Thursday, 9th February 2017

Trump as Commodus

I was watching Gladiator not long ago, and it just hit me: I’ve seen this movie before. Or rather, I am seeing it again. Donald Trump is the Emperor Commodus. He’s all about show. He… Continue reading…

Tuesday, 24th January 2017

Mirror World Nobels

From Jan. 24, 2017

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/president-trump-is-planning-to-sign-executive-orders-on-immigration-this-week/2017/01/24/aba22b7a-e287-11e6-a453-19ec4b3d09ba_story.html?pushid=breaking-news_1485313453&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.96350991e580

This feels like the opposite of Nobel prize week. Instead of a celebration of ideas that were successful, this is a week of really bad ideas.

Physics anti-prize –… Continue reading…

Wednesday, 21st December 2016

Notes for a vocabulary for a Brave New World

From Dec. 21, 2016

Trump = Dear Leader. Term of respect, obeisance, and uncritical acceptance of all things dispensed by our Orange Oracle.

Trump apologist = Trumpologist. Like an astrologist, someone who truly believes in… Continue reading…

Saturday, 3rd December 2016

Boys and Men

From Dec. 3 2016

I was reading through my June 1903 copy of The American Boy, as one does, and came across this little racist nugget in an article on lacrosse:

“It is characteristic of… Continue reading…

Monday, 28th November 2016

Timothy Snyder on fascism

Nov. 28, 2016

The following was originally posted to Twitter by Timothy Snyder, historian of the Holocaust and of modern Europe at Yale University. I think these points are well taken no matter who one… Continue reading…

Sunday, 27th November 2016

Devos as Education Secretary Nominee

From Nov. 27, 2016

Devos as education secretary is a clear case of putting ideology over students, empirical results, and the public good. While her experience is with primary and secondary education, I also… Continue reading…

Friday, 25th November 2016

Health Care Under Trump

From Nov. 25, 2016

 

 

NYT: “Many in Florida Count on Obama’s Health Law, Even Amid Talk of Its Demise”

So, for all those who said that they took Trump seriously but not… Continue reading…

Tuesday, 15th November 2016

Focus…

From Nov. 15, 2016

Is anyone else having a really hard time focusing right now? Everyone has their reasons. Mine include: what’s the use of being a philosopher and trying to teach the proper use… Continue reading…

Friday, 11th November 2016

The Whole Trump Package

From Nov. 11, 2016

In the aftermath of the election, I’m hearing from some Trump supporters that they do not want to be grouped with the racists, the sexists, the xenophobes, the hatemongers. They claim… Continue reading…

Wednesday, 9th November 2016

Deterritorialize, reterritorialize

From Nov. 9, 2016

Deterritorialize, reterritorialize. The molar won, or did the molecular? Depends on who’s seeing a line of flight. All I know is, the affect is ugly, but it is still affect. There’s… Continue reading…