HLS: News: Harvard Law School launches new Public Service Initiative “Harvard Law School is announcing that it will pay the third year of tuition for all future students who commit to work in public service for five years following graduation. “ (tags: academia economics law society) Oh, he’s good « Liberal Fascism “[W]hen the wingnut… Continue reading links for 2008-03-20
Firefox Query: Dumping Acrobat
A question for the Firefox users: How do I make Firefox on a PC use something other than Adobe Acrobat to read PDF files? Background: Opera is my browser of choice for web surfing, but I use Firefox for accessing GMail, Movable Type, and a few other sites that don’t play well with Opera, and… Continue reading Firefox Query: Dumping Acrobat
Uncomfortable Questions: Infuriating Student Habits
Anon_student asks: You seem to enjoy teaching most of the time, but what traits/habits in students absolutely infuriate you? Hoo, boy. There are so many, it’s hard to choose just one… If I’m allowed to group things together into a larger category of offense (and it’s my blog, so I can do what I damn… Continue reading Uncomfortable Questions: Infuriating Student Habits
Uncomfortable Questions: Research University
“A” asks: Given the chance, would you take a job at a major research-university, or do you enjoy teaching a lot and doing some research at your small liberal arts college? My first answer is “no,” though I guess it would depend on the terms of the offer. In general terms, though, I’m very happy… Continue reading Uncomfortable Questions: Research University
Uncomfortable Questions: Spitzer
Eric Lund asks: Do you have any comments on the Eliot Spitzer scandal/resignation? Nothing original, which is why I haven’t commented. I had the same “what he said” reaction as most people who linked to August J. Pollak, but I didn’t think that was worth a post.
Arthur C. Clarke, RIP
As approximately six billion other blogs have noted, Arthur C. Clarke is dead. His obit in the Times runs to three pages, which is a good indicator of just how long and distinguished his life was. My initial reaction is similar to Matt McIrvin’s: it feels like the passing of an age. Bradbury and Pohl… Continue reading Arthur C. Clarke, RIP
links for 2008-03-19
First-ever spring break quidditch tour March 22-29 The Middlebury Quidditch Club hits the road. (tags: academia books sports silly SF) Tenure, the Movie :: Inside Higher Ed :: Higher Education’s Source for News, and Views and Jobs “I’m not sure how much I’ll expect accuracy out of a Luke Wilson comedy about my profession,” he… Continue reading links for 2008-03-19
Plot Synopsis Project, and the Problem with LiveJournal
Joshua Palmatier, whose first two books I enjoyed, and probably ought to booklog, has organized the “Plot Synopsis Project,” in which a bunch of published SF authors post copies of the plot synopses they sent with their successful novel pitches, and talk about the writing process. Most of them have lists of the participants posted,… Continue reading Plot Synopsis Project, and the Problem with LiveJournal
Uncomfortable Questions: Church Wedding
Adrienne asks: Why, when you apparently are an agnostic or atheist, did you get married in a church? And are you going to baptize your baby? Raise him/her in a religious framework? Now, here’s a nice volatile question… Why did we get married in a church? Because religion is more than just superstition and mythology.… Continue reading Uncomfortable Questions: Church Wedding
Uncomfortable Questions: Why No Cat?
chezjake asks: OK, try this one on for size. Do you have a bias against cats? We know that you have Emmy, and therefore you like dogs, but is there a reason you don’t also have a cat? Well, the main reason we don’t have a cat is that we have Emmy. She divides the… Continue reading Uncomfortable Questions: Why No Cat?