The New York Sophist

They have digitized Charles Darwin’s library and put it online for anyone to use.

Better than that – they have transcribed his annotations and marks in the books. That is cool because it gives you a sense of knowing how they read things.

I think I could get lost there. There’s also another great time-wasting intellectual site like this, and that’s the Leo Strauss Audio archive of his seminars. Open Courses before there were Open Courses.

Good luck being productive today! Aren’t you glad you came here?

They have digitized Charles Darwin’s library and put it online for anyone to use.

Better than that – they have transcribed his annotations and marks in the books. That is cool because it gives you a sense of knowing how they read things.

I think I could get lost there. There’s also another great time-wasting intellectual site like this, and that’s the Leo Strauss Audio archive of his seminars. Open Courses before there were Open Courses.

Good luck being productive today! Aren’t you glad you came here?

A film review over at the Poetry Foundation blog makes the new James Franco film about Hart Crane seem a lot less about Hart Crane and a lot more about Franco’s ideas about him.

Then again, can you ever have an alternative to that?

I bet so few people have ever read Hart Crane that it really won’t matter that much. And there is something rhetorically valuable about “shock value” in film, especially when it might encourage some of the audience members to pick up a book of Crane’s poems, which might be the point.

Not a film guy. More a poetry guy. I liked the film Franco made about Ginsberg, but that was mostly just poems and interviews that were performed.

A film review over at the Poetry Foundation blog makes the new James Franco film about Hart Crane seem a lot less about Hart Crane and a lot more about Franco’s ideas about him.

Then again, can you ever have an alternative to that?

I bet so few people have ever read Hart Crane that it really won’t matter that much. And there is something rhetorically valuable about “shock value” in film, especially when it might encourage some of the audience members to pick up a book of Crane’s poems, which might be the point.

Not a film guy. More a poetry guy. I liked the film Franco made about Ginsberg, but that was mostly just poems and interviews that were performed.

CURTAIN rises on a very sparsely furnished office with a few books on the floor and some gutted computers here and there. A man sits staring at a computer screen wearing a headset like he’s doing voice recognition software training, but says nothing. A young man in a very nice monogrammed polo sits at a desk.
The door opens, enter the disheveled rhetoric professor
Polo: HELLO THERE! leaps up with a smile
Prof: oh, hi, yes
Polo: Can I help you?
Prof: I spoke to someone on the phone about a sick netbook?
Polo: THAT WAS ME! (excitement)
Prof: well nice to meet you in person. My computer won’t take a charge.
Polo: I will look at your netbook in a bit, come sit and let me tell you about our training programs! Do you know much about computers?
Prof: A bit, I think, I’m never sure (Puts backpack on the desk and starts opening it)
Polo: I will look at your netbook in a bit, we have (Prof takes out netbook and surprisingly some sand)
Prof: Ah, sorry I thought I got rid of that
Polo: Now we have this special on A+ training
Prof: The beach never really leaves does it?
Polo: Ah, no I guess not. Will you have a seat?
Prof: I thought I got it all, but I thought I got rid of it all two or three times now. Sorry! (tries to put it back in the bag)
Polo: We are running a special
Prof: (giving up on the sand) Well it’s yours now. So this netbook won’t charge. You really have to play with the wire (starts to demonstrate)
Polo: I will look at your netbook in a few minutes, but wouldn’t you like to learn to put a computer together yourself with A+ certification?
Prof: (sits down) Sure. Tell me about the special.
Polo: You could become a network technician, or a computer support specialist in two months! What are you doing now? Are you helping people?
Prof: (suddenly attentive) THAT is the best question I’ve had all day.
(They stare at one another. Headset man pushes buttons)
Polo: For the rest of your life, you will use computers.
Prof: This is true.
Polo: What are you doing now?
Prof: Wondering if I really help people.
(A pause)
Prof: I’m sorry about the sand.
Polo: Listen, we will teach you how to test a power supply, how to partition a hard drive, and how to tell if a computer is properly cooled. You can fix any computer, even one that’s been to the beach! HAH HAH
Prof: I sort of brought the beach to it, but it wasn’t my fault. . anyway, I know enough about computers not to bring one to the beach. How much to fix my computer?
Polo: The course could mean a new career for you.
Prof: That’s a nice idea but it’s not possible.
Polo: What do you do now?
Prof: I’m a university professor.
Polo: Oh! Teaching what?
Prof: Rhetoric.
(a pause)
Prof: Communication
Polo: WONDERFUL. That is the most valuable skill. And computers!
Prof: Yes.
Polo: The course is $600 dollars.
Prof: No thanks
Polo: Just for you
Prof: Can we fix my netbook now?
Polo: It’s a great way to help people
Prof: You keep saying that. What about my computer?
Polo: I will open up your computer! And I will make recommendations.
Prof: Ok. How much?
Polo: twenty-five dollars
Prof: Better than getting a new one
Polo: I will call you tomorrow with the results.
CURTAIN