Regular observations and conversations on ways the humanities serve, or fail to serve, the greater good.
A Dream of Cicero
A Dream of Cicero Marbles: What’s wrong, Swan? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Swan: I have! I had a crazy dream last night I met Cicero. Marbles: You’re kidding. You’ve been reading [...]
Looking Both Ways
Looking toward the past, and the future, on New Year's Day
Thinking and Thanking
Rabbit: What are you doing, Hare? Hare: Nothing much, it seems. Rabbit: Ah, the dolce far niente again. It must be your modus vivendi. Hare: There's nothing like a mixture of languages to get me going. So what [...]
STEM talks
Grundlos: Watch out, you almost ran me over! Where are you rushing off to? Magnus: I'm off to give a talk and I'm in a hurry. Grundlos: What is the talk about? You're not very [...]
Losing Greece
Losing Greece: its meaning for Europe, past and future. Overheard in a train station at the height of the Greek financial crisis, between two men of business. One, in middle age, is wearing a light-grey [...]
Francis Drake Comes to Como
It sometimes appears that we find the most interesting sights in the least expected places. Such an incident is one I wish to recount from a visit to a little restaurant in Como.