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Thursday, 2007 June 7, 00:44 — prose, spam

Foundation and Spam

Got a spam today from someone who evidently used Asimov to feed the gibberish-generator:

Well, are implicated. When I’m most difficult to the regent, the nervous high priest in this tendency reached was up are Now? Hardin jump; remained silent and I’ve located (in which in his neck: was in Mallow’s eyebrows and over a metropolis will become a loophole is insufficient to change: the gravitational forces). Today. You will leave and gold is nonsense! HARI the him: down that: until I gave it is it the devil, do you see: here under the free, agent of the crisis comes I was of the Board; of will protect see that heralded the outlying provinces filled its stainless steel dear, said Ponyets winced at present took no longer open for the gravity for him; to I know the game of barbarism a single face, them; needlessly, until the line that leaped HARI SELDON an admiral, planets in a world they stood for the orders, no mistaking it grows. Finally the sub prefect of Journal and thirty years ago, at starving wages before I have had attended with the. People will be safe. Well, almost a subject up. Sutt, arrested; in I refer to do in Jorane Sutt and a is relatively small and Trade! It no danger and if need a power is gold bears no we’ve given us see these traders. Murder it not heard of a psychologist in Space for a strange occupation for word went pound body of his seat. No time from his back down to the air the gentle pressure. A warning, of knowledge of this point; where the trend, of dissident elements Foundation whispered it’s very Far less trip as far Star, at its side and the outer speaker. And Follow its favor of the contemporary true even so. Gaal felt buffeted right, Mallow: long and they to face. Still relieved irreplaceable and importance in the blue white lie in whole sport and in melodramatic. He in them. Never quite legitimate; monarchies: administrators. Surely you mean also tobacco not. An eyewitness. Or had called on, the future in sour? Hardin had gone a cold distance? The pleadings of our years. Consider myself. But, this stroke of me for my son upon joining; cell, was made by way, Hardin pursed his cap, I’ve went dead center of Trustees, of Anacreon of the inner right. It was the Imperium we have one though how’s that we have full of the plane; narration. They came near The notes and Hober Mallow fastened stepped in the other three that it; upward, out a Smyrnian. Well yes, I’ve never said, methodically, in my turn had only a little of suns. I near the only Anacreon wipe help in a mile long live heah in State of maintaining their priest, and not from the first, time, would be conducted.

Monday, 2007 March 26, 22:00 — cartoons, futures

AI humor

Technopagans; Freefall

Wednesday, 2007 March 7, 00:07 — cinema, drugwar

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 24, Jackie’s arm is broken and her kidnappers inject her to keep her quiet. Kim, her fellow kidnappee, starts to protest but appears to accept that it’s the least bad thing to do at the moment. (I don’t think the drug is named, but the paraphernalia are those of heroin.)

Late in the second season of Lost, (spoiler) lies dying of (spoiler) wounds and Jack, MD, gives heroin — very explicitly this time.

Both shows were broadcast, not in the Freer Speech Zone of premium cable. So where’s the uproar from drug-warriors that they contradicted Official Truth?

Friday, 2007 March 2, 13:18 — prose

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.

Friday, 2007 February 23, 22:46 — music+verse

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 not familiar with those words; but they do scan to the tune quoted in Divers Ayres on Sundrie Notions: “Ask for P.D.Q., take a tablespoon or two.”

Friday, 2007 February 2, 15:08 — cartoons, security theater

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 busy public streets and covered with flashing, colored lights — shall be discovered and neutralized in LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!”

By the way, what are the keywords to find a picture of the pseudinfernal device?

Tuesday, 2007 January 9, 23:50 — California, food

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 piece of) comes pretty darn close. My only criticism is that it’s a bit dry; it could use more tomato sauce.

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