Author Archives: admin

Banned Books Week

Posted on September 19, 2022 by admin

I read banned books. From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Huckleberry Finn, from Song of Solomon to The Things They Carried, I find something valuable in wresting with ideas and depictions that other people find dangerous. Library systems across the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Education, Ethics | 13 Comments

One Sentence Conundrums

Posted on September 7, 2022 by admin

Respond to a couple of these. Consider applying them to contemporary events. Can a person make a conscious decision to deal with problems by relegating them to the subconscious? When leaders say equitable, do they really mean redistribution of wealth? … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Ethics, Politics | 7 Comments

Rah, Rah, Sis-Boom-Bah

Posted on August 26, 2022 by admin

Most MSMS students have friends back home who will miss class time for pep rallies today. MSMS cannot field a football team for obvious reasons. We don’t have enough students to field a competitive team. Students do not have enough … Continue reading →

Posted in MSMS Stuff, Sports | 28 Comments

The First Fortnight

Posted on August 22, 2022 by admin

Now that MSMS has been in session a couple of weeks, it might be a good idea to reflect on things that really worked well during this orientation and indoctrination period, and which things still need improvement. Praise and criticize … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, MSMS Stuff | 28 Comments

Welcome to the 2022-23 Blog

Posted on August 15, 2022 by admin

This morning’s New York Times dished up a piece on how employers monitor the productivity of their employees. Amazon, if you didn’t know, is one of the most notorious punishers of idleness in any workplace. Other firms count the number … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics | 28 Comments

Housekeeping

Posted on May 13, 2022 by admin

One of the things I like to ask students at the end of the school year involves a bit of self-reflection: are you the same person in May that you were in August? If you haven’t changed, I’m not sure … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 25 Comments

Too Tired to Think

Posted on May 5, 2022 by admin

You probably already know that autocracies are on the rise. Whether you’re looking at Putin’s rise to power in Russia, Erdogan’s control in Turkey, or the return of the Marcos family to the political world of the Philippines, leaders who … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Politics | 21 Comments

Energy Wherever You Are

Posted on April 27, 2022 by admin

Russia recently fired a shot that landed outside the border of Ukraine: pipes carrying gas to Poland and Bulgaria, two of Ukraine’s staunchest allies, have been shut off for refusal to remit payment in rubles. Leaders of other European countries … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, National Politics | 20 Comments

Victimless Crimes?

Posted on April 18, 2022 by admin

An acquaintance of mine buried his son today. No official cause of death has been released to verified media, but if social media is accurate, then this young man died because he took oxycontin that had been laced with fentanyl. … Continue reading →