This blog is a collection of thoughts and observations of Andis Kaulins. Being an anti-blog, it will not allow the posting of comments. Anyone who agrees with what Andis thinks, disagrees with what Andis thinks, or wants to start a correspondence with Andis, is welcome to email Andis at andiskaulins@qq.com
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Friday, December 6, 2024
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Facts not Criticsl Thinking Skills
Heather McDonald on a podcast said that school should be cramming facts down students heads and not trying to teach them critical thinking. On the basis of this critical thinking teaching being a recent education innovation, I would have to agree. These courses that teach Critical Thinking are as dull as dishwasher to teach, even if the students English level was adequate enough to understand the course material.
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Simone Weil
Reading Milosz, I saw that he had encountered the writings of Simone Weil and was impressed by her. So, I found a copy of Gravity & Grace and added to my currently reading file on my books app.
I also found some podcasts about her on my Podbean app. The podcasts were disappointing. One was done out of San Francisco. When I heard this, I wanted to give up on the episode right away. But it was a short one so I gave it a listen. It was done in a PBS style and was about as annoying as you could imagine. It said that despite her Christianity…. Another podcast had some academic philosophers, or rather people with philosophy degrees working in a university, who had affected verbose manner of speaking. They didn’t like the Priest Father Perrin who they labeled as a right wing Catholic. No mention of Weil’s liking the poem Love by George Herbert.
Evelyn Waugh didn’t much care for Weil. He said that she was a clever girl but…. My favorite blogger David Warren, however. has blogged about her in a more admiring way.
I find her story fascinating. I wonder if a movie has ever been done about her.
Thoughts on Thursday
Thursday is the day after Hump Day. It is better than Wednesday if you believe in the concept of Hump Day so why doesn’t it have an even more affectionate nickname? And what nickname would you give it? Is there a part of some animal’s anatomy it resembles? And what do you call the bit between the top of the slope and the bottom? Or do you have to dump the concept of the work day being a symmetrical hill and coin a nickname for Thursday based on a different shape for the week? Could the week be shaped even more symmetrically with the crest or peak on the Thursday? Thursday could then be affectionately and lovingly called Peakday or Crestday.
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Monday, December 2, 2024
Mother Angelica #1
“There is no other. Only Jesus is Savior. Only Jesus is the Messiah. Only Jesus is Lord. Only Jesus prepares a place for us in eternity.”