Archive for the ‘All’ Category
BBC Claims: Not Embarrassed by Own Stupidity
The BBC like to be on top of current issues and engage their public by running opinion polls at their website, generating some interactive excitement for their public discussion boards. More than a few jaws around the internet dropped in surprise, horror, and disgust at yesterday's poll question. Perhaps you've heard of it by now: […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Feeling Peevish
James on Christie
From her new book, Talking About Detective Fiction, P.D. James is quoted in the New York Times* saying, of the overrated Agatha Christie: Perhaps her greatest strength was that she never overstepped the limits of her talent. ———- * Janet Maslin, "Mysteries of Crime Fiction? P. D. James Is on the Case", New York Times, […]
In: All, Briefly Noted, Common-Place Book
Staying Creative
Thanks, I'm pretty sure, to Alex Ross ("Unquiet Thoughts", his blog), I read what I found an interesting piece by composer Anne Gosfield ("The Score: Advice to Young Composers", New York Times, 5 December 2009). She said in her introduction that, via an email interview, she was surprised by the question "Any advice for young […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Personal Notebook, Wanderings
Intro Physics Courses Save Lives
Following a series of links (first, then, finally) got me to this "old physics joke" related by one Craig Moe (in 2001). Honestly, I'd never heard this one, so it struck me as a real knee-slapper. I'm still giggling. A physics professor's teaching an introductory course, and going over kinectics in mind-numbing detail, when a […]
In: All, It's Only Rocket Science
Why Delay Civil Equality?
Timothy Kincaid, reflecting on the idea that yet another state–New Jersey–is considering the civil rights issue of implementing marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples, finds that there is no real "debate" left, a position you know I'd reached some time ago. Oddly, we hear more and more opponents speaking in terms of "not being […]
In: All, Faaabulosity, Personal Notebook
Episcopal Bishops In NJ Support Marriage Equality
The Episcopal Church in America continues to demonstrate its support for civil rights and human dignity. Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey [Bishop] George Councell, Episcopal Diocese of Newark Bishop Mark Beckwith and other Episcopalians joined more than 1,000 others in Trenton Dec. 7 to urge the New Jersey state Senate to pass a marriage equality […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Voting on Civil Rights
Some will argue that we [in New Jersey] need a referendum on the issue, as if the legal rights of a minority should be subject to approval by the majority. A historical note: When the Supreme Court struck down state bans on interracial marriage, 73 percent of American were opposed to mixed marriage, according to […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Christmas Oddities
Isaac was obsessed today with finding another 15 feet of the silver garland he was using on the blue tree this year. We finally found some, I'm happy to say, so he's bearable to be around tonight. Anyway, our travels took us to Lowe's hardware store where two items in the seasonal shop caught my […]
In: All, Laughing Matters, Raised Eyebrows Dept.
Episcopal Presiding Bishop's Statement on Ugandan Situation
We recently mentioned the deplorable attempt by factions in Uganda to pass a bill that would impose unconscionable punishment on gay and lesbian people. We also mentioned, all too briefly, how the fires of homophobia are being fanned by American anti-gay forces: some radical evangelical clergy and related elements of the so-called "ex-gay" political movement, […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Faaabulosity
2010 Science Book Challenge
Gosh, would you look at the date: December already! How time flies when one is enjoying reading some nonfiction books for the Science Book Challenge! Indeed, it's that time of year again (a little past, actually) when we announce the opening of our annual Science Book Challenge, this time for calendar year 2010. This is […]
In: All, Books, It's Only Rocket Science
Moyers on Obama's Afghanistan Strategy
Sometimes I say I'm a Bill Moyers groupie, but I'm thinking that might not be quite accurate. "Groupie" suggests that I idolize Mr. Moyers and laud whatever comes out of his mouth because I am enamored of his celebrity. However, that's not really the case. I listen to Bill Moyers and hear a great deal […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events, Plus Ca Change...
Deadly Silence on Ugandan Homophobia
For the past year or two the cauldron of homophobia in Uganda has been boiling, stoked and stirred by American career anti-gays who apparently aren't getting enough satisfaction our of American voters on oppressing homosexuals. The current situation has gone much, much too far. The incursion of anti-gays into Uganda to stir up homophobia was […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Feeling Peevish
The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2009
Way back in July 2006 I wrote ("National Portrait Gallery I") about a spontaneous visit Isaac & I made to the National Portrait Gallery (here in Washington, DC) where we happened upon an exhibition of 100 or so finalists from the 2005 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. (The competition home page.) The winners and finalists of […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
Radio Netherlands & Me
As I've mentioned before (there's no reason for you to remember it), Wednesday nights on our local classical radio station (WBJC, Baltimore), at 11pm, is the time when we enjoy listening to Live at the Concertgebouw, featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra but also bring us chamber-music and solo-performance programs at times. The program is a […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
Reading Louise Penny
My current bedtime mystery reading is A Rule Against Murder, by Louise Penny. Let's make that Canadian Louse Penny, for all my friends needing a suggestion for their Canadian Reading Challenge. Ms. Penny's books are set mostly in the village of Three Pines, Quebec, a village populated with the expected eccentric characters, some of whom […]
In: All, Books, Laughing Matters
Einstein & Cell Phones
From Bob Park's "What's New", a pedantic opportunity for me. First: cell phones & brain cancer (cue ominous music): BRAIN CANCER: OF COURSE CELL PHONES ARE DANGEROUS! Cell phones may lead to neural atrophy as mindless chatter is substituted for coherent information, but they don't cause brain cancer. This week, however, a doctoral thesis at […]
In: All, Eureka!, It's Only Rocket Science
EDOW Pride!
Following up on my previous note about support for marriage equality by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington–and its inclusive attitude generally towards LGBT people–this short note: the Episcopal Diocese of Washington is launching a new project / website: EDOW Pride! Quoting from the welcome page: With many congregations being served by Women, Persons of Color, […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Episcopal Bishop Favors Marriage Equality in DC
Last week there was the news that Catholic Charities, an organization that administers some of Washington, DC's services to the poor, abused, and hungry, threatened to suspend its activities if the DC City Council passed a proposed bill establishing marriage equality in the District. Apparently they feared actually having to provide services to, or benefits […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Fish Names
This is wonderful. You know how excited I can get sometimes about resolving an issue related to common / regional names for things. Well, tonight, during research for a completely other topic, I tripped over this page from the NOAA Fisheries, Office of Science and Technology, called "Local Fish Names". For the perfectly reasonable reason […]
Houston: Vote for Parker
Why? Because she's a lesbian, that's why. There could be other reason, and I'm no single-issue voter, but this seems to be the approach taken by her opposition. Think of the number of times we've heard talk–demonstrably empty talk–about "loving the sinner, hating the sin", not really being homophobic ("some of my best friends…"), and […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity