Author Archives: hessd

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About hessd

Here is all you need to know to follow this blog. I am an old man and I love to think about why we say the things we do. I've taught at the elementary, secondary, collegiate, and doctoral levels. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. I have taught political science for a long time and have practiced politics in and around the Oregon Legislature. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. You'll be seeing a lot about my favorite topics here. There will be religious reflections (I'm a Christian) and political reflections (I'm a Democrat) and a good deal of whimsy. I'm a dilettante.

Remembering Bonnie Zawacki

Posted on May 13, 2013 by hessd

Beyond any question, the most exciting project of my fifty years of teaching was helping students understand causal attribution.  “Causal attribution” is just giving a reason why something happened—it is attributing a cause to an event.  This has been on … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Getting in Shape and Staying in Shape

Posted on May 9, 2013 by hessd

So here are a few dumb questions.  Do you have enough fuel?  Are you tall enough?  Do you really think she cares that much about you? I have no wish to pejorate—ordinarily, I would have said “minimize” or something, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, ways of knowing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why Social Services Fail

Posted on May 1, 2013 by hessd

It is a part of the malady of our time that we try to see everything as a question of having the necessary skills.  Somewhere in the middle of my grad school experience, at a time when everything seemed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology, Words | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

What are pejorative words for?

Posted on April 25, 2013 by hessd

In 1893, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a book called Catriona—a book I had never heard of until today.  Nor did I know until today that the word I had in mind to begin this reflection on language, pejorative, was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Gay Children with Anti-Gay Parents

Posted on April 19, 2013 by hessd

I am in Hawaii today because I am trying to illustrate to myself that I am no longer teaching at Portland State University–or anywhere else.  That being the case, be alert for present tense verbs that have to do with … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

God Bless Oregon

Posted on April 17, 2013 by hessd

The question the federal government wants to ask Oregon is this: Do you really think you can persuade Oregonians to be sensible about their health? Oregon’s Governor, Dr. John Kitzhaber (M.D.) has been saying “Yes,” but if he is the … Continue reading →

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Unnatural Acts

Posted on April 2, 2013 by hessd

In the war currently being waged about gay rights (are there any?), there are people who say there is nothing at all wrong with homosexuality and people who say there is everything wrong with it.  It almost goes without saying … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Angleworms

Posted on March 31, 2013 by hessd

Why are they called “angleworms,” do you suppose?  Right after I learned that they are not native to North America, I began to hope that we had imported them from England and that they might rightfully be called Angloworms.  It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Words | 2 Comments

Local Eats

Posted on March 29, 2013 by hessd

During the growing season, from early in the spring until late in the fall, Bette and I get a good deal of the food from Bette’s garden.  Bette’s the principal grower and I am the principal “cook,” if you call … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Everyone Deserves to Live “Long Enough”

Posted on March 26, 2013 by hessd

Daniel Callahan is my kind of guy.  I first ran across him 20 years ago in his book Setting Limits: Medical Goals in an Aging Society.  Everything I have read since then has been a refinement of or an extension of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment