le lala

30May08

aesthletics: whiffle hurling. “Whiffle Hurling was invented in July 2005 by a Tom Russotti, an MFA grad student at Rutgers University — and the sole practitioner of what he calls “aesthletics.” So far, only 10 games of Whiffle Hurling have ever been played. I can personally attest that it’s insanely fun and offers up [...]

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i suppose that depends on what you read.

30May08

yesterday, I heard Don Randel quote the following lovely passage from William Carlos Williams:
It is difficult
to get the news from poems
yet men die miserably every day
[...]

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the truest thing you’ll hear today

30May08

or so i hope…by the way…sociologists: this one’s for you.

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round out, 61st st.

29May08

dogs in Moscow are sociologists.  i love this: “They can also be seen occasionally waiting for a green light. (Dogs are colorblind, so researchers theorize they recognize the shape or position of the walking-man signal.)”
these crazy berries create miraculin, a protein which binds to your tastebuds and makes acids taste sweet/er.  flavor tripping, indeed.  so [...]

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time to answer the teaching question

28May08

my father, himself a quite distinguished classroom teacher (my mother too, btw) sent me this absolutely wonderful commencement speech from ‘82 grad Margaret Edson at Smith College.
my friend Andrew asked me to display in pictures what I seek to have my students learn.  I submit this as my answer.  and my ‘text’: i want them [...]

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depresszone

27May08

a fortnight ago, the This American Life folks dealt with the housing crisis, as I think I mentioned. At a later point in the piece, one of the commentators wonders if the consequences of these events will humble us into a 1930s or 1970s style depression. The suggestion, of course, is that the [...]

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what’s that in your pocket?

27May08

gospel balloon forming people against pornographic balloon forming people, some of whom are gay?  gosh, people…I recommended hobbies, but this is pushing it.  I know some of you are looking for new hobbies, so here’s the starter pack: Sir Lantz shows you how to make a doggie.
and for more rummy stuff:

this [...]

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file me under wayback machine

27May08

if you haven’t checked out indexed, you really should.  or buy the book she’s writing.

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sissy spacek sings some…crazy

27May08

did you know that sissy spacek released an album in 1969? did you know the a-side of the single was a song called “John, you went too far this time”? Did you know that it was Spacek’s criticism of John Lennon’s nude “Two Virgins” album cover? Did you know you can hear [...]

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glitter and doom.

27May08

Q: What’s the most curious record in your collection?
A: In the seventies a record company in LA issued a record called “The best of Marcel Marceau.” It had forty minutes of silence followed by applause and it sold really well. I like to put it on for company. It really bothers me, though, when people [...]

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