More thoughts on Sunday - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Feb 27, 2005

More thoughts on Sunday

Date: Feb 27, 2005

That tears it. We are being put-on, big time. You are very good, and very funny. Really had us going for a while!

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Monique de Guerre
"That tears it. We are being put-on, big time. You are very good, and very funny. Really had us going for a while!"

Yes -- the reference to a visit at the beginning brought me right back to Thomas Cooley and his Risk Manager . . . .

Do we have a clever emulator or do we have a reprise in a new form?

By the way Monique and speaking of clever -- love the nom!

Date: Feb 27, 2005

C'est la guerre, honey.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

Inside word has it that Joan Exline is "W. J. Johnson." As Thames' utility gopher girl, one of her many duties is to monitor, report on, and occasionally attempt to disrupt the board. (It probably provides some stress relief from SACS worries.)

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stephen judd
" Yes -- the reference to a visit at the beginning brought me right back to Thomas Cooley and his Risk Manager . . . . Do we have a clever emulator or do we have a reprise in a new form? By the way Monique and speaking of clever -- love the nom!"

Stephen, what do you mean by the reference to "a visit" having a meaning? I recall Mr. Johnson pointing out last week that he was travelling to Hattiesburg for the TLC dedication and groundbreaking. Given that, this letter is all-too-real (to me at least).

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: W.J. Johnson
"One of the problems I see is the small percentage of USM faculty that hold a USM degree. Under President McCain this was not so, and it appears to be a product of Lucas and Flemming. The problem here is that USM faculty do not hold a stake in the fortunes of the university like they did years ago under McCain. I've read alot about conspiracy theories on this board and have one of my own. USM's current faculty is actually working to keep the institution down, while President Thames is striving to make it world class. The difference is that he went to USM, most of the current faculty did not. It is nice to see some of the new hires, like Ken Malone and others, have USM ties. Dr. Malone assured some of us that having USM heritage would be an important consideration in future hires, along with practical business experience. These have been pushed for by many of us for some time.
"

Mr. Johnson, real or not, can you spell I-N-C-E-S-T? Can you spell (this one is harder)
N-E-P-O-T-I-S-M? The USM" heritage" is destruction and stupidity.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

The favorable recollections of the McCain era are hilarious. A lot of older alums think that way, though, because for all intents & purposes they didn't attend a "university" but a "college." But anybody for whom the old power plant brings back fond memories is, well, kinda weird.

But let's assume that ol' W.J. is for real. The very idea that serious alumni would want to return the college to the "glory days" of W.D. McCain is scary. And folks, there are serious alumni who think this way. These are, BTW, the same folks who think that if we could, in some Reaganesque fantasy, turn back the clock to 1955, all the troubles of the world would vanish. Everyone back then, of course, lived a Ward & June Cleaver existence. And so did USM in those folks' minds.

This particular posting from W.J. does have a certain "Judge Cooley" ring to it. I can't tell if it's serious or tongue-in-cheek.

But I will tell ya'll this: I think USM's goose has already been cooked. I'm hanging here, because I like the company & not because I'm expecting anything to change in the way the university is run or the direction in which it's heading. <SIGH>

Date: Feb 27, 2005

Ah . . . er . . . "Mr. Johnson," whatever happened to the letter you supposedly wrote to the Sun Herald? Apparently, despite all your "connections," they chose not to publish it. Or perhaps it never existed in the first place.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

Real world-class universities have hiring policies agaisnt incest (inbreeding) and nepotism. When I first came to USM, I was very surprised to find out a big percentage of faculty members who have final degrees from USM not because I considered USM a 'wurl' class university but because I thought such thing can be seen only at some universities of third-world countries. Just as in genetics, academic incest and nepotism result only deseases and devolution of the academic institutions.

By the way, Dr. Lassen????? Since when Gregg Lassen became a doctor???? Did he already receive a Ph.D. from economic development? Oh. I forgot! It was 2 weeks program, aren't I right???

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"A lot of older alums think that way, though, because for all intents & purposes they didn't attend a "university" but a "college."

They didn't attend a "college" either. One should not assume that a "university" implies that it has higher standards than a "college." Lots of "hack" schools call themselves "university." All the term "university" means is "a collection of colleges." This basically means that they have a law school, medical school, college of arts and sciences, etc., or some combination thereof. Many institutions that are really "colleges" are now changing their name to "university" for recruiting purposes only - most high school students and their parents incorrectly assume that a "university" is somehow preferred to a "college."

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: A thornbush by any other name
"One should not assume that a "university" implies that it has higher standards than a "college.""

You're absolutely correct. I don't think anybody around here would argue that the University of Southern Mississippi has higher standards than Millsaps College. My original statement was probably too vague -- these older alums attended Mississippi Southern College & conceptualize the University of Southern Mississippi today in terms of that. McCain was an authoritarian "ruler" of what was then a small college by anybody's definition. Shelby is attempting to use the same style to "rule" a much larger enterprise.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" You're absolutely correct. I don't think anybody around here would argue that the University of Southern Mississippi has higher standards than Millsaps College. My original statement was probably too vague -- these older alums attended Mississippi Southern College & conceptualize the University of Southern Mississippi today in terms of that. McCain was an authoritarian "ruler" of what was then a small college by anybody's definition. Shelby is attempting to use the same style to "rule" a much larger enterprise."

I believe I know exactly what you mean. I read Exit 13. I read it too late, but I did read it.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: a thornbush by any other name
"I believe I know exactly what you mean. I read Exit 13. I read it too late, but I did read it."

When I was an undergrad in the waning years of the McCain administration, the grille was renamed from "Wimpy's" (it's historical name, BTW) to "Exit 13".

Of course, that was in the heyday of hippy-dipism & a lot of folks read some additional symbolism into the fact that one took Exit 13 to get to USM...

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"a lot of folks read some additional symbolism into the fact that one took Exit 13 to get to USM"

We're thinking about renaming that exit a third time - after my nom. Talk about symbolism!

Date: Feb 27, 2005

Mr. Johnson is a fictional character created by someone who grew up in a small town (likely in the South) and has had real life experiences with the real Mr. Johnsons from childhood. The real Mr. Johnsons are usually the son of a successful father (usually a local business) and will inherit the family business but could not start one. Indeed, they often will live to an age that exceeds their IQ. While the poster claiming to be Mr. Johnson is putting us on, he is describing many of SFT's supporters. Sparring with the fake Mr. Johnson is good practice for taking on the real Mr. Johnsons who are about all that SFT has left who are behind him.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Cossack
"Mr. Johnson is a fictional character."

This is what first tipped me off that Johnson is fictional: "One of the problems I see is the small percentage of USM faculty that hold a USM degree." Even the most stupid troll would not be aware of that dimension of academics. Even the brightest community member would not pay little if any attention to it.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

You are right, Secret Agent Man, that's what gave it away for me.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Secret Agent Manl
"This is what first tipped me off that Johnson is fictional: "One of the problems I see is the small percentage of USM faculty that hold a USM degree." Even the most stupid troll would not be aware of that dimension of academics. Even the brightest community member would not pay little if any attention to it. "

Yes, but he said the visitors were given a copy of the USM Bulletin. The degrees of all faculty are listed in the back in alphabetical order. Normally I would agree, but could see that he did find this out via the bulletin.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Cossack
"The real Mr. Johnsons are usually the son of a successful father (usually a local business) and will inherit the family business but could not start one. Indeed, they often will live to an age that exceeds their IQ."

Cossack,

I'm sure you realize that you have just described Roy Klumb!