Monthly Archives: April 2005

jargon often travels poorly

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

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gluttony with cinnamon

My new favorite ice cream is Ben & Jerry’s Oatmeal Cookie Chunk. It’s hard to find; I found some yesterday at, of all places, a Chinese supermarket.

Posted in general | 1 Comment

go read somewhere else

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

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fun with refraction

Posted in eye-candy, mathematics | 1 Comment

cinema 1963

天国と地獄 High and Low. Kurosawa does not disappoint in this policier, from a novel by Ed McBain (King’s Ransom). As in 野良犬 Stray Dog, it’s weird to see Mifune with a modern haircut and mustache; I could not be sure … Continue reading

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it just hit me

In The War of the Worlds, the Martians’ principal weapon is a heat-ray. In Robinson’s RGB Mars, at one point the badguys use a heat-ray against Martians.

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anti-government extremists attack peacekeeping force

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

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