Sunday Sundry: Evolutionary Mindset, Wodehouse, and Leadership

1. Something to get clear in your mind is that a religious dogma is no less of a dogma because it is materialist. Evolution is, for most people, a religious dogma. Therefore, the narrative that teaching Evolution makes students more critical or rational thinkers, as opposed to teaching religious dogma, is nonsense because evolution is … Continue reading Sunday Sundry: Evolutionary Mindset, Wodehouse, and Leadership

Saturday Sundry: ‘Lusitania’, ‘Dorian Gray’, and ‘Starship Troopers’

1. A YouTube channel I've discovered recently is Oceanliner Designs, which provides extremely detailed documentaries on famous ships and disasters at sea, illustrated with some very pretty animation. Of course Titanic is a regular feature, but the host also examines other famous liners, including Titanic's two sisters, Olympic (the one survivor) and Britannic (which was … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: ‘Lusitania’, ‘Dorian Gray’, and ‘Starship Troopers’

Friday Flotsam: ‘Frankenstein’, ‘City in the Sky’, and ‘Animal Farm’

1. Western commentators see Africa as nothing but a really big Alabama. And most forget the 'really big' part. 2. I'm reading Frankenstein for school. It's not my first time reading it, but it is my first time in a while. This time through is confirming my past assessment, which is that the film is … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: ‘Frankenstein’, ‘City in the Sky’, and ‘Animal Farm’

Friday Flotsam: First Year of Teaching Over and a Word on Audrey Hepburn

1. My old apartment is almost bare, and my new one is nearly looking like something livable. Furniture goes tomorrow. 2. My first year of full-time teaching is officially over! Some takeaways: 3. It took me a while to figure out what I could actually ask of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, and I'm still … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: First Year of Teaching Over and a Word on Audrey Hepburn

Friday Flotsam: Habemus Papam, Herzog’s Mindset, and Woodstock

1. Habemus Papam! Short hours ago, I would have taken it as axiomatic than an American Cardinal will never be elected Pope. We exert so much power and influence over the rest of the world that I took it for granted the Cardinals would never willingly give them the Papacy as well. I have no … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Habemus Papam, Herzog’s Mindset, and Woodstock