tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post9198089686850436792..comments2024-02-25T09:45:48.931-05:00Comments on Lally's Alley: THE HUMANITIES CONTINUE TO SUFFER AND IT AIN'T NO COINCIDENCELallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310472614196384595noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-51045352919195061472010-12-29T11:09:54.265-05:002010-12-29T11:09:54.265-05:00Mon dieu indeed!Mon dieu indeed!Lallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310472614196384595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-90400084881344786032010-12-28T15:23:47.123-05:002010-12-28T15:23:47.123-05:00In South Korea they've begun to replace langua...In South Korea they've begun to replace language instructors with robots: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101228/tc_afp/skoreaphilippinesroboteducationtechnologyoffbeat_20101228051921<br /><br />Apparently, real English instructors are intimidating, complain to much about their pay, and expect health benefits. <br /><br />I taught German for five years while working on a PhD back in the 90's. The job market was already lousy back then - only 50% of PhDs in modern languages were finding work in the field. I can only imagine what it's like now. The irony is that as fewer full time positions became available, the universities accepted more and more graduate students (to earn PhDs they couldn't use), because the graduate students worked for a pittance and didn't get health benefits. They called us "teaching assistants," even though there wasn't a non-assistant teacher anywhere in sight. In fact, TAs were responsible for all of the 100- and 200-level classes at my university, which accounted for at least 75% of the courses taught in the department. They shut down a lot of the Russian programs in the country in the 90's. I think they had been funded with CIA/NSA money to begin with. But no one would have dreamed that a French Department could get axed. Mon dieu!Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12617747187336307159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-24879902903277599002010-12-27T13:28:46.193-05:002010-12-27T13:28:46.193-05:00Happy New Year Jim. I accept your opinion. You a...Happy New Year Jim. I accept your opinion. You are simply hopeless!Robert G. Zuckermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450306458083217831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-16279282871289439522010-12-27T13:26:19.959-05:002010-12-27T13:26:19.959-05:00Happy New Year Robert, you are hopelessly nasty.Happy New Year Robert, you are hopelessly nasty.JImhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13795849285955713444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-55406843240199306612010-12-27T13:21:51.474-05:002010-12-27T13:21:51.474-05:00NYU a liberal school. Once again, you make unfound...NYU a liberal school. Once again, you make unfounded, sweeping generalization and stereotype name calling. At least I am upfront with my expression, as opposed to your passive-aggressive smear tactics and inability or unwillingness to own up to them.Robert G. Zuckermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450306458083217831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-54449668904128824182010-12-27T13:13:02.081-05:002010-12-27T13:13:02.081-05:00Robert,
On the contrary I value the humanities and...Robert,<br />On the contrary I value the humanities and am a history graduate from NYU. My point is that Hillsdale College, which has a decidedly conservative following, stresses the humanities. Most other colleges and particuarlly the Ivy League colleges have a decidely liberal bent. It is a point of fact that most campuses are dominated by liberals and have been for generations. <br /><br />Robert, lose the nastiness, it is very unbecoming. I thought liberals were supposed to be nice and conservatives are supposed to be the meanies.JImhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13795849285955713444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-62500981792017519422010-12-27T12:54:55.915-05:002010-12-27T12:54:55.915-05:00Is there a point to your spouting Jim, other than ...Is there a point to your spouting Jim, other than schoolyard taunting? Are you so omniscient as to know that humanity's activities have no bearing on our atmosphere? And that more mindful practices could improve our world? Even my Dad, of blessed memory, a hardcore conservative politically, told me that the deforestation of our mountain ranges affected the weather patterns in the breadbasket. You talk about "grown ups" - with your puerile name calling and such, you sure don't act like one.Robert G. Zuckermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450306458083217831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-52390846611743521982010-12-27T11:21:11.967-05:002010-12-27T11:21:11.967-05:00Actually the leading Conservative college is Hills...Actually the leading Conservative college is Hillsdale College where intense knowledge of the US Constitution and ancient, world and US history and languages (including Latin and Greek) is required. They have a vigorous Constitutional course that I beleive is also available on line. If you have problems with education, look to the liberals. They have been charge on campus for generations.<br /><br />PS I have great concern for the parrots. I fear their frozen, feathery fannies may ne affixed to the tundra that is now Maplewood park. They may have followed that beacon of liberal and fallacious thinking that is Big Al. I understand that the latest liberal thinking is that the cold is a sign of man caused global warming. Orwell may be dead, but his truthspeak lives on.JImhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13795849285955713444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4567168789336947243.post-62873864265140489532010-12-26T14:36:26.231-05:002010-12-26T14:36:26.231-05:00I know beyond a doubt, with 100% certainty, that k...I know beyond a doubt, with 100% certainty, that knowing other languages and knowing the history, literature and customs of other cultures, would bridge gaps in this world far beyond anything we know and are doing today. If our young people were required and able to fluently speak four to eight languages, which is quite do-able, our defense costs would plummet, there would be much greater harmony and harmonious commerce in our world, and there would be far less hatred and blind, habitual ignorance and prejudice.Robert G. Zuckermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450306458083217831noreply@blogger.com