The Wall

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Was the Protestant Reformation a mistake?

Was the Protestant Reformation a mistake?
Was the Protestant Reformation a mistake?

I’m sure there are as many perspectives on this as there are books about Reformation. At present, there are 3,851 items on the subject of reformation just in BC Libraries (bit.ly/BC-reformation). It might be hard to establish a definitive yes/no answer, but if there is one, reading 3,851 books is probably where to begin.

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Isn’t political correctness conservative?

Isn't political correctness conservative?
Isn’t political correctness conservative?

I would perhaps encourage a different view from the typical conservative/liberal dichotomy. “Political Correctness” is the effort of some to use the terminology that various groups prefer when being the topic of discussion. It is always going to be fraught with disagreement, exception, and change. At one point the correct term was “Native American”, although many now prefer “American Indian”; at one point “transvestite” was acceptable, though now the term is “transgender”; “Negro” to “Black” to “African American” and (for some) back again to “Black”; “oriental” to “Asian American” to actually using individual’s ethnicity of origin, etc. Political correctness is all about respecting the dignity of the group or of the individual when speaking to or about them. To that extent, respecting human dignity through “policial correctness” is a shared value between conservatives and liberals.

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Why is it the case that stuff that’s hailed as “smart” tends to be a sophisticated defense of the exisiting order?

Why is it the case that stuff that's hailed as "smart" tends to be a sophisticated defense of the exisiting order?
Why is it the case that stuff that’s hailed as “smart” tends to be a sophisticated defense of the exisiting order?

Some people benefit from the existing order, and are apt to celebrate those who defend it. Plenty of smart thinking is against the grain, though: Freud, Einstein, Jane Addams, Martin Luther King. We think of them as “the order” now, but they took a whole lot of flak for their disruptive ideas. In fact some (especially King) are misremembered as defending an order, when most of what he said & wrote criticized it.

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Do you draw a circle the left way or right way?

Do you draw a circle the left way or right way? (Circle)
Do you draw a circle the left way or right way? (Circle)

A recent study has shown that most of the world draws them counterclockwise (left), but some Asian countries draw them clockwise (right). See: bit.ly/CirclesselcriC

True! As an Asian I approve this message.
True! As an Asian I approve this message.

Did you have to draw a circle (or at least mentally draw a circle) to remember which way you do it? That might be the universal truth of circle drawing.

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Why is BC ignoring the importance of art?

Why is BC ignoring the importance of art? Look around O'Neill and I don't see any art-related things around us. And I think the art department is just a side program that nobody values.
Why is BC ignoring the importance of art? Look around O’Neill and I don’t see any art-related things around us. And I think the art department is just a side program that nobody values.

I can’t speak BC’s valuation of the art program, but the libraries encourage art displays and frequently host artistic and educational exhibits. All of the BC Libraries have exhibit spaces. Check out the “Trapped In The Middle” photo exhibit showing now at both O’Neill and the SWL, and the colorful Alfred Manessier print exhibit at the TML. In O’Neill, students can display art on the first floor, and proposals are welcome for use of other spaces. Did you see the ceramics exhibit in the lobby last fall?

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I want to learn GIS and how to use it. Does BC have resources for this?

I want to learn GIS and how to use it. Does BC have resources for this? Or online course suggestions? (I'm a 2nd semester senior, so I can't take a class here later.)
I want to learn GIS and how to use it. Does BC have resources for this? Or online course suggestions? (I’m a 2nd semester senior, so I can’t take a class here later.)

Unfortunately we don’t have any GIS sessions happening this semester. But you can always learn more on the Data LibGuide: library.bc.edu/dataservices. If you click the “Get Help” link on the left side of the page, you can make an appointment with one of our two data librarians. They’ll walk you through getting started and talk to you about some of the different options you have to learn more.

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Where did the post about mouse on 4th F go? …

Where did the post about mouse on 4th F go? I haven't read the response yet.
Where did the post about mouse on 4th F go? I haven’t read the response yet.

They’re devious, aren’t they! But they haven’t managed to chew their way into my blog, so you can always check the answers there: library.bc.edu/answerwall/ . I did have my assistants alert the folks who alert the exterminators.