Late color

Try as I might I could not capture the bright colors, the red and blue, that made me pull over on Main Street, Port Jefferson, and hop out with my camera.

Feathertop

"Dickon," cried Mother Rigby, "a coal for my pipe!"
The pipe was in the old dame's mouth when she said these words. She had thrust it there after filling it with tobacco, but without stooping to light it at the hearth, where indeed there was no appearance of a fire having been kindled that morning. Forthwith, however, as soon as the order was given, there was an intense red glow out of the bowl of the pipe, and a whiff of smoke came from Mother Rigby's lips. Whence the coal came, and how brought thither by an invisible hand, I have never been able to discover....

So begins a tale by Nathaniel Hawthorne that is so appropriate to the season.
Here is the rest of Feathertop.

Northport Choral Festival

This past weekend (10/16 -18) the 11th annual Choral Festival was held at First Presbyterian Church of Northport. Our leader this year was Dr. John Dickson from Macon, GA. It was a wonderful weekend for which we have Debbie Jenks to thank! Here is the program listing the pieces we prepared in 3 days and performed on Sunday afternoon, and here is a link so you can hear a fine Taiwanese choir doing my favorite, the wonderful "Sure on this Shining Night" by Morten Lauridsen, a setting of a poem by James Agee. The last piece ("Let Everything that Hath Breath") was a gospel rendition that really raised the roof. For more information see the church's website and click on Choral Festival Brochure 2009

Got him

Who is this guy? Every time I drive out East I pass this guy at the beginning of Sound Avenue. What is he doing out here in farm country? Let's stop and see.

Let's sneak up ... Careful.

He's armed!

Yipes, isn't that ...?

Humphrey What's-his-name?

Well, let it be known that I got the shot.

What's he guarding?

A liquor store, of course.

Let's open our eyes and ears to ...

A video about the Pakistani people.

It speaks to the Pakistani people

in the voice of Pakistani people.

YouTube lets us all listen in.

Morten Lauridsen

In case anyone is wondering if we have any great choral composers alive and composing today ... we do!
Listen to this clip of "O Magnum Mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) beautifully sung by a Filipino group.
Close your eyes or look out the window at the autumn foliage and think of someone you've lost.
Here is another recording by the Nordic Chamber Choir. Slower tempo, crystal clear, with even more emotion, if that is possible.
Some biographical info.
Here's another great piece by Lauridsen "O Nata Lux" sung by the Pasadena Master Chorale.

Ye gods!

Some people have nothing to say while others ...

Aw, c'mon, there's room for more.

I have a sign to add: The era of excess is over!

Information

How many times have I (and all my colleagues who teach the library segment of Freshman Seminar) spent time emphasizing to students that it's not just FINDING information (which gets easier and easier) but learning to EVALUATE the information you find that is the important task these days? The blizzard of information that a simple Google search results in--that is QUANTITY that is often overwhelming and time-wasting. But how does one determine QUALITY of information? That is the skill we try to help students develop. Many universities have useful sites for evaluating websites, such as Cornell's and University of Maryland's . Ideally the lessons should begin at the primary level.

Well, imagine my surprise and delight to learn that the Obama Administration has determined this task important enough to bring it to the public's attention by making October NATIONAL INFORMATION LITERACY AWARENESS MONTH. He gets it!

Here is the entire text of the Proclamation

ESB visit of 8/26/09--a few more pix

Our 21st President, Chester A. Arthur. The statue is in Madison Square Park in the Flatiron District. They don't make statues like this any more. I wish they did. Some information on Pres. Arthur

Outside the Marble Collegiate Church the statue of Norman Vincent Peale, who was pastor there for 52 years and the author of "The Power of Positive Thinking", overlooks commemorative ribbons on the fence. I think they were for servicemen/women killed.

The church's door

It's the oldest Protestant congregation in America

From the sublime to the ridiculous

And even more ridiculous. From the ESB gift shop. Everyone on my Christmas list will be so pleased.

Introduction to critical thinking

Critical Thinking 101

Day One: Exercises

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator?
Wrong Answer.
Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend.... except one. Which animal does not attend?

Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.
Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.

4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?

Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

(This interesting contribution to a list I belong to shows Friday-fatigue if nothing else)