CLASS OF 2014
I’ll never forget the time an older friend (fifteen years older) teased me about not knowing what “CC” meant on a letter. For me, “CC” was cross country or closed captioning. From what I remember, my trusty MacWrite in high and college didn’t have such a function. Carbon Copy? Sounds like a plutonium substitute.
Twenty-four years later, welcome the Class of 2014. Born, for the most part, in 1992 and 1993, these incoming freshmen missed the Cold War entirely and, according to a Beloit College list, think email is too slow.
Amazingly, I find most of my current students think the Cold War was a bizarre joke. The image that springs to their minds is of “Duck and Cover.” No, I’m sorry, I try to explain to them. That was my mother’s Cold War. My Cold War involved possible Russian nuke strikes on the neighboring Titan II missile bases; The Day After; Red Dawn; and a summit in Iceland.
Well, here’s the new rundown of what the incoming Freshmen seem to believe:
TSA AND USA TODAY
Craig Wilson, a writer for USA TODAY (yes, that paper), had a column yesterday explaining that he’s glad the TSA will be using full body scanners that reveal everything about every body. “The full-body scanners now being used in certain airports should expose my innocence, along with everything else,” he writes. “I’m not quite sure what all the fuss is about. A momentary loss of modesty is a small price to pay to gain safety.” I’m sure that’s exactly what Madison was thinking when he penned the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
TROWER ON MODERNISM
Carl Olson, editor of Ignatius Insight, has posted a fascinating and thoughtful piece by Philip Trower on Modernism over at Ignatius Insight Scoop.
BEST PRIMARY ELECTION NEWS
A friend and former student, Hans Zeiger, won a top-two spot in his Washington State house race. Zeiger, a serious and brilliant conservative, will be facing his Democratic opponent in November for the seat. Please keep Hans in your prayers; this is a young man who will do something meaningful with his life. Congratulations, Hans.
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Thanks for the round-up of articles. All interesting.
Thanks, Marty. The internet, for better or worse, seems to provide an endless source of fascinating things to learn and to mock!
A nice round-up. Good to see Hans win the primary.
Mr. Wilson's take on the TSA scanners reminds me of a conversation I had about a year ago with a gentleman regarding the increasing use of cameras in the public square and in schools. This gentleman insisted that we should celebrate being watched, in that cameras would give us many a chance to show the watchers what good citizens and students we are. Juvenal, please call your office.