November 2011 Archives
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November 30, 2011
A Giant Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
Biblical Studies Carnival 69 (November 2011) is up at Remnant of Giants. Deane Galbraith has done a very big job in bring all this together. I’m pleased to see three entries under the subheading “Secularism” but I do wish there...Read all of "A Giant Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:51 PM
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Happy Birthday Mark Twain
Check out Google’s birthday card. It won’t last long....Read all of "Happy Birthday Mark Twain"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:35 AM
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An Underlying Assumption
A correspondent raised an abnormally interesting question about the Tiryns ivory inscription. On what warrant can I or Cohen et al., for that matter, think the markings on this inscription map to any variant of a alphabetic cuneiform alphabet like...Read all of "An Underlying Assumption"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:11 AM
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November 29, 2011
Linville On Ugarit
Jim Linville has a nice write up on Ugarit in the Lethbridge Herald. If you prefer the same article with pictures, he posted it on his Thinking Shoppe and Rather Posh Tea Room. I might have a minor nit or...Read all of "Linville On Ugarit"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:25 PM
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November 28, 2011
QDŠ As Reconciler(?)
At the last SBL session I attended in San Francisco, Pierre Bordreuil presented two as yet unpublished Ugaritic tablets, RS 94.2965 and RS 94.2391. His handout provides the Ugaritic text of both tablets. I’ve been working my way through them....Read all of "QDŠ As Reconciler(?)"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:13 PM
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November 25, 2011
Latest ZA Is Out
The latest Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie (Dec. 2011, 101:2) is available to those with a subscription or a good library. The first two pieces are homage to Rykle Borker by Stefan Maul. In addition to these pieces there...Read all of "Latest ZA Is Out"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:14 PM
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November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of the greatest American holidays – it centers on family and food – no gifts, no specifically religious ceremonial requirements or trappings, no ancient myths to celebrate. All our Thanksgiving myths are relatively recent and, as long...Read all of "Happy Thanksgiving"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:07 AM
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November 23, 2011
I’m Back
I’m back from San Francisco and the SBL. I heard good and not so good papers well and not so well presented. Some good papers were well presented but less than half of them. Some not so good papers were...
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:30 PM
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November 18, 2011
Off To San Francisco And The SBL (Tomorrow)
Tomorrow morning we’re off to San Fransisco and the Society of Biblical literature annual meeting. Because Shirley and I plan to visit friends along the way, we won’t arrive at the meeting until Sunday morning. So unfortunately I’ll miss the...Read all of "Off To San Francisco And The SBL (Tomorrow)"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:06 PM
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November 17, 2011
Going After Women Voters
“Newt Gingrich said a Gingrich-Hermain Cain ticket would be ‘a real possibility’ if he won the Republican presidential nomination.” - The Hill...Read all of "Going After Women Voters"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:26 AM
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November 16, 2011
Religion, Science, and Deduction
It is sometimes hard to know whether a learned person while blogging is using a term conversationally or technically. I’m having this problem as I read one of James McGrath's recent posts at Exploring Our Matrix. For context I reproduce...Read all of "Religion, Science, and Deduction"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:37 AM
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November 14, 2011
Akkadian Cognate List
The third edition of John Huehnergard’s A Grammar of Akkadian is out at Eisenbrauns. This edition has a Semitic cognates appendix. Such tools are always welcome additions but this list, while I think beneficial for students, has significant limitations. As...Read all of "Akkadian Cognate List"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:35 AM
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November 13, 2011
Feedback Requested
Update: This draft paper is no longer available. I've submitted a revised edition to a journal for publication. If you would like a copy drop me an email and I'll send you one. I thank all you you who read...Read all of "Feedback Requested"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:33 AM
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November 11, 2011
The End Of An Era And A Rant About It
This is a rather abnormal day here at the Smith household. We cancelled our subscription to the Los Angeles Times. We’ve taken the LA Times for nearly 50 years. We will miss the physicality of the morning paper. But despite...Read all of "The End Of An Era And A Rant About It"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:06 PM
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November 10, 2011
You Might Be Getting Ripped Off
Be sure to check the price of your Medicare supplemental insurance plan. If you have Part B Medicare supplemental medical insurance or know someone who does, you might want to check the cost. Shirley has had a Plan F Part...Read all of "You Might Be Getting Ripped Off"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:06 PM
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November 9, 2011
Wilfred Lambert Dead
Sad news: Jack Sasson is reporting that Wilfred Lambert died today. It is almost impossible to read a paper or book on any aspect of Assyriology that does not reference something by Wilfred Lambert. I doubt that there is a...Read all of "Wilfred Lambert Dead"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:16 PM
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November 7, 2011
The Alphabet And Literacy
Is there an enabling relationship between the adoption of an alphabet and literacy? Over at BLT, Suzanne McCarty has an interesting post on the question in which she points to some work by M. A. Powell on the history of...Read all of "The Alphabet And Literacy"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:35 PM
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November 6, 2011
Why Bother Tracking Down References?
The other day I listed several Akkadian personal names that begin with mut(u). One of those was Mu-ut-ša-DINGIR. At the time I couldn't find a good reference for the supposed name. But I decided, if I was going to use...Read all of "Why Bother Tracking Down References?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:48 AM
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November 5, 2011
A Very Domesticated Cat
The other day I posted a picture of Plastic Bag, our neighborhood feral cat. I worry that this upset our all too domesticated cat Socrates. So here is his picture....Read all of "A Very Domesticated Cat"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:11 PM
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November 3, 2011
On Name Calling
For reasons that some abnormal readers may remember, I’ve been collecting names that begin with mutu. Names like mMu-ut-dIM (Mutba’li - Man of Ba’al) mMu-ut-DINGIR (Mut-ili - Man of God) mMu-ut-ša-DINGIR (Mut-ša-ili - Man of god) mMu-ut-ša6-lim (Mut-šalim[?] – Man...
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:29 AM
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November 2, 2011
Another Reason To Avoid ATMs
Note to self: Be sure to carry a stick for taunting snakes. Via Boing Boing...Read all of "Another Reason To Avoid ATMs"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:15 PM
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November 1, 2011
Trick Or Treat
This guy was the only creature who begged at our door last night. He was dressed as a cat. We gave him a half of cup of cat food. That must have worked because as far as we can tell...
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:50 PM
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