In my research on how billionaires influence education, I’ve primarily focused on Beloit College, a place I once considered attending. A key area of interest is the complex ways in which billionaires have shaped the college’s curriculum—an extensive topic that requires significant time and exploration. Interestingly, despite its location in a relatively small city compared to major metropolitan areas like New York or Chicago, Beloit has seen its share of high-profile alumni (including the problematic Judith Miller). Fun fact: I used to handle after-hours phone calls for Beloit College, and occasionally, Paul Newman would call the President of the College, as his first wife was an actress from Beloit. Additionally, I discovered an unexpected historical aspect: the college’s collaboration with the U.S. government on various initiatives, particularly the Student Association for the Study of Hallucinogens (STASH). However, finding detailed information about STASH online has proven challenging, indicating that further investigation may necessitate a visit to the college’s archives. This collection of insights points to a surprisingly rich and intriguing history for the institution.
Read More »Tag: Tertiary education
Abundance or scarcity?
Abundance is a new book that has been attracting attention and debate among mainstream economists and politicians. It aims to explain to Democrat members in the US why their party lost the election to Trump (narrow as that result was). The authors, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, writers at very liberal mainstream The New York Times and The Atlantic, respectively, argue that it was because the Democrats and supporters of ‘liberal democracy’ have lost their ability in government to carry out great projects that could deliver the things and services that working people (called the ‘middle class’ in America) need.
Trump antisemitism executive order invokes anti-KKK law and targets ‘leftist, anti-American’ universities
President Donald Trump’s executive order on antisemitism encourages the attorney general to use a federal law created to target the Klu Klux Klan, and will direct federal agencies to tell colleges and universities to “monitor” and “report activities” by foreign students, staff and faculty for activities related to terrorism, according to a draft of the order obtained by the Forward.
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In addition, it says that the attorney general is “encouraged” to use the federal “conspiracy against rights” law “to combat antisemitism.” The measure was originally passed to combat KKK violence in the aftermath of the Civil War, and has since been used to prosecute civil rights violations related to elections. Trump himself was charged with violating the law in relation to his alleged attempt to subvert the results of the 2020 election.
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The Anti-Defamation League has called for more aggressive action against students protesting Israel, including asking school presidents to investigate Students for Justice in Palestinechapters for providing material support to terrorist organizations. The Secure Community Network — the main organization providing security advice to synagogues and Jewish organizations in the United States — recently called for the country to “expel any non-citizen alien who supports terrorism,” including protesters.
Republicans have focused almost all of their attention on what they believe is antisemitism coming from left-wing activists and critics of Israel. The Heritage Foundation released a blueprint for the Trump administration to fight antisemitism called Project Esther that discussed how to dismantle a “Hamas Support Network” composed of progressive advocacy groups and foundations, while the author of that report said that he was not concerned with addressing the threat posed by white supremacists.
Trump 2.0: Project 2025 Could Impact the Economy and Your Finances
The Trump team lied. Project 2025 is influential with his transition team and his second cabinet.
Project 2025 Could Impact the Economy and Your Finances
What economic proposals are in Project 2025?
Most of Project 2025 would have economic implications if implemented and many proposals would affect Americans on a personal finance level. While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some key proposals:
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Protected: AITA?
LGBTQ community sounds alarm bells over Vance
LGBTQ community sounds alarm bells over Vance
In addition to a history of anti-LGBTQ statements, the Ohio Republican is the primary sponsor of at least two pieces of federal legislation threatening to sharply roll back transgender rights, including one proposal that aims to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors nationwide.
That bill, the Senate version of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) Protect Children’s Innocence Act, would charge health care providers who violate it with a Class C felony, punishable by more than a decade in prison. It would also prevent institutions of higher education from providing instruction about gender-affirming care and cut funding for health plans that cover treatment.
Related:
Cis boys get gender-affirming surgeries more often than trans minors
Transgender kids rarely get gender-affirming surgeries — in fact, cisgender children are much more likely to get them, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Guyanese Are Becoming Poorer Despite Living in World’s Fastest Growing Economy
With a GDP growth of over 63% in 2022, according to the World Bank, and an estimated GDP growth of about 38% in 2023, Guyana is frequently referred to as the world’s fastest-growing economy. The meteoric rise of Guyana’s GDP is almost entirely due to the exploitation of recently discovered oil reserves by US-based multinational petroleum corporation ExxonMobil, a company that traces its origins to Rockefeller’s Standard Oil company.
Guyanese Are Becoming Poorer Despite Living in World’s Fastest Growing Economy
Related:
Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana’s two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana’s population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana’s literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.
Guyana’s emigration rate is among the highest in the world – more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad – and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana’s ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs.
CIA: World Fact Book
Papua New Guinea Students Protest US Military Pact
STUDENTS of Mt Hagen Technical College (HATECO) in Western Highlands Province staged a protest march to stop the signing of Defence Cooperation Agreement between PNG and the United States.
Giving the same reasons, the University of Papua New Guinea, the University of Technology and the University of Goroka have all conducted protest marches demanding the Prime Minister James Marape not to sign the deal until and unless the citizens are fully aware of what is entailed in the document.
Papua New Guinea Students Protest US Military Pact
Previously:
US-China rivalry: American troops to access Papua New Guinea ports, airports in new security pact
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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