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.

“Loose Talk of War.” Yeah, right.

Posted on March 6, 2012 by hessd

When a political campaign is at full throttle, it is easy to think that any disagreement is mostly a partisan disagreement.  Given the current disposition of the parties, that would mean an ideological disagreement.  The current exchange on Iran’s nuclear … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Leave a comment

A Defense of Dilettantes

Posted on February 28, 2012 by hessd

One of the pitfalls of thinking of yourself as “a person who knows things” is that you sometimes don’t have a clear sense of just what it is you know.  I’ve been a teacher for the last fifty years or … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Words | 4 Comments

Republican Polar Bears

Posted on February 28, 2012 by hessd

One of the most surprising events of recent years is the death by drowning of polar bears.  Polar bears are some of the strongest swimmers in the world of mammals.  Why are they drowning?  Well, it turns out that that … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Leave a comment

What Will the General Election Be About?

Posted on February 19, 2012 by hessd

New York Times CBS Poll Feb 3—13, 2012  Registered Voters 1064 Registered Republicans 316 Registered Democrats 368 How is President Obama Doing? Pretty well, all things being considered. His numbers are nowhere near where they were when he was elected, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Beane Soup 2: Peter denies him thrice

Posted on February 11, 2012 by hessd

In this series, I am pulling together little fragments of the movie, Moneyball, to form themes that I noticed and liked.  Or maybe I just invented them.  This one has to do with Peter Brand.  Peter is supposed to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, ways of knowing | Leave a comment

So…Mitt Romney hates the poor?

Posted on February 4, 2012 by hessd

I don’t much like the attention that has been paid recently to Mitt Romney’s comment about the poor.  I don’t much like Mitt either, but this is too much.  It hasn’t been that long since a staffer for an agency … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Beane Soup 1: Billy’s Goal

Posted on January 31, 2012 by hessd

This is the first of series of stories that purport to be about the movie, Moneyball.  They aren’t really.  Michael Lewis made a collection of narratives out of the experiences of general manager Billy Beane of the Oakland A’s in … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Paying Attention | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Win the Day

Posted on January 14, 2012 by hessd

What everybody knows is that the attitude with which you approach aging matters a great deal in your experience of aging.  And if you’ve ever tried it, you know that you can’t just “adopt a positive attitude” the way you … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old | 5 Comments

David Brooks Has Caused Me All Kinds of Trouble

Posted on January 8, 2012 by hessd

David Brooks has caused me all kinds of trouble.  When I introduce him to people—my students at PSU, usually—who don’t know him, I say he is a conservative columnist for the New York Times.  When my students choose David Brooks … Continue reading →

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

Explaining Matthew’s Advent Story to Children

Posted on December 26, 2011 by hessd

The story of Herod’s anger at having missed his chance to kill the Christ Child has been around for a long time, assuming that the Gospel of Matthew dates from the 80s AD.  In the charged political atmosphere of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments