Monthly Archives: December 2008

“Sharks’ Teeth,” by Kay Ryan

At the University of Dallas Rome campus at Due Santi, with Collegium Cantorum. Very lucky to have Internet, some very bad news has come my way, and I do ask for your prayers – it is a personal matter. It is awesome and gorgeous out here in the Italian countryside, the food is excellent, I’m …

December 28, 2008 – 1:33 am | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Does the Earth belong to the Living? On Jefferson’s Letter to Madison, Sept. 6, 1789

Letter of Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Paris September 6, 1789 I think we can see a more radical Jefferson in this letter, one who may have changed in some ways after holding the Presidency, but I’m not sure. What I am sure about is that this letter has a few strange elements I can’t …

December 26, 2008 – 2:34 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (4)

I’m around, just quiet…

I’m out of the country from Dec. 26th – Jan. 5th. My brother whom I haven’t seen in months is back for a short while and I want to hang out with him, but I’m also rushing to get a little something done for the dissertation before I leave – I feel like I’m really …

December 23, 2008 – 3:35 am | By ashok | Posted in personal | Comments (2)

Towards Immortality: On Emily Dickinson’s “I dwell in Possibility…” (657)

“I dwell in Possibility…” (657) Emily Dickinson I dwell in Possibility – A fairer House than Prose – More numerous of Windows – Superior – for Doors – Of Chambers as the Cedars – Impregnable of Eye – And for an Everlasting Roof The Gambrels of the Sky – Of Visitors – the fairest – …

December 18, 2008 – 2:49 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (6)

A Note of Thanks, and a Request

Jennifer [that link may not work well] has been a huge help to me and this blog – it’s because of her that the template you’re seeing now was found; she helped me figure out how FTP worked, what service to go with, and how not to be scared of all the wordy technical things …

December 17, 2008 – 10:10 pm | By ashok | Posted in personal | Comments (1)

Political Literacy: What do you need to know about the classics that’s relevant today?

Too much blather, not enough specifics. Memo to all conservative writers and bloggers: until you treat people like they’re intelligent, we’re doomed. Here’s what you need to get started if you’re interested in what the Founders and those who influenced them knew. I’m sticking to contrasts, because I want you to see how different this …

December 17, 2008 – 3:20 pm | By ashok | Posted in education | Tagged | Comments (4)

Unproductive

The chalky sky is bright. Hints of blue hide in that whiteness, but most times all one sees is gray. Branches in a cluster of trees are a mess of thread: in all directions they point with their dry brown, chalk color. They look sharp and brittle even before one touches them. In a classroom …

December 16, 2008 – 11:08 am | By ashok | Posted in personal | Comments (2)

Quiz Time! How diligent a reader of Rethink are you?

Before you yell at me for being more arrogant than usual, let me just say that I was asked to do this, and that even I couldn’t get all these questions exactly right unless I looked up the answers. This is for fun, to see how much I remember throughout the years, and obviously I’m …

December 13, 2008 – 5:00 pm | By ashok | Posted in blogging, education | Tagged | Comments (3)

Is Teaching like Quarterbacking? On Malcolm Gladwell’s “Most Likely To Succeed”

Malcolm Gladwell’s “Most Likely To Succeed” is probably a very important essay. He argues that good teachers are like good NFL quarterbacks – it isn’t clear how what is done in college will translate into the classroom or field, and he states rather flatly at one point that “no one knows what a person with …

December 13, 2008 – 9:35 am | By ashok | Posted in education | Comments (7)

Links, 12/10/08

Oh, to be in England – h/t to Josh and aldaily.com for these: “Toxic Wives” apparently are a serious problem amongst seriously rich people (I personally doubt this article is real); also, once upon a time, apparently, the British showed remarkable restraint but now are a bunch of whiny babies. It seems to be conservative …

December 10, 2008 – 11:25 am | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (0)