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Showing posts from May, 2018

The Way We Counter China, Ten Approaches

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Art generated by Ideogram in response to author's prompt (Not about Enfield) The way we counter China: 1. Destroy our R&D basic research capability. Check. 2. Scare off foreign students. Check. 3. Discourage investment by putting economy at risk of recession. Check. 4. Let China and EU lead in EV and alternative energy development. Check. 5. Prompt our allies to rebuild supply chains away from America. Check. 6. Undermine the global standing of our leading research universities. Check. 7. Implement mass deportations without a plan to counter our low population replacement rate. Check. 8. Impose an incoherent tariff policy. Check. 9. Prompt China and the EU to spend more on R&D and education in response to trade restrictions. Check. 10. Get into a trade war with China without alternative sources, or a stockpile, of rare earth minerals. Check. 

Connecticut Millennials are overpaying for higher education

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The new Democratic nominee for governor, New Lamont, says he wants to make make community college free for those students with "financial need." That's great, except just about everyone graduating from college today is in "financial need." My benchmark on this issue is from my own experience. I started attending Central Connecticut State University in 1976. A full year – two semesters – cost an in-state resident in tuition and fees $601.  Adjusted for inflation, the $601 tuition/fees that I paid in 1976 should be, in today's 2018 dollars, $2,693. For the 2017-18 academic year, the in-state tuition and fees at CCSU is $10,225 – adjusted for inflation, that is almost four times my cost Moreover, I did not pay tuition because my non-combat military service was Vietnam era. (The state still has a  v eteran waiver , but I'm not sure if it's as comprehensive.) When I was a Connecticut student, I can't recall anyone complaining about th...