Back at school

The dreaded time has come again. I'm back at UW for winter quarter, taking two classes. The first is International Political Economy and the second is World History II, covering the time period between 1300 and 1800 AD. At first I was pretty excited about the classes, especially the one on international economy. But after my first two weeks, I'm not so sure anymore. Needless to say, it will be a bitter struggle to the end. Yesterday my professor in the economics class posted the first of three exams. Yep, he actually posted the exam so we could better use our time to study the right stuff. After reading through it, I almost wish he didn't post it. I have no idea how to answer even one question on it, and I'll be testing in just over a week. Yikes! As far as the history class... well, I'll just say this. If it's possible for a professor to weave secular ideas into the study of past events, then by golly, it will most definitely be a UW prof! It has become crystal clear that over the next few years, I will be tested in ways never imagined; most of which will not be academically.

Lately I have started reading many of David Kupelian's writings. It all started with the book, "The Marketing of Evil" which is now one of the most thought provoking and eye opening books I have ever read. One of his latest essays titled, "The Crisis Creators", explains how the government creates crisis after crisis to scare the public into changing views and laws, many of which are completely against our constitution. With everything going on in the world of politics these days, it's hard not to wonder what our future holds in the USA. I think Benjamin Franklin said it best, as if he and the other founding fathers could see into the future. "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, federal, state, and local government (excluding military, post office, education, and hospitals) accounted for 9,792,000 masters... er, I mean employees in 2006. Maybe it's just me... but that sounds like a pretty corrupt and vicious number.