Timeless Orwell
George Orwell was certainly one for the pithy saying with a lot of punch, short and to the point. I came across a web page specializing in Orwelliana, and was struck by the number of comments that seemed to be … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Arts
Lost and found–the Oxyrhynchus Papyri
There are few things more satisfying than finding something thought to be irretrievably lost. In my own life, this usually ends up being something as mundane as an earring or a glove. I seem to specialize in losing a singleton … Continue reading →
My nominee for invention of the year: Clocky
Well, here it is, the invention I’ve been waiting my whole life for: Clocky, a clock that rolls away after you hit the snooze alarm, forcing you to get out of bed to turn it off when the alarm sounds … Continue reading →
In praise of memorizing poetry
I think it may be a lost pedagogical device, but when I was in grade school, we were forced by our teachers (mostly elderly women, as it happens) to memorize poetry. Lots of poetry. Most of it doggeral, but not … Continue reading →
The invasion of the body mikes
Ann Althouse’s speculates here about the influence of the show “American Idol” on the current style of singing in Broadway musicals. I agree with Ann that “American Idol” really isn’t the culprit, but I have a different one in mind: … Continue reading →
Welcome: first day of spring (hope springs eternal)
We here at neo-neocon (that’s me!) wish to officially welcome the first day of spring. It’s today, in case you didn’t know–I didn’t, myself, till I heard it on the radio this morning. I’ve lived in New England for over … Continue reading →
And we were all at Woodstock, too
I’m getting very tired of the Ward Churchill story, but it retains a certain mesmerizing slow-motion train wreck fascination as his modus operendi becomes more clear. This isn’t about academic freedom anymore; it’s about an academic con artist, as I … Continue reading →