Current Events
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Third Saturday Seminar 2011-2012
Return of the Elders, Unleash your Wisdom
Session 07
“We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately”
– Ben Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Curt Gibby
Saturday, 21 April, 2012
9:30AM til 12:00 noon
Room B-102, Lone Star College – Montgomery
3200 College Park Drive – Conroe, TX – 77384 – 936.273.7000
For some time you have heard me casually predict: It doesn’t matter how the upcoming Presidential and Congressional Elections come out, very few people will be happy.
It’s kind of a four part problem.
There are two major parties, Republican and Democratic. If one says, “Yes,” the other says “No!” (It’s not a matter of reason or belief, just who spoke first.)
Last election’s winner was determined by the “winner take-all rules”of most states. The popular vote gave the winner only a small plurality.
Again, neither party’s base is showing an overwhelming enthusiasm for their candidates presumptive (at this writing neither party has an “official” candidate) It seemed the real enthusiasm came from the “self-identified independents.” (Some say 40% of those who voted were independent) Many voting for the first time, or finally (bravely) reengaging with the political process.
This year the Republicans pared down from a dozen candidates to 1 pretender plus 2 court jesters. Many of the independents who last year chose Obama for a “change” have felt seriously let down, whether it was a matter of leading an economic recovery effectively, of justice for the Americans whose livelihoods and savings were destroyed, of working transparently to create any sort of true consensus for health reform, of protecting our Constitutional liberties, showing respect and protecting the rights (of privacy and choice) for women (and their families.) All of our wonderful new technology is now targeted against ourselves. The unconstitutional practices instituted by the previous administration have been more deeply enshrined by the one who promised change.
Regardless of the outcome, and of the abilities of those chosen, it is We The People who are going to be living in and rebuilding the once respected American culture and economy. While our elected leaders will try to continue to let the country be played by cultures and interests that are trying to get us to self-destruct. (You heard me quote bin Laden on that subject.)
It’s turned into a war between good and evil. By definition one side is pure and the other side is impure. It’s OK to fabricate the accusations to be venomously heaved at the other side, to totally disrespect them and their concerns. Reality, common sense, and intelligence are not in the equation, only the party line.
Each side has its own media processing resources which with feigned “Church Lady” superficiality seems able to keep advertisers and viewers, listeners and readers motivated and inspired(?)
This Saturday we are going to turn to three sources to look for insight into:
- How to recognize what’s happening and why, (Jonathon Haidt & Bill Moyers)
- A strategic approach to insolvable problems, (Tim Harford)
and
- Could the Texas state budget crunch (a conservative concern) and could rehabilitation of offenders instead of warehousing them (a liberal concern) find support from both sides of the aisle in Austin? (Maria Hinojosa on PBS)
- Is there a lesson here? (The Third Saturday Seminar)
Here are the materials we will be working with, all available on the Internet. (Don’t miss the one in current events)
Jonathan Haidt in an interview with Bill Moyers (47:09 minutes)
February 3, 2012
Our country is more politically polarized than ever. Is it possible to agree to disagree and still move on to solve our massive problems? Or are the blind leading the blind — over the cliff?
Bill and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt talk about the psychological underpinnings of our contentious culture, why we can’t trust our own opinions, and the demonizing of our adversaries.
“When it gets so that your opponents are not just people you disagree with, but… the mental state in which I am fighting for good, and you are fighting for evil, it’s very difficult to compromise,” Haidt tells Moyers. “Compromise becomes a dirty word.”
Tim Harford, God Complex vs. Trial and Error (18:07 Minutes)
Economics writer Tim Harford studies complex systems, and finds a surprising link among the successful ones: they were built through trial and error. In this sparkling talk from TED Global 2011, he asks us to embrace our randomness and start making better mistakes.
“I see the God complex around me all the time in my fellow economists. I see it in our business leaders. I see it in the politicians we vote for — people who, in the face of an incredibly complicated world, are nevertheless absolutely convinced that they understand the way that the world works.” (Tim Harford)
Note that the website has an interactive transcript that allows you to move between the transcript and the video.
Texas justice (11:23 minutes), Need to Know (PBS), finding alternatives to prison
By Daniel B. Polin, Elyse Steinberg and Josh Kriegman
March 27, 2012
Think of the Texas approach to crime, and you likely think: tough, even harsh measures. It’s an image as old as Judge Roy Bean, the “Hanging Judge” of lore if not of fact. And it was reinforced much more recently by the remarks of Gov. Rick Perry on the death penalty during a presidential debate last year.
But while it’s true that Texas leads the nation in the number of executions, there’s another, surprising fact: Texas has been a pioneer in finding alternatives to prison — as a way to control costs and to prevent convicts from returning.
How did an unlikely alliance between left and right lead to a revolution in how criminals are treated in one of the nation’s reddest states? Need to Know’s Maria Hinojasa explains.
Let’s have a great conversation Saturday!
Current Events: As usual we will start out with a current events session,
Let’s see: Secrets of the Secret Service (Cavorting in Cartagena), Syria Cease Fire(?), War on Women (Rep) vs. War on Women (Dem). Rick Perry insists on “state rape” of our female citizens but refuses funds for prenatal care and family planning.
Here an appetizer (Irony rules): The politics of stay-at home-moms
Third Saturday Seminars
To refer to an ancient Chinese saying, our world is (still) in interesting times and individual citizens are assaulted with a blinding array of propaganda from every conceivable source. The Third Saturday Seminar is about demystification of what is going on around us. Time will also be spent on current events. No fee to members. Class meets normally on the Third Saturday of the Month, except close to holidays and Spring break.
LSC-Montgomery B102
16199 Sa and 5/18 (to be confirmed) 9:30AM-12PM Gibby
Come, join the discussion! Let’s see if there is hope!
ALL Montgomery Summer Schedule
Registration
How do I register for a class?
You can fill out a registration form and submit it to us: In person: LSC-Montgomery (3200 College Park Dr., Conroe, TX 77384), Continuing Education/ALL Office Building E (Room 205)
- Phone: 936.273.7446
- Fax: 936.273.7262
- Lonestar.edu
See you Saturday — Thanks for your support!
DON‘T (be) PANIC(ked)
Curt Gibby
Director, Third Saturday Seminar
P. O Box 73207
Houston, Tx 77273
P.S. As usual if anything in this notice doesn’t make sense, please let me know. (You won’t be the first, I will appreciate it and say, “Thank you,” Curt)