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Rest to Work or Work to Rest?

The N.C.A.A. has taken an image-beating in recent years. Angry critics of its alleged exploitation of student athletes have been relentless in their attacks on both the institution and its leadership. Chief among those who bear the liberally dealt blows is Dr. Mark Emmert, president of the N.C.A.A. In a recent article devoted primarily to the psychological toll that the job and its pressures have taken on him, the Times sought to expose something of his complicated character and work. Dr. Emmert, a heavily-compensated, highly capable, would-be reformer, seems simply to be the most prominent face of a incredibly complicated, clumsily democratic, and highly bureaucratic business that exceeds the capacities of any one man. To cope with the stresses of this life, Dr. Emmert compensates in charming fashion: “To help keep calm, Dr. Emmert meditates and visits his home on Whidbey Island in Washington. He has been taking a butchery class.” Continue Reading »

ISI’s Paolucci Book Award

ISI is currently taking nominations for its Henry and Anne Paolucci Book Award. This award honors the best book of conservative scholarship published in 2013. You can read more about the award at paolucci.isi.org

The deadline is today: Friday, May 16. The more suggestions, the merrier!

Email suggestions Jed Donahue at jdonahue@isi.org, and be sure to include the names of the books.

Mad Men Gone Schizoid

Season Seven, Episode Five (“The Runaways”): A very disjointed episode of Mad Men. Don Draper is marginal to most of its action; two watchable characters (Roger Sterling and Joan Harris) are absent from it entirely; and we endure two eruptions of gratuitous weirdness, one in the form of kinky sex, the other in the form of sexualized mutilation. Altogether, we find the story de-centered and distinctly schizoid. Continue Reading »

Megan Must Go

Season Seven, Episode Three: A very eventful episode of Mad Men. Two story arcs move us forward, though one (strangely compelling one) does not. Are Don and Megan Draper finally over? In the major arc before the first commercial break, Don speaks long-distance to Megan’s agent and learns that . . . . Continue Reading »

For Love or Money

Episode Two of this season’s Mad Men could have been titled “For Love or Money.” On Valentine’s Day 1969, some of the folks at Sterling, Cooper & Partners are clearly doing their jobs just for the money. Others are doing their jobs for love of the job, or for love of someone on the job. Continue Reading »

Upcoming Events Roundup — 4.17.14

St. Francis of Assisi and the Western Tradition Friday–Saturday, April 25–26 New York, New York Another great April event from the Thomistic Institute: A series of lectures with Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Francesca Murphy, Roger Scruton, R. R. Reno, Carol Zaleski, and Philip Zaleski. . . . . Continue Reading »

Pittsburgh Reader’s Group

Attention all First Things readers in greater Pittsburgh: Loyal reader Bill Stickman would like to organize a ROFTERs (Readers of First Things) group to meet each month to discuss articles in the current issue. If you’re interested, please contact Bill by . . . . Continue Reading »

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