Monthly Archives: January 2010

Apologies for the lack of posting

Allergies and asthma have made the last few days a mess; I’m going through tissues at an alarming rate, and the medicines I have work half-heartedly. Worse, there’s a personal matter involving school that may complicate things dissertation-wise. So I’m worried about that and trying to work a bit faster here, even though I really …

January 12, 2010 – 3:26 am | By ashok | Posted in blogging | Comments (3)

We give a lot. But giving well might be a lost art.

I just read in the New York Times about a pianist who received a most unusual award (the excerpts on the site are amazing, particularly the Bach): The award, which will officially be announced on Thursday morning, is music’s answer to the MacArthur Foundation “genius” grants. And it is something of an anti-Van Cliburn Competition, …

January 8, 2010 – 2:58 am | By ashok | Posted in music, politics | Comments (2)

Emily Dickinson, “Spring is the Period” (844)

Spring is the Period… (844) Emily Dickinson Spring is the Period Express from God. Among the other seasons Himself abide, But during March and April None stir abroad Without a cordial interview With God. Comment: Each time the word “God” appears, a period is (expressly?) placed after it. We note carefully that “period” is a …

January 7, 2010 – 9:31 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Comments (5)

Links, 1/5/2010

Mark Bauerlein, “The Adjunct Issue Moving Forward” – from the article: The temptation to cut costs by hiring three adjuncts instead of one tenure-track prof is too strong for administrators to resist whether times are tough or times are good, especially if it happens in a department in which prestige matters less and less to the …

January 5, 2010 – 7:23 pm | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (0)

Links, 1/4/2010

Ross Douthat, “Decline is Relative” (h/t Josh) – from the article: Our challenges are new, and we must think and act anew. Manzi’s National Affairs essay, a tour d’horizon of our socioeconomic situation, provides a solid place to start. He proposes a fourfold agenda: Unwind the partnerships forged between Big Business and Big Government in …

January 4, 2010 – 4:57 pm | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (0)

State of the Union, 1/3/2010

The State of the Union is “batshit insane.” There’s no other way to describe a world where fully grown men and women yell about global government and other assorted conspiracies while proclaiming themselves agents of God or defenders of scientific truth where the only “scientific truth” seems to be “there is no God.” A good …

January 4, 2010 – 12:04 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Comments (6)

Last time I requested promotion help was October 20th…

…so I figure I’m overdue for begging again. I really should be writing this post once a month. A huge thank you to all who’ve helped me out: I’m not naming names because I don’t want to embarrass any of you any further. Just remind me, I owe a few of you a new car …

January 3, 2010 – 1:56 pm | By ashok | Posted in blogging | Comments (1)

Links, 1/2/2010

LGF, “TSA Threatens Bloggers for Posting New Screening Rules” – from the article: the TSA subpoenas and confiscates the computers of two bloggers who posted their new screening directive — even though the document was not classified. Der Spiegel interviews Christopher Caldwell re: Muslim integration in Europe. Caldwell: Two-thirds of the imams in France are …

January 2, 2010 – 10:11 am | By ashok | Posted in links | Comments (3)

Amy King, “The Always Song”

The Always Song (from Slaves to Do These Things) Amy King The month is April. Writing from an old house in front of a prairie and a forest whose name walks through tall brown grass, I could say much about the part of not knowing, its aisles of tracks and traps, temptations that charm with …

January 1, 2010 – 1:36 pm | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Tagged | Comments (1)