College Visit Edition: July 18 2011

Workout notes 76 F, 87 percent humidity; I tried to “run” my 4.2 mile hilly course. I was as stiff as a board. But no piriformis/butt trouble, though it took me 46:01 to finish it.

Then, we went on a 90 mile road trip to see the University of Illinois.

We got a presentation, a campus tour and then a session with the College of Liberal Arts.

What I liked: the bluntness. They flatly said what their entrance criteria was; they pointed out that the incoming student would have to approach the professor during office hours if they wanted attention, and they pointed out that undergraduate “research” would start off at a very small, basic level (e. g. “washing test-tubes”).

When they presented their attributes, they listed “academic excellence” as “number 1″.

But…well, my daughter actually liked the presentation at the much smaller private school better! I liked the larger one, but then again, I am not the one going to college. I’ve already had my turn. And yes; the private school in question is reasonably well regarded academically and would be the MUCH cheaper option for her (ok, me). So it wouldn’t break my heart…

Still, I was ready to apply to U of I….so they must have done their job well.

Posts:
Why treat the banks with kid gloves?

What about the argument that getting tough with the banks would threaten the overall economy? Here the question is: What’s holding the economy back?

It’s not the state of the banks. It’s true that fears about bank solvency disrupted financial markets in late 2008 and early 2009. But those markets have long since returned to normal, in large part because everyone now knows that banks will be bailed out if they get in trouble.

The big drag on the economy now is the overhang of household debt, largely created by the $5.6 trillion in mortgage debt that households took on during the bubble years. Serious mortgage relief could make a dent in that problem; a $30 billion settlement from the banks, even if it proved more effective than the government’s modification program, would not.

So when officials tell you that we must rush to settle with the banks for the sake of the economy, don’t believe them. We should do this right, and hold bankers accountable for their actions.

What about the debt limit negotiations? Ross Douthat says that the Republicans are in retreat. Why? They are getting almost everything that they want in exchange for letting the Bush tax cuts expire at the top.

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