I could leave here tomorrow and this will already have been an extraordinary experience. I’m not planning on it, mind you. I’ve only been here three weeks and have barely gotten started on the project that is my main reason for being here, and I’m really just getting settled in.
Nonetheless, it’s been an exciting three weeks. I’ve heard some amazing bluegrass music played live, nearly run over a black bear, spent some time riding along one the best bike trails on the East Coast, seen a stunning display of fall foliage, been visited on my front lawn by a family of deer in the wee hours of the morning, learned that Pearl Buck was a much more fascinating person than I ever gave her credit for, met some really interesting people, and hopefully made a friend or two. That’s just some of the highlights of these three weeks.
I’m no stranger to the countryside. Between the Boy Scouts and family trips, we did a lot of camping when I was growing up. Yet I’ve been astonished by the wildlife I’ve seen in just a few weeks, ranging from the wide variety of birds, to small mammals and arachnids.
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Monthly Archives: October 2011
Academic Freedom Media Review-October 8 – 14, 2011
Here, with my apologies, is a delayed reposting of the Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review. It is published every Friday, this one on Friday, October 14.
The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available online. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
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IRAQ: Sweeping higher education reforms planned
Wagdy Sawahel, University World News
EGYPT: Elections reinstate some university leaders
Ashraf Khaled, University World News
Myanmar prisoner amnesty prompts call for all political detainees to be freed, not just 10 pct
Associated Press, Washington Post, 10/13
Pressure Builds Over Chen
Grace Kei Lai-see, Radio Free Asia, 10/13
SAR Academic Freedom Media Review – October 1-7, 2011
The following is the Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review, re-published here regularly, as received. For more information on SAR, visit their site.
The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
Assuring Civility or Curbing Criticism?
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 10/7
One year on: Nobel winner Liu Xiaobo still in jail
Michael Bristow, BBC News, 10/6
Chen Campaigners Detained
Luisetta Mudie, Radio Free Asia, 10/6
Scholars at Risk calls for letters on behalf of Mr. Yassin Ziadeh of Syria
Scholars at Risk, 10/6
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Hillsboro, West Virginia. Who knew?
Just a field down the road from me. It's still beautiful, even in October.
But it is a little exotic! I’ve only been here a couple days so far, but it’s already clear to me that life in rural West Virginia is very different from life in suburban Richmond, Virginia. Too many of us fail to appreciate the internal diversity in this vast land of ours, and when we do, we tend to indulge in negative stereotypes. My experience in life has shown us how wrong those can be.
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I'm Sorry Facebook, I Just Don't Love You Anymore…
In an article previewing the changes Facebook recently made public, Mashable’s Ben Parr indicated that Facebook was making the changes because it wanted to rekindle an emotional connection with users.
After years of dating, the magic between Facebook and its users has dissipated. It’s a natural evolution in any relationship, but now there is another suitor vying for Facebook’s users. And a lot of people think this suitor is easy on the eyes.
That’s why Facebook launched three recent changes: revamped Friend Lists, a real-time news ticker, and the subscribe button… But these changes are just the beginning. The changes Facebook will roll out on Thursday are designed to enhance the emotional connection its users have to each other through Facebook.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but this strategy isn’t working for me! My relationship with Facebook has never gotten old because like an insecure lover, it’s never stopped demanding my attention, to the point of provoking annoyance. I’ve given it a lot of attention, integrating it into my professional and personal lives, but it’s proven unpredictable, unsure of the terms under which it wants to participate. It’s time to cool things off. Since Facebook has so few concerns about private affairs going public, how would you like to read my Dear John Letter to Facebook?
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