Maybe not actually random, but any connecting threads may not be immediately obvious (and may be present only inside my head).

(1) Why are those of us in academia going along with this? We saturate the market, and those of us who are both good enough and lucky enough (and make no mistake, both are in play) to get the ever-elusive tenure-track gigs are still afraid to rock the boat until we’re given that imprimatur. So, why don’t those of us who are tenured agitate more? Oh, wait, we do…but even tenure isn’t enough to keep us from getting canned if The Powers That Be decree it so.

We can honor the memory of Prof. Vojtko by fighting – all of us, tenured and non-tenured, full-time and part-time, faculty and admin – for more full-time lines, honest and real tenure processes and protections, and a recommitting to the ideals of fairness, honest discussion, and academic freedom that made our universities the envy of the world.

(2) Why is Nelson Riddle so good as an arranger? (Mostly rhetorical.) His charts always work.

(3) Which of these (warning: link is a .pdf) papers would you like to know more about? I’m going there (flight and registration done today, working on a cheaper hotel in walking distance) and will report back.

(4) Why isn’t the fact that, y’know, the chemical weapons are likely coming out of Syria touted as more of a Good Thing?

(5) Haven’t I said enough?

WF