On Wis. regents want universities to lower book costs
Posted on December 5 at 8:18 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
meinelkm20, I was a professor for 15 years. I agree completely with your observations, but the problem I faced was that older versions were not always available. The publishers would change the appearance of figures and little or no text, then charge more. In upper level chemistry, there was a narrow range of options. At that time, there was no option for rental around my school. I would tell students the ISBN as soon as I could, so they could buy on-line (which the bookstore on campus made clear it opposed). Some of my UWW MBA classes have required up to four books for an on-line course (the one now requires two), which doesn't help costs either.
Posted on June 17 at 8:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hillary would likely be a mistake, and not because I fear she couldn't do it - she could. A president must feel they are in charge, and a highly competitive VP is not good for the incumbent or the country. The president must be strong and independant (at least perceived as such). If Hillary is on the ticket, it will always be felt that he was forced to take her on to settle the competitive issue, to prevent a scene at the convention, or to keep her voters in the democrat column. She would be seen as a comparative equal which could divide his decision making power - people would always be asking him "what does Hillary think about this issue?" I think that would be unwise. McCain could pick Huckabee, because he was no threat in the end. My comments have nothing to do with who I might or might not vote for (I am still uncommitted and deeply concerned), but I still see this as an issue for Obama and the country.
On Young voters: Obama’s race as an asset, non-issue
Posted on June 6 at 9:49 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I fear the lead topic of this article is going to be divisive, but I will wade in. I am a democrat, but I have NEVER pulled the party lever in an election. I vote on issues and my impression of candidates. I am convinced a president must have a world view that is well thought out. And Barack has yet to convince me.
The issue of color is certainly less divisive than when Shirley Chisholm ran back in the 60's - a black woman at this time had little chance. Now, I think most of America can look beyond that, if the candidate has a solid, sensible platform. The problem is Barack has failed - so far - in the foreign affairs department, and has given me little to hold on to economically. His speeches border on (or firmly are) pandering to audiences. I would probably be much more willing to vote for Colin Powell, even though he would (probably) run as a republican, because he earned my respect as a statesman - not that he was perfect, but he had a feel for issues I don't yet get from Barack. Too bad the republicans don't have a more charismatic candidate - like Reagan was - so we could put charisma against charisma and then look for issues. Remember, magnetism attracts some, repels others. My vote is not yet a given.
On Obama could be president women want him to be
Posted on June 2 at 10:06 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
There have been more than 100,000 people killed in Iraq since 2003; no one knows for sure how many. Many of those were innocent bystanders who had futures and hope. I have been in the region recently, and I know the loss of life - American and Iraqi - will not suddenly be worth more if we exit all at once. Viet Nam (should have) taught us that much. I fully and whole heartedly agree that we should never have gone in to make war, but I also do not think we can just leave. We are not common criminals who ransack the house, then walk away. Even if the war was wrong, we are now looked towards as the builders. While I applaud the sentiment, I have yet to see anything really concrete from Obama about a plan.
On Obama could be president women want him to be
Posted on June 2 at 6:58 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I may be unclear on this, but I think these are NOT Obama's words, these are words the columnist is "channeling", or saying she hopes Obama will say. Am I wrong on that - is this a real Obama speech?
On Obama could be president women want him to be
Posted on June 1 at 10:40 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The most frightening thing about Obama, to me, is his lack of experience and knowledge about international affairs. His desire to meet with dictators is not itself a bad idea, but he must understand the need for linkage - a Kissinger idea - and preparation. Chamberlain went to Germany to bring back "peace for our times" only to find everything fell apart - he had no preparation to meet with the dictators, and made no effort to coordinate with allies. If Obama does the same, it will only legitimize those dictators, giving them credibility on the world stage. Yes, we need to talk (it is better than war), but we also need linkage - our cooperation comes at a cost to them, and we expect real negotiations, not some sham. It is dangerously naive to make presidential level negotiations a campaign platform. He must realize the need to send in lower level advisors first, to prep the ground.
On Think gas prices are high? Try $11 in Turkey
Posted on June 1 at 10:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Truth1: Clinton (and Bush and Reagan and...) had almost nothing to do with this - that is a blame game we do not need to start. The blame lies with MBA's who were taught about LCR's - low cost regions - like China and India. All types of companies - scientific instrument companies, apparel, automotive - were the ones who transferred their technology, not the govt. The auto companies invested heavily in Korea as an LCR for engine production. Now, Korea is selling low cost cars in the US using things they learned from our investment, while many of the skills that used to be in Detroit have been lost (there are now moves like the ICAR facility at Clemson to get this back). It is clear that in some LCR's, two factories are built when we know of one - the second is used to learn how to do the production better, and eventually undershoot the market. Low cost allows market flexibility - Komatsu did this to Caterpillar, Honda/Toyota did it to the big three. Short sighted boards, not politicians, transferred the knowledge out - look at the leather industry in Italy as an excellent example.
On Think gas prices are high? Try $11 in Turkey
Posted on June 1 at 8:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I also agree with kio - the key to gas prices is not greed on the part of the oil companies. The most important factor is that global demand is spiraling upward. Developing nations see our way of life in the west, and strive to match it - and the big cars are part of that. When you consideer the populations of China and India are both over one billion, you can see that the US market will soon be a relative backwater. Take the traffic in Chicago and multiply by three, and you get some idea of a normal day in Shanghai (I was there recently). Production can only go so far - it takes years for new fields to produce viable levels of oil, and refinery capacity is limited. This will not stop becuase of a hearing in congress.
On Car stunt puts youth near death
Posted on May 6 at 8:30 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I fell off a fast moving car when I was in high school pulling a stunt like this. I now have a science PhD, an MBA and a family. I understand what happened in that parking lot. And, no, this does not devalue honor society. Most in that group (I was) have stories like this to tell, though they hide it well. It is called growing up. And though not everyone has experiences like this, everyone does have memories of things they did that weren't so mature. I, for one, would not want to go through that again. For those who think social clubs or churches are the answer, they are only a piece of the fabric, and cannot stop this. My town was vastly larger, with many things to do. I was (and am) an avid church goer, and even attended a morning Bible study in the school. I still fell off that car. And to the person who knows where her children are all the time, don’t be so sure that is enough. My best friend left his daughter at a swim lesson in the high school. She was approached by two upper class girls with Cocaine. And that was this past weekend. The hopeful thing is that she did refuse.
My prayers go to the young men, their families and friends. To the young men, I say don’t forget this – that would waste the lessons. Don’t dwell on it either, as that leads to depression, insanity and worse. Make this a thread in the tapestry of your life. It is and will be a part of who you are – I still remember being terrified falling off that car, and it affects what I do now, more than thirty years on. I don’t judge you - that is left to the justice system. Accept the support of your friends and family as the most important thing right now, and know that most of us adults went through this in our own way. Best wishes.
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On Does God make a difference?
Posted on December 5 at 8:54 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I recently returned from trips to Israel, Malaysia and other "hot spots." I can state absolutely that study of religion is essential in business and politics. My knowledge (acquired through study and discussions with people of these faiths) of what Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam really mean - not what the papers say, but what they mean in people's lives day to day - were essential. When to shake hands, when to approach, even where to buy gas on a given day or which elevator to use on the Sabbath were informed by understanding religions. My personal faith informs my ethics; beyond that I only claim some knowledge which is proving essential in the new world of business (I have an MBA). Most of what we read and much of what is now going on in those major religions are distortions of the original writers. Strangely, there is more in common than you would think, at the core; it is the dogma piled on top that causes problems. In all movements, the one common virus seems to be fundamentalism, which draws a line and ends useful debate. This is true with atheism and science too (I also have a PhD in science). I honored the mosques, temples and synagogues I visited with respect, and I think it helped build bridges - time will tell. So people's beliefs in God, by whatever name, is relevant, and it is important to this new world. To dismiss it as foolishness or irrelevance will end the relationship before it begins.