Accidental Blogger
A general interest blog
Category: Educational, Cultural & Social Matters
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Glenn Beck Damns Frances Fox Pivens with Feigned Praise (Norman Costa) As one may damn with feigned praise, Glenn Beck will incite with feigned restraint. As Glenn Beck makes false allegations of advocating violence, he makes silent approval of true threats of violence from his readers. As Glenn Beck levels unsupported charges of 'Enemy of…
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Amy Chua isn't really a Tiger Mom. She's a Hidden Dragon, to go by all that we can figure out from the plentiful blog posts bashing her approach to parenting her kids- Being loving while yelling 'You're Garbage' at them for not practicing their music for 4 hours without squirming, not allowing sleepovers, no Drama…
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An interesting article about Iran by Abbas Milani of Stanford…. Warning to sensitive souls: This article is written in “standard format” (i.e. without too many nods to postcolonial theory) and printed in a conservative magazine, so it may be slightly jarring at places to those who feel very uncomfortable outside the confines of postcolonialism, but I assure you,…
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The ubiquity of upscale cafes and beaneries in the urban landscape obscures the grudging awareness in America, over time, of a good cup of coffee. In an upbeat song from '69 that Carmen McRae later perfected, it was the just the next best thing … Just a little lovin', early in the mornin' Beats a cup…
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The following story was written by a friend (may be published online soon) and he agreed to share it like this. I dont take it as a prediction, but as an exercise in imagining what the logical consequences of certain trends could be…it wont actually happen because no trend continues in a straight line. Countervailing…
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In my American life I have only had a few cups of tea that I found delicious and enjoyable, and mostly in the last couple of years. I never understood the fuss over tea in other parts of the world, notably the United Kingdom. The Pommies are famous, in times of war, for pausing to…
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The first time I ever read Tagore was when I received a slim volume of his translated “Gitanjali” at the age of 12. I would read one or two little poems daily, mull it over briefly and get back to the busy life of a schoolgirl. The well-known “Where the mind is without fear” was…
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The human family tree has some additions to it: There is big news about the Denisova hominins….I will wait for Razib Khan and others to blog on it and post links to their (sure to be) interesting commentary. Until then, this is a good summary of what we know.. And here is Razib's initial comment,…
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Once the Thanksgiving turkey has been cleared off the table, it’s not only the start of the perusal of Black Friday fliers, it’s time for the restrategizing of the ‘War on Christmas’. Boroughs and municipalities all across the U.S. start putting up their carefully calibrated Holiday displays, trying to figure out the precise percentage to…
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What do they know that they are not telling us? I was intrigued by Cyrus Halls' post at Facebook on the effects of the new 'up close and very personal' Pat Down policy. He linked to a very good article at http://boardingarea.com TSA Enhanced Pat Downs : The Screeners Point Of View OK,…
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The following is from a discussion I am a part of at America Magazine. It is a discussion of Mortimer Adler's book, "The Difference of Man, and the Difference it Makes." >>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<< MAN IS THE ONLY ANIMAL THAT [complete this sentence at your own peril]. I am providing the following as a preliminary for…
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I am alluding to writer Zadie Smith, the literary fiction star whose 2000 book White Teeth became a sensation even before it was published. Ms Smith has written a review of the movie The Social Network in the NYRB. She shudders at the proliferation of internet based social sites like Facebook and their soul sapping effects on real relationships. Without declaring it in…
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We all live in ones of our own making, whether it be cellphones, or eBooks, or iPods or computer keyboards. But did you know that some could be hazardous directly to your health, not just that of the workers in Shenzhen, or the coltan miners of the Congo? I'm talking of Cellular Phones here. The…
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"Los Angeles County is moving to submit its flock of 9,500 food trucks and carts to the same health department rules as restaurants — including requiring them to prominently post a letter grade based on food inspections — in what may be the ultimate sign that this faddiest of food fads is going mainstream." For…
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Amazing! But then, not so amazing. Mad men, mercenaries and misanthropes always congregate where there are spoils of war to divvy up. My question is, "Where is Obama?" Why has this monstrosity not been closed down, sealed and disinfected? (via Jason Stanley)
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