Comments on: Holiday round-up: Happy Cranksgiving!

By: Indyanna

Indyanna — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:31:11 +0000

Glad you’re back, Historiann! I was reading something very recently about some “innovation” in medical training that struck me as very convergent with some of the conversations that have happened here and made a mental note to pass it along, which became a deleted mental note, and now I can’t recover it. I can still see the picture that illustrated the story. Will keep trying.

By: Historiann

Historiann — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:17:19 +0000

quixote: that’s a pretty hilarious misunderstanding!!! I spent my brief time away from home immersed in 19th C American anti-Catholic agitprop, like Six Months in a Convent and Maria Monk’s fake “memiors.” So I understand entirely where you were coming from!

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable holiday. Regular blogging should resume this weekend, including an update with new contributions on the “what’s wrong with higher ed?” meme.

I had plenty of depressing conversations with my critical care friend about what’s wrong with medical education (not med school so much as graduate medical education–residencies and fellowships). There are similar parallels to many of the issues we’ve been discussing here: the mania for de-skilling certain fields, for example, but also the desire to somehow extract more value from an education into which one is pouring fewer resources (time, money, faculty labor, actual F2F hands-on teaching, etc.)

I get the feeling more & more that large concentrations of capital like corporations, universities, and hospitals are using the ongoing economic crisis as an excuse to squeeze labor, no matter how highly skilled or trained, and at the same time to offer less to patrons/students/patients. But I can’t figure out if the administrators enacting these schemes think that they see the party coming to an end & are attempting merely to feather their own nests, or if they think they’ve truly dreamed up a new managerial paradigm.

By: koshembos

koshembos — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:53:04 +0000

I’ll go to my son and his family (grandkids too). I have been cooking for my family for 40 years now; will not stop now.

Enjoy the food, the loved ones, the spirit and your own tradition. We owe thanks for our good fortunes, we shouldn’t take in for granted.

By: Tenured Radical

Tenured Radical — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:57:44 +0000

I knew the hills were alive for some fucking reason or another. We are hunkering down here in Shoreline with a six pack of IPA and Radical Cock O’Van Especiale. Happy T-day, cowgirl.

By: Indyanna

Indyanna — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:30:28 +0000

You’re going to Tiger-town?!? tank?! whatever?!?

By: Indyanna

Indyanna — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:55:08 +0000

I think I’ll just memorize all these recipes and attendent anecdota and not eat anything at all tomorrow, as a) a way of losing weight, b) a sort of zen kind of gesture b) a cost-containment vehicle d) a way of not cooking e) a time-shift to the hot tub f) all of above.

Anyway, have a great adventure and safe driving. Next year I think I’ll hijack a Soyuz capsule and land via parachute in one of those mountain valleys out there! (….Over River, Over Woods, All Clear, Touchdown!!)

By: quixote

quixote — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:37:04 +0000

Oh, and Happy Hot Soakery!

By: quixote

quixote — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:36:34 +0000

(I know this is off-topic, but…. The first time I saw the singing-nun/sailor-vocab picture I was puzzled. I’m so old school, I read it literally and couldn’t understand why she’d be so pleased about not having sex. After about five minutes, it dawned on me, “Oh, wait….”)

By: Bardiac

Bardiac — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:21:26 +0000

Have a good and safe holiday!

By: Notorious Ph.D.

Notorious Ph.D. — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:15:43 +0000

I only reluctantly accepted an invitation to dine with a colleague and neighbor, and only because 1) I think she doesn’t want to be alone; and 2) it gives me an excuse to try out a recipe for pumpkin cobbler.