Banned Books

To wrap up Banned Books Week, I just thought I’d point out some of the excellent works which ended up on the list of the 100 most frequently challenged books of 1999-2000, the most recent list I’ve seen published: The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier (#4) Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck (#6) Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling (#7) The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger (#13) The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson (#21) A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle (#22) In the Night Kitchen, Maurice Sendak (#25) Anastasia Krupnik series, Lois Lowry (#29) Blubber, Judy Blume (#32) Julie of the … Continue reading Banned Books

Misunderstanding AI

I’m not sure anyone can disagree that there is over-hype of AI by pundits who claim it’s the next technological magic bullet, particularly those who subtitle their books When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence. However, any article which starts its argument with “First, AI is a technological backwater.” needs to seriously look at what definition of “AI” they are using, and if they are limiting themselves to only the “building mechanical people” definition, they need to be slapped around. And then shown the ongoing research in and applications of learning, and machine vision, and planning. And then slapped around some more. … Continue reading Misunderstanding AI

Banning Shakespeare

Schools certainly have to choose books with an awareness of not offending or traumatizing students, particularly when dealing with young children. Banning Shakespeare, or requiring permission slips from parents, particularly when talking about high school seniors is absurd. Almost as absurd as calling TwelfthvNight “alternative lifestyle instruction”. MACBETH We will proceed no further in this business: He hath honour’d me of late; and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soon. LADY MACBETH Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress’d yourself? hath it slept … Continue reading Banning Shakespeare

National Banned Books Week

To celebrate National Banned Books week, I’ll be featuring a different banned book each dady I remember to update. My favorite banned books site is the Online Books Page Banned Books Online site, though ALA has a nice one too. I’ll start off with Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, banned at one time by South Africa’s apartheid regime and required reading this year for incoming Cornell freshmen. Of course, everyone here remembers that Frankenstein is the scientist, not the monster… By one of those caprices of the mind which we are perhaps most subject to in early youth, I at once … Continue reading National Banned Books Week

At What Cost?

As I mentioned above the group I helped kick off is working its collective asses off on getting the word out on why Cornell graduate students shouldn’t unionize under CASE/UAW. In the latest fun news, the graduate student government, who have passed a resolution of neutrality on the issue, are planning on hosting a website at which a “static debate” on the issue can be displayed. Each side will get a chance to write in answers to student-submitted questions, and also briefly rebut the other side’s answers. Sounds great – a one-stop information clearinghouse for people who don’t have the … Continue reading At What Cost?

New Moon?

They’re letting just anyone into our orbit now, it seems. Astronomers last week found a new Earth moon, though they haven’t determined if it’s rock or space-junk coming home to roost. Either way, it’s got a 50-day orbit around us. I didn’t even know, as the article mentions at the end, that we’ve already got a natural satellite besides the moon – Cruithne. There’s a very nice information page on Cruithne out of the Queen’s University Astronomy Research Group. [via Skunkfuckers]

Catching Up Post-Vacation

It’s been a working-vacation here, with traveling and writing and keeping up on the fight against graduate student unionization and many other stresses. For those who know why I was out of town – things have gone great. As an upshot, I actually spent two entire weeks without doing a spot of websurfing and I didn’t even miss it. This is doing great things for my productivity. And over a week of 7AM mornings has totally reset my sleep schedule. I’ve come back a whole new me. Unfortunately for you, it’s a me that wants to get work done, but … Continue reading Catching Up Post-Vacation