Friday Varia and Quick Hits

It’s been a long two weeks since my last posting of some quick hits and varia, so they’re a bit backed up in my Evernote cue. Fortunately, it’s been so cold here that my links are still as fresh as the day they appeared in my browser. (And this link reminds us that it could be worse, but this sexy map reminds us that it could also be much better.)

(And if you need some archaeology inspired Valentine’s Day excitement, check out Natalia Vogeikoff-Brogan’s post on Carl Blegen’s love.)

So without much fanfare, check out this week’s varia and quick hits:

• First, a pair of hits from David Pettegrew’s blog. First, a brief overview of his long-gestating book project on the Isthmus of Corinth. I’ve been fortunate enough to read a draft of the manuscript, and it is good. And a link and short summary of the 2013 excavations at Corinth from the annual report of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.

• In keeping with the double links: here are two conferences on Byzantine topics. One is called Envisioning the Eucharist and the other is on the reception of Byzantium.

• More on the basilica discovered in Lake Iznik.

• The British School at Athens is looking for an Assistant Director.

• Industrial religion in Ancient Athens.

• Clooney on the Parthenon Marbles.

• The wrap up of the most recent collection of posts in the ongoing archaeological blogging carnival. Some good thoughts.

• The dark side of the subjunctive in Latin.

• Iraqi Heritage and modern monument men.

• Along similar lines, the Ur digitization project is still going strong.

• My colleague Chuck Miller weighs in on the recent discussion about camels in Genesis.

• Stupid ancient aliens.

• Life in an Athenian housing complex.

• For the other half, honey, olives, octopus.

• Kyle Cassidy photographed librarians and some of the really disappointing and frankly bizarre responses to it.

• What to do with an abandoned subway station in Paris.

• Some photos of abandoned Philadelphia.

• Do cities create their own (un)happiness?

• Aircraft wreck sites as scheduled ancient monuments.

• It sucks to discover bodies on campus.

• The Winter Olympics by the excellent guys at Professor Footnote.

• The graphic language of punk.

• A day in the life at Grado Labs. An iconic brand that doesn’t advertise.

• The death of expertise.

• Some nice GIFs and a cultural blooming in the Bakken.

• More MOOCtastic observations.

• Do any archaeologists out there use Medium?

• What I’m reading: M. L. Galaty; O. Lafe; W. E. Lee; Z. Tafilica, Light and shadow : isolation and interaction in the Shala Valley of northern Albania. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology 2013.

• What I’m listening to: Miles Davis, My Funny Valentine (Recorded 50 years ago this week); Bob Dylan, Times They Are A-Changin’ (Released 50 years go).

Bret Weber and I presenting the first talk at the new International Studies Speaker Series. 

And this is inching closer and closer to reality