August 27th, 2011 → 11:59 am
“The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.” – Julius Caesar
Good luck East Coast. Here’s hoping Hurricane Irene doesn’t hit too hard, nor cause too much damage.
August 26th, 2011 → 8:31 am
“Love all, trust a few.” – All’s Well That Ends Well
This just felt particularly apt today.
August 13th, 2011 → 7:01 am
“How hard it is to hide the sparks of Nature!” – Cymbeline
A few weeks ago I did an interview for HEC-TV on the environment, and the letter I sent to the EPA with Natalie Portman. Well, here it is! I’ve gotten a few emails from followers asking why I haven’t blogged about the environment yet, as I am an environmental economist in my day job, and I have no real excuse for the delay… I will promise that this won’t be my last entry on environmental issues, and I’ll repeat it as many times as anyone will listen: we need to put a price on carbon already!!
August 11th, 2011 → 7:15 am
Henry: “What treasure, uncle?”
Exeter: “Tennis-balls, my liege.” – King Henry V
My husband has woken up at crazy hours all this week to either play golf, or go flying. He’s trying to get the fun in before the weather gets too hot by mid-afternoon, which I understand, but it’s amazing how on a non-sports day I can’t get him out of bed before noon. Boys and their games!
August 10th, 2011 → 6:59 am
“Man’s life is cheap as beast’s.” – King Lear
My heart goes out to the families of the soldiers who were killed in the Chinook helicopter crash in Afghanistan on August 6. It has been reported to be “the deadliest single incident in the history of the war.” There is no way to say it except that, well, war is terrible.
August 7th, 2011 → 9:01 am
“Play fast and loose with faith.” – King John
This is my favorite quote of Shakespeare’s, with respect to religion. I identify myself as Jewish, but I do not take it that seriously. And I have found over the years that I do not like anyone who takes religion that seriously. It tends to lead to intransigence, closed-mindedness, and false feelings of superiority. I bring this up because I find Rick Perry’s prayer rally fascinating, and totally unintelligible.
Filed under: Blog & Other & Stupid/Evil People
August 5th, 2011 → 7:13 am
“To know the cause why music was ordain’d! Was it not to refresh the mind of man after his studies or his usual pain?” – The Taming of the Shrew
Recently I was given an H2O audio for my iPod shuffle. It lets you listen to music underwater while you swim. I notice the reviews of the product are hit or miss – some people give it a 5 star, some a 1 star, few a moderate rating in-between – but my H2O audio is great. Listening to music (or, sometimes, podcasts) somehow makes swimming laps lighter, faster, and easier. What is the magic of music that makes this happen?
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
August 4th, 2011 → 7:02 am
“Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too.” – Macbeth
I read this morning that Mayor Michael Bloomberg is using $30 million of his own fortune to prop up a plan to aid minority youth in New York. I am so impressed. I teach at an urban university, and one of the things I notice, every single semester that I teach, is the relative lack of minorities (men, in particular, which the program targets) in the classroom. Where are all the beautiful black and Latino boys? It really sticks out, their absence. Programs to improve opportunities for minorities at an early age, like the program Bloomberg is supporting, are extremely important. After all the negative news about budget deals, murdering mothers, and Mideast dictators, it was nice to read such a positive story this morning.
July 30th, 2011 → 7:01 am
“A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.” – Hamlet
I just like this quote. It reminds me that we are all connected. It reminds me that even kings end up as fishbait. It reminds me that nature is cyclical and our earth a wonder. Happy start of the weekend, by the way!
July 28th, 2011 → 7:02 am
“The blessedness of being little.” – King Henry VIII
Anyone who knows me knows that I am small (less than 5′!), but this quote rang true for me for its applicability to mental ego as well as physical stature. If only there was more humility in the world, then maybe the budget negotiations in Congress wouldn’t be so crazy, maybe the petty fights at work wouldn’t happen as often, and maybe the personal grudges amongst kin would disappear. If only more people were little the world would be, if not a better place, I imagine maybe a smoother place?