All entries by this author

The Provokies

Dec 19th, 2003 11:43 pm | By

Well, this is a rich resource at Invisible Adjunct. Sort of a treasure-chest of lame alibis, bogus analogies, whining, flag-self-wrapping-in, efforts to seem important via association, verbiage, accusation, attempted guilt-mongering, accidental self-revelations, messenger-blaming, conceit, and much much more. It’s funny but it’s also rather depressing. However, it’s not exactly a news flash that people in the literary theory game have gone a little odd lately, is it.

The fuss is about a hilarious brief piece Scott McLemee wrote for the CHE about ‘The Chronicle’s First Annual Awards for Self-Consciously Provocative MLA Paper Titles (also known as the Provokies).’ There’s an Award for Transgressive Punctuation, the Andrew Ross Award for Dangerous Hipness (if you’ve read Strange Weather you know how funny … Read the rest



Meera Nanda in Frontline *

Dec 19th, 2003 | Filed by

Postmodernism, Hindu nationalism and ‘Vedic science’ … Read the rest



‘Transgressors’ Squawk When Teased *

Dec 19th, 2003 | Filed by

Behold ‘the insular narcissism of people whose chief virtue is not intellectual seriousness but a certain docility…in their relationship with institutions.’… Read the rest



Signifyin’ at the MLA *

Dec 19th, 2003 | Filed by

Who won the Andrew Ross Award for Dangerous Hipness? … Read the rest



No But I Played One on TV

Dec 18th, 2003 7:45 pm | By

Catherine Bennett has a very funny piece in the Guardian today mocking the Big Read by suggesting further installments of the idea. Favorite religion, animals’ favorites (why did no one ask them, anyway?), best operation, greatest tits, Cherie Blair’s best PR move – and my favorite favorite, ‘She’s just an actor, OK?’

Stevenson is a fine actress, but who, until now, would have thought she could be convincing enough to be taken by Channel 5’s current affairs team for the real thing? She was not, after all, regarded as a spokesperson for grief-stricken young widows or expert on ghosts following a brilliant performance in Truly, Madly, Deeply. This is not the first such confusion. Around the time of The Deal,

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Desmond Tutu v. Mbeki and Mugabe *

Dec 18th, 2003 | Filed by

‘Human rights are human rights and they are of universal validity or they are nothing.’… Read the rest



The Big Belief, Britain’s Greatest Tits, etc *

Dec 18th, 2003 | Filed by

The possibilities are endless.… Read the rest



Danish Science Ministry Criticizes Committee *

Dec 18th, 2003 | Filed by

Says committee failed to provide evidence of bias or flawed methodology.… Read the rest



Lomborg Decision Overturned *

Dec 17th, 2003 | Filed by

Danish Ministry has repudiated findings by Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty.… Read the rest



Let’s Have a Circumcision Party! *

Dec 17th, 2003 | Filed by

Malyasia has a new plan for bringing Muslims and non-Muslims together.… Read the rest



Whither Theory? *

Dec 17th, 2003 | Filed by

And how did theory become synonymous with literary and cultural theory?… Read the rest



Desire, Excess, Lust *

Dec 17th, 2003 | Filed by

Is there any problem with living in a sexualized culture?… Read the rest



Oliver Taplin Reviews Mary Lefkowitz *

Dec 17th, 2003 | Filed by

How important are the classical Greek gods to understanding Homer and Euripides?… Read the rest



The Debate Keeps Going and Going

Dec 16th, 2003 10:33 pm | By

There’s one bit of good news, ‘Hear the Silence’ didn’t do as well as expected – did rather badly, in fact. 1.2 million instead of the 2 million that movies in that time slot usually get. So that’s 800 thousand people who won’t be swayed by that bit of manipulation, at any rate. Other bits yes, but not that bit. That still leaves that 1.2 million, but there it is. Thank goodness for that sex therapy drama ‘Between the Sheets’ which is so popular. Sex outcompetes feisty mothers then – there’s a surprise.

I found quite a good harsh review of Channel 5’s drama by Mark Lawson from last week, too. It was on Front Row that I first … Read the rest



Drama Increases Worry Over Jab *

Dec 16th, 2003 | Filed by

Difficult for audience to know what’s true and what isn’t.… Read the rest



Kenan Malik on ‘Hear the Silence’ *

Dec 16th, 2003 | Filed by

Conspiracy theories used to be a right-wing item, but now the left likes them too.… Read the rest



That Pesky Enlightenment Rationalism *

Dec 16th, 2003 | Filed by

Why wasn’t Jefferson as environmentally sensitive as we are?… Read the rest



Science and Corruption *

Dec 15th, 2003 | Filed by

There are flaws in LA Times article about industry funding of researchers at NIH.… Read the rest



Skepticism is All Very Well But *

Dec 15th, 2003 | Filed by

But taken too far, it can lead to perverse outcomes.… Read the rest



Snakes Croaking under the Irish Coconut Trees *

Dec 15th, 2003 | Filed by

Mix the Osbournes, the Simpsons, Don DeLillo and Eminem: an anthology of media cliches.… Read the rest