Category Archives: humanities

Bruce Pelz

The “Elephant” of fandom died suddenly this evening, aged 65 years. (If I hear that there is to be no funeral I’ll freak, because no Bruce Pelz rite is an anagram of Nobel Truce Prize. Bruce was fond of anagrams.) … Continue reading

Posted in fandom | Leave a comment

more periodic sites

World Wide Words looks into the origins of those phrases that puzzle you. Ponder This: monthly brain-teaser from IBM.

Posted in humanities, sciences | Leave a comment

matchmaking in India

Wow . . this Indian matchmaking site starts with a bewildering menu of religions: Buddhist, Christian (10 flavors), Hindu (132 flavors), Jain, Jewish, Muslim (7 flavors), Sikh (7 flavors), No Religion, Other. 132 kinds of Hindu? And no subflavors of Buddhist? … Continue reading

Posted in religion | Leave a comment

perfidious Former Albion

I see that a “former Bolivian president” (BBC) / “ex-Bolivian dictator” (CNN) / “former Bolivian leader” (Nando) has died. What kind of dictator did he become when he retired from being Bolivian? Why do you never see “Bolivian ex-dictator” (or … Continue reading

Posted in language, race | Leave a comment

Chief Illiniwek to dance no more

The Fighting Illini need a new mascot. Any suggestions?

Posted in humanities | Leave a comment

“that’s not what I meant!”

Review of a German book which “tries to show that many of the obscurities of the Koran disappear if we read certain words as being Syriac and not Arabic.”

Posted in language, religion | Leave a comment

there’s one in every crowd

Petition to Rename The Two Towers to Something Less Offensive. (Thanks and a tip of the whatsit to Astraea for the link.)

Posted in humanities | Leave a comment