... Quote Quiz.
Though I'm sure I've read the second quote before this.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Congratulations ...
... to me, I guess. I just noticed that this blog has toted upon more than a half-million hits. Thanks, I say, to Katie, John, and Eliza.
Innovation indeed ...
... a newspaper without employees.
The Inquirer could be heading toward being a newspaper with only managers (they, of course, are brilliant).
The Inquirer could be heading toward being a newspaper with only managers (they, of course, are brilliant).
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Unhappy campers ...
... Philly papers target managers in new round of layoffs. (Hat tip, Paul Davis.)
Well, considering how top heavy newsroom management there is, this seems only fair.
Not good elsewhere, either: New York Times Co. July revenue falls 10.1 percent.
I wonder if Pinch realizes yet that he's a fool.
Well, considering how top heavy newsroom management there is, this seems only fair.
Not good elsewhere, either: New York Times Co. July revenue falls 10.1 percent.
I wonder if Pinch realizes yet that he's a fool.
For those in Philadelphia,
there's a music and poetry event this evening on South Street hosted by the recently formed Community Cultural Exchange.
Reputable manifestations
We totally forgot about the literary translators convention and its financially constrained reduced number of events. We just wish, considering the amount of translating talent on hand, that the press release announcing the event were more felicitously phrased.
Good to have him back ...
... Marcus Aurelius, that is, Not Ozymandias.
Marcus's Meditations has exerted a great influence on me throughout my life.
By the way, go to Thought Experiments and just keep scrolling. Lots of good stuff, as usual.
Marcus's Meditations has exerted a great influence on me throughout my life.
By the way, go to Thought Experiments and just keep scrolling. Lots of good stuff, as usual.
Three for three ...
... from Nige:
... Fuels Rush In.
... Reading and Forgetting.
... Butterflies Fall Prey to Global Chilling.
... Fuels Rush In.
... Reading and Forgetting.
... Butterflies Fall Prey to Global Chilling.
Wisconsin woman arrested
for neglecting to return her library books. The best part is the big grin she's wearing in her mug shot—and the fact that she still refuses to bring the books back.
Monday, August 25, 2008
No, the enemy is ...
... unclear thinking: Is faith the enemy of science? (Hat tip, Maxine Clarke.)
This indicates that MacKenzie hasn't a clue as to what faith is. Blind acceptance has nothing to do with it. He might start by trying to gain some genuine understanding of the subject before going on about it. That's how sound thinking proceeds. MacKenzie's bland assumptions certainly seem to have compromised his ability to think critically.
Update: Dave Lull sends along Faith and the Human Genome.
MacKenzie ... feels that the blind acceptance necessary for faith might “compromise one’s ability to think critically, a key ingredient in scientific thinking”.
Update: Dave Lull sends along Faith and the Human Genome.
Blogging to resume ...
... mine, that is. Though gradually over the next few days as reentry to routine existence proceeds. Katie, Eliza and John have done a great job in my absence. My thanks to them.
Here's a great list of poems to read
"when you get stuffed in your locker," compiled by Caitlin Kimball for the Poetry Foundation (I tip my hat to Mr. Dave Lull).
It never fails
that the moment you learn about something it starts popping up everywhere. I'm reviewing a charming graphic novel set in the mid to late 1800s called The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard for the Santa Barbara News-Press, and guess who's in there? Spring-Heeled Jack, who I posted about last week. When will he stop plaguing me?
Sunday, August 24, 2008
I am not back ...
... I am sitting on the porch outside our room at the Inn at Jim Thorpe. Tomorrow we will back in Philly. Tonight I may blog a little, but not much.
Two haiku ...
Wind shakes the branches
And sunlight splashes my face
The cries of bluejays
— Frank
Dependent on death
Mushrooms cling to dead tree bark
To keep them alive
—Debbie
Thursday, August 21, 2008
In other book signing news,
a mystery publisher has posted an ad on craigslist, looking for fakers to autograph books for two bestselling authors. The audacity! (Thanks again to Dave Lull.)
David Sedaris offends anti-smoking folks,
and other funny things happen in this short piece on book signings and comic exaggeration. (Thanks to Dave Lull for passing this on.)
A few days ago
I read an interview with Rebecca Miller (who I can't help but feel is a little overrated as a fiction writer although I am basing this opinion entirely on her book of short stories, Personal Velocity, and I DO plan to read her new novel, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee), in which she said she'd recently enjoyed Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk, and now I'm reading it, and yeesh, I'd say it's scary-good.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Urban legends, steampunk-style.
Well, it's not steampunk, more like actual Victoriana. Has anyone else heard of Spring-Heeled Jack? I've been listening to Morrissey today (as you do), and although I've heard the song "Spring-Heeled Jim" 200,000 times in my life it occurred to me for the first time to wonder about its title: Is it a reference to something from history or literature, as so many lyrics of his are? I guess in a way it's both, because looking online I have been reading about old Jack, who was apparently a penny dreadful character and a scary man-like creature that some people claimed was real. Apparently he could jump really high and liked to terrorize and assault people on the street. If you look at the drawing of him, which appears clearer in the wikipedia entry, get ready for the fright of your life.
I've been working on an anthology
that I finally finished this weekend. It's called The House You Grew Up In, it's a collection of 17 short pieces of writing on that topic, and I published it as a zine. Our own Frank Wilson has a touching piece in it, and the poet Rane Arroyo contributed a beautiful short essay. All the writing is really very good. Steve Larder, a talented artist from the UK, made some absolutely great looking drawings for it. Have a look, why dontcha. Buy a copy, even.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Lurve
Here's another interesting list post, this one about the best books about love. (Thanks again to Mr. Dave Lull for passing this on.) My question: Does What We Talk About When We Talk About Love count?
An interesting way to look at a collection
Dave Lull referred me/us to this blog post by Rob from Scotland on the final lines of the final poems in 12 collections off his shelf.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Book club
Oprah has announced her book club selections, and PA writer and poet Jen Bryant just let me know that her book Ringside 1925: Views From the Scopes Trial made the reading list for kids 12 and up. Go Jen!
Face Space
The endlessly fascinating subject of physiognomy is explored in "The Kingdom of Infinite Space"
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Radioheads!
I saw Radiohead play the Camden waterfront last night. It was a beautiful night and the band sounded incredible. (The Radioheads is a long-standing joke I have with my sister. I think that every time I've seen them play I've gone with her.) Dan DeLuca reviewed the show for the Inquirer. (Hat tip, the sister.)
Listening to the show last night I was reminded of a "literary mix tape" I made for our own Frank Wilson earlier this summer. The idea was to make a collection of rock songs that make references to books, poems, writers, and so on. Radiohead made it on there with a song from their most recent album, In Rainbows, called "Faust Arp." Others included "Billy Budd" by Morrissey and Sinead O'Connor's The Lamb's Book of Life, in which she paraphrases lines from Yeats' "Remorse for Intemperate Speech." The name of that last one sounds dull, I know, but anyone who knows the poem knows it sure isn't. Anyone else have favorite lit'ry pop songs ?
What are you reading?
Philadelphia Weekly asked a bunch of people, one of whom was me, what they're reading this summer. I was totally okay with admitting to reading Slash's autobiography (Slash, naturally), among other things. What are you all reading?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Personally, I'm in favor of the li'l darlin' but...
...a surprising number of people are arguing for a complete semicolonectomy.
If Frank were still with us..........
.........(Relax. He's just on vacation, retirement being very grueling apparently) I'm sure he'd post with approval the following post from Patrick Kurp. Thanks, Dave Lull for the heads-up.
Monday, August 11, 2008
If you've already read "What's wrong with my snake?" and "How to abandon ship"...
.........you might want to try some of these titles.
Noir at the Bar
If you're in Philadelphia on August 19 check out the newly re-scheduled reading at The Tritone to hear Dave White read rom his Shamus Award-nominated "When One Man Dies". Scroll down a bit.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Ultramodern intellectual,
writer, multimedia performance artist, and mixologist Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky, was interviewed on To the Best of Our Knowledge, a radio show produced by Wisconsin Public Radio. The episode's theme is remix culture. You can listen to it here.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Calling Wallace Stevens ...
... Southern Florida Community Overrun by Peacocks. (Fixed, thanks to Dave Lull.)
They need to ponder Domination of Black.
They need to ponder Domination of Black.
Desultory blogging ...
... while I have still have internet access. We are here. We stop here routinely in our way to and from Tunkhannock. The drive yesterday was awful. 309 on a Friday afternoon is slower than downtown Philadelphia. I must study the county roads.
On this date ...
... in 1922, Philip Larkin was born. This post by Patrick Kurp is nice way of remembering him:
`A Serious House on Serious Earth'. Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
See also Birthday Boy.
`A Serious House on Serious Earth'. Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
See also Birthday Boy.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Farewell ...
... for a while.
By the time this post appears, Debbie and I will be in Jim Thorpe, PA. On Sunday we will arrive at the cabin in Vosburg Neck where we will spend the next couple of weeks. Possibly a little, but probably no blogging until after we return on Aug. 25. My blogging partners are likely to post in the meantime, but they all have day jobs.
Until later, my best to all.
Until later, my best to all.
Specialité de l'universe ..
... We are special. Take it from a University of Guelph astrophysicist. (Hat tip, Judith Fitzgerald.)
Period piece ...
... Six Flags Over Woodstock. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
"... its target market is all too clearly those aging hippies who, like Talleyrand's Bourbons, have learned nothing and forgotten nothing."
Thank God, I am immune to nostalgia.
"... its target market is all too clearly those aging hippies who, like Talleyrand's Bourbons, have learned nothing and forgotten nothing."
Thank God, I am immune to nostalgia.
Unspoiled ...
... East Village, Before the Gentry. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
I regret to say that my own neighborhood is being steadily gentrified. Who knows how long it will be before they'll want me to move out.
I regret to say that my own neighborhood is being steadily gentrified. Who knows how long it will be before they'll want me to move out.
The debate continues ...
... Reading, Concentration, and Change: A 2nd Reply to Kevin Kelly. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
"We find it harder and harder to concentrate in the ways we used to. "
I have not noticed this about myself. But then I am selective in my use of technology. I don't have a Blackberry. I don' have a cell phone. I rarely watch TV. (That to Dave for pointing out that I left out the "not".)
"We find it harder and harder to concentrate in the ways we used to. "
I have not noticed this about myself. But then I am selective in my use of technology. I don't have a Blackberry. I don' have a cell phone. I rarely watch TV. (That to Dave for pointing out that I left out the "not".)
Thursday, August 07, 2008
R.I.P. ...
... Simon Gray: rakish and versatile playwright.
... An interview: Bringing the House Down. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
... An interview: Bringing the House Down. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
The revolution ...
... marches on: The Digital Pen That Will Change How You Take Notes.
I guess it's an improvement. I always took minimal notes in college - just a phrase to help me recall what was being said, because I have a good memory and for that reason would actually pay attention to what was being said. I noticed that those who took copious notes often did less well on tests. I figured it was because concentrating on taking notes kept them from concentrating on the lecture.
Related posts ...
... You Still Can't Write About Muhammad.
... Apparently, The Terrorists Planned to Spam Random House's Servers. (Hat tip, Dave Lull for both.)
... links and comments by Glenn Reynolds.
I've been too busy to pay attention to this, and I'm too mentally tired to try to get a handle on it to comment. But nobody needs me to help them think.
... Apparently, The Terrorists Planned to Spam Random House's Servers. (Hat tip, Dave Lull for both.)
... links and comments by Glenn Reynolds.
I've been too busy to pay attention to this, and I'm too mentally tired to try to get a handle on it to comment. But nobody needs me to help them think.
Much in what he says ...
... or maybe not enough. Or maybe it just needs to be rearranged: LIVING WITH NEGATIVE CAPABILITY. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)
... Montaigne, a sceptic who probably had no religious beliefs himself but who used his scepticism to leave open a window to faith.
This is nonsense, which leads me to wonder what exactly it is Professor Gray doesn't understand - Montaigne or faith or both. He should read Donald Frame's biography.
Living with what Keats called 'negative capability' - 'in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason' - requires more nerve. That is why Holloway's approach to questions of faith is so admirable. It is also, I fear, why it will not catch on. Weak religion can never be popular ...
What he and Holloway call weak religion is what I would call sound religion. It is certainly what mine is and it fits Newman's understanding of faith as making us capable of bearing doubt. As for being popular, well it was Jesus who advised entering through the narrow gate. But the point isn't popularity; it's quality. Jesus thought of his followers as the salt of the earth - scattered grains seasoning the whole.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
R.I.P. ...
... Longtime Missouri poet, Charles Guenther, dies at 88.
... Saluting a life in poetry.
(Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)
... Saluting a life in poetry.
(Hat tip, Rus Bowden.)
Blogging hiatus ...
I am actually back in my old place at The Inquirer toiling away on a roundup of books for the fall preview issue. So blogging is going to have to be light until I find some time to do it.
Miracle beverage ...
... Sorting Out Coffee’s Contradictions.
Wonder when people are going to stop and think about how many of the "health hazards" the media has droned on about over the years were phony.
Wonder when people are going to stop and think about how many of the "health hazards" the media has droned on about over the years were phony.
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