Flummoxing Tea Partiers

People continue to be flummoxed by the Tea Partiers. Who are they? What do they want? Why are they so . . . enthusiastic? Prompted by the Cato Institute's David Boaz, I take another stab at it at Pileus.

Back in the Saddle Again

I have returned from my journeying Down Under. It was a fantastic conference, from which I learned a great deal. My own paper was well received, I think. And it was a joy to see the interesting and beautiful city of Sydney. We even went to a working sheep farm where we observed shearing and I got to try my hand throwing boomerangs and cracking whips!

Though I am still readjusting to the time difference, I am attacking the mountain of work awaiting me with energy and purpose. I expect that I shall be caught up in a few days.

In the meantime, I apologize to my students, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues for matters that I left unaddressed during my time away, and for all those e-mails to which I may not have responded. I will do my best to get to them all, but if I don't respond to yours, please resend it.

Heading Down Under

I am leaving today for Sydney, Australia to give a paper at the Mont Pelerin Society meeting. It is the first meeting I shall attend as a member. My paper is entitled "Lessons from the Scottish Enlightenment."

I have never been to Australia, so I am very much looking forward to the trip. I will return to blogging, etc. when I return to the States.

Rants and Raves

This week's rants and raves: On parents doing their childrens' schoolwork, on the flourishing of a neo-Aristotelian notion of "natural slavery" on college campuses, on the impending failure of Alabama's state teacher's retirement pension, and on continuing to pay for the late Senator Byrd's graft and patronage.