Category Archives: arts

AI humor

Technopagans; Freefall

Posted in cartoons, futures | Leave a comment

am i reading too much into this?

I’m surprised to see it acknowledged in two teevee shows that heroin is useful as a painkiller. (Charlie Stross, a former pharmacist, mentioned that “diamorphine (aka Heroin™) is carried routinely in ambulances in the UK.”) In the first series of … Continue reading

Posted in cinema, drugwar | 1 Comment

writing tip of the day

If you use “however” in two consecutive sentences, it’s a sign that your paragraph could benefit from rearranging. If you use “however” in three consecutive sentences, your paragraph may be beyond help.

Posted in prose | Leave a comment

I’m depraved on account of I’m deprived

Today’s Straight Dope responds to this inquiry: Everyone is familiar with the song that goes, “There’s a place in France where the naked ladies dance.” What’s the origin of this mysterious song and its seemingly Egyptian melody? So naturally I’m … Continue reading

Posted in music+verse | 3 Comments

so don’t try nothin!

A friend of a friend exults at Boston’s narrow escape from cartoon peril: “Take this as a warning, enemies of America. All of your nefarious plans to harm us — provided said plans are placed in in plain view on … Continue reading

Posted in cartoons, security theater | 3 Comments

a good pie

Formative years in a college town in Illinois left me with definite opinions of what a pizza ought to be. I am pleased to report that Pizz’a Chicago in Santa Clara (the apostrophe is meant to suggest a pun with … Continue reading

Posted in California, food | Leave a comment

do real cops behave this way?

I’ve seen it a hundred times: the TV detective says “I think we’d better continue this conversation at the police station,” and the interrogee meekly gets into the car. Just once (and I thought I’d already said this) I’d like … Continue reading

Posted in cinema, politics | Leave a comment