Long Sunday

It Was 35 Years Ago Today...

On this day in 1973, the Senate began its televised hearings into the Watergate scandal.    

Coincidentally, I just ran across an excerpt from an interesting new book by Rick Perlstein: Nixonland - The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. This book seems to review familiar territory that still resonates today:  it is the story of how the Democractic party lost the support of white blue collar ("hard working") Americans because the Republicans successfully blamed them for the social and racial unrest of the 1960's.

Philosophy Dumped

(Cross-posted at Become What You Behold)

Our administration at the University of Florida has decided that, to offset mounting budget cuts, they should eliminate the doctoral program in Philosophy.  I see this as a dark day for my University and for the state of Philosophy in American Higher Education.  Our president, Bernie Machen, remains one of the highest paid officials in public education. 

Read the story here:
http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2008/05/budget-cuts-res.html

Sign a petition protesting this measure here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/145/petition-to-president-machen-to-keep-philosophys-phd-program