February 28, 2024

State Farm wants its customers to be trumps.

Not sure where else to post this, but I really need to rant about something that has nothing to do with anyone else.

In the past three years, I've been involved in three minor auto accidents. This follows a 20+year accident-free driving record.

In none of these cases was anyone injured. In all cases, the damage was minor, and the cars were repaired.

Two of those accidents involved parked cars. In one, I misjudged the clearance in a crowded parking garage and dented one of the cars next to me. In the other, I was backing a rented king-cab pickup out of a driveway and bumped into the BMW foolishly parked right across from the driveway. (I wasn't accustomed to the truck's length.)

The first took place in a crowded parking garage with no surveillance cameras. The other happened out of state, and the owners had no idea who I was. I could have just driven off.

Instead, I chose to leave a note with my name and contact info in both cases. I thought it was the right thing to do. The damage was minor in both cases, and In the first, the father of the owner (a student at the university where I work) actually thanked me for my honesty.

So my insurance carrier - State Farm - has decided to drop me.

I know full well how insurance companies use statistics. Still - I really feel like I'm being punished for being decent. (They also claim it was for speeding tickets, but I've had very few, and the most recent was in 2021. Because my wife and daughter live in another state, I drive about 600 miles a week - I drive to where I work on Mondays and back to my family on Fridays. This includes driving on the freeway through towns notorious for the aggressiveness of their speed cameras. Not having had a speeding ticket since early 2021 - and having had very few throughout my life - is actually remarkable. So I don't buy that particular argument.)

I didn't have to identify myself to the owners of the cars I hit. I could have just left. I actually kinda wanted to with the BMW, because my mother in law, who I was visiting at the time, has been complaining about the owners of that car leaving it right across her driveway for several years. But I couldn't stomach the thought of leaving a young student in a lurch in the first instance, nor could I tolerate lying in front of my seven-year-old daughter (who was with me in the pickup) and encourage her to lie as well in the second instance.

I knew these accidents would cause my premiums to spike. I met with my agent late last year to ask about actions I could take to minimize the magnitude of that spike. And I should add that this particular agent has been very helpful and offered to help me find another carrier.

At this point, to hell with State Farm. They evidently prefer drivers who fail to take personal responsibility. I would encourage all of you to drop whatever State Farm insurance you have. I, for one, do not want my business to go to a company that encourages its customers to be trumps.

Maybe I should have lied?

February 12, 2024

Runaway Selection - are we near the tipping point?

In the past, I’ve compared changes in the Republican Party since around 1980 with a phenomenon in evolutionary biology called runaway selection. This refers to the rapid evolution of structures under strong sexual selective pressure. In this way, structures that impair an organism’s ability to survive can arise and persist – as long as the structure attracts a mate before the organism dies, the structure has served its purpose.

The tail feathers of a peacock are a good example of this – when removed, a peacock is better at running, hiding, and flying, but way less successful at mating. Peahens are very attracted to extremely long tail feathers. If your genes aren't in the next generation, you're an evolutionary failure; thus, features that enhance reproductive success can outweigh features that enhance survival, provided the organism is still able to live long enough to reproduce.

There is, nonetheless, a limit to how far display structures can go. As long as an animal lives long enough to breed, they’re selectively advantageous. But if they get so extreme that an animal dies before it can breed, they’re no longer advantageous.

I surmised that something similar explained the constant rightward drift of the Republican Party platform. People like Lee Atwater and Newt Gingrich pushed Republicans to treat Democrats not as fellow legislators, but as pond scum. They decried any effort by any Republican to compromise with the other side. They were given a huge assist on right-wing AM radio. The result was increasing pressure from an ever more right-wing base for ever more extreme candidates. Republicans not deemed sufficiently right wing were primaried. “My challenger says he’s conservative,” the challenger would say, “but I’m even more conservative!”

The appearance of Fox “News” in the 1990’s and the rise of social online media added to this pressure. They kept promoting increasingly right-wing points of view. Eventually, Republicans who would have been seen as far right in the 90’s were portrayed as moderates, prompting primary challengers who vowed to shift things even further in that direction. And a few years later, these newer Republicans would have suffered the same fate.

I assumed (and still assume) we’d eventually hit a limit. Republicans would be unable to get nominated without a frothing-at-the-mouth base calling for policies that even conservative Republicans would have found unthinkable in the 1980’s. But they’d be unable to win the general election by calling for those policies.

So – are we hitting that point?

Part of me thinks the answer is “yes.” As evidence for this, I point to reproductive rights. Republicans kept stacking the courts with Federalist Society knobs who would, in part, appeal to religious conservatives. They got their wish, and Roe v. Wade was overturned. And the aftermath has been ruinous for Republicans. The red wave expected in 2022 became a small ripple thanks, in no small part, to anger over this decision. Reproductive rights have prevailed in every state that put the issue up for referendum. Republicans who know how to read polls are saying as little as possible on abortion, but their past words can still be thrown in their faces.

I would also point to the elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Even when historical patterns predicted a huge Republican win (the 2020 presidency and the 2022 midterms), they either barely won or flat-out lost. General elections are indeed becoming a challenge for these people.

But another part of me worries that we’re not as close as we should be. Had the base become toxic enough to kill general election prospects, we wouldn’t see so many Republicans kiss Orange Julius Caesar’s nether sphincter. Never mind his mishandling of the COVID crisis, his two impeachments, the insurrection, or his ongoing legal troubles – they’d avoid him simply to avoid picking up his stench. But still, they try to appeal to his base.

Republicans have even started to back away from their criticism of the ill-tempered shaved orangutan’s statements on NATO. Opposition to the UN has been a right-wing staple for decades, but NATO? The organization that won the Cold War? The organization that came to our aid in Afghanistan following the 9-11 attacks? The organization that’s kept Russia from extending its aggression beyond Ukraine? The organization that could have done way more in the Balkans in the 1990’s, but nevertheless kept things from being even worse? The organization supported by generations of Democrats and Republicans? That organization? Really? I can think of no better counter-example for the analogy I've built.

The selective pressure for increasingly right-wing Republican candidates remains strong. They now support positions that, if voiced in the 1980’s or 1990’s, would have evoked a mixture of laughter and disgust among all but a tiny fringe in the base. Walk away from NATO? Let Russia do whatever the f-word it wants in Europe? From a Republican? Those of us old enough to remember the 20th century would have considered such a scenario absurd.

So I don’t know if my analogy works. I’m cautiously optimistic about this Fall, and maybe Republicans will get the shellacking they need to actively re-evaluate their brand. Every time they say something appealing to the base, they seem to alienate even more voters. But though they’ve been faltering at the ballot box since 2018, they continue to do whatever the hairy ginger symbiont living on TFG’s head tells them to.

But if it works, I can only hope that the tipping point comes soon. If not, we may be doomed.

December 14, 2023

Another "Dear Student" from me.....

It's finals week around here, so let me answer some questions I get frequently around this time. Experience tells me my colleagues and friends here and at other colleges and universities get the same questions.

1. Can I change your grade?

Depends. Here are the circumstances under which I will change your grade:

a. An error was found in the computation of your grade.

That's pretty much it at this point. And here are circumstances under which I won't change your grade:

a. This grade doesn't reflect the effort I put in.
b. My parents will be so very disappointed.
c. I'm applying for job/medical school/law school/nursing school/graduate school/a military commission/the seminary/some other such thing, and I need my GPA to be as high as possible.
d. It's the holiday season.
e. I had an especially rough semester.
f. My buddy got a higher grade, but I don't think his scores were significantly higher than mine.
g. I didn't turn in all of the homework. (this is usually followed by a request to turn in the missed assignments weeks after they were due.)
h. I'm just not a science person.
i. It's my first semester in college, and I didn't know what to expect.


I should clarify - there are cases in which I'll consider category e. I've encountered students who were having genuine health problems (physical or mental) that would have impaired their ability to perform in class. Under some circumstances, I'll consider raising a grade, changing your grade to "incomplete," or working with the dean's office to help you withdraw from the class after the deadline. But the problem is this - there isn't much I can do about a problem if I don't know about it, and finding out after grades have been turned in limits my options.

Yes, I know mental health carries a big stigma in this country. Students often feel ashamed about it, even though they shouldn't. This is why I will sometimes reconsider grades. But I'm not clairvoyant - you're going to have to work with me to bring this about.

See my response to question 4 below regarding category f.

Regarding category h - I can reverse that and claim I'm just not a humanities person, but I managed to do OK in the arts and humanities classes I took. That's because my parents and advisor all made clear that self-compartmentalizing your skills is counterproductive.


----------
2. So what CAN you do?

I can double-check the calculations that led to my grading decision.

I can tell you what my grading criteria are. In my case, I follow recommended grade distributions suggested by my college.

I can look to see if something's been overlooked. I can also ask your TA to do so, though you probably have that person's email address as well.

I can sit down with you in person and go over your final exam.

And if a mistake is found, I can correct your grade.

----------
3. Can you do this soon?

Maybe, maybe not.

Know what we do over winter break? Same thing as you - we go places, visit family and friends, and celebrate holidays. In my case, that means a week and a half with my wife's family and mine on the East Coast.

For many of us, we use winter break to focus on things we couldn't focus on as much when classes were in session. For me, that often means visiting a natural history museum and staring at dead animals for a few days. Though that's not the case for me this time around.

I usually have the course spreadsheet on my laptop when I travel, but I don't bring the final exams with me. I'm happy to double-check an exam, but it'll have to wait until I'm in town with the exams.

Moreover, depending on where I am, I might not be able to respond to you right away. I've been to museums in the developing world that don't have reliable Wi-Fi - or, in some cases, reliable electricity.

So, yes - we'll help you, but it might not be right away.

______

4. How close was I to the cutoff for the next highest grade?

Not close enough. Otherwise, you'd have gotten the higher grade.

--------

Just some thoughts. I keep encountering these questions, which means I have to keep answering them.

December 13, 2023

Know who should keep her pie hole shut right now?

Susan Collins.

She's very upset that the Texas Supreme Court blocked a woman's efforts to get a needed medical procedure.

This after being assured by certain US Supreme Court nominees that the legal status of abortion was settled.

She shouldn't be slamming the Texas Supreme Court. She should be apologizing, repeatedly and loudly, for enabling the Texas legislature, Texas Attorney General, and Texas Supreme Court to act as they did.


https://www.newsweek.com/susan-collins-texas-abortion-case-1851862

October 3, 2023

McCarthy has been Gingriched.

Show any sign of compromise with grown-ups, and you get tossed out.

I honestly doubt the average Republican in Congress kept developing social skills beyond 6th grade.

August 20, 2023

Dear New College Student: thoughts from a professor

Dear New College Student: Advice from a Professor

I posted a version of this last year, but some of you expressed some interest in having it updated.

I’ve been on the faculty at my current institution – a public research university – for the past 23 years. I was also an instructor while I was in grad school, also at a public university. Most of my classmates and friends have gone on to faculty positions themselves at a wide range of institutions – private liberal-arts colleges, community colleges, and so on. The advice I provide comes largely through my own experience, along with knowing what my friends have been doing for the same amount of time.

This is primarily addressed toward two groups of readers – new college students and their parents or guardians.

-----

Being a first-year student is exhilarating! So many paths to choose! So many opportunities to make a real difference! So much freedom for self-assertion! You’re stepping forward not as adolescents, but as adults, and you’re taking more control over your personal time and direction.

But it can also be terrifying. You might be far from home for the first time. You might be the first member of your family to attend college. You might have been a stand-out in high school, but now you're surrounded by other stand-outs from other high schools. It's intimidating. You don't have Mom and/or Dad to keep your nose to the grindstone, and some aspects of being a college student - enrolling in classes, for example - are downright labyrinthine. And if you're a student of color or a member of the LGBTQ community, you'll be facing residual bigotry that lingers in spite of everything we're doing to combat it.

And there’s the cost. You may have already gone to buy your textbooks. It’s not like buying a few paperback novels. One can buy a functioning used car for the cost of a semester’s textbooks. Meals? Rent and utilities, if you’re not in a dorm? That’s all on you now – or on your family, at any rate.

You’ve probably been told that we professors don’t care about you. But you know what? We do. We really do. We wouldn’t be in this line of work if we didn’t. And we understand what you’re going through, because we’ve all been there, and times haven’t changed so much that we can’t help guide you through this massive transition.

In fact, seeing you through all of this is part of our job, and it’s a privilege to take it on. I take my mission as an instructor not only as a means to a paycheck, but as a moral obligation. The vast majority of instructors you’ll encounter on campus will feel the same way.

Thus, I’ve compiled some advice over the past few years that might help you as you get ready to dive in:

1. Be careful with assumptions, and always ask before acting. Exceptions can't always be made.

During the pandemic, I would get emails from incoming students to confirm that the lectures for my large-enrollment fall class were being recorded. I always responded that although my lectures were online (which I hated), they weren’t pre-recorded. They were “synchronous,” meaning one had to watch the lecture at the scheduled time, just as if they were attending the lecture in an auditorium

This would be followed by a request for accommodation because the student had another commitment when lecture was scheduled to take place.

In other words, the student had enrolled in a course they couldn’t actually attend, and they wanted me to change my procedures to match their faulty assumption.

I've encountered all kinds of bad assumptions. You can take a quiz late, even though I said there wouldn't be make-ups? That we’ll always accommodate requests for a makeup (see below)? That the exam will look exactly as you imagined? That what your roommate said about a specific professor or a specific course is accurate? That your parents’ experiences will mirror yours? Bad assumptions. And so it goes.

Not sure whether something will be allowed? Unsure if you’re facing a situation that calls for an exception to course policy? Please, for the love of whatever beneficent deities may or may not exist – ask! We’d rather work with you before something happens than after.

“It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission” is a nice quip, but it’s not always true.


2. Keep your life as simple as possible.

Extracurricular activities expand your horizons and can help you find a community far from home. They can be of tremendous benefit to your mental health. It is, however, easy to get roped in too deeply, especially when you’re just starting out. Overloading yourself with such things reduces the amount of time you have for your homework and studying.

This is why I encourage on-campus living when it's available for first-year students. It keeps life simple.

I'm not saying one should live a cloistered existence and ignore the rest of the world. But you'll still be getting your footing during your first year, so don't overdo it.


3. Learn some basic skills.

I mention these only because, as time has gone on, the number of first-year students arriving with these abilities has dwindled:

Learn how to take notes. Not all of us put our notes online. Some of us disallow recording of classes, and textbooks are not always the best fallback. (Indeed, I don't even use tetbooks.) This means learning to write down the important points quickly. Use abbreviations, and don't worry about proper grammar - just get the points down.

Learn how to manage your time. You won't have people checking in on you in the morning or evening.

Also learn how to manage your stress. This follows from the previous point.

Learn the difference between memorizing something and understanding it. Not all of us expect students to just barf out details on exams - we want evidence that you've absorbed their meaning and can apply them to address broader issues.


4 Save everything.

I once had a student approach me after classes were over, wondering why she got a C in my class. She was sure she'd be in solid B range. I pointed out that her final exam and one of her midterms were indeed in the 80's, but her other midterm was a 38. That, I explained, dragged her grade down.

"But I didn't get a 38," she replied. "I got an 83!" She showed me her exam, and sure enough, she did. The moron who entered the grades into the spreadsheet (most likely me) typed them in backward. It happens, and mistakes like this are easily corrected - and this is made easier if you can show your professor what you actually got.

Seriously - treat your homework assignments, quizzes, exams, and whatnot like receipts.


5. Keep your family posted about your classroom commitments.

If someone's planning a family event, it wouldn't hurt if they knew when your exams are scheduled. As detailed below, we cannot always make scheduling accommodations.

My ex used to teach a lab that met on Fridays at 4:30. There were quizzes every week. During the first week of class, she had to tell her students that "My parents already paid for the plane ticket " would not be accepted as a reason to miss lab on the Friday before Thanksgiving break.


6. Always contact an instructor before missing something. Always get some sort of documentation for the reason. And bear in mind – we can’t accommodate everything.

Here are some things we can accommodate:
-illness (psychiatric/mental or physical).
-family emergencies (funerals or sudden very severe medical incidents or accidents).
-religious observances (e.g. Yom Kippur).
-court date or jury duty.
-family event planned long in advance (e.g. wedding), provided we're notified well before the exam.
-job interview.
-transportation problems (e.g. missed bus, car broke down).
-conflicting institution-related event (e.g. sports, marching band, ROTC, or a required field trip for another class).
-computer problems (if the exam is online).
-work schedule conflict (though if it happens frequently, it might be good to take a different class or get a different job).

Here are some things we generally either can't or won't:
-oversleeping.
-routine as opposed to milestone family event (e.g. I'll accommodate you for your great-grandmother's 100th birthday party, but not your cousin's 8th).
-you missed a bunch of class, but haven't made an effort to speak to me or borrow someone's notes until minutes before or some time after the exam.
-not feeling ready and wanting extra time.
-travel preference (e.g. wanting to take a test early because it's scheduled late in finals week or right before Thanksgiving/Spring break and you want to get out of town).

Bottom line - we accommodate need, not convenience.

In the past, getting a doctor’s note was a routine request. Some institutions (including mine) now see such requests as HIPPA violations. But it would still be worth getting some sort of documentation. It doesn’t have to specify the reason you sought treatment, nor need it say what the treatment itself actually was. The bracelet you may have been issued as a patient would be more than enough, for example.

It should be possible to document pretty much any good reason to miss class - including a funeral. I, for one, would never ask for documentation for a funeral, but I know professors who do - and generally, it's not all that hard to get. If you can't bring in an obituary, most funeral homes and houses of worship are willing to provide a letter acknowledging your presence at a funeral service at their facility. (These used to be necessary when airlines offered lower "bereavement" rates for last-minute travel.)

And before I'm attacked for being hard-ass, please bear in mind - arranging a make-up exam really is an imposition. On our campus, instructors are responsible for scheduling exams for students who need an accommodation for a learning disability, such as extended time or a low-distraction environment, and 5 or 10 percent of the class may fall in this category. For a class of 200, that's 10 or 20 students who need accommodation. And that's on top of those who were bridesmaids, got sick, or had a family emergency. Every request for a makeup is a request to find a 1- or 2-hour slot that works for your busy schedule as well as mine, and depending on circumstances, it might require finding a time that hasn’t already been taken by another student wanting an accommodation. If you actually need the accommodation, no problem – that’s my job and responsibility. But if it’s for a non-essential reason, you’ll have to make a strong case.


7. Get to know your instructors.

This is arguably more important later in your college career, but it doesn't hurt to stop by during office hours. That's what they're for.

(My institution now wants us to call them “drop-in hours” on the theory that it sounds more inviting.)

This is good not only because you'll understand the material better by asking questions early and often, but because it helps us get to know you. Believe me - it's a lot easier to write a letter of recommendation if I know something about the student beyond his or her exam scores.

Students who come to know their professors tend to be asked to participate in research or creative projects. That looks really good on your resume, and it makes you better at what you do anyway. It also reduces feelings of isolation. We professors are no longer the terrifying, impersonal authorities who look down on our students - we're people.

Also, always remember – you generally don’t have to ask permission to meet an instructor during office hours. That’s what office/drop-in hours are for. If you show up, and we’re not there, you’re allowed to file a complaint about it.

8. (Perhaps a corollary to 7.) If you’re at a larger university where some classes are covered by teaching assistants, don’t complain. Rejoice.

Something I often say to prospective freshman or transfer students: you don’t have to have TA’s if you come here. You get to have them.

TA’s will be among your most treasured resources. They’re usually at least as good at presenting the material as a tenured professor. They may also be more tuned in to the latest developments in a field, especially if the primary instructor is close to retirement. But most importantly – they’ll be close to you in age. They’ll be of your generation. That makes them more relatable.

Seriously – when I stared my job, I was in my early 30’s, though I could pass for mid-20’s. My end-of-term evaluations often praised me for being so approachable. I’m now in my mid-50’s, and my evals more frequently complain of just how unapproachable I am. I’ve gained some weight, and my hair isn’t quite as dark brown as it was, but my personality is basically the same. I’ve concluded that my age gives me the appearance of being a distant authority who doesn’t welcome dialogue with his students.

If you feel intimidated by older professors, work with your TA’s.

And if the TAs are in your major, spend time with them. They’ll be doing the cutting-edge work you’ll want to follow, and perhaps join.


9. Grades are goals to be achieved – not commodities to be negotiated.

About the only reason we’ll normally reconsider course grades or exam scores is if a scoring or data entry has been found.

We’re a lot less likely to consider the following arguments:
-A grade doesn’t reflect your own subjective assessment of the effort you put into the class.
-You’re applying for a highly competitive job or for some form of post-graduate education (grad school, med school, etc.), or you plan to join the military as an officer, and higher grades will improve those applications.
-Your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) will be so very disappointed if your grade isn’t improved.
-You had an exceptionally busy semester.
-You might lose your scholarship if your grade isn’t changed.
-You think I’m being unfair in assessing your grade based on what you actually turned in, and not on what you would have turned in if you’d done better.
-You're "just not a science person." (Do you know what my advisor would have said if I’d done poorly in a medieval lit class and tried “I’m just not a humanities person” as an excuse?)
-Can’t I be merciful in the spirit of the holidays?

You’re adults now. You work for what you earn, and you take your lumps if your effort didn’t earn you what you’d hoped.

There is something of a gray area between “data error” and “weak excuse,” but it’s narrow, and you’re going to have to bring some sort of evidence to back you up. I’m actually willing to consider ongoing health issues or job conflicts to help you out, but I’m a lot more likely to do so if you don’t wait until grades are submitted.

I’ve also heard students complain that an instructor was somehow biased against them. I’ve even seen a very small handful of cases where I believed it. But such cases are very rare, and they’re way more easily alleged than demonstrated. That your instructors’ politics are somewhere to the right or left of yours doesn’t mean the instructor can’t grade you fairly. Rule out other explanations for your performance before blaming others.


10. Know when to pull back.

Life happens.

A lot of students encounter mental or emotional problems they may not have anticipated, or the problems they already have might be exacerbated. You might feel isolated on campus. You might be overwhelmed with difficult classes. You may be trying to balance your classes with a job or the needs of a small child. Your financial situation may change. You, or a loved one, may be facing a very serious physical illness that requires much of your attention.

Sometimes, the best solution is to cut back on your classes. Staying in for the sake of completing the semester might be counterproductive if you fail everything. Do you want to graduate on time, or with a respectable GPA? Sometimes, these are mutually incompatible.

I'm not saying you should just drop out of school when things get tough. It's always going to be difficult. Besides, dropping below a certain number of credit hours can jeopardize your financial aid, and if the class you drop is a prerequisite for other courses in your major, you might end up extending your time to degree even further. But in consultation with academic and financial aid advisors, and perhaps a mental health professional, dropping one or two courses might not always be a bad idea.

I should acknowledge the counterargument I’ve heard, especially from parents or working students: dropping classes and not finishing in 4 years can cost a lot of dough. If you drop late enough in the semester, you might not get your tuition back, and you’d have to pay it all over again when you try again during a later semester. All I can say is this: I get it. I really do. But from my standpoint as an instructor, I think we all have to balance our priorities. But here’s a question only you can answer: Is it better to pay less for a less-competitive academic transcript and letters of recommendation that have to explain your qualities in spite of your GPA?



11. Know when to ask for help, and find out where it can be found.

We get it. All of us were students, and many of us needed help at times. That includes me.

There is no dishonor in asking for help, and there are places to find it. Most campuses have some sort of student counseling center - that, or they'll have resources to help you find a professional counselor. They're not there as window dressing - they're there because people need them.

Creating a sense of belonging can go a long way toward alleviating some of the pressure and stress of being a first-year college student. This is why I advise against overdoing it with extracurricular activities - not against avoiding them altogether.

This was especially true during the pandemic. Usually, out of a group of 200, I’ll get one or two reaching out to tell me they've missed some assignments because they're having a rough time. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the presidential election, and social unrest, it was more like 15 or 20 of them. Some were students of color who felt the pressure of racism like never before. Others were failing to thrive academically in the on-line system imposed on us by the pandemic. It was bad.

A couple of things to bear in mind:

First, we all understand that health is health. There is no functional difference, when it comes to missing an exam, between the flu and a panic attack. We don’t need the specifics of any medical crisis, but don’t worry that we’ll look on a severe depressive episode as an excuse for laziness.

And second, we’ve been there. However much you wail out “No one understands what I’m going through!”, be assured that some of us actually do.

Personally, as a white, cis-gender, heterosexual, nominally Christian male who’s never been the victim of a serious crime, there are some issues I can’t address with any real authority – but others on campus can. Some of us are sexual assault survivors, or have experienced racism or bigotry in some form. Others, myself included, know what it means to live with poverty or food insecurity, or with chronic mental health challenges. We’ve been through major relationship breakups. We’ve lived through serious illnesses and injuries. We’ve cared for chronically ill relatives and had loved ones die unexpectedly. We live in the same material universe as you. We’re as human as you are, and we can listen. We can advise, or we can tell you who can.

As I said previously – we do this because it’s who we are. We embrace the whole of the academic profession, and that includes mentorship of our students. We take our jobs as a matter of pride, and if one of our students is struggling, we want to know so we can help.

Seriously – ask us. We’ll tell you.

-----

And all the best for your new adventure. It’s intimidating, but having been through it, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

August 6, 2023

Why I'm leery of televising the trial.

Trump’s threat of revenge raised the very strong possibility that the jurors’ lives would be in serious danger if they convict him.

Anything that raises the possibility of identifying them should get treated very carefully indeed.

I understand all of the reasons to televise, and I’d definitely watch if that happens, but I hope the televising is done with eyes open.

August 4, 2023

not much out there cuter than a ruddy-tailed flycatcher

Ramal do Noca, west of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, 30 July 2023

The picture was taken at the focal limit for my lens, which is why it's grainy. But I think I caught the bird's character.


[img][/img]

July 7, 2023

watching an injustice unfold in front of our eyes

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sandra-hemme-imprisoned-1980-murder-hearing-could-lead-to-release-missouri/


According to the article at the link above, Sandra Hemme may have her murder conviction overturned and be released after 42 years.

The article provides details, but here’s a quick summary: a librarian in St. Joseph, MO, was murdered in 1980. Ms Hemme, who was 20 years old and had a history of mental health challenges, including extensive inpatient treatment, was eventually arrested and convicted of the crime. Indeed, she was convicted twice – first after pleading guilty, and again, after that conviction was overturned, following a one-day trial.

The only evidence against her was an alleged confession, though her statements to police were inconsistent, and some of what she confessed to couldn’t have happened. There was no physical evidence linking her to the crime, and there was no connection between Ms Hemme and the victim. She was heavily medicated during the interrogation, which used coercive techniques.

A lot of people now think a former St. Joseph police officer from that community is responsible for the crime. His vehicle was seen close to the scene of the crime at the time; some of her jewelry was found in his possession; he tried to use her credit card the day after her murder; and no one could corroborate his alibi. This officer, who is now deceased, was later convicted of unrelated crimes and spent time in prison.

Many exonerations arise from tragic, but innocent, mistakes. An eyewitness identifies the wrong person. Prosecutors rely on “evidence” accepted at the time, but now known to be bullshit. Someone is in the wrong place at the wrong time. But given that the person most likely responsible for the murderer was a police officer, I’m willing to bet some sort of misconduct – conscious or not – was committed by the investigators.

A hearing to advance her case will be held on Monday, July 10. That the Missouri AG agreed to this hearing is remarkable, because Missouri Attorneys General, Democrat and Republican, have been notoriously reluctant to consider claims of wrongful conviction. Indeed, they’ve often worked hard to prevent exonerations from happening, even when innocence is obvious to everyone. This Attorney General seems to be keeping an open mind, at least in part, and this is a very good sign that this innocent woman will be freed.

The length of time involved here is almost impossible to visualize. She was 22 when she was convicted. She’s now 64. I try to think about it, and my mind just won’t go there. In the past 42 years, I’ve finished high school, attended college and graduate school, gotten married (more than once!), started a family, built a career, attended weddings and funerals, maintained close friendships, bought a house, built credit, paid into a retirement account, travelled, and kept up with technology.

Ms Hemme got to watch life go by without being part of it. The opportunities we take for granted were basically stolen from her so another criminal could walk.

Compounding this injustice is the fact that the likely murderer was able to walk free and commit other crimes. And although he was punished for his other crimes, he can no longer be held accountable for this murder. As far as I’m concerned, the victims of these other crimes and their families are entitled to some sort of restitution.

She’s going to need help once she’s released, and lots of it. She may have some money saved up somewhere, but it won’t be enough to support her long term. She’ll have no home, no vehicle, no health insurance, no credit, probably no photo ID, no bank account, and no retirement savings. She suffered from severe mental health problems before her incarceration, and it’s highly unlikely these were adequately treated in prison – indeed, at her age, she probably has additional health problems as well.

And you know what? The state of Missouri will probably do zip for her.

The governor of Missouri just vetoed a bill that would expand compensation for wrongful convictions. At present, it only allows compensation if a conviction was overturned because of DNA evidence. The bill would have allowed a broader range of exonerees to get some sort of restitution without filing a lawsuit. But it won’t become law because the governor wants local jurisdictons, and not the state as a whole, to be held accountable.

Although Ms Hemme’s DNA wasn’t found at the scene of the crime, it’s unlikely the Missouri courts would agree that her exoneration, should it happen, was the result of DNA evidence.

People on parole usually get some sort of assistance with heath care, employment, and housing. It's inadequate, but believe it or not, exonerees aren't even allowed to draw from these meager resources. People who committed crimes get more than those who didn't.

She can file a lawsuit, but there’s no guarantee she’d prevail. Everyone she might sue is entitled to some level of immunity, and they could claim (with varying levels of credibility) that they were just doing their jobs and made a mistake. And a lawsuit would take lots of time and cost money, leaving her destitute in the meantime.

There are, of course, charities that can help. Most innocence programs can arrange assistance with social workers, for example. Her family might be able to help as well, though if her parents are living, they’ll be elderly. And I’m sure someone will set up a crowdfunding account for her. But these are likely to be insufficient, and quite frankly, the burden shouldn’t fall to them.

And she could also get a job. At 64, she’ll be entering the workforce at an age when most people are getting ready to retire. And she can’t actually retire, because she hasn’t worked enough quarters to qualify for Social Security payments. She’ll also have a 42-year-long hole in her resume. But she could presumably work, if someone hires her.

Exonerees have a notoriously hard time finding employment. Exonerees still carry the stigma of having been in prison. A lot of people will think she got off on a mere technicality and must have been involved in the crime. The conviction will still be on her record and come up in a background check – convictions aren’t automatically expunged when convictions are overturned. That takes another legal process and money she doesn’t have.

Whatever skills she had before she was arrested are now way, way out of date. When she was arrested, cell phones were chunky things used by rich people, and the closest anyone got to a smart phone was a tricorder on Star Trek reruns. The Mac and Windows operating systems hadn’t been released yet. She may have gotten some education in prison, but I don’t know how extensive it would be. These, along with her health challenges, will limit her employment options, and that assumes someone’s willing to consider her in the first place.

As far as I’m concerned, Missouri should be paying her a sizable pension when she’s freed. It should give her health care coverage for life. It should help her find housing and employment. It should do these things without being asked. It took everything from her; the state can't give her the years back, but it can help her live comfortably. But unless something changes quickly, we’re about to see someone set free with no ground under her feet.

June 25, 2023

Am I the only one...

...who is both deeply gratified that a seasoned diplomat like Joe Biden is in the White House, but simultaneously hoping beyond hope that US intelligence assets have a decent grasp of what's going on in Russia?

A big part of me doesn't think this alleged drive toward Moscow was actually intended to unseat Putin. I can't put my finger on any one specific aspect of this that's causing my bullshit detector to go off, but going off it is.

I honestly don't understand what's going on, but I really hope someone in our country's leadership does.

And can we all raise our voices in gratitude that TFG isn't in charge? Between his Putin fetish, his low intelligence, and his instability, we'd be in a far worse place.