Monthly Archives: September 2009

Notes on Dickinson’s “They say that “Time assuages”…” (686)

Just some notes. I’m not terribly happy with the arguments from the dictionary, they’re just to get started thinking about this poem. “They say that “Time assuages”…” (686) Emily Dickinson They say that “Time assuages” – Time never did assuage – An actual suffering strengthens As Sinews do, with age – Time is a Test …

September 18, 2009 – 4:04 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Comments (5)

On Socrates, Dancing and Philosophy: Xenophon, Symposium II 15-20

Labour is blossoming or dancing where The body is not bruised to pleasure soul. Nor beauty born out of its own despair, Nor blear-eyed wisdom out of midnight oil. O chestnut-tree, great-rooted blossomer, Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole? O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the …

September 15, 2009 – 11:00 am | By ashok | Posted in philosophy, xenophon | Comments (5)

Rant: How do different groups embrace the same conspiracy theories?

It’s important to realize something about the fringe of any movement: they’re not connected to issues the same way most people are. For example, if you asked what the defining issues in American politics are to a more reasonable person, you’d probably get an answer like “big versus small government,” or “the culture wars/abortion” or …

September 14, 2009 – 8:31 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Comments (1)

Links, 9/14/09

Charley Rosen offers a retrospective of Michael Jordan’s career that is not dumbed-down. fta – During his initial two NBA seasons, Jordan had difficulty dealing with high screens. In fact, throughout his career, speed players — most notably Kerry Kittles — could usually get to the proffered screen before Jordan could figure out exactly what …

September 14, 2009 – 7:40 am | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (0)

The Soul’s Elements: On the Movie “9″ (spoilers)

Spoilers galore ahead. Pajiba’s review of “9″ covers what’s wrong with the movie: the dialogue is the most pressing problem, and the story is perhaps not as well-crafted as it could have been. Those of you who have seen the movie, where dolls (named only with numbers) who are aspects of the soul/mind have to …

September 12, 2009 – 2:55 am | By ashok | Posted in movies | Comments (1)

Links, 9/11/09

Jay Cost has an excellent evaluation of the rhetorical task that faced the President recently, and how he did not quite live up to it. fta – Democrats need rallying because of internal divisions over actual policy disagreements. President Obama did not deal with those divisions. When you strip away the setting, the soaring rhetoric, …

September 11, 2009 – 8:30 am | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (2)

Heroism and Nothingness: On William Stafford’s “At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border”

At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border (from poetry180) William Stafford This is the field where the battle did not happen, where the unknown soldier did not die. This is the field where grass joined hands, where no monument stands, and the only heroic thing is the sky. Birds fly here without any sound, …

September 7, 2009 – 4:53 pm | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Comments (9)

A Tale of Two Galleries – First Friday in Philadelphia, 9/4/09

1. Artists’ House exhibition, “Art of the Still Life,” was a failure: it was all still life, and it was hard to see what many of the individual artists were trying to achieve through their choice of style. Only a few pieces of that one genre were to be had per artist; the paintings all …

September 5, 2009 – 2:13 am | By ashok | Posted in personal | Tagged | Comments (2)

Links, 9/3/09

Got a lot to do. A few things of note: “Time for the President to Change Course,” Jay Cost – the best part of this is the very accurate observation that Nancy Pelosi has been running this country domestically as a de facto Prime Minister, and that has to stop immediately given how alien her …

September 3, 2009 – 9:34 pm | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (1)

Haiku that might as well have been purchased at Walmart

for Constance Turner: happy birthday :P Nowhere: there’s a crowd; strip mall, golden sun governs – senseless life abounds. Fallen change lounges all bake in the after noon – the smell of asphalt – moon’s quiet silver upon fresh, fragrant roses – that sense of freedom -

September 3, 2009 – 3:08 am | By ashok | Posted in writing | Tagged | Comments (3)