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The Platypus Posts Again


Hi all,

It's been a while since I last managed a post. This have been busy around here, but not in a bad way. The Platypus, as ever, has been speaking Truth and assisting me in my pondering.

So what's new?

Urbana went well. My wife and I had a blast with the team and recruiting (even though I never worked for the company!). I definitely like the way World Team does business, and it was a pleasure to help out. We learned all about "St. Louis Style" pizza: thin crust, large toppings, and something like a layer of cheese whiz under the normal cheese. Very interesting...

School is going well as we approach finals. The kids have gotten down to business, and the worst of the discipline problems seem to be past. We'll see what happens when Summer Vacation gets closer, but for now I'm enjoying the break from "controlled chaos."

Speaking of education, I'm still working my way through "Guns, Germs, and Steal," a masterful, yet deeply flawed work. I've also picked up Machiavelli's "The Prince." It's much better, and surprisingly less ruthless than I thought it would be. We'll see. I'm only on page 50 so far; and no, the Platypus and I are not going to endorse his politics. ;-) I think we'll have some posts on these two authors in the future.

Comments

Linds said…
Guns Germs and Steel is that book that I keep reading about 70 pages of and then get interrupted by schoolwork. Let me know how it is and maybe I'll finish it someday!

And The Prince - I felt that way too, at first. It isn't the kind of wicked that slaps you in the face, but the kind that creeps into you like a cold day when you start out all bundled up, but the cold creeps in and you just can't get warm again.
7:24 PM
James said…
I agree with both your thoughts! I bought G.G.S. in August and I can only get through so many pages at a time. It's so dense! Ginzburg's "Cheese and the Worms" went so much faster, as did Said's "Orientalism." I think, the deeper I get into "The Prince," that that's the true danger of Machiavelli -just like Bismark- that they're in such frank earnestness about they're program.
8:28 PM
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