Winning the War

What's the likelihood of a black man from West Baltimore becoming passionately interested in the American Civil War? If your view of West Baltimore was primarily shaped by The Wire, you'd probably think the odds of such individual existing in real life are fairly low. Perhaps so, but Ta-Nehisi Coates is alive and well. He's a journalist, author and leading public intellectual who found a home, and a large & like-minded following, at theAtlantic.

Coates recently received an unintended endorsement from the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The SVC is one of those Alice-in-Wonderland, Lost Cause groups who exist to deny historic facts. They recently singled out Coates as an advocate for unvarnished truth and based on the tone of their attack, they've been watching Coates' blog for some time.

Coates and his mob, alternatively known as a The Golden Horde and the Lost Battalion of Conversationalists have explored Civil War history for the past two years. Co-Horder/Conversationalist absurdbeats has compiled a list of links to all of Coates blog posts on the Civil War.

theAtlantic blogger Jeffry Goldberg, an international journalist who was recently invited by Fidel Castro to a multi-day interview session, conducted a hilarious interview with Coates two years ago. TheRaven has shamelessly copied it for your reading pleasure.....

Ta-Nehisi Coates is the New Frederick Douglass

Aug 6 2008, 12:30 PM ET

 

In this week's episode of "Know Your Bloggers," Ta-Nehisi Coates talks about black nationalism and hummus. Here is a transcript of our conversation:

JEFFREY GOLDBERG: Do you realize that you're the first black blogger at The Atlantic since Frederick Douglass?

TA-NEHISI COATES: He doesn't count. Frederick Douglass had a white father -- and he married a white woman. Thus by the evolved standard of our new post-racial America, Douglass wasn't really black. Thus, I claim the crown. My father was a Black Panther. I'm from West Baltimore. I haven't married the mother of my son. You don't get much blacker than that. I am The One. I am The Only.

JG: What about Harriet Tubman? Didn't she blog for The Atlantic? You're not going to write her out, are you?

TC: No, no. Harriet's the truth. Just not that Douglass character. But Harriet's a woman, so she doesn't qualify. There are no black women.

JG: You say that you are the One. But Barack Obama is the One. Does that mean that there are, in fact, Two?

TC: Ugh, how many times do I have to say this. Obama isn't black. I keep trying to tell people this. No black man could win in Iowa. Did you see him dancing on Ellen? Barack is half of One. I am The One.

JG: Do you like hummus?

TC: Dude I effing LOVE hummus. Hummus is awesome! My folks were black hippies and embraced anything that looked alternative -- and tasted good. In the '80s -- at least in West Baltimore -- that was hummus. Of course the real question is, do you like falafel?

JG:  I love falafel! Next question: What's your favorite Led Zeppelin song?

TC: "The Battle of Evermore." Come on, I played Dungeons & Dragons.

JG: Are you now, or have you ever been, a neoconservative?

TC: No, I'm not a neoconservative -- but I did laugh at the anti-war marchers in Union Square. Regrettably, they're now laughing at me.

JG: Who is the greatest Jew ever, Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ?

TC: Bob Dylan. He's one of the biggest reasons my Dad went into the Panthers. Which ultimately led him to meeting my mom. Which subsequently led to the birth of The One. Us black people have Jews to thank for everything -- even our very existence.

JG: Finally, the words we've been waiting to hear. On behalf of the Jewish people, let me just say, you're welcome. The inevitable follow-up: How, exactly, did Bob Dylan bring your father to the Panthers?

TC: Oh, man, you gotta buy, and possibly read (more concerned about the former than the latter) my book to get that story. You think I do this thing for free, Jeffrey?

JG: I'll buy yours if you buy mine. In my book, I tell how the Panthers made me a Zionist. Seriously. Page 48. Last question: What do you have against Jesus?

TC: Black Jesus or blond, blue-eyed Jesus? Black Jesus is a tool to get us to believe in the white man's religion. Blond blue-eyed Jesus is, well, blond blue-eyed Jesus. I think I could worship a Cablinasian Jesus. Maybe that explains why I'm for Obama.

Dreaming upwards

Higher education is central to upward mobility, which is in turn the core of the American Dream. There's been a fair amount of press coverage lately on threats to our collective dream. Many students, particularly minorities, do not complete their degrees. Student indebtedness is rising. The Ivy League doesn't merit serious consideration by 99+% of America's youth.

The debate often goes astray, even in the web's most enlightened community, where recent discussion of "white privilege" needed a reminder that the real issue is bigger, broader and deeper. This post repeats a comment added to that discussion, which you can read here.

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The problem with a concept like white privilege is the word white. The question or issue is framed in context of a single, supposedly monolithic group. All white people are not created equal. Their ancestry differs as much as does the history of Europe. Their American experience is strongly influenced by varying degrees of temporal dislocation from immigrant forebears. The tough question is simply ...is there privilege in America? Easy answer, the tough part is then what?

A look at Ivy League student demographics would show steady progress towards ethnic diversification. What about economic diversification? If race and ethnicity are tossed aside and "privilege" is defined along economic lines, the pattern of inherited advantage is clear. I'd argue the economic elites have sought cover under America's public obsession with race. From their perspective, dealing with a black girl from the south side of Chicago who had the temerity to instruct her French instructor (as a sophomore) is easier than combing West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama or Mississippi to find a rare, white scholar.

Black affirmative action provided an unintentional diversion from a legacy of prejudice towards disadvantaged whites, not limited to obvious social and economic disadvantage found in the 12 States of Stupid. Higher education financing has been a rigged game from jump. Solidly middle-class families in New York and New Jersey with kids who are merely intelligent have also been locked out of the Ivy League.The issue really is about fairness, meritocracy and wealth redistribution.

"Not for profit" is a convenient misnomer. It means profits are not subject to income tax, as opposed to legislation that specifies an organization shouldn't make a profit. Rich, private universities not only turn a profit on education services, they also reap income from endowments provided by generations of rich alumni. The system is aided and abetted by our tax code to further concentrate wealth and power according to inherited privilege. Scholarships are simply the cost of good public relations. Do you know many impoverished or struggling Ivy League graduates over the age of 35?

Here's a blindingly simple fix that rebalances American higher education towards its greatest strengths. State colleges and universities are the true engines of upward mobility. State university systems are under tremendous, long-term financial strain. Instead of cutting back on the only education opportunity available to the American majority, why don't we boost funding to public higher education by killing off the not-for-tax status of private universities? This will work if such change also mandates payment of increased tax revenues into a trust fund that is disbursed solely to public colleges and universities.

The elites can continue to drop $200,000 for a Columbia undergraduate degree, Columbia will pay taxes on its income (including investment income from its endowments) to New York and the Federal government and Federal receipts will be apportioned back to state institutions based on relative full-time-equivalent enrollment (or some such). This solution would create a color-blind, elective wealth transfer that balances education, opportunity and heredity without need of commissions, investigations or recriminations.

Who votes for democracy in higher education?

Once upon a time, in America

America's sad immigration situation seems to make headlines every other day. Unfortunately, as mainstream media struggles to survive the early 21st century, it eschews thoughtful analysis for sensationalist headlines. This gives amoral idiots like Tom Tancredo too much ink.

This post repeats a comment  TheRaven added to an immigration discussion held by the web's most enlightened community. Click here to access.

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Immigration is a central narrative in my life and it is a primary narrative in the American Experience. I am, therefore, enraged to the point of speechlessness when 19th century anti-Irish invective is recycled against Central & South Americans. Anti-immigrant rhetoric has been nothing more than simple pride in ignorance over the 85,489 days since America was born.

I'll try to put the legal status of undocumented residents in an appropriate macro context with a moral fable.

Once upon a time, in America...

...there were two towns named Whiteville and Brownville. The residents of Whiteville needed a new community center, however, they were hard-pressed to fund the project. Their tax rates were onerous and because Whiteville residents were obsessed with appearances, much of their disposable income went to essentials such as RVs, SUVs, John Deere lawnmowers, swimming pools, $50,000 bathrooms and $100,000 kitchens. Many Whiteville folks were heavily in debt, but they sure looked prosperous. A campaign to fund construction reached only 50% of its goal. Whiteville was shocked and appalled. In desperation, city fathers met to find a solution.

Prosperous Whiteville had a 5% unemployment rate. Brownville unemployment was the same - with an appended zero. Whiteville residents were largely educated and employed in white-collar professions. Brownville was full of carpenters, dry wall installers, roofers, landscapers and masons, with a sprinkling of electricians and plumbers. Brownville folks had provided construction labor to Whiteville for a long time. Whenever a Whiteville person would disparage the limited formal education found in Brownville, they'd usually end with "...but they sure do work hard! Brownville people were devoutly Christian (and largely Catholic), a fact which seemed oddly lost on Whiteville, which was devoutly Christian (but largely Protestant).

With families to feed, the Brownville tradesmen banded together and pitched Whiteville an offer that couldn't be refused. They'd build the community center at rock-bottom wages. Their skill, efficiency and willingness to work for a fraction of what Whiteville trades people were typically paid meant that the community center could be built for only 50% of budget. The offer was accepted. A project manager from Brownville was appointed because Whiteville people communicated only in business cliches, which trades people didn't quite grasp. The community center's architect was, of course, from Whiteville.

The project manager proved quite competent, with thorough knowledge of construction techniques and regulatory compliance. Permits were obtained for every phase of the work. Whiteville building inspectors were amazed at the quality of construction and found little wrong. All problems noted were immediately corrected, without argument. The Community center was completed ahead of schedule and slightly under budget. A grand unveiling was scheduled.

And then, there was a problem.

Whiteville's official motto was Progress through Conformity. City fathers had enacted thousands of small regulations over preceding decades aimed at furthering such goal. Each rule was well-intended but in a macro sense, largely frivolous. Bowing to the community's strongly expressed desire to maintain proper appearances, they expanded construction codes to include cosmetic items, with special attention given to window treatments.

The project manager was not aware of permit and inspection requirements for window treatments. While the community center's foundation was solid, its framing was sound and its mechanical systems perfect, its window dressing was completely non-compliant. An uproar ensued. Editorials were written excoriating the project manager's lack of knowledge regarding crucial regulations. Because few people in Whiteville had ever worked in the skilled trades, the essential qualities of the community center were never discussed, but its safety was repeatedly impugned.

The city council met in a special session to resolve the crisis. They debated the functional worth of the community center versus the importance of window dressing. Was it more important that Whiteville youth had a safe recreational environment or that Whiteville's code book be followed to the last letter?

The mayor stepped in after the council became hopelessly deadlocked. He was, by trade, a trial lawyer, well-versed in clever arguments that appealed to core values found in the average Whiteville jury. There was only one possible solution and his eloquence could easily sell it.

"Window dressing is the core of Whiteville's community identity" he intoned. "Window dressing is enshrined in our rule of law. It is, in fact, who we are!" The only solution, he explained, was that the community center would have to be torn down and rebuilt, with the new project funded by a bond issue; funded in turn by higher taxes. He viewed such wanton destruction as a fair price for preservation of window dressing.

By unanimous vote, the council agreed.

Web sites to see

Though limited by hunt-and-peck typing, TheRaven flies fast in the digital realm. I've found a few websites worthy of interest. There's no theme here other than user interaction. This post covers blogs, movies, games and the most interesting automotive start-up company you've never heard of.

BLOGS - there's a bazillion blogs out there, including this one. Some of the more intelligent and thoughtful blogs seem to attract the biggest groups of nitwits. The New York Times climate blog a case in point. TheAtlantic's culture editor, Ta-Nehisi Coates, maintains a blog noteworthy for: (1) highly educated audience; (2) frequent discussion of history; (3) skill, background and interests of Mr. Coates; (4) thorough nitwit thrashing when they dare show up . Click here for the best blog TheRaven has found thus far.

GAMES - Armorgames is the best of many sites offering free Flash games. Flash games fall into well-defined categories, such as tower defense and shooter. When the inherent limitations of Flash games lose their charm, check out Steam, a site that sells computer games and hosts multi-player interaction. Advances in game technology made 3-5 years ago created highly regarded games that Steam now sells for cheap, as well as more current titles sold at higher, but generally discounted, prices.

Three noteworthy games for $10 or less:

• Silent Hunter III - this submarine warfare simulation is extraordinary. Developed by Unisoft (in Romania!), Silent Hunter III may be the best of its kind, perhaps eclipsing versions IV and V. A review of Silent Hunter III at subsim.org explains why. Pilot one of dozens of U-boat variants in several possible missions or participate with other players. Realistic to a fault, Silent Hunter III is an example of the worth of excellent games, for example, by providing a hands-on demonstration of why the model XXI U-boat was a super-weapon. You just can't get such understanding from a book. Camera functionality allows you to fly around the battle space in real time. For only $6.69 (current sale price), it simply can't be beat.
• Company of Heroes - one of the best in the strategy genre, this WW2 era game has a Metascore of 92. Excellent graphics and a well-developed tutorial get novices up to speed quickly. Only $9.99.
• Rome: Total War - this game, like Silent Hunter III and Company of Heros, appears on some "best ever" lists. It's a strategy game with similar functionality to Company of Heroes, but a bit more dependent on keyboard commands. It also has a Metascore of 92 and costs $9.99, which makes it a no-brainer. Company of Heroes has a cleaner interface. Silent Hunter III's interface borrows directly from the real McCoy.

MOVIES - we all like movies, how'd you like to make a cartoon? This funny clip (language NSFW) makes fun of the iPhone and was made using Xtranormal, a website that provides "text-to-movie" functionality. Ever wanted to script the Northern Nitwit's true "thoughts"? Now you can.

AUTOS - battery-dependent vehicles are getting all the press in yet another example of media myopia. The same lithium-based battery technology which has worked poorly in generations of laptop computers is now hyped as the salvation of planet Earth. A new report from the UK suggests that battery-powered cars will depreciate to only 10% of their new value after just five years. Limited battery longevity and high replacement cost are the unsurprising issues here. Considering the comparatively high cost of electric vehicles (roughly 2x of a comparatively-equipped gas engine model) depreciation issues will restrict appeal to eco-vanity buyers. This suggests that Tesla may be well-positioned in the short-term but fast-depreciating products will forestall development of next-gen electric power. Chrysler provides a telling lesson. The high depreciation rates of its vehicles fed a vicious cycle of diminishing sales and R&D curtailment. There are two other problems: (1) focus on electric propulsion distracts support from bio-diesel development; (2) increasing consumption of lithium creates growing dependence on Boliva and potentially Afghanistan.

An obscure start-up with a fascinating product waits to be discovered. This company relies on crowd-sourced design. Buyers pony up $50,000 and must participate in vehicle assembly. Sounds crazy! Have a look at the finished product before we examine its specs...

Welcome to Local Motors, home of the Rally fighter, a fully off-road capable, road-legal, emissions-compliant car. At first blush, Local Motors seems like one of many, niche auto builders, perhaps a step above a pure custom shop. And who really needs a $50,000, 2-seat car with 18" wheel travel?

The Rally Fighter features tubular steel construction with carbon fiber panels. It has a 6.2 liter V8, so fuel economy isn't a selling point. The Rally Fighter uses a vinyl skin in lieu of body paint. Most people don't need such a vehicle, but Local Motors' open business model creates intriguing possibilities for variants with wider appeal:

• Price vs. volume -$50,000 is a product of very low production volume. As of this writing, Local Motors has taken only 105 orders for the Rally Fighter. This means that even a modest sale to a government agency or two would jack production volumes into a declining price curve. The Rally Fighter looks tailor-made for border patrol work and its use of vinyl skin means that it could be specialized for law enforcement, e.g., in desert cammo.

• Design vs. fuel efficiency - the 6.2 liter V8 is a recent change. Local Motors featured an inline-6 from BMW several months ago. That engine produced impressive fuel economy. The point here is that design flexibility begets efficiency options. The Rally Fighter and the Jetta TDI both weigh about 3,200 pounds. This suggests that a non-competition, much higher-efficiency version could be accomplished using Volkswagon's new-generation, 4-cylinder diesel. This version would appeal to government agencies that need both off-road capability and fuel economy, such as the Park Service, perhaps the Postal Service and private industry customers such as oil-field service, surveying, engineering and construction firms.

• Fixed vs. variable labor - the owner participation aspect of Local Motor's model is cute but it won't scale. The Border Patrol isn't about to detail a bunch of its agents to assemble a few hundred Rally Fighters. This may explain why Local Motor's site doesn't report any venture capital investors (despite having an innovative product, good management team and advisory boards). The site mentions "18 investors" in passing, a sure sign Local Motors is funded by angel investors. The owner-assembly model is a clever tactic for lowering fixed labor costs in a cash-poor start-up but it must be supplemented by contractual relationships with automotive manufacturers that can handle final assembly tasks in volume. This would leverage Local Motor's inherent strength, design innovation coupled with component flexibility, to enable multi-unit sales that will in turn enable wider market appeal.

• No dealer network - Local Motors has wisely avoided a big chunk of overhead by skipping the middle-man and selling direct. The site makes decent use of an online community but in the early going, Local Motors remains obscure.

• Open source design - Local Motors runs car design competitions but misses a trick by ignoring a design community of graphic artists. A vinyl body skin is a graphic design canvas. Local Motors should create another design competition just for skin graphics. This would create publicity and increase the odds of viral awareness by attracting a much bigger group than auto body designers.

Local motors needs publicity, the kind that only Hollywood can bestow. Adam Aircraft's innovative designs were certainly better known after its A500 appeared in Miami Vice.

Unfortunately for Adam, it needed investment funds just as air transport industries entered a multi-year retrenchment period. Adam subsequently filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in 2009. Local Motors needs its own version of Michael Mann before the next auto industry convulsion. It's vinyl body skins are a big selling point here, tailor-made for Hollywood adaptation.