Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending The UP Experience in Houston, TX, and, just to be clear, it was awesome. I was invited through the Eagleman lab and I hope I can attend next year. There were plenty of interesting people (not just the speakers) and seeing everyone's excitement over community service, science, and … Continue reading Allan Savory is not Galileo
Category: History
Four Men in May (Part 1): Memory, Oscar Wilde, and Aldous Huxley
Introduction: The Cold of Winter Is Just A Dream On November 8, 2013, I'll turn twenty-three years old. To many of my "experienced and enlightened" readers this may not seem like much of a milestone, but to me, though, it feels like an awakening. Here's how I see it: while the exact age is arbitrary, … Continue reading Four Men in May (Part 1): Memory, Oscar Wilde, and Aldous Huxley
“I have never been there, but I have read Babbitt — and the villages are all Main Streetish, aren’t they?”
Studying America in England While going through the University of Minnesota's online archives, I came across an article called "Studying America in England" from The Minnesota Alumni Weekly (December 12, 1931). Written by a fresh alumna named Mildred Boie (class of '27), in it she talks of her trip to Cambridge to study English literature. Specifically, she … Continue reading “I have never been there, but I have read Babbitt — and the villages are all Main Streetish, aren’t they?”
The Virus of the Mind: Imperialism, Syria, and Selective Accountability
Who's to Blame? Years ago, when I was a freshman in college, I remember having a conversation with a young Republican. I can't remember the context or how the subject came up, but we were discussing the blameworthiness of those implicated in the escalation of the Vietnam War. "It all began with Kennedy," he claimed … Continue reading The Virus of the Mind: Imperialism, Syria, and Selective Accountability
Two brief excerpts from Team of Rivals: Turtles and Ambition
After reading about the upcoming film Lincoln, which is being directed by Spielberg and is slated for release on November 9, 2012, I noticed that it is being based on the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. specifically, it will be based on the last few chapters of her book detailing the final … Continue reading Two brief excerpts from Team of Rivals: Turtles and Ambition
Reading “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” by Matsuo Basho
I was reading the blog of the New York Times Review of Books and came across a particularly interesting article about author and translator Bill Porter ("Finding Zen and Book Contracts in Beijing"). In it the writer talks about Porter's growing popularity in China given not only the burgeoning middle class that is able to … Continue reading Reading “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” by Matsuo Basho
Einstein’s Eyes: Yeah, they’re still around.
You may or may not be aware of this fact, but when Albert Einstein died in 1955 an autopsy was performed on his body and - because of his reputation as a genius - his brain was removed to be studied. Approximately 20 years later it would be "rediscovered," studied some more and then 20 … Continue reading Einstein’s Eyes: Yeah, they’re still around.
A childhood confrontation between A. Hitler and L. Wittgenstein
For an Historiography class I'm in we're reading Lying About Hitler: History, Holocaust and The David Irving Trial (2001) by Richard J. Evans that in addition to tearing apart Holocaust deniers like David Irving also makes the case that historical institutions, methodologies and not being a liar actually matter. In an era where arguments of … Continue reading A childhood confrontation between A. Hitler and L. Wittgenstein
“Literature is dying,” says the parents to their children
"Literature is dying," says the parents to their children, as their parents at once said to them. As though it were an heirloom to be passed on - words of both wisdom and condemnation. It is what it is, but it's your fault. Yeah, yeah, but what's new? Shaj Mathew has written a short little … Continue reading “Literature is dying,” says the parents to their children
“If you ever get the feeling that you’ve lost touch with everyday John Doe reality …”
Thumbing through my copy of The Proud Highway: A Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman 19655-1967 (1997), which is the first volume of "The Fear and Loathing Letters" of Hunter S. Thompson (edited by Douglas Brinkley), I came across something the late Gonzo journalist had written about the stresses of unemployment that I think could serve … Continue reading “If you ever get the feeling that you’ve lost touch with everyday John Doe reality …”
Joshua Panduro Preston 