More Proof That Splice Today is an Excellent Site!

As I've noted here before, I'm a big fan of Splice Today, the brainchild of alt-press legend Russ Smith (of Baltimore City Paper, Washington City Paper, and New York Press renown). Full disclosure: Splice Today has been kind to your humble narrator and Matt Welch as well.

Here's a coupla-three recent articles worth reading:

Why Are Movie Fans So Sensitive?: A recent blog post by Roger Ebert perpetuates the ridiculous idea that film critics' likes and dislikes matter more than their knowledge of movies

Bring the Terrorists to Maryland: Someone has to end the ridiculous charade surrounding the placement of Guantanamo detainees.

Don't Have Sex With Your Students: Why is this the first piece of advice that new T.A.'s get?

Russ Smith (not pictured below) appeared on a zippy episode of the Reason.tv Talk Show, hosted by me and Michael C. Moynihan. Watch below or go here:

Comments

[Spartacus]

I'm curious, though: have you ever slept with a professor or a T.A.? I can't remember ever having a crush on a prof before, prolly because they're all OLDS and I'm not so into the daddy thing.

They're not into you either, sweetie. Learn to talk like an adult and you may get some attention from one someday.

[Alan Vanneman]

In "Don't Have Sex With Your Students: Why is this the first piece of advice that new T.A.'s get?", Madison Moore snickers

"Because obviously the first thing I do when I enter a classroom isn't taking role, it's when I think: "Alright, which of you twinks iz gonna be my sex slave?"

Guess you ain't teaching, u no, SPELLING, eh, beeoch?

[Alan Vanneman]

O MY GOD! I'm starting to think like Spartacus!

[Dagny T.]

I'm curious, though: have you ever slept with a professor or a T.A.?

I definitely wanted to bang my hot, Turkish Middle East Politics prof. While he would be talking about Edward Said, I'd be shamelessly orientalizing him.

Also, this Mr. Moore, like, totes writes the way my friends talk. And stuff.

[John]

So, I don't have time to watch the whole thing. Is the moderately cute blond talking about banging her TAs at some point during it?

[Spartacus]

Alan--

Don't worry about it. Just keep looking at the watch. See how it swings, back and forth, back and forth...

[I, Kahn O\'Clast]

Yes Madison, you probably don't think about which of your students you would like to "bang" but your Male TA compatriots do -- even if they do not necessarily act on it.

[stuartl]

Short version of "Why Are Movie Fans So Sensitive?," by Lingan:

You proles! Don't you know that you should watch several movies a week and examine the all of the possible deep meanings they have? You ...people continue to misunderstand just what film reviews and criticism are meant to be. It is definitely not to see whether you should spend your time and money on deciding what to see. Reviews are ...one more opportunity to think through different questions, or engage with a director's work, or to talk about my own opinions and interests through the filter of movies.

Unlike those of us who are truly high-minded ...Ebert writes for a daily paper, where film coverage is a matter of record-keeping and presumed public interest. Can you believe that a writer for the hoi polloi had the nerve to praise Armond White's knowledge and writing, but ...conclude that White is, as charged, a troll. A smart and knowing one, but a troll. Ebert should ...have some serious emotional/intellectual investment in movies and knowledge thereof, and as such they should be feverishly anticipating Armond White's weekly Press essays. Doesn't he recognize that we are his superiors and his is merely the lowly job of telling the common readers whether they might enjoy (harumph!) a film or not.

[EscapedWestofTheBigMuddy]

Don't Have Sex With Your Students

Should I be insulted that no one ever gave me this advice?

And though I've taught a few cute ones, and some smart ones, and some adult one, and maybe even a couple of cute, smart, adult ones, the added social awkwardness of having a teacher/student relationship would have been enough to derail anything that might have started.

"Added" because I never was the Cool Kid in any case.

[Spartacus]

When I started teaching in grad school, they gave me a copy of the textbook and syllabus, and pointed me toward the classroom. We never got any advice, much less useful advice. I survived because my mother was a high school teacher and I already knew more or less what to do.

As inadequate as TA training still is, in most cases it is a lot better than it used to be.

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

I had a year of substitute teaching in the secondary schools near my parents home before starting grad school.

TA'ing an introductory physics lab is a cake walk next to a room full of 7th graders.

Damn but I *hate* seventh graders.

[Rimfax]

I like the interview technique where you interrupt and talk over the guests while they are trying to give interesting answers.

[ChrisH]

Speaking of... BRING BACK THE TALK SHOW!

I know you and The Moyn have been busy shooting the Swedish language versions, but your audience awaits... and waits.

Or, are there actually no more libs to interview? Quasi-libs? Pseuso-libs? Quasi-pseudo-libs' roomates?

Or did the whole David Frum chair-throwing incident make the liability insurance too high?

[Stephen]

FWIW, Madison is purposively misspelling a number of words, blending gay slang and internet slang. And I think it's to quite good effect; comes off as entertaining and clever. It seems like he's a bit misunderstood here.

[Douglas Fletcher]

'bring the terrorists to Maryland'

Feed them on french fries and gravy. They'll be so constipated in two weeks they'll convert to Buddhism.