Archive for July, 2008
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
The more I think about it …
the more it works for me!
15 Comments » - Posted in 1 by Dick Swart
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
True Privilege
Interesting discussion on WSO about at article that we discussed on EphBlog. Ellen Song writes:
I was basically with the same group of kids between 1st and 5th grade. There were very few native-born Americans in my class. In fifth-grade, an entire third of my class was composed just of first or second-generation Korean kids. Not [...]
3 Comments » - Posted in 1 by David Kane
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Coups
Peter Nunns ‘08 worries about military popularity and military coups.
A recent Gallup poll revealed that, in America, the military is far and away the most popular institution.
…
Shortly after Argentina became democratic, with universal male suffrage in 1916, it fell prey to six military coups between 1930 and 1976. The first unseated Hipólito Yrigoyen’s Radical government [...]
8 Comments » - Posted in 1 by David Kane
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
Tough Yet Vulnerable
Which Eph has been seen by tens of millions of people in the last week? Monique Curnen ‘92, playing Detective Anna Ramirez in “The Dark Knight.” Background reading here and here.
Give Batman attitude? Those who try don’t live to tell about it. But feisty Hollywood up-and-comer Monique Curnen defies that certainty in the new [...]
6 Comments » - Posted in 1 by David Kane
Monday, July 28th, 2008
Hey, Lighten up. It’s summertime …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2008/jun/16/advertising
I’m sure Heinz and BBDO didn’t consult Garrison Keilor’s Ketchup Advisory Board/Mayo Speciality Group.
But I like to believe that both liberals and conservatives can agree on that great taste! Has Bill Kristol ever said “Hold the Mayo”?
8 Comments » - Posted in 1 by Dick Swart
Monday, July 28th, 2008
Eph Serial Killer?
Now, this is taking the rivalry a little too far. In the latest novel from Amherst alum Harlan Coben, the villain is an Eph:
The detective comes into the story because there has been a particularly brutal, sadistic murder that, from all appearances, has nothing to do with all the other conflicts the author explores. [...]
6 Comments » - Posted in Pop Culture by jeffz
Monday, July 28th, 2008
Blatt ‘85 on Shipley ‘85
Dan Blatt recalls his classmate David Shipley.
When I first read that my Williams classmate David Shipley had taken over as Op-Ed editor of the New York Times, I saw it as a sign of improvement on the editorial page of the Old Gray Lady. Even though David had worked in the Clinton Administration, I had [...]
122 Comments » - Posted in Politics by David Kane
Sunday, July 27th, 2008
Twins and Triplets at College
There’s an interesting article in The New York Times on twins and triplets applying to college, and their worry that applying to the same college will hurt them.
The Williams case that I know of is the Samuelson triplets: one went to Harvard, one went to Yale, and one went to Williams. (Before parents faint at [...]
4 Comments » - Posted in Admissions by Guy Creese '75
Saturday, July 26th, 2008
Pasachoff/Babcock to Siberia
A Williams group is headed to Siberia to view a solar eclipse.
Scientists Jay Pasachoff and Bryce Babcock of Williams College are leading an expedition to Siberia so as to station themselves and their equipment in the path of totality (the phase of an eclipse when it is total), which is only hundreds of miles wide [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Academia, General, News by wslack
Saturday, July 26th, 2008
Comments on Eph Planet
I am looking for feedback from readers about Eph Planet (also available from a link on the right side of the page). Do you use it? Do you like it? What would make it better?
I think Eph Planet is great. I enjoy reading about what a random cross-section of Ephs are doing with their lives. [...]
5 Comments » - Posted in 1 by David Kane
Friday, July 25th, 2008
They were leaders
Remembering the end of the Korean war:
July 27 is not one of those days that stirs the American soul like Dec. 7, July 4 or June 6.
We have so many memorable days in our history that forgiveness is appropriate if you can’t recall that on that day in 1953, the guns fell silent along the [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Alumni, In Memoriam by Ronit
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Sculpture in the Berkshires
On a lighter note, an article in the New York Sun highlights sculpture in the Berkshires this summer. Among the mentions are the Williams “Eyes” scattered near the art museum and Broke-ology (featuring a garden gnome sculpture as a central character) at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Apparently there is an exhibit of garden gates by contemporary [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Arts, Williamstown by lgeorge
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
dkane accepts National Enquirer Award for Journalism …
Some present were calling “clean cup, clean cup!”.
5 Comments » - Posted in 1 by Dick Swart
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Art Mafia, Cleveland Chapter
Congratulations to C. Griffith Mann ‘91:
The Cleveland Museum of Art appointed C. Griffith Mann as chief curator. The medieval art historian, noted for skill in organizing exhibits and expanding access to museum collections, will begin his new duties at the museum in early September. Mann arrives in the midst of the largest renovation and expansion [...]
9 Comments » - Posted in Arts by Ronit
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Trash
Was it just 9 months ago that I pointed out that Jay McInerney’s ‘76 former girlfriend Rielle Hunter was in the news? Was it just 7 months ago that I passed on the story of Hunter’s love child with with former Democratic Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards? Indeed it was! My reward was comments [...]
71 Comments » - Posted in Jay McInerney '76 by David Kane
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
Hockney Named Swim Coach at Williams …
The New England school, well-known for athletics and its art programs, combines both aspects in this break-through appointment.
Readers are encouraged to submit their own improbable but interesting appointments.
7 Comments » - Posted in 1 by Dick Swart
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
Dream Job
Speaking of jobs, here’s an article from the Bennington Banner about an Eph who found a dream one. Dan Cohen, a graduate of the Master’s program in art history, has been the curator of the Louisville Slugger Museum and factory since 2006. He used to work at the Clark. He’ll be in the area Sunday [...]
3 Comments » - Posted in Alumni, Arts, Athletics by lgeorge
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
Professor Nolan: Not a fan of “Problem Solving” Courts
Professor Nolan is cited as the primary critic of problem solving courts (which provide alternatives to jail time for drug offenders) in this interesting article. Nolan opines:
Ideological critiques also tend to distract from what some see as structural flaws of problem-solving justice — and there are a few. Problem-solving justice’s most vocal critic is [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Professors/Staff, Quasi-Academic Topics by jeffz
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
What Matters
The Hartford Courant has another story about Williams student Bianca Czaderna ‘11. Bianca took up rowing at Williams last fall in memory and honor of her close friend Hayley Petit. Petit, who would have rowed for Darmouth that season, was murdered, along with her mother and younger sister, in a horrific home invasion in Cheshire, [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Athletics, Good People of Williams by lgeorge
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Comments were Down
As Larry George noted, the comment system seems seemed to be having some problems.
For your amusement during the intermission:
A very Interesting Reptile, and a data heavy political blog by Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus.
Also, the Williams multimedia page has video of Commencement addresses.
7 Comments » - Posted in Misc. by wslack
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Service for Florence Chandler
The College is reporting:
Memorial Service to Celebrate the Life of Florence Chandler
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Florence Chandler will be held Thursday July 24, at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Williamstown, with Rev. Carrie Bail, Pastor, officiating. Reception in the Faculty House to follow.
* * *
I did [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in 1 by lgeorge
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Sports Reporter/Assistant Editor Opening in North Adams
This job might be perfect for a recent Williams graduate. I know Dick Quinn does a great job training student reporters and often has some really talented writers who clearly love sports. Nothing like being paid to do what you love in a place you love.
This is from journalismjobs.com , http://www.journalismjobs.com/job_listing.cfm?jobid=953982
Openings in Newspapers/Wires
July 22, 2008
Company:
North Adams [...]
No Comments » - Posted in 1, Athletics by lgeorge
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Tech Help Needed
I seem to be able to start a thread but not to comment on an established thread. I get this message:
Fatal error: Call to undefined function live_preview() in/home/.westbury/ephblog/ephblog.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/themes/connections-reloaded/comments.php on line 103
I’m having some connection problems with my server, so it could be that, rather than a problem with EphBlog, but I think not.
Thanks in advance for helping.
2 Comments » - Posted in 1 by lgeorge
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
When you least expect it
Note: I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago, so any issues of tense or time are the fault of that. I don’t have the emotional energy to spend the time updating such things right now; I hope you will forgive me that. David nudged me today about actually publishing it, and I guess I [...]
6 Comments » - Posted in Nate Krissoff '03 by JG
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Road Trip: Rt. 20 - Coast to Coast!
The Independent (Columbia and Rensselaer Counties, N.Y.) reports on a book (20 West: The Great Road across America, State University of New York Press, $25) Mac Nelson ‘55 has written about Rt. 20. Nelson writes of taking 20 west from literary country (Wharton, Melville and Dickinson) to utopian/millennial/spiritualist country (Shakers, Amish, Millerites, and Oneida) on to Seneca Falls (the [...]
4 Comments » - Posted in 1 by lgeorge
Monday, July 21st, 2008
Berea has a better idea?
After the Williams trustees with the Baxter/Paresky debacle followed by the Humanities Center, these remarks, from the NY Times today, by the president of Berea College were a breath of fresh air. Note: I have no objection to individuals or institutions building whatever Xanadus they like. My question is about the federal tax benefits with [...]
8 Comments » - Posted in 1 by wsloane
Monday, July 21st, 2008
Shipley ‘85 on Drudge
Last time that an Eph was mentioned in the lead story of the Drudge Report? Today!
An editorial written by Republican presidential hopeful McCain has been rejected by the NEW YORK TIMES — less than a week after the paper published an essay written by Obama, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
The paper’s decision to refuse McCain’s [...]
63 Comments » - Posted in 1 by David Kane
Monday, July 21st, 2008
Williams Statistics Mafia
Are you an Eph statistician going to the Joint Statistical Meeting in Denver in two weeks? I will be there, with bells on. We (meaning me and at least two other Ephs) are getting together for dinner on Monday night. Join us. Drop me an e-mail at dave at kanecap dot com for details.
1 Comment » - Posted in 1 by David Kane
Sunday, July 20th, 2008
Once upon a time in the Berkshires, 1976
Not for the glam, nor glory, but as a record of how it was at times for some of us. What a pointless exercise we undertook. Why is it, some places in time, and indeed some boys and men, are just plain belligerent?
I am sure there are people here blogging who can relate.
I [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Drinking in the Berkshires by PTC
Sunday, July 20th, 2008
Tanglewood
Today’s New York Times ArtsBeat includes a piece about the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music. For the first time, the festival features only one composer: Elliott Carter. And, of course, James Levine isn’t there because he had to leave to have kidney surgery.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/tanglewood-contemporary-festival-a-carterfest-in-good-though-different-hands/index.html?hp
