WHAT POPES ARE FOR
The end of this pontificate, like the beginning, is a sign of contradiction to those who see every human action in the cynical categories of power and willfulness.(h/t Cardinal Dolan)
What Popes Are For
A QUICK COURSE IN CONCLAVE 101 - JOHN ALLEN
Ideally, this exercise in “Conclave 101”will help make sense of what we’ll be seeing and hearing between now and that magic moment when white smoke rises from a small chimney above the Sistine Chapel, proclaiming to the world that a new pope has been elected.The man to follow, until the smoke is rising.
A quick course in 'Conclave 101' - John Allen
LAW SCHOOLS’ APPLICATIONS FALL AS COSTS RISE AND JOBS ARE CUT - NYT
Law school applications are headed for a 30-year low, reflecting increased concern over soaring tuition, crushing student debt and diminishing prospects of lucrative employment upon graduation.One for my students as they contemplate the future.
Law Schools’ Applications Fall as Costs Rise and Jobs Are Cut - NYT
TWO SPACES AFTER A PERIOD: WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER DO IT. - SLATEMAGAZINE
Can I let you in on a secret? Typing two spaces after a period is totally, completely, utterly, and inarguably wrong.Truth from Sinai.
Two spaces after a period: Why you should never, ever do it. - Slate Magazine
TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM AND THE TEXTBOOK
Cautionary note from Nicholas Carr.
Everybody seems to be in love with digital textbooks. Except students.
Technological determinism and the textbook
PASSIVE VOICE, USED WELL
The passive voice is like any tool. You can use it well, you can use it badly, and you can abuse it right out.One for my students.
Passive Voice, Used Well
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT
Me: Who’s stupid enough to try stealing a police cruiser?
Emily: When you need a ride, man, you need a ride.
THE GREAT EXPERIMENT - NY TIMES
Anybody can form a perfect Norway, a nation of five million people. But there is no country on earth with our size, our racial diversity, our mix of religions that is close to bringing most of its citizens the rights and comforts of the modern age.The overall view of the column is more positive than I tend to be, but this is a wonderful line and quite true.
The Great Experiment - NY Times
DAVID BROOKS - RULES FOR CRAFTSMEN
The governing craftsman has to be able to know how many votes each side possesses. He has to avoid the narcissistic question: What do I want? He has to ask instead: Given this correlation of forces, what is the landscape offering me?Read the whole thing; this is the essence of governance, nearly all of the time.
David Brooks - Rules for Craftsmen
HOW THE CIA USED A FAKE SCI-FI FLICK TO RESCUE AMERICANS
The CIA was in chaos when Tony Mendez arrived at his desk the next morning. People dashed through the halls, clutching files and papers. Desks were piling up with “flash” cables — the highest-priority messages, reserved for wartime situations.Not a caper movie, but a real movie caper.
How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans
BENEDICT ON VATICAN II: “I REMEMBER I WAS A YOUNG PROFESSOR OFTHEOLOGY…”
One sometimes forgets the power of simple phrases such as “I remember…” for opening and sharing an experience.
Benedict on Vatican II: “I remember I was a young professor of theology…”
RENO ON CONTEMPORARY CATHOLIC THEOLOGY
One of the best rundowns I’ve seen; highly recommended for any of my students.
Reno on contemporary Catholic theology
PAPER OF RECORD OR CHURCH BULLETIN OF THE LEFT?
This is one of the wonderful things about a mainstream press. It can help promote civil discourse, rational thinking and an improved society (I thought this recent debate led by a New York Times religion writer was a good step in the right direction). When the paper of record becomes a particularly virulent propaganda arm for one side in the culture war, those things don’t happen — and I hope we can agree no matter which side we take on hot-button cultural issues.Paper of record or church bulletin of the left?
SUNDAY COMICS LINE OF THE DAY
Rob: It’s trendy.
Bucky (the cat): Really? It’s trendy to look like the guy who got fired as the village idiot at the Renaissance fair due to hygiene issues?
NINETEEN SIXTY-FOUR: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE...
Deconstructing the economic incompetence of The Economist when it comes to understanding the Catholic Church. TL;DR is “The Church is not Wal-Mart.”
Nineteen Sixty-four: Spot the difference…
THE CHURCH'S DEEP POCKETS, THE BUTLER DID IT, AND MYTHS ABOUT ATHEISM - JOHN ALLEN
John Allen’s column at NCR is a fairly significant proof for the theology of the saving remnant. Essential Friday reading, every week.
The church's deep pockets, the butler did it, and myths about atheism - John Allen
THE NEW YORK TIMES’ EMBARRASSING ERROR
I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I have a new Exhibit A for when I tell my students that mainstream media know nothing of religion or theology. Click the link.
The New York Times’ embarrassing error
MATT RIDLEY: WHEN BAD THEORIES HAPPEN TO GOOD SCIENTISTS
The origin of our tendency to confirmation bias is fairly obvious. Our brains were not built to find the truth but to make pragmatic judgments, check them cheaply and win arguments, whether we are in the right or in the wrong.Matt Ridley: When Bad Theories Happen to Good Scientists
FLYING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - BY @DRUNKENPREDATOR
Every morning, the hangar doors roll open and the sunlight flares my electro-optical sensors. I drag myself onto the flight line, load up my pylons with Hellfire and Griffin missiles, and try to get some coffee into my tank before takeoff. If all goes well, I lumber into the air, loiter over some godforsaken warzone du jour, and occasionally lob weaponry at those I’m told are the enemies of the free world. By broad consensus, I’m pretty good at my job — and when I’m not soaring above the mountains of Afghanistan or Yemen, I even find time for hobbies, like posting on Twitter. But after I return to base, I self-medicate with extreme prejudice. Because I’m a Predator drone, and you people make me drink.Flying Under the Influence - By @Drunkenpredator
Allow me to explain.
HOW BOOKS LEARN - ALAN JACOBS
In light of this long, long history, during which the poem has had to learn so much, adapt to so many circumstances, how could it be intimidated by the rise of electronic reading? “Why should I concern myself with bits and pixels? I remember the harried scribe with his papyrus sheets. I was once a song.”How Books Learn - Alan Jacobs
WHAT IS IT TO BE INTELLECTUALLY HUMBLE? | BIG QUESTIONS ONLINE
Intellectual humility will be a trait of our character when we care so much about knowing, understanding, and getting to the truth of some big question that we become oblivious of how we rank, of what we are “worth” vis-à-vis the other status-striving agents in our circle. The apostle Paul says, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up,” (1 Corinthians 8:1) and we might add that love of knowledge can build us up in humility.What Is It to be Intellectually Humble? | Big Questions Online
VALUING DIVERSITY OF IDEAS
Dump the stereotypes. Dave Barry and others ask if we really believe all red state residents are dumb, racist, xenophobic, homophobic, NASCAR-obsessed, gun-fondling, Bible-bullying, redneck, sweatshop tycoons who claim government doesn’t work, and then get elected and prove it; or that all blue-state residents are godless, unpatriotic, ear-pierced, Volvo-driving, latte-sucking, tofu-chomping, tax- crazed bleeding-hearts who presume people shouldn’t have to work and beg our enemies, “Please don’t hurt me.” Seek out people with different beliefs.Valuing Diversity of Ideas
THE DEMOCRATIC VIRTUES OF JOHN ROBERTS - ROSS DOUTHAT
I have all sorts of problems with the health care bill, and I found the constitutional case against the individual mandate relatively compelling. But the solution to faulty legislation is usually better legislation, and the Supreme Court isn’t the only branch of government that’s responsible for upholding the Constitution. The specifics of Roberts’ umpiring may have left something to be desired, but given the temptations associated with his office, there’s something to be said for the fact that he let the two sides keep on playing ball.Exactly so!
The Democratic Virtues of John Roberts - Ross Douthat
6 WAYS THE IPHONE CHANGED HIGHER ED | INSIDE HIGHER ED
The way to think about the iPhone in relation to higher ed is less as a single product but a new product category. This category, which includes Android/Google and maybe eventually the Windows 8 phones, equals smart phone plus an app ecosystem.6 Ways the iPhone Changed Higher Ed | Inside Higher Ed
JONATHAN HAIDT: HE KNOWS WHY WE FIGHT - WSJ.COM
Nobody who engages in political argument, and who isn’t a moron, hasn’t had to recognize the fact that decent, honest, intelligent people can come to opposite conclusions on public issues.Jonathan Haidt: He Knows Why We Fight - WSJ.com