The emails I regularly receive from the new president of my scholarly association give me spikes of high blood pressure. I’m not used to being micromanaged and condescended to, and it’s really getting to me. I resigned but it will take them forever to find somebody to substitute me. Today, I literally had to get off the elliptical 7 minutes into a workout because I got yet another pissy email from this person and decided not to continue while my BP was spiking.
While I was fuming over the untimely demise of my workout, I got an email from the director of the International Business program informing me that they will remove the foreign language requirement because (and I quote) “foreign languages and culture used to be very important but the modern world is different than 20 years ago and it’s no longer justified.” I have no idea what this means, and it’s not helping that the creator of this beautiful phrase has the same name as a ditzy pop star, which makes it even harder to fashion a serious reply.
On top of everything, my graduate assistant is failing her classes and will not be allowed to continue working for us in the spring. I can’t hire a new one because there’s a hiring freeze.
And how is your November going so far?
Clarissa's Blog 
“… they will remove the foreign language requirement because (and I quote) ‘foreign languages and culture used to be very important but the modern world is different than 20 years ago and it’s no longer justified.'”
I’ll give you the shortcut version: this is Bill Kristol again.
You won’t believe it at first, but it’s Bill Kristol again.
The organisations he was part of have dissipated, but the migrant pseudo-intellectuals have infiltrated plenty of other organisations.
The point of view you’ll hate: “But why do you need foreign languages when you can poke everyone with the sharp stick of American culture, language, and military force?”
Scratch and sniff, see if I’m right.
Many American IB programs have turned into something rancid and it’s the fault of several different groups, one of which happens to be the so-called “neoconservatives”.
Which means it’s Bill Kristol again.
My November is going OK but it’s busy.
We’re still not back yet.
Orange juice is more expensive than diesel here, BTW.
So I only have orange juice in mixed drinks. 🙂
Not looking forward to the return trip and arriving again.
Before all of this, I figured about a 5% chance we’d be bugging out and selling off as much as we can, eating the losses if we have to.
Now I figure it’s about a 5% chance that we won’t do that.
More at some other time when I’m not concerned about chickens roosting in trees who like crapping on our heads. 🙂
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