From Suchakrey Koomplee ’17:
Want to study abroad in Germany but not quite sure yet what to do? Want to get to know more resources but not quite know how? Wonder what it would be like to live and study in Germany? Then come to this information Session! Professors from German Study Department and returning students from the programs will be there giving informations and lots of fun stories! Some pizzas and drinks will be served.
Date: Tues, Sept 16
Time: 12-1 PM
Place: Zelnick Pavilion
Are you writing a thesis? Does it feel like the sun may never again shine on your pretty little overloaded head?
CAREFUL with your misery metaphors. It turns out that, in yet another instance of science fiction threatening to turn into fact, “scientists [are] debat[ing] risks of SUN-BLOCKING and other climate tweaks to fight [global] warming,” as reported by a Huffington Post article entitled “Geoengineering: Scientists Debate Risks Of Sun-Blocking And Other Climate Tweaks to Fight Warming.” The article, which describes a recent conference of various stripes of scholars who convened in England to discuss “the planet’s fate,” ends with a scientist addressing the conference as follows: “I don’t know how many of us can sleep well tonight.” So, maybe one day, the sun really won’t shine anymore!
Not directly Wesleyan related, but hey, it puts things in perspective. And another “hey,” who knows, Connecticut could go dark as quick as anywhere else.
Ellen “Puffin” D’Oench ’73, Curator Emerita of the Davison Art Center, Adjunct Professor of Art History Emerita, and former trustee of Wesleyan University, died last week at the age of 78.
After graduating from Wesleyan in 1973, she received a Ph.D. from Yale in 1979 and served as the Curator of the Davison Art Center from 1979 to 1998. According to the recent all-campus email:
At Wesleyan, she taught courses on museum studies, the history of prints, and the history of photographs, and advised many tutorials and student-organized exhibitions at the Davison Art Center. D’Oench was a gifted scholar, a generous colleague, and an inspired teacher who sparked in many a love of prints and photographs. With the aid of gifts and funds raised by the Friends of the Davison Art Center, she expanded the renowned collection of the Davison Art Center by more than 5,000 objects, including significant photographs and contemporary prints.
D’Oench is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service will take place on Sunday, May 31, at 1:00 pm at Wesleyan’s Memorial Chapel. More information at the Doolittle funeral home.
This might be a good time for Americans to be thankful that our cities haven’t been subject to major terrorist attacks for awhile.
If anyone has friends or family in Mumbai, hope they’re safe.
BBC News: Mumbai Attacks
Paul Newman passed away on Friday at his home in Westport, Connecticut. A great actor, philanthropist, an all-around great guy:
NYTimes: Paul Newman, Magnetic Hollywood Titan, Dead at 83
Sad news for the literary world – influential writer David Foster Wallace, 46 years old, was found dead of suicide on Friday at his California home.
I haven’t been so ambitious as to tackle the 1,079-page “Infinite Jest“, which is by many accounts a sprawling, complex, darkly humorous masterpiece of postmodern literature, and now I will feel a little worse about this neglect.
Links:
NY Times obit: David Foster Wallace Found Dead
Salon: In Memory of David Foster Wallace, 1962-2008
Michiko Kakutani: Exuberant Riffs on a Land Run Amok
Ted Kennedy, this year’s supposed commencement speaker and MA Senator, was hospitalized for having stroke-like symptoms and surgery on his left cartoid artery (in the heart). Looks like Wes might have to get someone new to speak. Check out more here and thanks to Ross Shenker ’11 for the update!
Update (Mad, 2:15 pm): The New York Times is reporting that, according to a statement released from Washington, he suffered a seizure this morning but is now “resting comfortably”. Yahoo is saying that he “did not appear to have had a stroke as initially suspected.” Our hearts go out to his friends and family, and we wish him an easy recovery. Get well soon!
Update (Mad, 10:55 pm): The New York Times has updated their article to say:
A family spokeswoman said Saturday evening that Mr. Kennedy, 76, was “conscious, talking and joking with family” who had gathered at Massachusetts General Hospital. Several other Kennedy associates said they were told that the senator, Democrat of Massachusetts, would recover, but that he was scheduled to undergo tests to determine what caused the seizure.
Glad to hear it! While I assume Kennedy still won’t be able to come to speak at Commencement (though this is unconfirmed), and I think we’re all less enriched by not getting to hear him speak, I wish him all the rest he needs to get better.
