The Chat Thread

[kishnevi]

In watching and reading the press coverage of the march to war in Iraq and Syria, I have noticed that not only government officials, but also the press, has taken to using derivatives of the word "barbarian" in describing ISIS/ISIL/IS (which is it?).  I also can't help but notice how they went from JV, per the prez, to a major national security threat, again per the prez, in such a short time.  It's good to see that some traditions don't change.

It IS, of course.

I stumbled over a right wing blog yesterday which claimed his continued preference for the term ISIL revealed a wish for Israel to be destroyed.  [ISIL=IS in Levant.  Levant includes Syria, Lebanon, Israel.  Therefore Obama hates Israel, and QED.]

[Karl Henning]

I just like the phrase stumbled over a right wing blog.

[kishnevi]

I just like the phrase stumbled over a right wing blog.

The true danger lies in stumbling into a right wing bog.

[Ken B]

In watching and reading the press coverage of the march to war in Iraq and Syria, I have noticed that not only government officials, but also the press, has taken to using derivatives of the word "barbarian" in describing ISIS/ISIL/IS (which is it?).  I also can't help but notice how they went from JV, per the prez, to a major national security threat, again per the prez, in such a short time.  It's good to see that some traditions don't change.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/opinion/obamas-betrayal-of-the-constitution.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

[Todd]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/opinion/obamas-betrayal-of-the-constitution.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

The most remarkable thing about this war so far - and we are already in a war, with the prez himself boasting of over 100 sorties already flown - is how little public debate there has been over whether it is legal under US law, let alone international law.  The Obama Administration publicly rebuked the 2002 AUMF, and clearly has no time for the War Powers Resolution, so it appears to be resting military action solely on Article II presidential powers.  Whatever vote Congress takes - and how hard is it to get Republicans to vote to bomb Middle Eastern countries? - will be a rubber stamp at this point.  Another remarkable thing about this war is the blatantly imperialistic language being used.  The US will not be putting boots on the ground - well, except for the thousand plus there already, and the reinforcements that will be sent - but allies will; they will fight because the US asks them to; they will do the Emperor's bidding.  I also don't see even the equivalent of UN Resolution 1441.  The prez seems content to utter, in effect, "we are going to bomb some folks" and there really isn't any opposition.

[Ken B]

The most remarkable thing about this war so far - and we are already in a war, with the prez himself boasting of over 100 sorties already flown - is how little public debate there has been over whether it is legal under US law, let alone international law.  The Obama Administration publicly rebuked the 2002 AUMF, and clearly has no time for the War Powers Resolution, so it appears to be resting military action solely on Article II presidential powers.  Whatever vote Congress takes - and how hard is it to get Republicans to vote to bomb Middle Eastern countries? - will be a rubber stamp at this point.  Another remarkable thing about this war is the blatantly imperialistic language being used.  The US will not be putting boots on the ground - well, except for the thousand plus there already, and the reinforcements that will be sent - but allies will; they will fight because the US asks them to; they will do the Emperor's bidding.  I also don't see even the equivalent of UN Resolution 1441.  The prez seems content to utter, in effect, "we are going to bomb some folks" and there really isn't any opposition.

I'm not too concerned with "international law" and won't address the question of whether this  action is a good idea (I expect we differ on the point though.) But it seems clearly contrary to US law. Or at the very least will be within 90 days. Another article http://time.com/3326689/obama-isis-war-powers-bush/

[Brian]

using derivatives of the word "barbarian"

Maybe that's the catch-all term for enemies of insecure, declining empires of overreach.

[Todd]

I'm not too concerned with "international law"

I'm concerned with it to the extent it is, or should be, expected in the global political framework established by the Allies - and underwritten and secured by the US - seven decades ago.  If the US doesn't even bother, why would any other member nation?  I'm not averse to replacing the existing order, at least conceptually, but practically, any new order would be less preferential to the US.

[Ken B]

Maybe that's the catch-all term for enemies of insecure, declining empires of overreach.

Or a justified epithet. What would you call a bunch of christian fundies who killed all the male Jews in town, and enslaved the women? Or a gang that went around hanging all the gays they could round up? I'm expecting it's a term not noticeably more flattering than barbaric.

[Brian]

Or a justified epithet. What would you call a bunch of christian fundies who killed all the male Jews in town, and enslaved the women? Or a gang that went around hanging all the gays they could round up? I'm expecting it's a term not noticeably more flattering than barbaric.

Oh, just so we're clear, I'm not saying they're not evil. They're evil.

[Todd]

Or a justified epithet.

IS is clearly an extreme Islamist movement with the stated goal of reestablishing a caliphate.  IS commits atrocities.  Steps should be taken to stop them, or at least contain them.  What is not needed is a lapdog press that adopts the same inflammatory language used by an administration that uses the language to justify war.  One expects lies and exaggerations from politicians; it should be the job of the press to expose the lies and exaggerations.  One would hope that leaders would use more precise, measured, and accurate language in laying out the threat posed by a group or state when going to war.  But it is hard to get passions riled up doing that.  Propagandists know their stuff.

[Ken B]

More on the need for congressional authorization

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/09/12/john-yoos-defense-of-the-legality-of-obamas-military-campaign-against-isis/

[ibanezmonster]

Every now and then I search for people I used to know a long time ago if I can remember their last name. I'm wondering what they're up to and such.

Some aren't that surprising (one friend was back from Iraq, kinda no surprise that he ended up going there). I looked up this one girl my age who I knew since 1st grade and last saw in high school, and had no idea she had an interest in Japan. She has photos of driving around in Japan!... and I haven't even been there yet. Needless to say how different driving is over there, meaning you've achieved advanced level if you can drive in Japan. 

[ibanezmonster]

Oooh, and one guy I used to hang out with all the time in middle school/high school is the Operations Manager at the venue where I went to see Meshuggah play.

Searched a few others and just normal, not very noteworthy stuff. Some look surprisingly old for 26.

[Henk]

We all do our best to keep Karl on these boards. (Joking a bit )  0:)

I just find out that the smiley with cap is a policeman. Sorry if I confused anyone with this, I just thought it was a guy with a cap.

[ibanezmonster]

I know, in the Netherlands the police probably wear tie-dye hats, so I understand the confusion.

[Henk]

There should be a smiley with just a cap.. I like to use it.

[EigenUser]

There should be a smiley with just a cap.. I like to use it.

Agreed.

I have office hours today. I'm probably going to get beat up. I was way too lenient on grading the 1st homework. The average ended up being a 91/100 -- remarkably high for homework in an engineering class. This would be fine if they were good, but they were awful. The 2nd homeworks were even worse (!) and people weren't even giving complete answers! So, I gave many very low grades (there were a few 10/100). I did warn them, though. When I took the class (machine design -- kinematics) this is how it was. Finally, I changed the format completely for the 3rd homework and wrote it so that they are forced to do/show each step explicitly to get full credit. They look better, but I haven't yet started grading them. They have an exam next week, so I am not afraid to tear them apart to scare them. It sounds mean, but I'd personally rather get a low homework grade and recognize that I need to work on it more (instead of getting high marks on the homework and poor marks on the exam). Besides, I nearly always give points back if they come to me with questions about their grade (assuming that they can show they understand it to a reasonable degree).

The grading is incredibly tedious for this class, but I don't mind it since I love the topic and I love teaching it in office hours and making homeworks and solutions. Since many problems are design problems, there are often infinitely many answers which means that I actually have to think about each problem on each person's paper. There are 98 students in the class and I'm the only TA. This is probably why I've been enjoying Messiaen's Des Canyons aux Etoiles recently!

Ken, you said that you were a TA, right? Did you have to grade? What were your specific duties?

[Ken B]

Agreed.

I have office hours today. I'm probably going to get beat up. I was way too lenient on grading the 1st homework. The average ended up being a 91/100 -- remarkably high for homework in an engineering class. This would be fine if they were good, but they were awful. The 2nd homeworks were even worse (!) and people weren't even giving complete answers! So, I gave many very low grades (there were a few 10/100). I did warn them, though. When I took the class (machine design -- kinematics) this is how it was. Finally, I changed the format completely for the 3rd homework and wrote it so that they are forced to do/show each step explicitly to get full credit. They look better, but I haven't yet started grading them. They have an exam next week, so I am not afraid to tear them apart to scare them. It sounds mean, but I'd personally rather get a low homework grade and recognize that I need to work on it more (instead of getting high marks on the homework and poor marks on the exam). Besides, I nearly always give points back if they come to me with questions about their grade (assuming that they can show they understand it to a reasonable degree).

The grading is incredibly tedious for this class, but I don't mind it since I love the topic and I love teaching it in office hours and making homeworks and solutions. Since many problems are design problems, there are often infinitely many answers which means that I actually have to think about each problem on each person's paper. There are 98 students in the class and I'm the only TA. This is probably why I've been enjoying Messiaen's Des Canyons aux Etoiles recently!

Ken, you said that you were a TA, right? Did you have to grade? What were your specific duties?

Nate
Yes many times. I was a TA in Engineering physics for a summer (I was in neither physics nor engineering but impressed the prof), and in math and Computer science as a grad student during regular term.
Grading papers, running tutorial sections, giving the class lectures on a few occasions, helping mark exams. 

[Karl Henning]

http://www.youtube.com/v/i_mKY2CQ9Kk

Sorry: Thought this was The Cat Thread . . . .