Unfortunately, I only got about a day to relish my completion of the MA before I found out that my Columbia summer funding application was denied, which means another summer of scrounging for remunerative employ in the Dubya economy. At least this time around, I did a slightly better job of preparing for this worst-case scenario, and have one freelance assignment already lined up. That being said, if any readers out there know of any temporary writing or research gigs in the offing, let me know.
Month: April 2003
Only a Master of Evil, Darth.
Having – finally – finished the research paper on Herbert Croly that has been weighing on me lo these many months (I’ll probably post it here once I’ve received some professorial feedback), I’ve now completed all the requirements for the masters degree and should be receiving an MA next month. Next stop on the PhD train, the MPhil, which I’ll receive upon completing my orals exams (based on the absorption of 250 or so history books) sometime in the winter. I hope to have some interactive fun with the whole process and to post the lists somewhere on this site, with commentary on each book as I get through them. But we’ll see…the best laid plans of mice and men and all that.
In the Summertime.
Entertainment Weekly posts a number of new stills from the upcoming summer cinema crop, including new looks at Reloaded, The Hulk, and a host of others.
Incommunicado.
Still enjoying their post-Iraq high, the Dubya White House decides they no longer have to answer questions from the press or anyone else. I’m reminded of the zinger posted here: “Ari Fleischer is the first press secretary in American History whose conferences result in a net loss of information.”
Beam him up.
This has already been mentioned all over the place, but I still want to go on record as being 110% behind the idea of Paul Allen’s new Sci-Fi museum. If done right, the SFE should be more fun than you can shake a stick at.
Original Sin.
As per usual, DC/Vertigo screws up another potential movie franchise. Not only is Hellblazer‘s John Constantine now American, he’s Keanu. That’s just shameful.
Patriot Games.
Among its many, many, MANY faults, apparently Patriot Act II also guts the Clean Air Act. Bizarre. In related news, Attorney-General Ashcroft finds an unlikely ally in NY Senator Chuck Schumer.
Prrreciousss…
News of The Two Towers (theatrical version) DVD (due August 26) breaks over at TORN.Net, with all kinds of enticing screen caps and sundry goodies. Apparently, the TTT-EE will show up Nov. 18, giving us a month of geek-out time before ROTK. Update: More information here, including Quicktime shorts of the (very nice) animated menus and the look of the EE packaging (It might look familiar.)
A New Enemy.
Toning down on the Syria talk, the Bushies instead decide to invoke their post-Iraq mojo to launch a sneak attack on the economy, vis a vis the now phased-in Dubya Dividend Debacle. It’s not conservative to give out tax handouts to the rich during a time of exploding deficits, y’all. It’s radical.
Waving the Bloody Shirt.
Team Dubya unveil their 4-part 2004 electoral strategy: 1) visit NYC, 2) wallow in 9-11 nostalgia, 3) invoke the never-ending war, and then 4) spend money like it’s going out of style. I dunno…I could see a WTC memorial campaign seriously backfiring, particularly if the economy is in the toilet. And a late start by Dubya should give the Democratic candidate some time to get his (or her) house in order after what’s sure to be an ugly primary. Speaking of which, on the other side of the aisle, the nine Dems will be holding their first debate next week on ABC…It begins.