Jacob Bender's Blog, page 20

Lord of the Rings Revisited

So a couple old college friends of mine and I have decided that another fun way to keep in touch while we're scattered across the country is to re-read the Lord of the Rings trilogy of our youth, and post individual reviews of each chapter to a shared blog.  It's called Lord of the Rings Revisited.  I think it's gonna be a ton of fun.  Perhaps you would like to follow along too?

Wild Washington; or, The Living Pacific Northwest

In the Pacific Northwest, it is always better to be outside.  I've learned this.

Whenever you're feeling down, or lethargic, or uninspired, in the Northwest you but need to step outside a moment and breath in deep, and that richly oxygenated air will fill up your lungs, awaken your soul, and press thickly against your skin, as you feel renewed and rejuvenated immediately.  Even when it's raining--especially when it's raining--it is always better to be outside in the Northwest! ...

A Defense of Community College: Theory vs Praxus

Admittedly, when I first started ajduncting at Salt Lake Community College a few years back, it was just a job: we were still smack dab in the middle of the worst recession in 70 years, and I had just barely finished an MA in English--a barely employable degree even in a good economy!  At the time, I was just happy to pay the rent.  I treated the whole experience as the first step on some ladder, as though I were starting at the bottom.

But the community college atmosphere quickly gr...

A Report on an Experiment: Flying Out of Chicago Instead of Cedar Rapids

Hypothesis:

It is ultimately cheaper and worth the hassle to take the Megabus to Chicago and fly direct out of O'Hare, instead of flying out of Cedar Rapids?

Conclusion:

No.

Experiment Background:

The nearest airport to Iowa City is Cedar Rapids, which is a half-hour drive away, so you better hope you have friends available to pick you up or drop you off--it's either that, or pony up the $40-odd to take an airport shuttle.  But even then, all that tiny airport does is put you on a little regi...

On Aspergers and Abstraction

As you might imagine, having a brother with Aspergers has given me some unique perspective into the human condition.  Though I'm no expert (at least not in the academic sense) of Asbergers, I have observed that my brother struggles most with Abstract thought, which disrupts his ability to pick up social cues, make decisions, and process information, among other things.

In fact, I dare say that impaired abstract thought is not just a symptom, but the core characterstic of his condition. ...

On Asbergers and Abstraction

As you might imagine, having a brother with Asbergers has given me some unique perspective into the human condition.  Though I'm no expert (at least not in the academic sense) of Asbergers, I have observed that my brother struggles most with Abstract thought, which disrupts his ability to pick up social cues, make decisions, and process information, among other things.

In fact, I dare say that impaired abstract thought is not just a symptom, but the core characterstic of his condition. ...

Jonathan Franzen and the Fear of the '90s

It's easy to see why much of American culture is currently in the thrall of '90s revivalism (beyond the standard cycle of generational nostalgia): compared to the 21st-century, the '90s seem like a time of peace and posterity.  After all, it was post-Cold War and pre-9/11; America was the world's sole, undisputed super-power; we were at peace with every major nation; our wars were minor and the stakes (for us at least) were low; the economy was robust, the middle-class large, the stock m...

The Midwest on the Actual West

We grad students at Iowa were going round the table for some visiting professor; we were bidden to give our names, research interests, and that vague "something interesting about yourself." Before we were half done, it became clear that we were each jumping in and saying what we thought was interesting about our classmate for them, such that by the time it was my turn, I said simply, "Well, what's interesting about me, guys?" 

One classmate immediately said, "Well, Jacob's lived in Idaho...

Spirit Airlines is the Absolute Worst

Guys, I have totally found the worst airline ever!  It's Spirit.  Listen up:

They suck you in by having the cheapest tickets...except they totally don't!  They charge for carry-ons (serious, what kind of dirtbag charges for carry-ons?!  Their fellow scoundrels at Frontier and Allegiance do the same, take note!), and then they have the audacity to cheerfully advertise "no hidden bag charges" on their website!  I guess, to be fair, they're honest, for their charges aren'...

Ring Out Wild Bells

Alfred Tennyson published in 1849:

"Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die."

That line "Ring out wild bells" also serves as the title and chorus of a U2 song:



Which tune appears on the same 1983 album as:


All of which is just a round about way of saying: Happy New Year!