Author Archives
In 2018 I semi-retired by retiring from Weston High School after my 21st year teaching mathematics there. This was also my 44th year as a teacher altogether. In 2023 I retired fully, adding in my 18 years at Harvard’s Crimson Summer Academy each summer. For 21 years I had taught at the Saturday Course in Milton, MA, and I used to serve on the board of the Dorchester Historical Society.
I read, cook, and spend a lot of time building my model railroad. For some reason I’m left with less free time than would be ideal, considering that I’m supposed to be retired, but somehow I also manage to devote time to my wife, Barbara, and to our varying number of cats (once up to six, but now sadly down to one).
Larry Davidson
ljd@larrydavidson.com
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Gender issues: a perspective from a Russian Jewish mathematician
“My mom used to tell me that most men do not like brainy women,” writes well-known mathematician Tanya Khovanova. Well-known in certain circles, anyway. Female, Russian-American, Jewish—there are a lot of possible identity issues here. I’ve written about Khovanova twice… Read More ›
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What’s an “app crit”? And why should I care?
Perhaps for some odd reason you have never looked at a modern edition of an ancient or medieval text—whether in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Old Norse, Sanskrit, Old High German, or whatever. In that case, it’s not too late to start!… Read More ›
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Back when Heinlein was antifa (really!)
When I was growing up and reading a lot of science fiction, the Holy Trinity of sf writers consisted of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein. Often they were called “The Big Three.” They had a number of… Read More ›
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I finally got to see the world’s finest model railroad, but…
As I drove along Main Street in Peabody yesterday, the first bad omen was the sight of the old-fashioned parking meters in front of the Franklin & South Manchester Railroad. Quarters only! The problem was that I no longer carry… Read More ›
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Saoirse and Beanie and…[who else?]…add up to…Lady Bird!
Although I’ve never been to Sacramento, and certainly wasn’t there in 2002, the movie Lady Bird felt very realistic to me. Realistic and convincing. Kudos to director Greta Gerwig! As A.O. Scott in the New York Times put it, “Every… Read More ›
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Happy Bloomsday!
As you probably know, today is Bloomsday, the annual Irish holiday commemorating the 24-hour period over which James Joyce’s Ulysses took place. As you also know, I had announced in this space last month that I would be (re)reading that… Read More ›
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Signs of the times in Medford and Brookline
First, here’s a sign inside the entrance to the Wegmans in Medford: Yes, I know that it’s purely for commercial purposes, but it still makes me feel welcome. On the other hand, here is a pair of street signs in… Read More ›
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Weston pix?
Apparently my phone has a mind of its own. For some reason it just decided to show me these two Weston photos from the past: One is from about 10–12 years ago (I’d guess), the other somewhat older. Can you… Read More ›
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Basque? Isn’t there anyone around here who speaks Basque?
Well, the Basques do, of course. But they aren’t one of the major ethnicities in these parts; I’ve known only a couple of Basques in the Boston area. In linguistics courses the Basque language is the standard example of a… Read More ›
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Frogs? Yes, Frogs!
“Brekekekéx-koáx-koáx!” Unless you google it, you probably don’t know what that means or where it’s from. Perhaps it would be easier in the original Greek: “βρεκεκεκὲξ κοὰξ κοάξ.” No? That didn’t help? Well, I’ll tell you. It might help if… Read More ›
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“Who will clean out the desks?” (a crowd-sourced poem about teachers)
You do listen to Morning Edition, don’t you? You do appreciate teachers, don’t you? (Unlike Ron DeSantis and his ilk.) I am so glad that I am semi-retired, so I don’t have to cope with the all-too-common lack of appreciation… Read More ›
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We provide the best secondary education in America. Really?
“This school,” they kept telling us, “provides the best secondary education in America.” “You,” they kept telling us, “are the elite, the future leaders of America.” “All of you,” they kept telling us, “will go to the best colleges in… Read More ›
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Wordle, Wheel of Fortune, Jotto, & the Mathematics of Information Theory
Apparently I’m the only person in the world who doesn’t play Wordle. I’m not entirely sure why I don’t, but I can think of a couple of possibilities: it’s far too competitive, it’s far too rigid, and it’s far too… Read More ›
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William says it’s important to distribute your patronage.
Yesterday the kitty couch, today the round cat bed.
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William napping on his kitty couch
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Languages get simpler over the centuries, right?
After all, Spanish is simpler than Latin, isn’t it? And modern English is surely simpler than old English. So that proves it. Or does it? Well, no. There are at least two things that are wrong with the common claim… Read More ›
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A gender-bending version of Stephen Sondheim’s Company
The Great Performances series on PBS just aired a spectacular documentary, “Keeping Company with Sondheim,” all about making the new version of Stephen Sondheim’s great 1970 musical, Company. You can still see it. This new version of the musical differs… Read More ›
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A strange book cover puzzle
You recognize this book, right? A glance at the cover makes it obvious what book this is. But then… You look again and start asking yourself why it says Garri, not Harry. And that reminds you of two things: It… Read More ›
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Nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to work there.
There’s a fine line between a dystopia and a utopia. Unfortunately, Dave Eggers chose to draw his line with an extra-thick marker. I’m talking about his fifth novel (fifth or so—but who’s counting?), The Circle. The story focuses on the… Read More ›
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“The Therapeutic Value of Model Railroading”
Depression? PTSD? GeekDad, who has both, has published a fascinating short personal essay on what he calls “the therapeutic value of model railroading.” You don’t have to be a model railroader to appreciate the essay. You don’t have to be… Read More ›
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