Hal Rothman...

died from complications due to ALS yesterday. Below is the notice from H-net and here is a nice article about him from the Las Vegas Sun.

Friends,

Below is a message sent out by the chair of the department of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

I am sure many of you knew Hal Rothman, and many more knew his wonderful work. He was a smart guy, a shrewd historian, a fine citizen, a wonderful father and husband, and, as he showed us in the last year and a half, a very, very brave man.

Personally, I'll miss my good friend. Few have been more fun to argue with.

Elliott West

It is my sad duty to inform you that our colleague, Hal Rothman, passedaway last night from ALS. Our sympathies go out to Lauralee, Bret, Talia ,and the rest of his family. Hal's funeral service has been scheduled forWednesday, February 28 at 3:00 p.m. at Palm Mortuaries in the Main Chapelat 7600 S. Eastern. Donations in Hal's name may be made to the ALSFoundation (I don't immediately have that address) or to Midbar KodeshTemple.

Midd College history dept bans Wikipedia

I kind of also find it fascinating that this article, which ran in the NYT, is the most-emailed article today.

four-legged duck

the article discusses his running prowess and stamina in handling media attention, but does not predict how he'll fare in water.

Junior! The Wendy's Guy!

For all those of us who have eaten at the Wendy's in the union, here's an intimate portrait of Junior. What a legend.

congratulations marvin!!

No Undergrad Left Behind

Anyone who's been frustrated by the cognitive results of TX's teach-to-the-test high school education, as embodied in UT students, will feel a shiver run down his or her spine at this news.

On a binary scale of 0 and offensive...

Check this poster for a show at a local venue.

In the red

A 4-disc collection of Soviet anti-capitalist propaganda films is out.

"Black and White," produced in 1933, depicted a highway with an endless row of blacks lynched on telephone poles. "The Millionaire," made in 1963, told the story of a rich American woman who leaves $1 million to her pet bulldog, who becomes so wealthy and powerful that he eventually is elected to Congress. And in the 1979 animated short "Shooting Range," a jobless American youth finds work in a carnival shooting gallery only to discover the evil, greedy owner is now charging double — for people to use the youth as target practice.

These films, rarely seen in the West, are among several dozen included in a four-disc DVD anthology titled "Animated Soviet Propaganda" that is being distributed by Kino International and Films by Jove. The collection retails for $89.

The anthology is divided into categories titled "American Imperialists," "Fascist Barbarians," "Capitalist Sharks" and "Onward to the Shining Future: Communism." The DVDs include interviews with Russian film school professors, directors and animators, including famed animator Boris Yefimov, who was 101 and died two years after being interviewed.

Sorry to be a one-note Nancy.

But.