Education's War Games

October in an election season is tailor-made for a war of the words. Competition runs high for shelf space with booksellers and a seat with O’Reilly. Add the terror component and you have a boiler room. But there is a war room where we are in a losing trend and the long-term effects directly impact our ability to engage every enemy at home and abroad. America’s boys are dying before they leave the classroom. And our obsession with the sacred grail of feelings-based education and ramped up social conditioning is killing the very feelings they are meant to preserve. Nothing kills like apathy!

In 2003, 65 percent of boys earned high school diplomas compared to 72 percent of girls (Garibaldi, 2006). The number is only becoming more disparate over time. College bound females outnumber boys to an extent that many schools are now employing affirmative action for boys in admissions.

How have we reached this point and why should we be concerned? First off, in a time of war and a nation grappling with international issues, strong, male leaders are needed to employ principles arrived at by exercising their nature. As author Gerry Garibaldi puts it, “boys’ aggressive and rationalist nature—redefined by educators as a behavioral disorder—[is]…getting many of them in trouble in the feminized schools.” Why is socialized education afraid of the aggressive and rational nature of boys? Is it an ethical persuasion that says nothing good can come of it, the “rational” and “aggressive” inherently lead to the challenge of social mores? We like our world the way it is. Or is it more about pragmatism? Crowd control is necessary when dealing with adolescent boys in large numbers. Where does that leave the boy that learns by asking questions, not simply completing assignments obediently as girls are more prone to do?

Move them outside, and boys’ natural inclinations are being assaulted on the playground. Willett Elementary in Attleboro, Massachussetts, has now ousted tag, touch football and other “chasing games” out of concern for injury risks and liabilities (LaHoud, The Sun Chronicle, Oct 21st 2006). Dodgeball has taken a beating. As have many sports where winners and losers must be identified. Does this really make the playground safer? God forbid we tilt the sacred level playing field. If the playground is an early education to prepare for life and human interaction, how is this preparing boys (and girls for that matter) for the meritocracies within corporate America, and the competitive world of outsourcing to places like Bangalore where boys will not only compete against others but against new digital platforms and applied innovation?
Boys are having an identity crisis. Some applaud their feminization as a culturalization in the diversity of human interaction. But what about the danger? Could a danger come when growing adolescent boys, discouraged from exploration into their intellectual nature, feel trapped between a choice of apathy and compliance or engagement in the lesser reaches of male aggression and rationale? Where does this choice leave them? And if our future is currently in basic training, a loss on the war of the playground is a loss for the soul of a nation.

Pandora's War In the Sandbox!

We've heard it all from every side staring cockeyed at the boob tube night after night. America has a record of imperialism that marches on in Iraq. America is spreading freedom. America is spreading tyranny. There were no WMDs. They FedExed the WMDs. We should draw down troop numbers and leave. We should ramp up troop numbers and get the job done. America is in an unwinnable war! Since when does winning have to be an objective to justify going to war? What if the first step is realizing there are no winners and losers this time, only necessitating circumstances? And on and on it goes, where it will stop, we must all at some point agree, nobody knows. One thing we do know is that we've opened up a Pandora's Box in the Middle East, or rather, a Pandora's Box was opened upon us. No one not suffering from amnesia questions the bi-partisan support (at the time) for war with Afghanistan, the less limited but still majority support for war with Iraq (after months of U.N. weapons inspectors were given the cold shoulder) and the crimes against humanity propogated by The Butcher of Baghdad. But in the current Middle Eastern front of the War on Terror, it's time we blew the whistle. The bill of goods is being sold by the Left and the Right. Given the centuries old scorn of Western society by Jihadists in the Middle East, a major attack on our homeland was inevitable. A response of some sort was necessary to discourage or, at a minimum, delay the sitting powers at the time in Afghanistan AND Iraq from further indirect or direct support of attacks on the United States. And any politician currently using "a total withdrawal" or any similar language is either A) taking advantage of your emotions and selling a dishonest optimism as a November 7th platform, or B) not being serious or educated in their understanding of the religious nature of the war as seen by Islamic Fundamentalists.

The Middle-Eastern view of history is not the American lunch-in-a-sack, fast food sound byte culture that allows us to declare success or failure after one, two or even five years. They know how to chew their food, digest and be PATIENT. Simply put, the Jihadist conflict with the West predates attacks on 911, attacks on the USS Cole, American Embassies in Africa, military barracks in Saudi Arabia, Marine barracks in Lebanon, the World Trade Center in `93 or even the song-and-dance of a Playboy Bunny Presidential Happy Birthday Wish! The conflict actually pre-dates the War of 1812 when in 1802 President Jefferson decided to challenge the "barbarism" of Arab warships preying on American merchant ships off the Barbary Coast. Jefferson asked the Arab diplomat "where's the shame?" and was given an answer that their right to attack was founded on the Laws of the Prophet, written in the Koran, that all nations not answering to their authority were sinners, worthy of subjugation. Adams, his predecessor, had warned that "We ought not to fight at all unless we determine to fight them forever". Jefferson, bucking the trend, launched his response against the twenty year record of kidnapping and ransoming of American merchantmen in North Africa. After the Bashaw of Tripoli took the crew of the USS Philadelphia captive at the Tripoli Coast, William Eaton rounded up his Marines and broke out to march 500 miles across Libya and take the coastal town of Derna, simultaneously ending the conflict (for a time) and giving the Marines a new line to their Marine hymn along with a great accessory for their uniforms - a sword shaped like an Arab scimitar (America, Bennett 182-183).

The time for the debate over how to close Pandora's Box is over. If America is a victim, many of its greatest wounds may be self-inflicted by those who would like to get this pesky little war over with so as to get back to internal politics and power-brokering. NEWSFLASH FROM THE COMMON MAN: There will never be a safe and total disengagement date for American interests in Iraq or anywhere else in the Middle East. Why? Because it's not about the oil stupid! It's not about the land. It's not about the prestige and it's not about a seat at the United Nations. It's only what these things represent. Quit thinking like a Westerner and getting distracted by claims to political motivations as they are given in diplomatic talks with Islamic Fundamentalist politicos. Does this mean we are destined to be an occupying force? Yes and no. We will not occupy but we will always be a support from a shorter distance. With any luck, we will never again push the likes of John O'Neill and Ahmed Shah Massoud to the back of the line. Everything changed for America after 9-11. For the Jihadist, it was simply a boldfaced chapter in an on-going religious conflict between Allah and The Great Satan. And no number of proposed Nancy Pelosi changes can dress up the House enough to make them feel at home.

The American Fib Factor - Easy Steps to Being a Damn Good Liar - Honestly!

In the beginning there was Adam the first man, Eve the first woman and the Serpent the first consultant. If there’s one thing you can’t be in life it’s honest when you’re trying to get ahead. If 95% of statistics are made up on the spot, then your goal should be to work even harder at fabricating the other 5% to where they’re more truthfully false than the 95% sounded. And when you’re really good, when you’ve done it long enough, you can graduate to the level where you actually believe your own lies and can convince those around you that not only are you the bringer of truth, but that the truth is worth the cost you charge. You are ripe for a successful career in many respected industries…politics, legal counsel, sales, media, being an older sibling on Christmas Eve. Aaah, this is where life begins. You may wonder, what is it about lies that makes them so believable? Are there levels of lying? What would you consider to be a liar at the grade school level? High school? Undergraduate? Grad School level? How do you reach PhD status? What are some of the obstacles to reaching the loftiest levels? What compromises a good lie?

First, what are good times to withhold information from those you love or those you hate for that matter? Try this one on for size. You have just been told that the girl your best friend is dating is really using him to get to his Porsche Carrera, the swank condo, and the realtor that sold him both. At this point one must ask, is "appropriate lying" a question of circumstance?

For those of you in the Bible-thumper crowd, here's a moral conundrum. How do you explain Rahab, the whore who saved the nation of Israel (Joshua 2:1-14) when she ball faced lied her way into protecting the Israeli spies she'd been smuggling in order to get them out of the city of Jericho alive? Or Jacob, engaging the classic family feud to garner his brother's first-born inheritance (Genesis 25:27-34). Flip to Malachi and you see God Almighty applauding the totality of Jacob's life over his older brother (Malachi 1:1-5). Which is more important from these stories? The tenacity and level of value that we place on what we value, or how we acquire what we value? What is God saying about His nature in honoring those who honor what He honors? Does the end justify the means?

In recent days, you look across the political landscape, scratch your head and say, how do you arrive at a Daniel Crane sexscapade, a Jack Abramoff/Ralph Reed liaison, a Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for Realtor, or any political campaign or lobby scandal where the players doggedly stand by their actions as acceptable. Are they lying to themselves? Why might that be a dangerous habit? What happens when we believe our own lies? What happens to the Coservative Right, often self-described as synonomous with Christian values, when they use God as a rubber stamp for policies such as the Faith Based Initiative Non-profit Gold Rush. What about a Left that rushes in to blindly and indiscrimanately elevate a woman's choice above that of her unborn infant, er, fetus, then cries that lawmakers need to legalize immigrant workers to make up for a smaller working class that does not have numbers enough to financially support failing social institutions? It all smacks of a passage in Genesis 1:24 of the NIV (Nihilist International Version).

“Man spoke: Let us make God in our own image, make Him reflecting our nature…So man created God in his own image, in the image of Man he created Him. Male and female, they created Him.”

We chuckle at youthful ignorance.

A little boy asks his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?". His Father replies, "I don't know, son, I'm still paying."

But when the rubber meets the proverbial space between the white lines, we must marvel at his honesty. Why do enlightened and mature adults cower from directly and honestly addressing many of the issues they face in today’s world? Are the stakes that much higher? Or is it simply an issue of respect. Is it easier to lie when someone doesn’t have respect for the other person, group, or themselves? In an ironic twist of fate, our sophisticated culture still wrestles with a Gospel play on words that is more than 2,000 years old. For four consecutive books it sets up the premise that the Truth is a Person, not a concept.

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free?”—John 8:32

Ever wonder why? How would believing this, that Truth is a Person and not a concept, affect one’s concept of truth? Of lying? How might it simplify the political process? Truth would then become less negotiable. Where it's easy to negotiate philosophical pros and cons, ethics wars and the like, it's difficult to do the same with a person’s identity and reputation. Lying held against the truth of the Person would then become an argument based on clearly established precedent (if the person were consistent), not revisionism to fit the current wind pattern of popular belief. But why would we want that! It's too simple. We're sophisticated. We're postmodern. So we send the kids back out in the yard. Someday they'll understand. We have a media monster with a healthy appetite that needs a steady diet of scandels to stay energized. It keeps the monster focused externally. We're never left alone with our own thoughts.

The Hub Radio Prep Vault - Humans Right? Nuking Your Inner Narciss, Nark or Nihilist!

Originally discussed on April 20th, 2006

When you think of human rights, what is it that makes people feel like they’re rights are being trampled on?

How do those rights change based on the group of people? Is it right to even put people into groups? Does that immediately make someone a bigot, if they identify “groups of people” or schools of thought?

Are there such things as universal human rights or is that utopian? What are some of those? What makes them universal? What should make them universal?

Is it possible for everyone to get universal human rights without someone losing out or being hurt at some level? In other words, is it always possible to be fair?

Cynthia McKinney Gets Her Hair Pulled And Calls for A Timeout

Who was in the wrong here? What would have been a way to avoid the scuffle? How much of avoiding a scuffle depends on both sides wanting to avoid it? How much of it depends on one side acting like an a%$-hole?

TomKAT’s Placenta Poppin’ Cult
How much of human disrespect is related to misunderstanding or miscommunication?

What’s at the core of racism? Bigotry?

Mexican Immigration Romp – SB 529 and Sen. Zamarippa with a “Chip” On His Shoulder

If they won’t take insight, give insight to incite.

How do people control others by hate? How does hate affect logic? How does fear affect logic? How does groupthink affect logic? Why have logic…why not have love?

Where does the rule of law become discrimination? Is it racist to have national pride or identity? Is nationalism insensitive? Does it have to hurt someone to be maintained?

Racism 101: How to Be A Racist and Not Lose Sleep At Night
Consider. In order to live with yourself as a bona-fide racist, you need to master one, if not all three of the following; narcissism, nihilism or just be a narc.

What is your definition of a narcissist? What about a Narc? A Nihilist?

The Basics: A narcissist doesn’t care about others, only himself, a true narc doesn’t know he needs to care because he’s numb to the needs of others and a nihilist sees no reason to care. It’s every man for him self in a world with no intrinsic value. Suffering has no meaning. Survival is your chief goal. A narcissist might know he needs to care but not give a crap while a nihilist may be firing on all 8 cylinders and just see no rational reason to give. And a narc….whaaat?

How do we do these things (disrespect, basically) in our day to day life, even if not intentionally?

How do you arrive at a perfect state of narc, narcis or nihilist? How do you, God forbid, avoid it? Why would you want to? You’d be so much more successful, right? You could do away with caution altogether. After all, that’s what’s holding you back, eh? (Hint of sarcasm in case you missed it and want to key my car right now).

... the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.
-Quote by Noam Chomsky

What’s he saying? Do you agree?

Hu Done-It – Chinese President Hu Jintao Gets Heckled for Banning the `Falun Gong’ Religion— Thu Apr 20 2006 12:10:16

Chew On This
Do you see this cycle? Democracy makes world safe, corporations make democracy unsafe (special interests with a goal of what’s profitable over what’s right get in on the game), corporate spin-artists make corporate power safe from democracy (by demonizing and thus silencing democratic government and officials that dare to challenge corporate interests), democracy sleeps with the enemy and makes world unsafe (congratulations democracy, you have a baby! Let’s call him “Economic Totalitarianism” and dang if he don’t wet his pants every 5 minutes). Finally, civil freedom fighters come along and demand democratic government over special interests and equal representation in the law. The fight strong-arms democracy back into spanking the “little brat” before he grows into a bully and takes over the playground.

So how do you maintain or restore civility and human rights?

Racial Tension Since the Dawn of Time—Arab/Israeli Family Feud
Genesis 21:8-10
Have It Both Ways—Matthew 22:15-22
Color Blind—Somewhere in Acts 10

The Hub Radio Prep Vault - Assumptions and Limitations: Self-Mutilation Is Good For Your Health

Originally discussed on May 25, 2005

What if everything you held dear were just a creature comfort construct with no reality behind it? What if multiple hit-and-run sexual liaisons DO make you more aware of your compatibility and set you up for more success in love? What if working the company for extra hours with casual web surfdom is a good way to stay relaxed and does translate into a more productive long-term associate? What if alcohol is the best social lubricant, smoking actually helps you live longer because stress reduction outweighs any negative effects and kicking the dog actually improves your punting game? Everyone assumes something. "They" always seem to know. But against "common sense", Rupert Murdoch had a ratings hunch, Martin Luther had a laundry list of thesis and DaVinci had a code...or Brown did. Hell, one of'em did! What if the truth lies on the other side of the beating and we're only fooling ourselves by watching it from the safety of Pay-Per-View? What if it falls somewhere between the sacred and the secular?

Do you believe we’re in love with cynicism today or is the exact opposite true?

Do we believe in things and/or people too easily? Do we trust too easily? Why or why not?

Case Study 101:
Intelligent Design Gets A Reverse Monkey Trial—Return to 1925
The Day Judge Jones III Became A Scientist
Wired Magazine – June 2006

Who do you trust the most? The least? Why?

How much do we trust ourselves?

Do you think we are really independent thinkers or are we playing more follow the leader than we even understand or acknowledge?

The Choose Your Own Adventure Series Makes A Comeback – Remember those old stories back in the 70’s that let you choose alternate endings? Publishers are looking to pattern several series of new books after those originals and they don’t even require ecstasy to garner reader appreciation.

Do you think these series will succeed or fail today?

What are some of the things we’re made to believe or are convinced to believe about ourselves? In the world of relationships? Religion? Reality?

Case Study 101
Donald Powell – Czar of the Bayou
U.S. News and World Report – May 22nd, pp. 12
How much of our belief comes from close friends? Culture at large?

Do you feel like your beliefs are constantly being manipulated without you knowing it? Does that bother you? Is it unavoidable?

SOUND OFF—Part 1– Healthy Approach (H) Unhealthy Approach (U) To Relationships

1. I need someone that understands me? H or U
2. You just gotta understand, he’s just not that into you. H or U
3. I need someone who can keep up in order to be compatible with them. H or U

Now Boarding. And They’re Off!
Wired, June 2006, pp. 32
How much of life is about balance and seeing both sides of the coin?

When does…

Caring become Obsession
Honesty become Hurtful
New Precedent become Revisionist History—a la Bill Bennett, America: The Last, Best Hope
Love become Ownership
Disagreement become Hatred
Free Speech become Hate Speech

SOUND OFF—Part 2 True or False

Reality is what you make it. Build your world.

The St. Francis Dam Massacre—Shouldn’t Have Slept Through Geology Class
The Story of the dam that broke and killed dozens destroying entire towns after architects ignored some warning signs.

You can do anything you set your mind to.

Good educations are the building blocks of success.

How often do we examine the motives behind the messenger? What might we find there?

Case Study 101:
“The Court Gets It Right”—NY Times article
(But if you turn this page over and read it @ a 95 degree angle, “NY Times Says Bravo to Reduced Sentences for Violent Criminals”)—Ann Coulter, pp. 266-267

Why don’t we examine the messenger? Is it because we want something to believe in, we WANT rest? How often do we then exercise bad judgement and rest on something/someone that betrays us? What’s our typical response when that happens?

Join the Conversation—Sony Pictures has upped a film discussion forum at davincidialogue.com SoCal megachurches are jumping in too.

daVinci’s Code Takes Home More @ Box Office Than Mona Lisa at Silent Auction—What Can Dan Brown Do For You?

Movie Premise: Religion is responsible for much of the violence and intolerance in the world. It’s a human construct to maintain control of others, especially women. It’s economic. Blind faith has led to many of the world’s worst genocides. Beg to differ? Buy a ticket.

Begging the Question: The movie does make one wonder, “Can one author hit on something that 3,000 years and some of the greatest minds in human history, some of whom dedicated their entire life to it, had just flat out missed?” Maybe.

1. The Enviroment Where the Whole Movement Started—Professor Craig Blomberg
The 5 Year Trace back and political incentives
2. Council of Nicaea, 325AD—The Cover-up Council or the Real Reason for the Get-Together
3. The Bible is the Errant Word of God—So Give Me Some Back-up—pp. 260
Flavius Josephus, pp. 77-78 Tacitus, pp. 81-82 Pliny the Younger, pp. 83 Phlegon, pp. 85
All excerpts from The Case for Christ—By Lee Strobel

CHEW ON THIS:
How many of our beliefs in life are based on fact? How many are based on our unwillingness to “self-mutilate” and ask tough questions from both sides? The truth sets free because it cuts deep. Some mysteries never seem to die out and just keep drawing the rebel searcher back with a call to “break the code”! Some codes would never fit on any canvas. Some would never fit in Google. Some are too big for the search engine. Some require a little more…

The Hub Radio Prep Vault - Opportunity Rocks! How To Be A Capitalist and Whether I'm A Greedy Bastard

Originally discussed on June 5th, 2006

Case Studies 101
DC Comical Old-Timing – Losing at the Future? – Wired, May 2006, pp. 36
Googlevision – Wired, pp. 136, June 2006

What causes a company to say no to change?

Case Studies 101
Southeast Asians Get Drug Tested – Wired, May 2006, pp. 27

When you think of capitalism, what comes to mind?

What have been some of your own personal experiences with capitalism? How did you feel about being a part? How much of it depends on your upbringing? What are the adjectives you would associate with it?

Who benefits from capitalism? Who stands to lose?

Wal-Mart Plays Nice – Giving Floor Ads to Mom and Pop
Wal-Mart has been put through the meat grinder by many for their corporate interests that make a clean sweep of small businesses when they transplant themselves into a community. As a compromise, some Wally Worlds are allowing floor space to Mom and Pop inside the new Wal-Mart stores in order to help Gramps move the jarred preserves and candied yams of yesteryear that they have peddled for years. Is this a fair compensation?

Betting on the Stars – New website for gambling on the future of celebrities – Wagerweb.com lets you gamble on whether Britney will reach for the baby or the coffee on her next Grande Mishap.

Capitalism - Always a gamble at a certain level?

What must one believe and/or do in order to get ahead in a brave new world of capitalism? What do you use to get ahead?

Be More Creative – Don’t Let Al Gorge On the Environment Issue. Support the Cause by Busting Your Ass – Just ask Peter Bethune (Florida Man Who Powers His Speedboat with biodiesels generated from the fat in his rear end).

SOUND OFF

Agree or disagree?

“Let us make our mistakes just as we let you make yours.” – Sup. Court Justice Antonin Scalia to Congress

We should share culture, not capitalize over others. Ours is a culture of everyone.

Do you think capitalism is just an economic issue? Where does it come into play with our entertainment? Romance? Friendships? Politics? Sports? Work?

Social Scene Capitalism: How do you recognize the alpha male? Is the ‘Alpha Male’ always the biggest capitalist in the room?

When you’re at a social, what ‘type’ of person is set apart in everybody’s mind as the
go-getter/rising star? What are your clues? How do you interact with them differently?

Romantic Capitalism: Charlie Sheen/Denise Richards Break-up – Denise Goes After Bon Jovi Guitarist and former best friend Heather Locklear’s Husband Richie Sambora and Hollywood Launches A New Clothing Line for the Feud – Star Magazine, pp. 40, 42-43, June 12th

What do you think of that? What’s going on there? What’s the difference between capitalism and outright exploitation? What are ways that we exploit people emotionally?

Have you ever seen someone leverage their status to change a system they didn’t like? Is that selfish? How do you feel about it?

Baby Brangelina Forces Namibia Government Lockdown on the Papparazzi

What are ways that we exploit people’s privacy/trust? With camera phones and small digital cameras strangers are showing up all over the place online. How do you feel about the Stalker/Shutterbug debate? Should people be able to capitalize on the moment and share it with the world as long as it’s in public and not illegal?

Da Vinci Code Makes Mona Lisa Smile
Does religion thrive by capitalizing on people’s emotional needs? Is that wrong? How is it different from the corporation?

What about in sports? Barry Bonds verses Hank Aaron? The great performance-enhancing drug debate. Was it capitalism or was it exploiting the system?

CHEW ON THIS:
Exploitation is something we allow to be done to ourselves because we don’t recognize it or we make a judgement call and say “the good feeling is worth the risk”. Are we not partially to blame when the “crap hits the fan” in our little playpen? A lot of the reason the play pen is still fun even though we’re locked in is because we’re infants with no freedom to compare and contrast against our cooped up existence. We’re happy because we don’t know what we’re missing. Do you agree?

HEADLINE of the WEEK
Duke Lacrossed Her
The Trial of the Duke Lacrosse Team vs. the Stripper Who Says They Gang-Raped Her

Who’s capitalizing on this situation? Who’s exploiting it?

Case Study 101: A young couple with a husband catching red eye flights to his sweet by and bys with his Sweet 16 “Piece of American Pie”. He is capitalizing on Sweet 16, her intrigue with him and her innocence and his wife feels betrayed. What does his wife feel – loneliness, guilt, confusion, frustration, eventually anger. He leaves her vulnerable. The single guy next door is a really good listener and he’s there when she needs a friend. Before it’s over he’s getting his own “piece of the pie”. What’s your take on this love quadrangle?

What allows people to be exploited emotionally?

Political Gaming with Immigration – How are both sides trying to capitalize on the issue?

Is there really any way to “do” capitalism without it being at the expense of someone? Is it a system that can only survive when one group loses out to another?

CHEW ON THIS
Democracy Inaction

What about streamlining it so everyone is kept on an equal footing? Is that possible?

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” – Winston Churchill