Author Archives: hessd

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About hessd

Here is all you need to know to follow this blog. I am an old man and I love to think about why we say the things we do. I've taught at the elementary, secondary, collegiate, and doctoral levels. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. I have taught political science for a long time and have practiced politics in and around the Oregon Legislature. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. You'll be seeing a lot about my favorite topics here. There will be religious reflections (I'm a Christian) and political reflections (I'm a Democrat) and a good deal of whimsy. I'm a dilettante.

Plainsong

Posted on October 30, 2015 by hessd

Tucked into Kent Haruf’s novel, Plainsong, is a small and powerful plot. Haruf’s writing is lovely throughout this small story, but a lot of what he writes could be described as “what it is like to live in Holt County, … Continue reading →

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Bridge of Spies

Posted on October 21, 2015 by hessd

I will establish, in what I am about to say, that I am a movie illiterate. Would that be an invidiot? I like movies a lot, but I have no training and so, no depth of understanding. However. I would … Continue reading →

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Mr Bennet’s Folly

Posted on October 18, 2015 by hessd

It is really hard to dislike Mr. _____ Bennet. [1] In the early scenes, he stands unmoved amid the hurricane force moods of his wife. The wife is so obnoxious that I felt an immediate admiration for Mr. Bennet just … Continue reading →

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Screwtape and Salience Games

Posted on October 11, 2015 by hessd

From the time I first read The Screwtape Letters (TSL), I have been intrigued by the way Screwtape plays with salience. And that was before I spent four very concentrated years at the University of Oregon studying salience. In this … Continue reading →

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The Moral Minority

Posted on October 6, 2015 by hessd

Molly Worthen writes in The New York Times (see the column here) that Donald Trump’s candidacy has exacerbated a split among evangelicals. She describes it like this. What is most striking is that Mr. Trump’s campaign has exposed a rift … Continue reading →

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Where did Cain’s Wife Come From?

Posted on October 5, 2015 by hessd

One of the enduring questions about reading the Bible, is how to read it with the same interests and worldview as the author of the story. [1] I know that way of saying it makes it sound easy. I apologize … Continue reading →

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Being the Sweep

Posted on September 30, 2015 by hessd

On every bike tour IBT (International Bicycle Tours) does, there is a Sweep. [1] On nearly every bike tour I have taken with IBT—the Danube (twice), Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium, the Rhine and the Mosel Rivers, and most recently … Continue reading →

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Went There. Did That.

Posted on September 25, 2015 by hessd

If there is some sort of annual contest for the worst blog title of the year, I might consider entering this one. [1] But I still like the title I wrote before Bette and I left for France. That title … Continue reading →

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Being. In Paris.

Posted on September 9, 2015 by hessd

I understand there is a lot to see in Paris. I’m going to be there for a few days in the next week or so. I’ve looked at some guidebooks and listened to the enthusiasm of friends who have visited, … Continue reading →

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Gay and Married in Kentucky

Posted on September 4, 2015 by hessd

I don’t want to be troublesome. Really I don’t. But this matter of the county clerk in Kentucky is just really interesting. I’d like to look at several other instances of defiance of the law, just so we have a … Continue reading →

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