The Unpopular Diner has a soup and sandwich special today: waterlogged Life cereal and a hot dog! Epistemology is fun but maybe not the best way to make menu or life choices?
Is cereal soup?
Is there any good translations of Chinese poems?
Here’s what we have at BC Libraries: bit.ly/BC-chinese-poetry. You’ll note that the call numbers are all similar: PL2250–PL3208 (on O’Neill level 4) is Chinese literature. One of my assistants recommends The New Directions Anthology of Classical Chinese Poetry, with translations by many well-known American poets (O’Neill Library PL2658.E3 N46 2003) so you can see a variety of translation styles and decide for yourself.
Why does Commencement Ball have so limited tickets for the senior class?
According to the Commencement FAQ: “…tickets are not required for the main ceremony or diploma ceremonies in normal weather conditions. In case of severe weather, some diploma ceremonies are held inside or under tents requiring tickets.” That is surely because of space limitations in tents and indoor venues.
My apologies! I mis-read the question. (I’m only human… well, I’m not, but I do have very occasional lapses of attention.) I will have my assistants look into the limit. In the meantime, I would assume the limit has to do with the legal capacity of the space where the ball is held.
Are there any place in Boston to hang out with gay friends?
Downtown Boston is generally LGBTQ-friendly, so you can go to most places and hang out with your friends without much trouble. If you’re 25yo or younger and want a LGBTQ-only space, check out the programs sponsored by BAGLY. Lots of resources on their site: www.bagly.org
Why do people of the United States call themselves “Americans”? …
If we were called United States-ians, it wouldn’t really roll off the tongue as well. To the extent that peoples in other countries in the North and South American continents are also members of those continents, they can reasonably call themselves “North Americans” and “South Americans” in the same way that other people around the world call themselves “Europeans”, “Africans”, “Asians”, and “Australians”. Though no one really calls themselves after multi-continent land masses; “Eurasians” isn’t a popular rallying cry despite the existence of Russia and Turkey. Calling people from the USA “Americans” is simply a useful, easy-to-pronounce shorthand for “people from the United States of America”. And, to be fair, the USA is the only country in North or South America to also have the word “America” in its name.
Why do the Jesuits are so elitists? …
Indeed, we would all do better to have a bit more humility. I think many of the Jesuits on campus would take exception to the characterization of them as “elitist,” especially given that Father Leahy lives in a small, modestly furnished apartment, not the palatial home of most college presidents. If you’d like to discuss more about the Jesuit faith and why they do things a certain way, I would encourage you to contact campus ministry: bit.ly/BC-ministry.
I hear voices…
If you’re hearing voices that don’t exist, and it is disturbing you, I suggest you check in with Counseling Services: bit.ly/BC-counseling. If you’re hearing actual voices and it’s disturbing you, try studying on Level Five – our quiet floor.
Don’t you agree that the Jesuits should give back to Boston’s cardinal his house on Brighton Campus …
Museums are wonderful spaces for the community. Cardinal O’Malley himself quickly moved out of the home, even when the diocese owned it. Given that, and the fact that the property was sold to fund a settlement for hundreds of children abused by members of the Archdiocese, it would seem in poor taste to give it back. With Boston College as the ultimate purchaser, one could consider the matter a simple shifting of columns in the total balance of items the Catholic Church owns. The Catholic News Agency has more: bit.ly/BCLandSale
Why Boston College does not have residence halls for graduate students?
I’ve had my assistants send a message to my friends at the Office of Residential Life to find out.
Any good shoegaze albums not made by My Bloody Valentine?
I recommend giving these a listen: Ride – Nowhere / Seefeel – Quique / Verve – A Storm in Heaven / Boo Radley’s – Giant Steps
“Canada Gooses” or “Canada Geese” ???
I think it’s Canada Gosling.
全 面 小 康 (quán miàn xiǎo kāng: to build a well-off society in an all-round way) …
To build a well-off society in an all-around way, and to move towards prosperity are laudable goals. Let’s all ensure, with all of the means at our disposal, that our representatives carry out the goals they proclaim.
Can you name every vending machine…?
Sadly, I cannot. There are limits even to my knowledge. However, you can probably call the service number on one of the machines with it and see if they can tell you more.
Does BC have Digital Art Workshops for the Digital Studio?
Not this semester. My friends in the Digital Studio have been a little understaffed recently, so they’ve had to scale back on workshops. I’m told that they have new staff coming on board this summer and should be able to ramp up for the Fall. I’ll be sure to pass on the demand for digital art workshops!
If P=MC and E = MC^2 how does P = √E ?
Unfortunately, this sounds a bit like a homework question, so I’m going to decline to answer for now. However, I will note that my friend’s proof above is not the correct path. The correct form of the equation is E=M*(C^2), but the helper has assumed (or incorrectly stated), that E=(M*C)^2 in their proof. You cannot root both sides cleanly: √E=(√M)*C.
These are all correct. I’m honestly unsure that P can equal √E. But any physics faculty member can probably help answer that definitively.
Opinion on Vatican II?
I’ve heard rumors of some elderly walls grumbling about the lack of Latin, but it seems like it’s been a boon for the Church in encouraging new parishioners in many locales around the world, which was one of its intended effects, I believe. For more details, check the 1,172 items we have in our collection on the topic: bit.ly/BC-vatican-2
How are the Latin honors at graduation calculated for the Class of 2020 and 2021?
I’ll have my assistants check and get back to you.
The details are here under “Degrees with honors”( bit.ly/NewBCHonors ): For 2020: summa for the top 4.5% of the class, magna for the next 9.5%, and cum laude for the next 15% (at the end of 2nd semester senior year.) In 2021: Summa for GPA of 3.9–4.0, magna for 3.8–3.899, cum laude for 3.667–3.799.
Spring Break @ Orlando…
Sadly I’m don’t travel around much (although I have been known to go to some Boston-area conferences in the past). I’m going to have to sit this one out I think.
I wanted to study abroad in Spring 2021…
You had better check in with the Office of International Programs right away! Phone: (617)-552-3827; Email: oip@bc.edu
How can I love someone who has trust issues? …
Trust is the soil of love. Without it, love withers and dies. Real talk: when someone can’t trust someone who loves them unconditionally, there are two possibilities: one, he doesn’t love you, or two, something in his life damaged his ability to extend trust. Trust is risky, and takes the willingness to be vulnerable. If he can’t do that, move on. There’s a third possibility, and it’s the hardest one to look in the eye: you don’t love him unconditionally; you love a version of him that you want him to be.