Teaching Is an Art, Teachers Are Not Made

“To act on the belief that we possess the knowledge and the power which enable us to shape the processes of society entirely to our liking, knowledge which in fact we do not possess, is likely to make us do much harm.” – Friedrich Hayek, The Pretence of Knowledge

Das Narrenschiff Das Narrenschiff (Ship of Fools)
The week of June 11, 2016 issue of The Economist published a one page editorial on “How to make a good teacher.” It makes a very weak case that teachers can be trained. There is obviously no stated government mold for such a teacher. There is teacher licensing set by the Department of Education which requires teachers to be graduates of the College of Education and mandates that teaching methodology courses and student teaching are part of the College of Education curriculum for future teachers. Continue reading

Is Brexit Good for Britain?

Brexit panel photo 6-13-16
The American Conservative Union (ACU) and its foundation held a panel discussion on the topic of Brexit: The Collapse of the EU and Its Impact on America in the Cannon Caucus Room on June 13, 2016. The panelists were Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, Steve Hilton, former senior advisor to U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, and KT McFarland, ACU Foundation Senior Fellow. Continue reading

Wind Turbines Are Killing Birds and Bats

stork photo from Mark Duchamp Photo courtesy of Mark Duchamp,
President, Save the Eagles International
I saw the once verdant wheat fields of Eastern Europe covered with ugly wind turbines, slowly spinning their huge blades into the wind. A few funnel dust swirls were blowing the topsoil into the air. They did not appear to be connected to any storage station that would distribute the electrical power generated. I searched and found out that they were really not connected to any network, were not generating usable electricity, they were all for show to placate the “green growth” European bureaucrats. Continue reading

Socialism, Failure, and the Progressive Deception

A 1989 video exposed the socialist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu visiting a Bucharest grocery store and a bread store. Greeted outside the door with flowers which he unceremoniously dumped into the arms of his minions, Ceausescu waved at the “adoring crowds.” He touched a few loaves of bread as if he really cared about what his people ate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxao_-TZ840 Continue reading