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Category Archives: Aside

Aside

For our general education

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

From Wikipedia, here is an entry for our general education: Bushism.
Entertaining. Educative.
Some day soon, a student of Michael Silverstein’s will write a nice dissertation on the semiotics of Bushisms. And take the joy out of reading these. Until then, enjoy, especially the poem at the end.
Disclaimer: I am huge admirer of Prof. Silverstein and I [...]

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Shouldn’t this be an example for Historians too?

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Here is an example of a really neat way to reach a broader, popular audience: ‘Discovering the Quantum Universe‘ (pdf). It begins by referring to the nine key questions that define the field of particle physics. Here are some links that some of you might find interesting: Discovering the Quantum Universe and International Linear Collider.
Thanks [...]

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Random thoughts on a Sunday afternoon

Sunday, May 14, 2006

1. If the ABC-Post poll, on which I wrote on friday, revealed that 63% Americans are happy to share their private secrets in exchange for some security, a new Newsweek poll claims reflects the mood a day later: 53% Americans believe that the NSA data gathering domestically goes too far. Unlike overactive Blog-perts, here is [...]

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Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable

Saturday, May 6, 2006

Economist, public intellectual and former US ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith passed away last week. Myrdal and Galbraith were two economists who loomed large on me during my undergraduate ‘econ’ studying days. Both were unconventional, not the favorites of their fellow professionals and Galbraith, as one commentator characterized, wrote mostly literary-political works. In fact, [...]

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Digital natives and conference etiquette

Sunday, April 30, 2006

What is the proper etiquette at talks and conferences? I will leave aside the question of our (audience’s) expectations from a speaker for another occasion. But as audience members, what are our obligations to the speaker and towards other audience members?
Is it acceptable to keep reading materials, in case one is bored or notepads, both [...]

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Random matters

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Here are some random asides.
1. Will there be an Airbus or Boeing with 800 odd seats, albiet standing seats only? Is that the future of airtravel? Well, there is no regulation forcing Airlines to provide a seat, as long as the passenger is secured! NYTimes has an interesting story on thin seats, same or less [...]

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