Beautiful satellite image of Sandy

These things do have a certain beauty to them...

Why am I failing?

Not posting much lately.  Totally stressed out at work.

I had to laugh at this video.  Believe it or not, students will say things EXACTLY like this!

Classes are pointless

Cardale Jones is a freshman quarterback for the Ohio State University Buckeyes football team.

 

 

I suppose he can throw a football well, being a QB at a Big-10 school and all, but he's evidently a bit deficient in other areas (like intellect).  Cardale recently tweeted (his account has since been deactivated) the following giving his feelings about time-wasting pursuits off the field.

 

I suppose English class could have taught this dumb ass how to spell his name consistently, since he spells it "Cordale" on Facebook and "Cardale" on Twitter, but that's trivial.  Perhaps we could talk about how Cardale plays for a team that is currently under NCAA sanctions for various ethics violations of coaches, players, and community boosters.  Ethics, what's that?

Which contributes more to society?

 

It's unfortunate that our society values people who can throw and catch balls far more highly than educators.  I was born lacking that male gene which makes one want to watch guys run around messing with balls so I've never understood the attraction of organized sports.

 

Anyway, I've been also been feeling particularly frustrated with some students at my community college lately and I have to say I agree with Cardale.  Classes are pointless for people who have the intellectual curiosity of a turnip.  Go toss your ball Cardale.  Good luck and I hope a hard hit by a linebacker doesn't put an abrupt end to your football career.  If so, McDonalds is always hiring.  I doubt you're qualified for anything else given that you're squandering a full scholarship at an excellent university.  Which is really a shame since I personally know excellent students who would love to attend a place like OSU, and actually learn something, but can't afford the tuition.

Columbus Day

The heroic view of Columbus landing in the Caribbean "discovering" America.

 

Landing of Columbus (John Vanderlyn, 1847)

Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C.

 

Of course the reality was that Columbus was a nasty piece of work who engaged in systematic genocide against the indiginous people of the New World.

 

 

Regarding the Taino people of the Caribbean, Columbus wrote:

"They traded with us and gave us everything they had, with good will..they took great delight in pleasing us..They are very gentle and without knowledge of what is evil; nor do they murder or steal..Your highness may believe that in all the world there can be no better people ..They love their neighbours as themselves, and they have the sweetest talk in the world, and are gentle and always laughing."

He also wrote:
 

"They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane.... They would make fine servants.... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."

 

In a generation after contact with Columbus, diseases like smallpox in addition to torture, rape, slavery, and murder dropped the Taino population by 90% and today some anthropologists believe the Taino became extinct (even though some people in the Caribbean still identify themselves as descendents of the Taino).

 Columbus didn't discover America, he discovered a people who were subjugated and enslaved.  Not someone I want to honor with a holiday.