Author Archives: Timothy Burke

Schneier and Hawley

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Directed from BoingBoing, I’ve been reading the installments of Bruce Schneier’s illuminating interview with TSA head Kip Hawley. I give Hawley some credit for agreeing to do the interview: not that many bureaucrats would agree to this kind of public … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 1 Comment

Institutional Cultures and External Missions

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I’m generally not drawn to arguments about the discrepancy between a politician’s personal behavior and their public political positions, unless those political positions are already directed at personal or private behavior. If you’re a conservative politician who wants to legislate … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellany, Politics | 4 Comments

It’s Not the Size, It’s What You Do With It

Posted on July 31, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Endowments, that is. Large endowments for universities and colleges are not in and of themselves a problem or an embarassment, nor should institutions with large endowments hesitate to try and increase the size of their endowment still further both through … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia | 18 Comments

Let’s Not Mince Words

Posted on July 24, 2007 by Timothy Burke

The US Senate is being “tough” on Gonzalez, but it comes down to this: either Gonzalez or Comey is lying. They need to ask him straight up: are you calling Comey a liar? No more of this postmodern “you have … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 5 Comments

Harry Potter as Complex Event

Posted on July 24, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I’m editing a long section of my manuscript that argues for seeing European colonialism in Africa, and specifically indirect rule, as an emergent, complex-system kind of institution. There are some really overt explanatory and causal arguments that come with this … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Books, Popular Culture | 23 Comments

The Trouble With Harry

Posted on July 23, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Harry Reid will really lose any semblance of enthusiastic support from me if he can’t muster the good sense to get out of the RIAA’s pocket. The Democrats have got to get clear on this point in general. You can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Information Technology and Information Literacy, Politics | 1 Comment

Look With Care at the Shape of the Square

Posted on July 23, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I’m reading David Christian’s Maps of Time, which I’ll probably comment on more extensively here soon. One small point that caught my attention while reading, however. Christian claims at one point, without a specific attributed sourcing, that sedentary and early … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Africa | 7 Comments

Go Ahead and Talk

Posted on July 23, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Further discussion of Harry Potter in the comments. Don’t read if you want to avoid spoilers. Good reading about the book at Russell Arben Fox’s blog and Unfogged. Any mysteries, oddities, etc. you want cleared up? Let’s work on that, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Popular Culture | 40 Comments

Most Annoying?

Posted on July 22, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Well, Swarthmore’s in the running for Gawker’s most annoying liberal arts college. I agree with one commenter, though. How the HELL did Dartmouth not get on this list? Outrageous. Also, in the interest of political balance, St. John’s should totally … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia | 12 Comments

Liveblogging Harry Potter (No Major or Direct Spoilers)

Posted on July 21, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Creepy. Plus: he’s bad! Please, Rowling, you aren’t going to do something that cliched are you? The eye had better not be what I think it is. Hey, he’s kind of nice for once. Sort of sweet. Wow, big action … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Popular Culture | 24 Comments