin

Earlier this week, students in University English I sections expressed interest in discussing ways to improve the quality of education in Mississippi schools. We moved in two directions: improving funding for education, and the ways private schools have affected the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 9 Comments

The Gloves Are Off

Posted on September 18, 2019 by admin

The battle to become governor of the state of Mississippi has already become a bare-knuckled brawl. Tate Reeves, the GOP nominee, started running attack ads that associated Jim Hood with trial lawyers and “outside interests” from the time he was … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 4 Comments