Friday Night Salon

The new salon topics are in! Quick! I need your input!

Discussion topics for November 2, 2007:

1. What is the future of the book?
2. Does America have a "national identity"? Can it? Should it?
3. To cause or increase suffering is always unethical.

Friday Night Salon

The salon topics are in for this Friday! As always, I SO appreciate your input. I like to take your (my personal community's) ideas to the salon where they are genuinely heard by the salon community and then by each individual's personal community, as that person carries our ideas home.

Discussion topics for October 5, 2007:
1. Is "dumbing down" inevitable in a democracy?*
2. Does a society's treatment of its incarcerated reflect its values?
3. What is the future of the book?

*We've already talked about #1 here, but haven't addressed it at the salon yet. Posted in the comments are your initial thoughts on #1. Please feel free to add to/tweak your ideas. The rest are new topics this week!

Enjoy!

It's Friday Night Salon Time!

The first Dallas Institute Salon of the season is upon us, and the topics this time are extremely accessible! I am already forming my points/opinions, but I need your help, as always. Feel free to comment on any and all of the following. Remember there is not a right or a wrong, and each idea is heard, not for debate, but for active consideration in an effort to achieve a better overall understanding. Here we go! :)

Discussion topics for September 7, 2007:
1. What underlies our unease about immigration?
2. Paris, Britney, J-Lo: why are we so fascinated?
3. Is "dumbing down" inevitable in a democracy?

See the rules of salon on the website bulletin board here.

Friday Night Salon

We are surrounded by language every day, but how often do we encounter real conversation? Although we read newspapers, screens, and books, engage in small talk or argument, the pace of our lives is such that the simple gestures of listening carefully and speaking prudently are amazingly rare. The Friday Night Salon aims at being an antidote to the urban pace that denies the civilizing graces of community. We begin with good food and drink, then take our places in a circle for discussion about a variety of topics. It's a welcome way to end the typical Dallas workweek. Topics for each Salon will be listed on the Institute website bulletin board.

Discussion topics for May 4, 2007:

1. Are violence and religion inescapably linked?

2. What is the purpose of public education in the U.S.?

3. Is altruism possible? Could or should a government practice it?

(Moderated by Dr. Larry Allums)

Feel free to talk about one or two of the topics. I know some of you already responded to #1 last salon. See the comments.

Friday Night Salon Topics

Moderated by Dr. Larry Allums

We are surrounded by language every day, but how often do we encounter real conversation? Although we read newspapers, screens, and books, engage in small talk or argument, the pace of our lives is such that the simple gestures of listening carefully and speaking prudently are amazingly rare. The Friday Night Salon aims at being an antidote to the urban pace that denies the civilizing graces of community. We begin with good food and drink, then take our places in a circle for discussion about a variety of topics. It's a welcome way to end the typical Dallas workweek. Topics for each Salon will be listed on the Institute website bulletin board.

Discussion topics for April 13, 2007:

1. The defining adjective of American culture is "excessive." True or False?
2. What is the future of work on planet Earth?
3. Are violence and religion inescapably linked?

Any input?

Friday Night Salon

Discussion topics for March 2, 2007:

1. What are the role and function of a presidential library?

2. Is immigration good for a democracy?

3. The defining adjective of American culture is "excessive." True or False?


OK, blogfriends, give me some foundational input here, especially since all I can think of for the first topic is that scene in Zoolander when Ben Stiller says, "How can we be expected to teach children how to read good when they can't even fit inside the building."

My reenactment of anything Zoolander might not be very welcome at the salon... I should probably stay away from Idiocracy, Spaceballs, and The Three Amigos as well:

El Guapo: Would you say I have a plethora of pinatas?

Jefe: A what?

El Guapo: A plethora.

Jefe: Oh yes. You have a plethora.

El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora?

Jefe: Why, El Guapo?

El Guapo: You told me I have a plethora, and I just would like to know if you know what a plethora is. I would not like to think that a person would tell someone that he has a plethora and find out that that person has no idea what it means to have a plethora.

Jefe: Forgive me El Guapo. I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education. But could it be that once again, you are angry at something else and are looking to take it out on me?...

WTF-C!?

So, the other night when the compadres (Fougs, Jamie, Rich, and I) set forth on our monthly expedition to the salon, our minds completely focused on the seriousness of the topics we would soon be discussing with other, more mature and enlightened members of the metroplex - as we were contemplatively and silently gliding (well, the boys were more like striding, and come to think of it, so was Fougs; it doesn't matter) to our vehicle*, we all ran into a brick wall of utter astonishment! Something was blocking our tread. Unable to comprehend the sight before us, we all simply stopped. We stared. We stood there some more. We were silent. Our mouths could not catch up to our brains and we stood there, yes, silently.

And then a wave of hilarity swallowed us whole, all at the same time and we were paralyzed with laughter - the kind that makes you cry a little, and leaves you gasping for air. What seemed like 10 minutes of laughter continued until someone got the camera. This is what stunned us:

Here, in suburbia in Metroplex, America, a chicken was standing in our yard. I realize that I live in Texas and that my town might be considered an Ag town, but I live by a highway. Literally, it's in the backyard. We were heading to the salon in downtown. We have museums and plays and culture and poetry - bright lights, malls, marquees, and Ikea.

The chicken, according to one of us (who shall remain nameless), turned to attack. I personally only saw the chicken run from us, as chickens are wont to do, but whatever.




In fact we weren't sure we were really seeing it, so we followed it (Jamie chose to walk like the chicken in an effort to lure it to him (?)-uh, to entertain it(?)- to communicate(?) what the hell, Jamie?) to the neighbor's yard, salon be damned! Maybe it was a ghost chicken!




The question remains. How did a chicken wander into our front yard? Look what it did to us, especially at the salon!

Christine is saying, "Stuff like this only happens while I'm around Ginger."

(sorry about the shaky cam, but I was laughing and shooting-pictures- at the same time)

All night we had the "there was a chicken in the yard" gleam in our eyes. It affected some more than others.

Especially Jamie..

*probably we were making fart jokes and tripping off of the porch step, but I'm trying to set a mood here

Friday Night Salon

Here are the Dallas Institute Salon discussion topics for February 2, 2007:

1. The Declaration of Independence states that mankind's "unalienable Rights" include "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." How should we understand the last of these--"the pursuit of Happiness"?

2. To what extent is a non-racist society possible?

3. What are the role and function of a presidential library?

What's your input?