The normally docile faculty and well-behaved students who gathered at Sproul Plaza to observe a general strike in November were taken by surprise by the thwack of police clubs on flesh and bone. So was our former poet laureate, Robert Hass, whose soulful response to having been bludgeoned in the … More >
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“I’m only 6. I can’t afford a lobbyist.“
―sign held by a little girl at Occupy Oakland
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.“
―Martin Luther King Jr.
Although I wish, now, that I’d been more involved in the Children’s Brigade in Oakland, I confess that I … More >
I recently turned to one of the central sources of information about social trends in America, The Statistical Abstract of the United States, described on its web page as “since 1878, the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.” Also … More >
Are you one of those parents who has been thinking about your kids’ schooling since birth? Are the researchers mentioned above talking about YOU? (If you’re not sure, here’s a litmus test: Does your baby have a onesie from your alma mater that reads “Class of 20XX”?)
Or … More >
Wars drive technology and technology drives warfare. All too often, generals and politicians fight today’s war with yesterday’s strategies.
In the American Civil War generals sent men into battle to face greatly improved firearms, but they continued to marshal their troops in the formations Napoleon had used. At Gettysburg over … More >
Next week President Obama will unveil his jobs plan and today’s employment report won’t make it easier for him as job growth was zilch in August.
The post-Labor Day speech will introduce his strategy to promote economic growth and create jobs. The White House has been tight lipped about the details … More >
Labor Day is traditionally a time for picnics and parades. But this year is no picnic for American workers, and a protest march would be more appropriate than a parade.
Not only are 25 million unemployed or underemployed, but American companies continue to cut wages and benefits. The … More >
Particularly given Governor Perry’s presidential candidacy, I thought it would be interesting to see how Texas is doing on air pollution. Perry’s record has been controversial, but the Texas environmental quality agency has a graph showing improvement in ozone levels over the past decade:
However, in considering this graph, it’s … More >
Don’t fail to explore buildings that may seem all wrong for you. ”I am not an engineer . . .” There are great places to hang out and displays about what your classmates are up to from one end of the campus to the other. The East Asian Library has … More >
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