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.

Fearless Girl and Politics

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The current Village Voice is running an article entitled “Fearless Girl is Not Your Friend”. It won’t be the last word on the issue, mainly because there can never be a last word on the broader questions of … Continue reading →

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

We Need More Free Speech, for More Students, for More Science High!

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: I have written before that I am not a free speech absolutist but that it is a damn close-run thing.  From a gut point of view I reflexively support free speech, and so I suppose I am objectively … Continue reading →

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

A Walk Through Palmyra (or, Architecture and Color)

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: This post continues a series dealing with impressions of place.  There was the slightly down at the heels Moody Street in Waltham, Massachusetts, where the main impression on a dark early evening in winter was the abundant light … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Signs O’ The Times

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes:

Posted in Personal reflections | 1 Comment

Reversal of Fortune?

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The alt-right and the Trumpist “Right”–not the same thing–have in common a skeptical view of the effectiveness of the Rest of the Right.  To the alt-right the Rest of the Right consists of “cuckservatives”.  To the Trumpist “Right” … Continue reading →

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

Conrad Black, William Deresiewicz, and David Goodhart. What Manner of Coming Conflict?

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Three authors have proposed a way to think about current and coming conflicts.  Conrad Black sees the conflict as between the religious instincts of the people and the secular worldview of the elite.  William Deresiewicz thinks that lurking … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Philosophy and Religion, Politics and Economics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

What is “Really Going On”? And What is “Conspiratorial Nonsense”?

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Glenn Greenwald says that it was not only the Russians that interfered with the presidential election.  The FBI and the CIA were probably in there, too. CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked Greenwald whether he gave “any credence to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics | Leave a comment

What the President of Middlebury Did Not Say

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Charles Murray was properly incensed over the egregious actions of those protesting his recent appearance at Middlebury College.  At the same time he was gracious and generous as regards the way the Administration handled the event. In truth … Continue reading →

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

Possible Good News on Civil Asset Forfeiture

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Fenster is highly suspicious of the practice of civil asset forfeiture, and wrote of the issue here. You may know that the law often allows police or other authorities to keep the ill-gotten gains from a criminal transaction. … Continue reading →

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

One Nice Thing About Tenure. . .

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Fenster

Fenster writes: . . . is that it permits tenured professors to write what they see.  Of course this can cut the wrong way but tenure is a double edged sword.  Here, an article skeptical about unlimited low-skill immigration is … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics | Tagged , | 1 Comment