Category Archives: technology

if you keep a cat, or keep two or three

Do yourself a favor: never buy Swheat Scoop cat litter. Some litters absorb pee and make a non-smelly solid lump. Swheat Scoop makes a smelly sticky lump whose consistency resembles that of my oat-cookie dough. It’s a bitch to clean … Continue reading

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safety and illusion

Malcolm Gladwell writes: Jettas are safe because they make their drivers feel unsafe. S.U.V.s are unsafe because they make their drivers feel safe. That feeling of safety isn’t the solution; it’s the problem. I am reminded of various more politicized … Continue reading

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remember the Future?

how a “home computer” could look like in the year 2004. I wonder what the big wheel is for.

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a rifled revolver

In the first episode of Have Gun Will Travel (1957), Paladin points out that his custom-made revolver has a rifled barrel, “a rarity in a hand weapon.” Say what?!

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a hacker’s tale

I hope this yarn is true: one of my favorite MacOS toys was developed clandestinely. We wanted to release a Windows version as part of Windows 98, but sadly, Microsoft has effective building security. (Cited by Travis.)

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how soon the inevitable?

My One True Ex hears from her mother a rumor of an effort to “put the New York Public Library, the Library of Congress and the British Library on line”, and commands me to ask my Vast Network of Contacts … Continue reading

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there are things I’d rather have than WiFi

Matt Smith on confused telecoms policy in San Francisco. So that’s why I so often get bad connections there!

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