Monthly Archives: September 2010

Guest Blog: Islamic Science & the Renaissance

Posted on September 30, 2010 by

A dear friend and colleague on another blog site at which I am a founding member (Common Ground Group) has started a series on Islamic contributions to civilization. Given the fact that this is Banned Books week and the recent … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, Faith and Religion, History, Science | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Banned Books Week: Let’s Talk About Porn

Posted on September 30, 2010 by

Banned Books Week began on Sept. 25 this year, which is — apparently coincidentally — the day on which the original U.S. Bill of Rights was introduced into Congress in 1789. And it is the First Amendment to the U.S. … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading | 3 Comments

What’s Been the Effect of Banning My Stuff?

Posted on September 29, 2010 by

Whatever it was intended to do, banning things increases interest. Continue reading →


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Posted in Blogs, Poetry | 1 Comment

A Padawan’s Journal, Entry #22: Slang and Other Colorful Metaphors

Posted on September 29, 2010 by

Everybody uses slang. Or almost everybody. And I suspect that folks who insist they never use slang have their own version of it. If we don’t use any cultural slang, I suspect we make it up—I mean where else would … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, comics, science fiction, Star Wars, Writers on Writing | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Not Even Mein Kampf: Why Hateful Books Should Not Be Banned

Posted on September 28, 2010 by

In perusing the American Library Association’s list of banned and challenged books, I’m struck by the agenda underlying many of the objections. The general notion is that parents have a right, even an obligation, to prevent their children from reading … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

Banned Books Week: Gatekeeping

Posted on September 28, 2010 by

When I was a teenager living in southwestern Massachusetts I was a patron of the two local libraries.  I read my way through the kids’ section pretty early, and my mother wrote a note to the librarians at both libraries … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | 10 Comments

Banning Comic Books: A Very Short Review

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

There might be people somewhere who think of comics as ephemera, the funnies — diversions to be glanced at as you gulp down the morning coffee, or to distract the children on a car trip.  That is sooo last millennium!  … Continue reading →


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Writing Nowadays–Why the Pen Name?

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

On our panel today we have three authors: Steven Piziks, Steven Harper, and Penny Drake.  Mr. Piziks is known for his media tie-in books and short stories.  Mr. Harper is known for his science fiction novels.  Ms. Drake is an … Continue reading →


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Posted in Writers on Writing | 14 Comments

Banned Books Week: “Put her in the fire!”

Posted on September 26, 2010 by

“The world is tottering to ruin, evidence not merely of decrepitude, but of final collapse.” This was said by St. Cyprian, in the middle of the second century A.D. What causes social change? No way is there time or space … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, History, Publishing | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

The Free Cornish Army: Part Two

Posted on September 25, 2010 by

Photographs, Trouserware, and When Not to Blow Your Nose Following on from last week’s post about my attempt to find the publicity stunt for charity to end all publicity stunts, here’s part two of five. It’s 1974, a more innocent age, … Continue reading →


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Posted in Book View Cafe | Tagged , | 3 Comments