Justin Katz

Outside of Everywhere

By Justin Katz | October 29, 2007 |

Not being a connoisseur of biographies, I’m finding G. Wayne Miller’s series on Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence Thomas Tobin more interesting than I expected. One result has been a new resolve to pay closer attention, and perhaps submit writing, to the diocesan newspaper, Rhode Island Catholic. That being the case, I’m not sure what…

Chartering Citizen Negotiations

By Justin Katz | October 28, 2007 |

I see that the Tiverton Charter Review Commission, formed to take a closer look at the town’s practice of financial town meetings and propose changes on the November 2008 ballot, has also taken up a possible change that I pondered last month: Another suggestion would have the town return to partisan elections. According to that…

An Unworldly Association of Statistics

By Justin Katz | October 28, 2007 |

These are curious statistics to compare: To put the roughly one-third who believe in ghosts and UFOs in perspective, it’s about the same as, in recent AP-Ipsos polls, the 36 percent who said they are baseball fans; the 37 percent who said the U.S. made the right decision to invade Iraq; and the 31 percent…

Crossword Clue (Seven Letters): Whites, by Definition

By Justin Katz | October 28, 2007 |

It’s been clear that the sort of thought that the Providence Journal editorial board criticizes has been permeating university faculty halls for decades: The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence has been making use of a handbook called “dismantling racism 2006” put together by a consultancy called Dismantling Racism Works. Here’s a passage: “Racism =…

The Left Comes ‘Round Right?

By Justin Katz | October 28, 2007 |

Perhaps owing to a natural affinity for arguments that put the United States in a stumbling-behemoth light, retired ABC leftist, Bristol photographer, and occasional Providence Journal op-ed contributor Jerry Landay makes some points with which I agree: … Breakdown, [social scientist Leopold Kohr] stated [in the 1950s], is the product of social organs that implode…

It’s the Culture That’s Sick

By Justin Katz | October 27, 2007 |

If only teachers were allowed to marry, this wouldn’t be happening: A nationwide Associated Press investigation found more than 2,500 cases over five years in which educators were punished for sexual misconduct. The figures were gathered as part of a seven-month investigation in which AP reporters sought records on teacher discipline in all 50 states…

Talent Versus Time

By Justin Katz | October 27, 2007 |

Friday’s Dilbert strip is so appropriate to Rhode Island’s predicaments (especially from our unique perspective) that I’ve emailed Scott Adams about making a t-shirt of it. In context of the particular bit of pith from Dilbert’s garbage man, keep an eye out for provisions in the law and in contracts that seek to expand the…

Evolution or Devolution?

By Justin Katz | October 27, 2007 |

Upon reading some British scientist’s prediction of two species of humans thousands of years hence — a genetically solidified separation of the haves and have-nots — commenters have seemed to overlook the possibility that the haves are rapidly divesting themselves of the only thing that is actually worth having as they rend themselves from the…

Shanties of Thought

By Justin Katz | October 27, 2007 |

Peggy Noonan touches on something about which I mused just before my first full-time day as carpenter. Writes Noonan: I’ll jump here, or lurch I suppose, to something I am concerned about that I think I am observing accurately. It has to do with what sometimes seems to me to be the limited lives that…

The Difference Between Professional Advocacy and Unionism

By Justin Katz | October 26, 2007 |

In the comments to a previous post, Brendan writes (beginning by quoting me): I simply don’t believe that communities would begrudge them ample provisions, remuneration, and benefits no matter their employment structure. Entirely too trusting Justin. Look at West Warwick and Johnston- running two men per truck when NFPA calls for 4. Look at Providence-…