Friday Links, Part II: March 27, 202O
So many good links this week, this calls for a Friday Links, Part II. See also, Friday Links: March 27, 2020, Part I.
The Saint Who Stopped an Epidemic Is on Lockdown at the Met
If you haven't exceeded your free reads at the New York Times online for the month, or if you actually have a subscription, you might enjoy reading this article, which begins: “Saint Rosalie Interceding for the Plague-stricken of Palermo, by Anthony van Dyck, made during the artist’s time in quarantine, is itself quarantined." The article's author reports on his unusual access to view the painting as the sole non-employee in the deserted museum.
How a Classical College Made the Quick Leap to Online Learning
Courses at Thomas Aquinas College consist of classroom discussions on great books led by faculty, who are referred to "tutors." The college's IT department had the foresight to set up a 10gbps network to all the tutors’ desktops and as shutdown of the college approached was able to secure a web camera for each tutor. Then John Birch (’92), co-founder and COO at Virtual Service Operations, who is both an alumnus and the father of two students on the California campus, offered support to bring classes online. According to a Facebook friend in Idaho whose oldest daughter was sent home from TAC's newly opened Massachusetts campus, "I am really impressed with how TAC is managing to still conduct discussion style classes virtually. Also, dress code still required on the visible half . . .."
Four UK flatmates chant a Psalm for the Time of Coronavirus
Based on Psalm 151
1. O Lord, to whom ǀ hygiene ● be- ǀ longeth:
Hear the cry of thy ǀ servants ǀ when they ǀ call.
2. For we lie in self ǀ iso- ǀ lation:
And there is ǀ nothing ǀ on T – ǀ V.
3. For lo, the nation ǀ is a- ǀ drift:
The princes of the people have ǀ cast us ǀ from the ǀ pub.
4. Thy people do run about the ǀ shops in ǀ panic:
They stockpile all the ǀ loo roll ● and the ǀ bakèd ǀ beans.
5. The priests of thy temple sit all day ǀ at their ǀ desks:
In the social ǀ distance ǀ of their ǀ hearts.
6. They preside from the altar of their ǀ King ● and their ǀ God:
As ǀ if ● they are ǀ on The ǀ One Show.
7. Smite them, O Lord, that washeth ǀ not their ǀ hands:
For we each must sing Happy Birthday at ǀ least ten ǀ times a ǀ day.
8. But thou, O Lord, have ǀ mercy ● up- ǀ on us:
Endue a goodly heritage on ǀ Netflix ǀ and on ǀ Prime.
9. Restore your people to health and prosperity again,
That music, theatre, cinema, community,
Test Match Special, afternoon tea, and even The ǀ Archers ● may ǀ flourish:
O Lord who hast now delivered us from a ǀ visit ǀ by the ǀ in-laws.
Chants: S. Wesley; T. A. Walmisley
Psalmist: Not David…
