Higher Education Observer

I want my students to use MovieMaker for their Humanities projects, so I have to learn it.  Last year I got the technologist to do it, but she moved on to a new job.  But it was a lot of fun to learn, although time-consuming. Here is my attempt; it does double-duty as a trailer for my novel.  It's not perfect, though, to say the least. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vxm036c2LI

I have several copies of my novel that I will sell for $10.00 a piece, signed.  I'll ship or hand-deliver.  Send me a comment and it will come to my email.

I finished this book last night, although I have to be honest and say I skipped the chapter on athletics.   No one has to convince me that college athletics is a big problem all the way around, for the athletes, the non-athlete students, and the college system.    The only winners are the over-paid coaches and the maniacal boosters.   The book questions whether higher education in this country really is higher education (thus the ? in the title).   To some extent the writers come at the question as I interpreted it—is what’s going on in colleges and universities really higher than, say, high school, in terms of intellectual activity, thinking processes, challenges, etc?   More about that below.     They, however, are more concerned with the bang for the buck end of it.   Students, or their families, may pay over $100,00 for a college education, but why, and what is the value added?   The why is due...

I have not posted in a while.  I am overwhelmed with work.  I am tempted to start posting about the realities of teaching in a state, open-access college.  The reason is what I am reading, both for personal enjoyment and for professional readings, and I'd like to comment on it right now. Detour:  On this beautiful Saturday afternoon, I am inside, although I plan to remedy that later and walk the dogs.  However, I started taking an anti-inflammatory medicine called Torodal (sounds like a Spanish bullfighter) that has more warnings than the hormones I used to take.  I am only supposed to take it with food, only for five days, and with nothing else, and it may causes bleeding ulcers and all kinds of horrible things.  It definitely causes upset stomach, although it's better today than last night.  I am going to take it today and see if it helps the pain I'm in, mostly joint and muscle in my feet and hand.  But it's supposed to make me drowsy an...