Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

Administrators ask for advice, then reject it immediately.

I learned than in 1988. It was true in 2018, when I left k-12. It’s still true now that I work in higher education.

I started reading a book about autocracies and democracies... it was written in 2024... before the elections. That makes the contents much scarier.

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
- Thomas Paine

I recently encountered a site that organizes people alphabetically by their first name. It works, but is unusual enough that it interferes with its use.

The purposes of education: A blog post, now with audio:
https://hackscience.education/2018/12/17/the-purposes-of-education/

Some people weaponize email CC’s… they include everyone they can think of.

I’ve never seen that practice do anything but alienate those whose support they need.

Administrators ask for advice, then reject it immediately.

I learned than in 1988. It was true in 2018, when I left k-12. It’s still true now that I work in higher education.

Yeah, I heard what you said, but your actions were much louder.

Asimov begins his Guide to Science by suggesting mobile organisms must be curious about their surroundings. “As early as that, curiosity concerning the environment was enforced as the price of survival.”

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
- Isaac Asimov

We are so easily boondoggled... I'd like to say this is a new phenomenon, but I'm old and I remember.

The first step in arguing is to mischaracterize you opponent’s position.

Answers are boring. How you got them… that’s interesting.

It is so difficult for data-driven leaders when it is made clear their narrative is clearly not supported by the data.

Self-evident assumptions are often wrong.

My family did not eat chili, tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, etc. growing up. I’ve spent my adult life making up for lost meals.

I taught 30+ years… damned if I can remember any students’ score on anything. It’s almost like those weren’t the most important thing.

Want a sure sign the author is a scientist? They use the phrase, “I was wrong.”

No, actually the data do not support your decision.

It’s 2025. Don’t lie about things that can so easily be checked.