Somali born 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

With knowledge of her background, we can respect her insight as applied to the Somali community in Minnesota. She says they have "clustered tightly and predictably with the same social logic that governs life in Mogadishu, where I was born."

"Social logic" in Mogadishu is clan-based, with total loyalty going to the clan or family. It's a worldview where "resources are scarce, the world is dangerous, and survival depends on extracting maximum benefit for one's own family."

The only social model they trust is "the family, the clan, the inner circle. The state [country and government] becomes a distant entity to be milked, repeatedly and without hesitation." Retribution and violence will follow.

Loyalty to the clan and hostility to the wider community (like the city or state) is not compatible with the values of their American neighbors. "If [they] don't undergo a full cultural and moral reboot--true assimilation--then they will carry those assumptions into the societies that receive them."

"Minnesota now faces problems it can't make sense of, let alone solve." The stakes are high.

from The Free Press

Eyes opened

None of us average Americans (who have homes, jobs, families, neighborhoods, etc.) think America is perfect. But the horrid picture ("dangerous, racist, broken, failing") that legacy media paints for the world is not accurate. It's a delight to see global visitors for the World Cup get an experience of our wonderful country the way it really is.

So many have posted stories of their eyes being opened to the good things (which we average Americans take for granted) over here. Our current president's picture is featured on these videos, but may I suggest that you just ignore it if you don't like him . . and watch them anyway. They're not about politics 😊 (Woops, there is some political talk at the end of the first video)

Lasting things

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

President of Hillsdale, Dr. Larry Arnn, had a few remarks to share at the Celebration. He asks whether such a celebration is appropriate today . . because we are different than the people of 250 years ago.

Most of us don't heat our homes by burning wood and none of us wear powdered wigs. Dr. Arnn drives a cybertruck to work, it talks to him, and it could keep him constantly in touch with social media (he won't let it😉).

But, he says, the Declaration of Independence is still relevant to us because it refers to some lasting things that don't change no matter how long ago they were said:

All men are created equal - they are endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights - and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Dr. Arnn goes on to say, "Hillsdale College exists that we may learn in a shifting world to grasp and follow the laws of nature and of nature’s God [the wording in the Declaration]. In that effort, we find and we deserve our freedom."

Classical ed 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

When children are young in this system, much information is absorbed because they take to it so well. In the next stage, they learn logic, how to analyze opinions and evaluate values based on their information. Finally, at the high school level, they form opinions and make reasonable arguments for them.

Standardized tests demonstrate that these students know their subjects. They perform in the upper 13% on the ACT, and the upper 17% of the nation's students on the SAT. But even better, they learn how to think deeply and how to learn. They develop respect for other people, including those who have opposing beliefs and values.

As she says, if all our citizens had such an education, we as a people would: really know our own history so as to avoid past mistakes, make our decisions on the basis of reason and knowledge rather than emotion only, and resist deceit and manipulation.

Colombia to Mars

Like the Starbuck family from Cuba, Diana Trujillo from Colombia sought opportunity by coming to the United States of America. She made her move at the tender age of 17. 

Not even able to speak English, she managed to get and hold a job as a maid, eventually putting herself through community college. Undoubtedly, it was difficult. But, as she says, "nothing that's worth it is easy." 

She studied aerospace engineering at the university, applied to NASA academy, and was hired by NASA. Today she is Mission Lead for the Mars Curiosity Rover.

Her virtues got her there: resilience, courage, determination, willingness to work hard--all of these enabled her drive to pursue her dream. She didn't choose an easy path. She needed everything she had.

Starbuck 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Robby's effectiveness in changing corporate minds about DEI caught the attention of the NYT, which did a story on "how to handle the Robby Starbuck problem in corporate America." Large sums of money were spent on "oppo" research to find something negative that could be used as leverage against him.

Even worse, Google's AI started reporting very bad things about him when a search on his name was done. Most of us routinely believe answers from artificial intelligence, right? So, these accusations were injected into public opinion and were a direct threat to his reputation.

But the accusations (child rapist, financial cheater, convicted of sexual assault, etc.) were all made up by AI and completely untrue. When asked to verify these charges, Google's AI invented both fake police reports and fake articles written by real journalists. That is, it made up both the lie and the documentation of it.

Google's AI (Gemini), when questioned, "admitted that it was deliberately engineered to damage the reputation of individuals with whom Google executives disagree politically, including Mr. Starbuck."

Robby filed a lawsuit against Google last January. Google's response is that their AI was just hallucinating, apparently not a big deal to them, and they've done nothing to fix it.

Bret Weinstein makes some chilling remarks about the danger of AI misleading its readers and ruining people's reputations at about 4:45 and following in video below.

Starbuck

Robby Starbuck's family lost everything when communism took over in Cuba, so they fled to the United States. As the son of immigrants, he absorbed their vivid memories of growing tyranny in their homeland and the relief of finding freedom in the US. He learned to be alert to early signs that tyranny could threaten our American values . . because if America falls, there's no place to run to.

Producing Hollywood films was his career goal. While pursuing it in California, he ditched that goal to do something more meaningful to him: he saw this country going the wrong way and decided to put all his effort into getting it back on track. 

Corporations went political a few years back. Ideas like DEI racism and transgenderism found their way into boardrooms of big corporations and into their policies. When Robby tried to change executives' policies, they would ask him, "ok what organization must I donate to in order to get you off my case?" They seemed to respect it when he refused that money. He's had success with Target and others. A committed, woke activist who was head of Harley Davidson (motorcycles) could not be persuaded to change, and he is now gone.

Robby wants to fight for what he believes to be right, and he's been effective. He's also paid a price for being in the public eye.

(cont'd tomorrow)

Ranchers

Drought has fallen on Nebraska ranchers, a serious threat to property and to incomes. Wildfires naturally followed drought and destroyed thousands of acres of hay recently, spelling disaster for cattle.

Winds of 70 mph blowing across the flat terrain resulted in a record-breaking 827,000 acres burned this month.

"One rancher related that they were able to save some cattle by herding them into a field that had a pivot irrigation sprinkler system that they turned on. The water kept the cattle drenched and safe as the fire swept past." A consolation for this rancher, but just a partial one. They still have to be fed somehow, and the range is burned up.

Organizations like Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund will help. But quicker relief may come from neighbors who informally organize to help their neighbors:

from KSJD, Farm News and Views

Becoming US 1

Hector Herrera and his wife recently sat in the US consulate in Montreal, watching the other soon-to-be citizens with their laps full of folders and documents, all quietly waiting for their chosen identity to become fully legal. Many were dressed up. It's a grave, important moment.

He began life in Mexico, lived in Canada, and will soon make his home in the US. He's lived with different assumptions about responsibility, speech, the role of the state. He sorted out what he thinks is right . . and made a reasoned decision to become an American citizen.

(photo)

People are allowed here to try, to fail, to try and fail again, and eventually learn how to succeed. "It builds grit. It builds anti-fragility. It builds citizens who are not waiting to be rescued."

"Over the past decade," he says, "I have slowly transformed into an Americanist."

What does he mean by that? How did America earn his respect? 

from Substack

(cont'd tomorrow)

Why Iran?

America's current action against Iran filled many people with joy and relief while it filled others with anger. Attacking a sovereign foreign nation must be rare, and it must line up with our values. Here is the president's address to the nation:

Maybe you, like me, hear the partisan opinions of your friends and your favorite media but you still have questions. I've found a few answers, so I offer them to you:

1. How many attacks injuring or killing Americans has Iran carried out or sponsored since the hostages were seized in 1979? This organization lists 44 aggressions (up to last June and not counting the Iraq war). Hundreds died, and many more were injured.
2. Is this US president uniquely belligerent or unlawful in this attack? No. The War Powers Act of 1973 gives a president the authority for a military action without congressional approval, and every president since that time has used it.
3. Is Iran's nuclear weapon development still a threat? Their program and facilities were diminished last June by US strikes but not totally destroyed.

(cont'd tomorrow)

Not radicalized

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Someone could ask me: since you and half the people of Minnesota don't like those violent "protests" in Minneapolis, why don't you all go out on the streets and demonstrate for your side?

Someone who calls herself "Traditionally Sarah" has thought this question through. She posted some answers on X:

• Many protesters are not from around here but are hired and often dangerous. We won't risk our lives for theatrics.
• Law enforcement officers are not going to help us if things go bad.
• If we were out there opposing protesters, it wouldn't shed any light on the issues, and it wouldn't change anybody's mind.
• Confrontation, chaos and headlines are what they seem to want. Not going to cooperate.
• "We have families, jobs, homes, and real lives. I’m not throwing that away to scream at people who aren’t listening anyway."
• We're not playing their game.

from X post

Radicalized

(cont'd from yesterday's post) 

Yes, emotions in Minneapolis have been greatly amplified to the point that "protesters" are told that they must do everything they can (including risk their lives) to obstruct the legal enforcement of our democratically established laws. 

Who tells the protesters to do this? One of them is a leader of Antifa (image) who urges his social media followers to cast off all restraint. He's not talking about peaceful protest anymore, he says, but rather to march with guns: "“Get your f*cking guns, and stop these f*cking people.”

Oh, and he's asked them for "large sums of money." His Venmo account started to receive donations, but then Venmo deactivated his account and his Instagram account followed, possibly Facebook and Tik Tok as well. 

He seems to think he is "hunted" for his beliefs. No, it looks more like he lost his accounts for inciting violence and lawlessness. This is America and we won't stand aside while he tries to rip our society apart.

from Daily Wire

Invest America 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Founder of Dell Technologies, Michael Dell, is all in on this idea. An investor all his life, he and his wife seem inspired: they are giving $6.25 billion out of their own charitable fund to give kids--not babies, but 10 and under--their own investment account seeded with $250.

Spending the money will be totally up to the child when he or she has access to it; no requirement dictates what it must be spent on. Meanwhile, "They'll learn about dividends, re-investment, and long-term thinking--not by studying financial theory, but by seeing their money steadily increase."

It could change families for generations.

Invest America 1

It's never been done in America before. A law was passed last summer to give every eligible new-born child a new investment account seeded with a thousand dollars by the federal government (Invest America).

Children are eligible who are U.S. citizens, have a Social Security number, and are born from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028.

More contributions to the account can be made by almost anyone, up to $5000 per year. The money can be invested in ETF's (exchange-traded funds) and mutual funds.

It's for the child's future. No withdrawals by anyone can be made. At age 18, the child/beneficiary will convert the account to an IRA, subject to IRA rules for withdrawal. He or she can use it for anything, not just for education.

No eligible American child will reach young adulthood penniless under this program. As Michael Dell put it, "Everyone starts with something."  Neither parents nor anyone else can get their hands on the money. The child can watch the account grow and learn how to invest. 

This could be a wonderful thing.

from Schwab

Luck Day

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Is it old fashioned and cringey to thank God on this national holiday like they did 404 years ago? It's antiquated in the view of many of today's Americans who believe there's no personal God.  Maybe they'd like to change the name of our holiday from Thanksgiving Day to "Luck Day." But it would inspire nobody.

A choice to look for blessing and give thanks to God changes our mindset from despair to hope based on statements like Jeremiah 29:11 from the Bible:

"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."

Don't resign yourself to adopting the philosophy of "Luck Day."

Give Thanks

 It's Thanksgiving week! Let's observe this good holiday and give thanks for our blessings! . . despite Christmas music at the mall 😏

Thankfulness in 1621

President Lincoln started a recurrent, scheduled Thanksgiving holiday in America. But that wasn't the first time Americans observed a day of giving thanks to God.

You probably know that the ship Mayflower brought colonists to the coast of North America in November (November!) of 1620, and that about half of them died that first winter (I'd guess the rest were very, very uncomfortable).  

But the next summer was productive, and the remaining 40 pilgrims plus 90 Indians enjoyed a three-day autumn feast together.  Here's one of the first-person accounts of that feast, taken from a letter: 

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. . . [A]mongst our recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us . . their greatest king Massasoit, with some 90 men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted . . . [B]y the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."  (from The Book of Thanksgiving by Paul Dickson)

Inequality

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

As they start their second year, the new president gave a Convocation address that might deeply "offend" anyone from Harvard. He says that inequality is good and unavoidable.

As the American Declaration of Independence says, we are created equal, which we understand to mean equal in value and dignity. But we're not the same. "We have unequal curiosity, unequal intellect, unequal talent, unequal courage, unequal drive, unequal achievement."

Nobody is excellent in everything. But we must enable people to excel in the strengths they have. They must aspire to a high standard. Our country needs scholars who study and speak excellently, as well as carpenters who measure and build excellently. 

Everyone benefits from the strengths of others . . and they're not all the same.

UATX not Harvard

Follow-up to these posts

No phones or laptops in class, no grade inflation, no TA's leading discussion instead of professors. Students planted 2,977 American flags on 9/11 without anyone telling them to. They debate Aristotle, dress up for the symphony, and cook for each other.

This is the University of Austin (UATX). It was founded because places like Harvard totally dropped the ball in educating our young adults, and something had to be done. UATX was created to be what a university ought to be: "dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth."

Last year was their first year and they've just started their second. They've begun well. Time will tell whether they can survive the critics and establish success.

from If You Don't Want to Go to Harvard

(cont'd tomorrow)

Pencil 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

It's no small thing to trace the making of the common pencil. 

A child could tell you about its parts. But when you think about what it would take, no individual person could actually create a pencil or even knows how.

You'd have to find a cedar on the west coast of the U.S., take it down, transport it to the mill--using saws and rope and equipment and trucks--which would have to be created from hemp that you grew in a field and metal that you mined from underground.

A lot of people at the lumber mill manage cutting the logs until they're in 1/4" strips, which are kiln-dried and tinted and waxed which requires belts and motors which require heat and light and power which require the hydro-electric plant which required the men who poured the concrete . . . It's endless. 

No master mind organizes the creation of a pencil. But millions are created . . through the mutual cooperation of millions of workers . . who don't know the others in the process or where their product is going. 

Our economy is almost miraculously run by skilled and creative people acting freely for their own benefit.

Pencil

Who cares about a pencil? 

Back in 1958, every child in America needed a pencil for school work. It was common and under-appreciated. An economist that year used this totally overlooked item to wake Americans up to the wonder of their economic system.

He wanted them to think about their pencil's genealogy - how did this common, cheap thing actually come into existence?