Author Archives: Fenster

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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.

What It Takes To Be A Great Investigative Reporter

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Political types can be classified as either hedgehogs or foxes, with the fox knowing many things and the hedgehog knowing one big thing.  Bret Stephens says John McCain is a hedgehog, and admires him for the knowing one … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics | 4 Comments

Fearless Girl and Politics, Part 2

Posted on October 7, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: In last May’s UR blog post about Fearless Girl and politics I wrote that a Village Voice article on the subject won’t be the last word on the issue, mainly because there can never be a last word … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Is the East Red?

Posted on October 7, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: I am not sure the Facebook like button is yet a threat to democracy but I do think there is something to this engineer’s concerns.  I don’t like the intentionally addictive quality of some social media.  It is … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers, Technology | 4 Comments

Sucker Punched

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: I wrote here about the many relatively reputable news outlets that got suckered by a bogus story about a public masturbation booth in midtown Manhattan.  It seems like some stories are just too juicy to pass up.  Why … Continue reading →

Posted in Sex, Technology, The Good Life | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Lessons from Across the Pond?

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Are there lessons to be learned from the messages from across the pond?  

Posted in Politics and Economics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Realism, Race and Class Versions

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Elements of the alt-right consider themselves to be ‘race realists’.  Generally, this view relies on genetics as a partial way to explain human differences, and on the fact that  natural selection can operate at a fast enough rate … Continue reading →

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

Trillin X 2

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Two takes on Calvin Trillin.  Food and killing.

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

Sokal Redux?

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: When making sense no longer makes sense it is very tempting to stop making sense, this urge itself a form of sense-making.  In 1984 the interrogator tells Winston Smith that two and two can equal five if the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Left, Right, Left, Right, Left

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Ah, the times in which we live.   Here is Michael Lind, once conservative, then a critic of conservatism, now writing an article not for Salon but for the Trumpist journal American Affairs. Is this a conservative piece? … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

What is the “Right” Take on Higher Education?

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: My wife makes fun of me because when I give directions I tend to mix up left and right.  I don’t know why I do this.  I am a fairly hard “P” (perceiver) in Meyers-Briggs terms so it … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Politics and Economics | Tagged , | 3 Comments