Author Archives: Mike

The Coach

I have been a car nut for many years. In America this is a common enough enthusiasm, but I think I came by it in a somewhat unusual way.  In the first place, I developed my interest later than most … Continue reading

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Latins: Computer Science in Schools

Earlier this week, 2-17-2014, to be exact, I heard a piece on NPR, “A Push to Learn Computer Science Learning, Even at an Early Age,”  The import of the article laments that Computer Science is paid scant attention in the … Continue reading

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Math Requirements

Some time ago, long enough that the link has been lost, a high school friend in South Dakota sent me an interesting link to a guest editorial in a Watertown, South Dakota paper.   The author, Fred Deutsch, a school board … Continue reading

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HANSON’S HOLE

LeRoy Hanson’s basement apartment was  a block from campus.  You  climbed a half-flight of steps from the street, entered the side door of the trim grey bungalow, and descended into another world, not quite what our proper Lutheran college probably … Continue reading

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Time Machines

I came across this poem just now. It is an old favorite: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/16742 And here is the poet himself reading it aloud: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiDjqIEQb4M You will notice the misprint in line 9. It struck me as wrong, and Stafford’s reading is … Continue reading

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Lost Houses

There are houses out there somewhere.                                                                                  They    are out there, those houses. We knew them once but we lost them.                                                                                … Continue reading

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Jack Zasadil

Jack was right! On New Year’s Day, I heard a story on NPR about the Crazy Horse Monument in the Black Hills. I have been aware of this project since, as a child, I began to be aware of things … Continue reading

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Audience, Film Maker, Movie

A friend recently sent me this link: http://kriswrites.com/2012/12/26/the-business-rusch-the-all-important-fan-base/ The subject of the correspondence was Jack Reacher, a current Tom Cruise vehicle. Of course, there is more to this link than that. Kristine Kathryn Rusch is a novelist, writing under several … Continue reading

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Two Blogs of Note

I have recently come across two blogs that are noteworthy and that I recommend. The first is Diane Ravitch’s Blog: http://dianeravitch.net/  Diane Ravitch is probably best known for Death and Life of the Great American School System, a book which … Continue reading

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The Power of Allusion

When I was an undergraduate, I was a real hep cat, and I read Old Possum. Now, many years later, I am convinced the moon has indeed lost her memory, And I am still shaking this damned dead geranium.

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