Only at U.Chicago...

... could a geo-physicist professor take on a NY Times best selling econ professor and come out on top!

... could this attract 652 comments citing references to long forgotten academic papers!

Raymond Pierrehumber of the Geophysical sciences Dept. shreds Levitt's arguments on global warming here. Quoting easily available resources, he turns some of the arguments in 'Superfreakonomics' on their head. From what I have seen till now (and from 652 comments quoting every kind of academic journal and cross referenced studies), Levitt seems to have drawn some shoddy conclusions from superficial facts... a pity, because, Malcolm Gladwell already makes a living out of it. But seriously, c'mon, a Clark medallist couldnt have slipped up so badly... so much so that Liz Kolbert at the NYer tears it apart, quoting 18th century horseshit and Al Gore... sheesh. My GSB tee cringes while my U.Chicago flag flies high!

And if that wasnt enough, Krugman at the NY times gets all wistful that he isnt being allowed to do this....Awwwww.

Scathing, fascinating, Darwinian U.Chicago culture at it's best and no holy cows, not even the ones that win Clark medals... do check out the map at the end!

Try to praise...

Adam Zagajewski, whom I have never heard of before I received this mail from the U.Chi poetics list seems to have written an amazing poem here...a grey poem with just a glimmer of light to be served with wild strawberries and wine on what would be an otherwise pointless Monday morning...here's to hearing him read this Wednesday!

Try To Praise The Mutilated World
- Adam Zagajewski

Try to praise the mutilated world.
Remember June's long days,
and wild strawberries, drops of wine, the dew.
The nettles that methodically overgrow
the abandoned homesteads of exiles.
You must praise the mutilated world.
You watched the stylish yachts and ships;
one of them had a long trip ahead of it,
while salty oblivion awaited others.
You've seen the refugees heading nowhere,
you've heard the executioners sing joyfully.
You should praise the mutilated world.
Remember the moments when we were together
in a white room and the curtain fluttered.
Return in thought to the concert where music flared.
You gathered acorns in the park in autumn
and leaves eddied over the earth's scars.
Praise the mutilated world
and the grey feather a thrush lost,
and the gentle light that strays and vanishes
and returns.