Bears' Guide

Well, it's arrived - my copy of the 14th edition; 400,000 copies sold; 25th anniversary and the rest. And as I look at it, I'm surprised I got it.

Ordered from Amazon in the UK; late delivery just missing my wife's flight out here so mailed when she got back; opened by Customs and eventually reaching me.

Might it have been banned ? Definitely - other books have, especially if they'd looked at the pictures on pages 10, 14, 84, 168 (buttock), 269 and especially page 214.

Pictures such as those usually get a black marker pen through if in a newspaper here, pages ripped out in neighbouring countries - and more likely the book banned as pornography. And frankly, I can see why it might well be in some of those places. Let's wait to see which one is the first .....

What on earth are the use of such unsuitable, "jokey", dare I say sexist pictures with largely inane captions ?

Sure, the book contains valuable information, and is an update to the 12th edition I've got (with a different use of captions), but does anyone else find the style annoying ?

I like some things, like the comparison of terms between traditional and non-traditional. But I did wonder at something like Bob Jones University which figured in the recent US Presidential election campaign.

Never do I recall it being referred to in the media as "other" or "unaccredited" as it clearly is - yet didn't Dubya deliver a speech there and get affected by some problem about dating ? Did the Attorney General give some speech there as well ?

Also - the odd inconsistency.

OK, so I'm interested in issues of state licensing, and read in the guide of generally tightening US state regulations including eg. NM's Rule 730 (see p.37), only to read on p.59 that such licensing usually refers to "nothing more than a business license ... which has nothing to do with the legality of the school".

Surely, wrong, wrong and wrong again when state licenses can easily be quoted which define very precise educational, faculty and administrative requirements to hold the annually-renewed (not mentioned anywhere ?) licence.

Finally, the "stealth" drift from "Earning College Degrees Non-traditionally" to "by Distance Learning". Right, so we know why this name change has happened - I think John even explained it once. But for me, something intrinsic has been lost.

As somebody once remarked - and it wasn't meant as a compliment - John first and foremost is a journalist. We know this is the work of John and his daughter Maria - both journalists. Could it be that it shows ?

Regards,

Neil Hynd

 

I find Neil Hynd’s reponse to my book truly, mean spirited, especially putting it up under the heading, “Bears’ Guide Banned???”

The simple fact is that, as he clearly goes on to say, it was not banned; he reports that it was examined by customs in his Arab country, and passed through to him.

This is, for me, the equivalent of posting an article under the heading,
“NEIL HYND COMMITTED TO INSANE ASYLUM???”
and then going on to explain that he had been examined by a therapist, found to be just fine, and was not institutionalized.

Of course when someone looks at the art work in our cartoons, all taken from the Dover Electronic Pictorial Series of 18th and 19th century engravings, and says, “Let’s see which (country will be) the first (to have the book) banned as pornography,” maybe . . . oh, never mind.

Dr. Hynd, I deduce, cannot forgive me for continuing to point out that his alma mater, Century University, has been misleading people through its highly misleading accreditation claims for many years.

John Bear

 

A subtle barb in light of my new emphasis on civility:

I find Dr. Bear's response quite gracious in light of Neil's vain attempt to instigate.

I must take exception to my esteemed colleague, however, on one point: considering Neil's record as a degree mill apologist and the fact that the doctorate he claims is from Century, I would not have referred to him as Dr. Hynd.

- Steve Levicoff
Star of stage, screen, and
the cartoon on page 269
of John & Mariah's 14th ed.

 

It's an obscure, rarely practiced form of expression that is being banned by the Politically Correct Thought Police...it's called humor.

What next Neil, you're going to start saying "herstory" instead of history?

Bruce

 

I was so tempted to start a new thread "Neil Hynd mickey-mouse doctorate banned in Oregon"
as a continuation of the previous thread on Century University. It's not civil,and it's an obvious attempt to flame others.

Even so, I would suggest the following web site to be "banned" from the internet...
http://www.bfranklin.edu/hubs/gulf/coord/webnfiss.htm

for its incorrectand misleadinginformation. For one, TESC is in New Jersey, not in NY.

Two thumbs up for John for continuing to demonstrate to the consumers the weak laws governing private postsecondary education in New Mexico.

Byran

 

Well Neil is right about one thing- the drawings could get the recipient in trouble. I too have some connections with the Middle East (Egypt and Saudi Arabia) and the graphics would have been edited in Saudi and possibly in Egypt. I know it sounds kinda nutty but the fact that the drawings show a womens body in any kind of detail can be considered porn and a serious crime. This says more about the countries at hand then the book however.

Jim (lived 14 years in the desert) Carlson

 

I especially like the picture on page 292 (14th Ed.), where the guy is standing on the scales. The caption reads:

*Your weight and the degree of your choice: $1.00* Degree's available include the BA, MA, Ph.D. and Law.

This is not only suitable for the chapter on degree mills, it is indeed the truth (although most mills would charge more than $1.00), i.e., insert money, out pops the degree of your choice!!!

Russell

 

Pornagraphic cartoons in the 14th edition?

And here I went and told my friends that I bought it for the articles . . .

 

Ah, but the centerfold....Wait! Where is it? Again? That's 14 in a row without one! Oh, the agony!!!!!

Rich Douglas, whose collection only goes back to the 6th.

 

Although this is really John's to answer, I've been reading his stuff for awhile, and have found that he tends to refer to such people as "Doctor," no matter how questionable the source of said doctorate might be. If it's that important to the correspondent, well, why not? Who really cares? In fact, ignoring the claimed title seems to ruffle more feathers, eh?

Rich Douglas, who thought the whole "Mr. Levicoff" was a silly dust up both parties should have avoided. Enrique should have addressed Steve properly; Steve should have just let it slide.

 

I thought Steve handled it perfectly. He did let it slide except maybe to "chuckle" about it a tiny bit? As far as Enrique's handling of it, I would say that from my perspective Enrique also handled it perfectly. It went along very well with the "Levicoff Four" story. I think we should have an annual celebration of this whole thing every September 31st.

 

Rich wrote, I've been reading [John's] stuff for awhile, and have found that he tends to refer to such people as "Doctor," no matter how questionable the source of said doctorate might be.

You're right, actually. Problem is, this forum software doesn't support the option-S (for sarcasm) command on my computer.

John Bear

 

A private little joke to yourself, those are my favorite kind. I think those are the kind that help keep me sane (or insane depending on your view).

 

You're right, actually. Problem is, this forum software doesn't support the option-S (for sarcasm) command on my computer. (John Bear.)

Oh, oh. All along I've been using the control-alt-s to convey my own warped sense of humor. Perhaps there is a patch or a driver or SOMETHING we can download to remedy this obvious oversight? {eg}

 

Nicole wrote, Oh, oh. All along I've been using the control-alt-s to convey my own warped sense of humor. Perhaps there is a patch or a driver or SOMETHING we can download to remedy this obvious oversight?

Can someone with programming wisdom modify one of those 14 "message icons" up there? Or perhaps we could all acknowledge that some innocuous one, like that orange arrow, denotes sarcasm. Or perhaps there is an ASCII emoticon for the purpose? -S) Or perhaps we could take the sarcastic approach to sarcasm and put SARCASM before and after the 'offending' passage or word.

 

I really like your :-S but to get the "DegreeInfo official" sarcasm smilie, , you type a ":" immediately followed by "rolleyes:". Click on the "Smilies Legend" to the left of the reply text window.

However, I think this might be a case where a simple "Dr. JurkPhraud" would be perferred/funnier than "Dr. JurkPhraud "

Please note that any sarcasm smilies in this post are for demonstration purposes and are not for denoting actual sarcasm.

 

I, too, thought of the "rolleyes," but that icon is not available to describe the post, just available to imbed within a post. I think John was looking for an icon that would sit at the top of the post to describe it, like the 14 we currently have.

Rich

 

Bill H. suggested, However, I think this might be a case where a simple "Dr. JurkPhraud" would be perferred/funnier than "Dr. JurkPhraud "

Sometimes. But I'm delighted to know what is behind that "Smilies Legend" line over there, which I had just assumed (incorrectly) related to the icons at the top of the box, not to another available array.

And since it can be placed in text with precision (e.g., :rolleyes r. Hart, it is a useful tool.

John

 

Well, precision only when the typing is precise.
Dr. Golden.