Monday, February 14, 2005
I was reading some articles about "The Gates." My favorite is this one. I especially love the pictures under the sidebar "The Magic of Christo . . . Exposed!"
Friday, February 11, 2005
Has anyone been paying attention to the hubbub concerning the University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill? I read the actual essay that he wrote immediately after 9/11, and I will agree with critics that what he says is disturbing. However, much of what he has to say concerning U.S. imperialist actions is true. I think it's interesting because Churchill is now being entirely discredited due to:
1. a few historians have claimed that he has committed plagiarism and academic fraud.
2. a few reporters have claimed that he has no actual Native American blood in him, and, therefore, he has broken the law by claiming this in his hiring at the U of C.
3. a few reporters have claimed that he "trained terrorists" by teaching the revolutionary group the Weathermen how to make bombs and fire weapons, according to a Fox News report citing the Jan. 18, 1987 issue of the Denver Post.
My concern with the story is that the ideas Churchill speaks out on will be denied any plausibility because of these problems. It seems as if it's easier to call Churchill a fraud and dismiss him and his ideas entirely than to call him an academic fraud and separate the ideas from the person.
1. a few historians have claimed that he has committed plagiarism and academic fraud.
2. a few reporters have claimed that he has no actual Native American blood in him, and, therefore, he has broken the law by claiming this in his hiring at the U of C.
3. a few reporters have claimed that he "trained terrorists" by teaching the revolutionary group the Weathermen how to make bombs and fire weapons, according to a Fox News report citing the Jan. 18, 1987 issue of the Denver Post.
My concern with the story is that the ideas Churchill speaks out on will be denied any plausibility because of these problems. It seems as if it's easier to call Churchill a fraud and dismiss him and his ideas entirely than to call him an academic fraud and separate the ideas from the person.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
This is going to be a pathetic showing for sure. For whatever reason, this past year I had very little interest in buying much music (I counted - 9 CDs total). So, without further ado (and any annotations), here are my top 5 of 2004.
1. Modest Mouse “Good News for People Who Love Bad News”
2. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists “Shake the Sheets”
3. A.C. Newman “The Slow Wonder”
4. Arcade Fire “Funeral”
5. Elliott Smith “From a Basement on the Hill”
1. Modest Mouse “Good News for People Who Love Bad News”
2. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists “Shake the Sheets”
3. A.C. Newman “The Slow Wonder”
4. Arcade Fire “Funeral”
5. Elliott Smith “From a Basement on the Hill”
