Author Archives: Fenster

About Fenster

Gainfully employed for thirty years, including as one of those high paid college administrators faculty complain about. Earned Ph.D. late in life and converted to the faculty side. Those damn administrators are ruining everything.

Chappaquiddick and PR

Posted on April 4, 2018

Fenster writes: Speaking of Chappaquiddick, as we are all about to do– Here is a Boston Globe interview with Ted Kennedy on the subject of Chappaquiddick.  It ran in July 1979–the tenth anniversary of the event. The summer of 1979 … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Politics and Economics | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Speckalatin’

Posted on March 26, 2018

Fenster speckalates: 1. Trump did not unearth a hidden majority–only a large and neglected minority. The Dems could have found a way to reach out to him over common issues but instead adopted a scorched earth policy. There were solid … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Open v. Closed

Posted on March 18, 2018

Fenster writes: Cheers! The Economist is willing to acknowledge that there are limits to the open border concept! Few people support entirely open societies: it would be perverse, for example, to allow Ebola victims to cross borders unimpeded. Actually, though, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Note to M—, on Brooksie

Posted on March 2, 2018

Fenster writes: Dear M—–, You and I have an ongoing dialogue going over David “Brooksie” Brooks.  I was once a fan, especially on his culture stuff.  Even second-rate Tom Wolfe can be excellent, and Brooks often was.  And he can … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Guns Again

Posted on February 23, 2018

Fenster writes: In The Nation, Katha Pollitt suggests that in a new generation the NRA may have finally met its match.  Could be.  A spate of recent polls indicate a spike in support for some kind of action.  If those … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Zero Days and Russian Meddling

Posted on February 17, 2018

Fenster writes: If you haven’t seen Alex Gibney’s excellent 2016 documentary Zero Days you should.  If you have you will recall it recounts good, bad and ugly aspects of cyberwarfare as practiced by America on others, and the risks of … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Wonton Speculation

Posted on February 17, 2018

Fenster writes: Citizenship increasingly resembles a night at the movies.  Better yet, an obscure foreign art film without subtitles.  Better yet, a foreign miniseries with multiple plot lines and seasons, each uncertain climax leading us not to clarity but to … Continue reading →

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