10 November 2020
First substantive newsletter - welcome new subscribers :)
I was asked by the publisher to read The Math's Fix and give a review. This also means I wrote more words than normal reviews, and on top of that writing here. Sheesh! Reform is necessary, but getting folks on board first is key to succeeding. In the US, that means the testing agencies, colleges and employers. Pressure from the top (secretary of education) would help quite a bit.
For fiction, a lighter book, the second in a series. The first was written 38 years earlier and was pretty good, giving The Wizard of Karres a different audience and big shoes to fill. Well done to the trio of authors - 4 out of 5 stars.
I'm currently reading Supreme Inequality and it's good so far. From this I see two topics I want to write about - our Constitution and where we are with regards to the economy vs poverty.
Forty-six years ago, tonight, the very first United Artists’ James Bond film made its television debut. On Halloween, I watched Dr. No and then followed it up with Goldfinger, paying tribute to the late Sir Sean Connery.
Finally, as autumn transitions to winter, I'm glad to have avoided COVID so far. I wrote a piece in the spring about Herd Immunity, in response to a friend's observations on Sweden. He thought that the infections there may have been sufficient, but clearly that was not the case - they are rising again. While I am not in a high risk group, I'd prefer to avoid infection if I can - there are more consequences than death. So thumbs up to those of you staying healthy, and staying home if you are sick - the ordinary flu is no fun either!