Getting your PhD into the national press is pretty impressive. But getting two articles devoted to it (one on the front page) before you even submit, must mean you’re on to something. Alternatively, perhaps you have a journalist friend who doesn’t mind writing the same article twice.


Cut for predictable grumbling about newspapers and Cambridge cliques

Do any readthroughers (or others) have suggestions for short texts for a readthrough by mostly non-native English speakers? Either drama, or possibly poetry/prose (if it’s something that makes sense read aloud by a group). Ideally something that could cope with more or less participants (depending on who turns up), that has a German translation, and that could be done in one session.

[background: some friends have been running a project doing readings of short stories, etc. It’s been slightly underwhelming so far, and I’m trying to give it a kick up the proverbial. We’re looking at English mainly because it’s happening in a gallery where ~70% of the visitors are non-Germans – although if we can find texts short enough, we might try combining something in English and something in German into the same session]

Also, it may not be the worst thing we’ve done on Diego Garcia, but this is infuriating (if not 100% surprising).

“

the Central Intelligence Agency had confirmed using an American-operated airfield on the British island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for refuelling two American rendition flights carrying terrorism suspects in 2002.

”

Also also: palmer1984 in particular, you might like Penny Red. Or rather: I like this far more than is reasonable, and want somebody else to confirm me in my irrationality.

Somebody find me a cult to join.

Does anybody else think the UAE are getting just a little bit silly?

“

The Arab emirate of Dubai will build a replica of Lyons under a $685M deal signed with the French city last week

”

[here, via BLDGBlog]

$685m sounds pretty cheap for an entire city, though. Or is that just what they’re paying to the real Lyon?

(explanation; linked from a comment here)

And no, you aren’t getting an update on my life. It’s been enough months now that I wouldn’t know where to start, and there aren’t many familiar names to link in any case. Maybe another day…

This is the only article I’ve read on the US presidential elections which hasn’t been a waste of time. Briefly, Obama is more fond of behavioral economics than Clinton. Therefore she wants small targeted changes that have the most effect cheaply; he is suspicious of policies which rely on everybody being a rational actor, fully informed about government policy. Why hasn’t anybody else mentioned that?

On a vaguely-related topic, I find it fascinating watching the campaign idly from afar, and so being on the outer reaches of massive, smart media campaigns. They twist everything I read so thoroughly hat I end up with firm feelings about the candidates, without (barring the article above and maybe two or three others) having the faintest idea what they stand for. The only thing that comes close is Apple’s marketing, which is perfectly capable of convincing me that I need an iWhatever even when the rational part of my head knows it’s overpriced rubbish.