At Cultural Offering: Jerry Seinfeld on his essentials.
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
You Are All Diseased
The Free Press: Robert Parham's commencement speech. An excerpt:
Based on every objective measure of well-being—safety, health, wealth—if you are a college student in America today you are better off and wealthier than the king of England was 300 years ago. You have better access to education, entertainment, leisure, and healthcare. You have cleaner water and more abundant food. You have a significantly safer and longer life. And you have access to all of the world’s knowledge, including this piece, in the palm of your hand.
In the Stacks
Some of the happiest times in my life were spent in the reading stacks of a university library as I discovered marvelous books I was not looking for.
[Photo by Henry Be at Unsplash]
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Well Done!
Sippican Cottage has a heart-warming family story that should be picked up by Hollywood but won't because it is about achieving and not being a victim.
Congratulations to all!
[HT: A Layman's Blog]
Reviewing the Assumptions and Comparisons
As the project continues, the assumptions are being listed and analyzed. So too are the comparisons.
Comparing apples to oranges is still widespread.
The project involves the courts in ancient Rome.
More on that when the project is completed.
Late Night Draft
More and more material.
Back to the question of simplification.
I'm drawing a map for myself.
It's the old balance of Content and Clarity.
Monday, May 13, 2024
The Joy of Finding Something Missed
Draft after draft after draft and then, you spot something missed; a new way of looking at a subject or conversation or term you've known for years.
Big smile. You don't always need to be right.
Sometimes, right is shy and takes time to appear. Welcome it into the room.
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Great Minor League Baseball Team Names
Some reasons why it can be better to have an inexpensive but enthusiastic minor league team in town.
The Little Things
Just as the little things can bring a nation down, so too can small acts revive a nation's fortunes.
What are they?
Small acts of kindness, patience, reflection, generosity, courage, support, and persistence quickly come to mind.
We must not underestimate their importance.
Friday, May 10, 2024
On Putin's Claims
The New Criterion: Gary Saul Morson on narratives of Russian history.
I've taken to reading The New Criterion over breakfast. A truly great journal.
Dictatorship?
If I correctly understand many in the news media, the side that favors strong protection of freedom of speech, objective journalism, a greater emphasis on individual rights, viewpoint diversity in universities, strict law enforcement, a healthy federal system, smaller government, reduced governmental spending, protection of personal property, equal opportunity, courts that strictly follow the text of the law, protection of freedom of religion, protection of the right to bear arms, protection of children and parental rights, more transparency in schools, greater accountability for academic standards, protection against FBI and CIA misconduct, protection of women's sports, protection against privacy intrusions by government and big tech, increased treatment of the mentally ill, secure borders, legal immigration, fewer military involvements, maintaining the filibuster, greater controls on nuclear proliferation, a simplified tax code, more marriages and families, no funding of terrorist groups, support of Israel, more consumer choice when it comes to appliances, protection against "debanking" actions, and a greater reliance on common civility is the side that imperils democracy.
Real Life and The Oh So Poetic
City Journal in 2015: Theodore Dalrymple on Dylan Thomas, the last bohemian.
Thursday, May 09, 2024
The Theme
The project has a theme, not themes. One central idea that makes all the difference. No detours. No sidebars.
And all of those working on the project need to know the theme and, periodically, need to be reminded of it.
Because themes, as important as they are, can be forgotten.
Wednesday, May 08, 2024
Three Monsters
Beware of these three monsters:
- Perfectionism. It lures you in with its attractive features and then paralyzes you with fear of failure.
- Imaginary Critics. You can argue with and learn from real critics. Often, they are a gift. But the imaginary ones hide in the back of your mind and set boundaries: you can't do this and don't even consider doing that! Ignore them if you want to break out of your comfort zone and achieve extraordinary things.
- Distractions. Our high-tech society is filled with them. Some distractions are inevitable but less is truly more. Limit your smartphone and social media time. Get a real life,
The Paper War
The books will go there and the files will go over there and the writing materials will be here.
All else will be jettisoned.
Oh yes. The large flip chart will go into the hallway during the campaign. It can return when the smoke settles.
The initial artillery barrage will be at 8:00.
Tuesday, May 07, 2024
Monday, May 06, 2024
That's the Ticket!
Jonathan Turley on the questionable strategy of using Michael Cohen in the case against Donald Trump.
Teacher Appreciation Week
It's Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States.
And although most of us remember having outstanding teachers at various points in our academic careers, we also remember encountering terrible teachers; people who should have never been in a classroom and who should have been promptly terminated.
If there is a campaign to raise the pay of excellent teachers while firing the bad ones, I'd like to know about it.
Cops on Campus
Whether that’s true—it’s hard to imagine a person carrying such exquisite fragility into adulthood—or whether Ahmed was just mimicking the debilitating sense of entitlement around him is less important than the fact that he was unashamed to say this sentence out loud to a newspaper reporter. In the bubble of “elite” campus culture, this is a normal thing to say. One is left wishing there were some institution that could prepare college graduates for the world.
From the essay by Seth Mandel on American exceptionalism and the NYPD.
Sunday, May 05, 2024
Saturday, May 04, 2024
A Higher Status
The New Criterion: Laurent Lemasson on the French move to make the right to an abortion part of their Constitution.
He cites an intriguing similarity to a slave-state strategy noted by Abraham Lincoln.
Friday, May 03, 2024
Personnel Is Policy
Jared Bernstein, who was appointed by President Biden as the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, has gotten some attention recently.
Interesting tidbits: He has a music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, a Master of Social Work from Hunter College, and a Doctor of Social Work from Columbia University's school of social work.
[Updated with video link.]
Thursday, May 02, 2024
History Rules!
Steve Layman knows what many of us have long suspected: Everyone who did not do so wishes they'd majored in History.
It was my minor, but I have fond memories of classes on the history of France, the United States, the American Civil War, Britain, Rome, the Soviet Union, and Mexico.
Miscellaneous and Fast
- Available for Holocaust education: a virtual tour of Auschwitz.
- CBS News: The Biden administration is considering accepting refugees from Gaza.
- The trailer for the film about Lee Miller.
- Seth Mandel: "The Ignoramuses of Hamasville."
- The Trailer for "Presumed Innocent."
- Christos A. Makridis: More Americans fear speaking out on the job.
Wednesday, May 01, 2024
Writing What You Know
The prolific Nicholas Bate on writing about what you know.
The author of "The Red Badge of Courage" would agree.
He Should Have Had the Robot from "Ex Machina"
The FutureLawyer hasn't just been buying smartwatches and lounging on the beach.
The Prohuman Foundation
FYI: I just joined the Board of Advisors for a newly-formed group: The Prohuman Foundation.
Check it out!
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