Just 60% Of Americans, 43% Of Republicans, Accept Theory Of Evolution

Once again, a poll shows that large numbers of Americans, and most Americans, reject Evolution via Natural Selection as the explanation for humanity’s origin. How do we explain that?

The Cultural Conservative Love Affair With Vladimir Putin Is Quite Odd

Vladimir Putin seems to be getting a lot of love from cultural conservatives in the United States.

GOP Congressman: My Idea To Force Poor Kids To Work For Lunch Not Directed At Poor Kids

A GOP Senate Candidate in Georgia attempts to back track, and runs off the rails in the process.

The Death of Cursive Writing?

Johnny can’t write, either.

Peter Higgs Not Productive Enough for Today’s Academy?

Nobel physicist Peter Higgs says he could not make it in academia today.

Republicans Teaching Candidates How To Talk To Women

Much like the guy who’s afraid to talk to girls in High School, Republicans don’t seem to know how to talk to women. But their problems are actually bigger than that.

Texas May Block Biology Textbook Because Of Evolution

Once again, some groups in Texas are trying to block approval of a science textbook because it is too deferential to Evolution.

White Male Privilege Exists, Defense Department Points Out

A Pentagon Equal Opportunity training manual points out the obvious.

Norman Geras, 1943-2013

Norman Geras, scholar and blogger extraordinaire, has passed.

Essential Government Personnel, Professional Military Education Edition

One inmate’s view of the asylum.

A Qualified Yes to a Constitutional Convention

Some thoughts on reform.

Military Sexual Assault Policy: No Consent with Alcohol?

The military is cracking down on sexual assault. The pendulum may be swinging too far.

Conservatives For Putin?

Some conservatives don’t seem too troubled by Vladimir Putin’s repression.

Back to School

Your humble host is making a career move.

Teaching Prevention is Not ‘Blaming the Victim’

The Air Force is telling airmen to take common sense steps to “avoid becoming a victim” of sexual assault.

West Virginia Teen Faces Jail Time For Wearing NRA T-Shirt To School

An absolutely ridiculous criminal case out of West Virginia.

Fat People Can’t Get PhDs: It’s Science

NYU’s Geoffrey Miller has done a groundbreaking study connecting obesity, and particularly the consumption of simple carbohydrates, with failure to complete doctoral dissertations.

Christine Fox, ‘Top Gun,’ and the Casual Sexism of 1985

Christine Fox, the real-life inspiration for Charlie of “Top Gun,” and the casual sexism of 1985.

Rich Kids Go to Elite Colleges, Becoming Rich Adults

The economics of higher education is increasing the gap between rich and poor.

Official Cause of Death Wrong at Least One Third of Time

We rely on death certificates for epidemiology studies. But they’re incredibly unreliable.

David Petraeus Joins CUNY Faculty, Brings Intern Experience

General Petreaus is now Dr. Petraeus and will be teaching a 1-1 load a the City University of New York.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Yippee Ki Yay Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

PhD Scientist Glut (Not POLITICAL Scientist; We Already Knew That)

Calls for more American kids to pursue STEM careers ignores the hiring realities.

New IRS Rules Designed to Help Adjunct Faculty Hurt Them

New rules mandating full-time benefits for instructors teaching 30 hours predictably led to their hours being cut.

University Professor: World’s Least Stressful Job

I’ve been out of the classroom for just over a decade now and, apparently, things have changed radically.

Administrative Bloat at America’s Colleges and Universities

One major factor in the skyrocketing cost of a college education in America is a huge increase in overhead costs.

Social Class and Higher Education

A rich child is 45 percent more likely to earn a four-year college degree than a poor one.

Prestige Schools Dominate Academic Placement

Want to teach political science for a living? Go to one of a handful of top schools or don’t bother.

Palin As The GOP’s 2016 Savior? In Your Dreams

Guess who’s back?

Self-Driving Cars Better Than You-Driving Cars

We are fast approaching an era where robot-driven cars will not only be practical but mandatory.

Chicago’s Very Well Paid Teachers Go On Strike, Abandoning 400,000 Students

Largely because they are resisting efforts to hold them accountable for their performance, Chicago’s teachers are leaving 400,000 students locked out of school.

John Nagl Next Haverford Headmaster

John Nagl, who became famous as a leading counterinsurgency theorist and practitioner, is taking on a new challenge: grooming young boys for life.

Harvard Students Accused Of Cheating Respond To Allegations

Some of the Harvard students accused of cheating are speaking out, and making allegations of their own.

Harvard Says 125 Students May Have Cheated In ‘Introduction To Congress’ Class

Harvard has announced the discovery of what one official calls an “unprecedented” cheating scandal.

Obama Winning Even Though He Has Daughters

National Review’s Keith Williamson can’t fathom why Alpha Male Mitt Romney is having so much trouble beating Girly Man Barack Obama.