The Atlas Gentleman's Social Club 1945

[ilikeverin]

Goodness me!  I was perusing the archives of the Michigan Agricultural College, when I happened upon a recent study by a certain "Charles Spearman", a gentleman who fashions himself a "psychologist", who is studying somewhere in Germany.  I am not sure what his paper was doing in the archives of the M.A.C., but I read with interest his application of novel statistical procedures to scores on certain texts.  To my surprise, Spearman used these techniques to isolate a single score predictive of scores on several of these measures, which he called "G".  I wonder the origins of this "G".  Are we born with a "G", or does someone give us it?  To be safe, I have made myself a "G", which I will carry around in my trousers.

Though our mode of communication does not permit pictorial representations, I send all of you a very large smile, as well as a hearty embrace, replicated threefold.

[ilikeverin]

I must address Messrs Republic and hawkeye's disdain for women's suffrage.  As you gentlemen know, it already exists in large swathes of the Union, and no longer the province of wives of Western silver miners.  I would recomend John Stuart Mill's On the Subjugation of Women for further reference.  Mr. Mill speaks for me as he does on many things.

I too share the sentiments expressed in this message.  There is no reason why the women in the Women Course at M.A.C. should not have the same voting rights as us male Aggies.  Why, just four years ago the great BULL MOOSE made his presence known at M.A.C. and awarded a diploma to a Negress; if we live in a country where a Negress can get a university degree, why not one in which a woman may vote?  I hear Gov. Osborn, a man whom I much respect, is in favor of women's suffrage himself.  I do hope that the esteemed legislature of the Wolverine State would favor a proposal adopting suffrage for women.  It is a shame what happened at the Constitutional Convention just a few years ago, but I have hopes that the situation will soon be rectified.

A hearty smile and three heartfelt embraces to all.

[ilikeverin]

The rapid expansion of M.A.C. beyond the bounds of agriculture is just bully!  The library got in a new shipment of psychological publications the other day, and of course I was one of the first ones in the library to see it.  The librarian, Miss Pershing, razzed me a bit for it, but I can't help what I love to read.  I still think she emphasizes the A in M.A.C.

I was eager to see the latest in the behaviorist literature.  My professor had told me all about it, of course, but I wanted to see it myself.  Then, there it was: the first page of the third volume of Journal of Experimental Psychology, "Conditioned emotional reactions".  I could hardly contain myself, and whooped with glee.  I cannot but feel somewhat for poor little Albert, but that is just a conditioned reaction, after all.

I suppose that certain "Mr. Widdershins" thinks that Polish fellow who talks about those island savages is the cat's meow, doesn't he?  With all that time he spends canoeing around the Pacific, he's all wet.

Three hugs for all.

[ilikeverin]

I read a rather amusing titbit in the newspaper this morning.  Apparently, some Scotch fellow has invented a machine allowing an audience to view moving images simultaneously with the radio!  I had to check the newspaper's date to see if it was April the First.  The chap was calling it a "televisor" or somesuch.  What nonsense!

Our century seems to be progressing at the breakneck pace of a lioness in the African savannah. It seems like only yesterday when I first saw the wonder of a wire-less radio in action in New York, broadcasting The Clicquot Club Eskimos from a transmitter miles away. I can only surmise that these wondrous technological advances will result in talking pictures at the theatre some-day soon.

I can only imagine what kind of advancements in automobiles are around the bend. My Studebaker Special Six can reach a clip of nearly 50 miles per hour, which is quite fast enough for me!

I must say, despite my liberal arts inclinations, I'm inclined to head on down to Detroit after I graduate and get myself a job on the assembly line.  I hear it pays good money, and you get good hours, too.  I'll miss the ivied columns of academe, but there's no better life than one in Detroit.

[ilikeverin]

I find it very silly that we continue to discuss the up-coming American election with such interest. While we here are debating whether or not to switch from one party representing capitalism and all its worst excesses to the other representing capitalism and all its worst excesses plus a healthy dose of neo-Confederate racism and bigotry, real progress and a glimpse of this country's and the world's future is occurring in Russia! Though harsh censorship, scare campaigns and in-fighting have temporarily retarded the growth of our own communist movement, parties across Europe are making real gains. The Communists in Germany gained some 10% at the last election! I am just hopeful that workers across the continent (and hopefully one day on our own shores) continue to turn to Marxism, instead of that incipient brand of thug politics preached by that Mussolini fellow. Luckily I think only the Italians are depraved enough to elect a couple of blackshirted criminals to be in charge of their country.

Certainly you are a fool, a Red provocateur, or both.  We do have a real choice in this election, and that choice is "Fighting Bob".  I, for one, look forward to casting my ballot for real, strong, progressive action.

[ilikeverin]

Speaking of fascists, have you seen the ratings of Father Coughlin's radio show?  It's a shock the Vatican hasn't excommunicated the man.  His idiosyncratic politics have drawn a huge following.  I'm amazed at the power of the radio.  People across the continent tune in simultaneously to listen to a demagogue rant.  While Alcibiades was restricted to an agora and Cataline to a Forum, Coughlin's "agora" is the public air and his "forum" is America's living rooms.

I respectfully disagree.  My mother has Papist tendencies (the marriage of my father, a Methodist, to my mother, a Catholic, caused quite the stir, as I'm sure you could imagine!), and she listens in to Coughlin on a regular basis.  Sure, sometimes he lets loose a little Durham; but, far as I'm concerned, if he likes Roosevelt, he's just ducky.

[ilikeverin]

Sure, sometimes he lets loose a little Durham; but, far as I'm concerned, if he likes Roosevelt, he's just ducky.

Sir, I dislike both "guilty by association" and "innocent by association" attitudes. Your stance disappoints me.

Friend Pole, I'm not sure I understand your allegations.  I believe in Franklin Delano Roosevelt; he can turn this nation around from the national crisis his predecessors created.  And I believe that Father Coughlin was no minor contributor to FDR's election.  "Roosevelt or Ruin", don't you think?

[ilikeverin]

Pish posh. Unlike the last big European war, I highly doubt the United States will become involved in this one. What could we possibly have to gain in breaking our isolationism?

^^^^^
I'm so glad that Congress passed the neutrality acts. It's a guarantee that we will stay out. Let Europe fend for itself. We have our own problems. The US never need concern itself with the miseries of Poland.

Are you two blind?  Get a hold of yourself, men, and look at what is going on in Europe!  The fascists and communists will be at our throats before we know it!  We must rouse ourselves from our complacency.  I hope FDR realizes this before it's too late.

[ilikeverin]

As I predicted, Comrade Lief stands firm behind Stalin's message.  You can see the puppet strings connected from the Kremlin to his shoulders.  Should the peace between Germany and the USSR end, mark my words, Lief will be demanding immediate American intervention to save his workers' paradise.  You Reds are the most disgustingly predictable people in politics.  Whatever Stalin wants, you want.

What is this "cellular phone" that you used to transmit this message?!?!

Some sort of wireless radio communications device, no doubt. Ahh, the speed with which technological advancements develop these days. Although children today will find it hard to believe, in my family we all grew up just fine without the incessent banter of the radio. We learned all we needed from the daily newspaper, which, thank goodness, can never be replaced by any electronic device. Still, I have high hopes that in the future, communication devices will serve to educate our great country about current events and fine arts instead of the dribble that's on the radio today.

Not just dribble!  Why, though some punks my age spend all their time listening to that "Glenn Miller" fellow, I've been tuning in to the "Bell Telephone Hour" on NBC Radio.  I think it's just solid!

[ilikeverin]

Quite so, Kalwejt.  (By the way, are you safe?)  The vicious Soviet backstabbing and invasion of Poland, followed by its brutal annexations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, followed by its gruesome invasion of Finland demonstrate clearly for the world that Stalin is just as much of a tyrannical expansionist as Hitler is, with the added threat of his brainwashed puppets establishing a major stake in every country on the planet. 

Unfortunate events, but they have no impact on the United States. We are truly blessed with two broad oceans that separate us from both the tyrranies in Europe and the tyrranies in Asia. An attack on America would be impossible. Let the Europeans fight European wars!

Disgusting!  I apologize to our European contributors on behalf of all my fellow Americans who have relayed such thoughts.  I'm sure Americans will be marching in Europe in no time.  The only question is who we will be marching against; though FDR recognizes, presciently, the danger of Hitler, I suspect he underestimates the danger from that dirty red, Stalin.  I, for one, plan on enlisted in the armed services should our nation go to war.  Though some may try to label my a traitor by dint of my last name alone, my abilities with the German language will not go to waste.