Category Archives: humanities

Russia in three passes

Posted on Tuesday, 2005 May 03 by Anton

A few years ago we thrilled to an exhibit by the Library of Congress of color photographs of Russian life made in 1909–15. Now I learn that the images shown there are a small fraction of the Prokudin-Gorskii plates, most … Continue reading →

Posted in eye-candy, history | 1 Comment

jargon often travels poorly

Posted on Friday, 2005 April 29 by Anton

Ken MacLeod‘s recent novel Newton’s Wake (whose title I’m not sure I understand) has a character say: What we do is you tell us some more about Eurydice and its beautiful people, and then you get tired and emotional, and … Continue reading →

Posted in language | Leave a comment

go read somewhere else

Posted on Monday, 2005 April 25 by Anton

Tom Knapp on the land problem (inter alia) (cited by Mutualist). (2006: that site has been reorganized; I think this is the same piece, and as a bonus here are two followups.) why drink beer a Martian dust-devil, close up … Continue reading →

Posted in astronomy, economics, humanities | Leave a comment

anti-government extremists attack peacekeeping force

Posted on Tuesday, 2005 April 19 by Anton

April 19 is the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, the “shot heard ’round the world”. It has been remarked that the political establishment takes little notice of the occasion. This, I suggest, is as it should be. How sad … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Leave a comment

a first time for everything

Posted on Wednesday, 2005 April 13 by Anton

Date: 13 Apr 2005 15:37:12 -0000 To: bronto@pobox.com Subject: QUERIDO MIO From: JAMES UDO INIEKPO Estimado Sr. Les saludos, soy JAMES UDO INIEKPO un director con el departamento de los recursos del petróleo y de la secretaria del agrupacion de … Continue reading →

Posted in language, spam | Leave a comment

the future of Latin

Posted on Saturday, 2005 March 26 by Anton

In the last chapter of A Canticle for Leibowitz, a priest makes a pun: “Onerem accipisne?” [Do you accept the burden?] “Honorem accipio.” [I accept the honor.] In classical Latin, onus ‘burden’ is neuter, so the accusative is onus not … Continue reading →