War

In the middle of the last century,  America was engaged in two conflicts – one to its east; one to its west.  Most everyone else was similarly engaged.  We, along with our allies – principally English speaking and British established outposts with two notable exceptions, prevailed.  One of the notable exceptions became the source for an almost instant follow on set of conflicts for the next 40+ years  (cold war.)  And, with the other notable exception, we found ourselves fighting a “police action” on their doorstep within five years.

Since WWII, here is a brief recollection of America’s wars:

·         Korea

·         Bay of pigs, Cuba

·         Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia

·         Congo

·         Dominican republic

·         Grenada

·         Lebanon

·         Columbia

·         Libya

·         Panama

·         Desert storm – Iraq

·         Somalia

·         Bosnia

·         Haiti

·         Sudan

·         Kosovo

·         Afghanistan

·         Iraq again, and

·         Enduring freedom – too many places to catalog

·         Next up:  Syria 

That’s just the last 70 years – the list for the entire 20^th century is considerably longer and includes wars in the Philippines, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, Dominican republic (again), and, of course, Europe.

This listing is not to suggest that each component weighs equally with the others.

There could be something to be said for the current administration’s efforts to not add to this list.  Well, at least until this week.  Perhaps it would be best if Mr. Obama returned to Martha’s Vineyard?

What is America’s great attraction to war?  Who is behind all this war business?

Cui bono?   Besides the politicians that is.

 

 

 

College Football Money Poll

Essay subtitle - "What Nike hath Wrought"

Well, inasmuch as that wonderful time of the year is almost upon us – we refer, of course, to college football and inasmuch as we know how much our audience likes to look behind the scenes at why things happen the way they do, we decided to publish the Center for College Affordability and Productivity’s compilation of the ratio of division I-A colleges and universities athletic expenditures to instructional expenditures.  In other words if a school spends 1 million dollars on athletics and 10 million dollars on instruction, the ration would be 1:10 or 10%.  If, on the other hand a school spent 5 milion on athletics and 10 million on instruction the ratio would be 5:10 or 50%.  Here goes:

School	Athletic/Instructional Expenditures
University of Arkansas	56.5%
University of Alabama	50.2%
University of Tulsa	48.1%
University of Nebraska	45.9%
Texas Christian University	43.2%
Oklahoma University	41.2%
Auburn University	40.8%
University of Mississippi	35.6%
Louisiana State University	33.8%
Clemson University	33.4%
University of Oregon	33.0%
Louisiana Tech University	32.8%
Oregon State University	32.5%
Texas Tech University	31.7%
University of Georgia	31.0%
Mississippi State University	30.9%
Oklahoma State University	30.6%
Boston College	28.7%
Kansas State University	27.7%
University of Kansas	27.5%
Fresno State	27.3%
Baylor University	27.2%
Marshall University	27.2%
Boise State University	27.1%
Georgia Institute of Technology	27.0%
Southern Methodist University	26.8%
University of Virginia	26.7%
University of Memphis	26.4%
University of Texas-El Paso	26.3%
University of South Carolina	26.3%
University of Louisville	26.3%
Virginia Tech	25.6%
University of Notre Dame	25.2%
University of Kentucky	25.0%
West Virginia University	24.6%
Arkansas State University	24.5%
University of Tennessee	23.7%
University of Missouri	23.2%
New Mexico State University	22.7%
University of Louisiana-Lafayette	22.0%
University of Connecticut	21.5%
Wyoming University	21.4%
University of Iowa	21.2%
University of Louisiana-Monroe	21.1%
Iowa State University	20.6%
San Diego State University	20.5%
University of Wisconsin	19.6%
Troy University	19.4%
U.S. Military Academy	19.2%
Eastern Michigan University	19.2%
University of Southern Mississippi	19.2%
University of Texas	18.4%
Texas A&M University	18.3%
Wake Forest University	18.1%
Washington State University	18.0%
Florida State University	17.9%
Ohio State University	17.8%
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	17.5%
Syracuse University	17.5%
University of Florida	17.2%
Central Michigan University	17.0%
Middle Tennessee State University	16.9%
University of Central Florida	16.8%
University of Colorado	16.7%
Arizona State University	16.6%
University of Houston	16.5%
Michigan State University	16.0%
University of Akron	15.4%
North Carolina State University	15.4%
University of Miami	15.3%
Rice University	15.2%
University of Idaho	15.1%
Florida International University	14.9%
Western Michigan University	14.6%
University of New Mexico	14.5%
Utah State University	14.0%
Miami University	13.9%
University of Maryland	13.9%
University of Illinois	13.9%
Bowling Green State University	13.6%
University of Toledo	13.4%
University of Arizona	13.3%
University of Cincinnati	13.2%
Purdue University	13.2%
Indiana University	13.1%
University of Nevada	13.0%
Kent State University	12.7%
University of California	12.7%
University of Hawai?i	12.5%
San Jose State University	12.4%
Eastern Carolina University	12.4%
Florida Atlantic University	12.3%
University of North Texas	11.8%
Ohio University	11.8%
Colorado State University	11.7%
Ball State University	11.7%
Northern Illinois University	11.7%
University of Minnesota	11.7%
University of South Florida	11.1%
University of Michigan	11.1%
Tulane University	10.6%
University of Pittsburgh	10.5%
University of Utah	10.4%
University of North Carolina	9.8%
Pennsylvania State University	9.5%
University of Southern California	9.4%
University of Alabama at Birmingham	9.3%
Northwestern University	9.0%
Brigham Young University	8.9%
Rutgers University	8.6%
Temple University	8.0%
Duke University	7.8%
University at Buffalo	7.6%
Stanford University	7.5%
University of Washington	7.3%
University of California-Los Angeles	7.1%
Vanderbilt University	6.4%

 

Source:  http://centerforcollegeaffordability.org/data/sports-spending-data

So, why do you think Alabama is planning to win its third straight national football title?  Actually, that is not what we want to take away from this listing – we like to look at the schools at the bottom of the list – those schools that apparently still grasp at the old fashioned idea that they are in business to instruct their students not entertain them on a Saturday afternoon with a professional program.  We just admire the schools with that old fashioned set of fundamentals that still find a way to assemble a team, train their players and go out and kick the a** off the football factory schools at the top of the list.  To them we dedicate this essay.  To them we say,” Rah – rah – sis – boom – bah!”  Go Commodore’s!