And <On the other hand, I think they're generally conscientious and hard-working.>

My immediate thought, from inside the Ivory Tower, was that I can fully borrow your words to summarize my view of the faculty in American higher education, at least in the "top" (50? 100?) universities.

To be more precise, 90% of humanities faculty, 60-80% of social sciences faculty, and probably less than 50% of sciences faculty. The latter still rank low on diversity (racial/ethnic, as a proxy of diversity of life experiences and what they can bring to the table), which is a problem. Most science faculty tend to keep their political positions to themselves, except when they feel they have strong science to back them, as is the case with those who work on climate issues.)

American higher education ranks low on diversity of viewpoints. Because I think this needs fixing, I am a member of <Heterodox Academy>.

Thank you! But, as it happens, I ended up playing neither the Philly tournament nor the US Senior Open. I did travel to Philly, but did not feel like playing at all, so it was just a vacation trip, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

As for the US Senior Open, taking place right now, I decided against it for the same reason (low interest in playing or in traveling again) and because my father-in-law (in hospice care) was approaching the end of his life. The good man passed away yesterday. He was 82, fought disease bravely, and there is no scarcity of people who loved him.

No, I'm taking care of my mom for a week just before and taking my daughter to college right after and work is busy, so not really realistic. It's too bad, I really enjoyed the Music City Open and was hoping to play more this year, but it's not working out that way.

From the comments on your simul game with Alex Fishbein:

<keypusher: <FSR> I moved here last December. Kept my job in NYC though.>

After a bad play has been made the camera will linger on a white player. The player may have had nothing to do with the play but the camera is still on him. By showing the white player, it makes it seem as if the white player was at fault for the bad play, even if he wasn't. I've even seen them show a white player on the bench after a bad play, with no explanation why. Often there will be no comment on the part of announcers as why the white player is being shown.

What is the practice FSR refers to? Are you an attorney too?>

My dad was a lawyer and my family expected me to follow on his footsteps and inherit his practice. But at the time of choosing what to do in college, I wanted something that mixed the study of social issues and statistics, so I went for econ. (Then I got a PhD in demography and ended up being a professor of sociology, so I am a social sciences hybrid.)

I do like the law quite a bit though, I have always had lawyer friends, I follow SCOTUS with interest... It may become my profession in my next life! That or third world peasant, we'll see.

They used to be called referees, but were renamed as part of the relentless status creep of American life, as pervasive a trend as obesity or declining birthrates.

Never heard the term of MJ before (No, not Michael Jordan), and from my Google search, it can vary from state to state.

This reply is even later, but generally federal MJs are appointed by the federal judges in their district...their main function is to absorb some of the federal judges' workload, especially the boring parts like discovery.

I think most district court judges are deserving of their jobs, but it's a political process (appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate). MJs are supposed to be, and I think mostly are, picked on merit.

In the past, there's Scott Turow and I'm sure may others that focuses on law(er).

I a curious on how realistic (aside from creative imaginations) you find books/TV/Movies in this. (Ironside, L.A. Law, e.g.)

If there's more realistic CompSci, I'd comment in my personal forum more.