Category Archives: arts

suspension renewed

In the movie Avatar, one of the floating mountains has a waterfall, at which my suspension of disbelief groaned: there’s not enough rain catchment area, and obviously there can’t be a spring. But now I thought of a possibility. There … Continue reading

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the inquiring mind, however dim

When Jeff Riggenbach said that Butt-Head is smarter than Beavis, I told him about this bit (the relevant part begins at 1:30). I say Butt-Head is more worldly but Beavis is more imaginative.

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webcomics update

Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life came back to life in July, after 15 months dormant. That doesn’t happen every day!

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in black and white, and blue

Gotta agree with Greg Egan: Sometime in the next twenty years or so, the technology that enabled Avatar will become cheap enough to risk employing alongside a moderately intelligent script. It is mighty pretty, though. Among the details, I particularly … Continue reading

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more flickering images

What have I watched lately … The Lives of Others (2006). Liked it. The Philadelphia Story (1940). Didn’t like it as much the second time. Second Chorus (1940) – Astaire without Rogers. Forgettable. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). … Continue reading

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Circe the siren?

Patrick Henry said in 1775: It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us … Continue reading

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getting away with progress

In Before I Hang, Boris Karloff played Doctor John Garth, a scientist seeking a serum to “cure old age”. He tries a version of the serum on himself, and color returns to his hair — but he used a multiple … Continue reading

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