. . . muttered the ogre

through red red red glasses

Posted on Wednesday, 2003 January 01 by Anton

Disney and Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life” has as good side and a bad side. The good side is that it portrays the successful collective struggle of the apparently weak oppressed and exploited (in this case, an ant colony) against the apparently strong oppressors and exploiters (in this case, a band of grasshoppers). So it could be used as a parable about the struggle against u.$. imperialism. The bad side is that it never directly ties its oppressors (the grasshoppers) to the biggest oppressors in the real world, the imperialists.

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twelve good algorithms and true

Posted on Wednesday, 2003 January 01 by Anton

“Jury Service” is an amusing transhuman story by Charlie Stross and Cory Doctorow.

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it just occurred to me—

Posted on Sunday, 2002 December 29 by Anton

is Liv Tyler the world’s most famous bastard?

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Orthanc and Minas Ithil

Posted on Sunday, 2002 December 29 by Anton

Anyway, I saw The Two Towers yesterday, and I must say some puzzling liberties were taken with the plot.

The transformation of thirty Rangers (and Arwen’s brothers) riding from Rivendell into hundreds of anonymous Elf archers walking out of nowhere-in-particular weakens the setup of Aragorn’s later activities, and conflicts with Elrond’s (inserted) words about departure. And would Elves move in unison, like human infantry on parade? I think not! – particularly when the film’s designers made a point of avoiding straight lines in Elvish artifacts.

Why does Faramir take Frodo to Osgiliath? To avoid a talking-heads scene?

Did Gríma really need to have black hair? He is of the Eotheod even though a traitor. Maybe he dyed it.

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Pepper

Posted on Saturday, 2002 December 28 by Anton

Driving home this evening (don’t tell anyone: it’s not insured yet), I saw a scrawny siamese kitten by the divider, lifting her head to stare at the headlights. She was soaked, of course, and too weak to stand; I could feel each vertebra. Took her home and tried to feed her (out of sight of Fluffie, Who is a jealous Cat); but now she was too weak to lift her head. (Had I picked her up too roughly?) So I looked for a vet that was open late. “Hi, I found a cat in the street and it’s too weak to eat, what should I do?” “Well, would you like to bring her in for an exam?” So I went; but she died on the way. I rather fancy she breathed her last just as I thought of a name for her.

Now I just hope I didn’t rescue any fertile fleas.

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