secret history

Posted on Wednesday, 2007 August 08 by Anton

“Tooth and Claw”, a recent episode of Doctor Who, features the Koh-i-Noor, a famous diamond: but the shape is wrong, a classic Brilliant cut. The writer missed an opportunity to say that it has its present irregular shape because part of it was vaporised by the events of the episode!

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always look on the bright side

Posted on Wednesday, 2007 August 08 by Anton

With the Wall Street Journal added to the Murdoch empire, I look forward to seeing Page Three Girls in that distinctive engraving style.

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tip of the day

Posted on Wednesday, 2007 August 08 by Anton

Madhu, on his way out of town, treated me to a tasty buffet lunch at Turmeric in Sunnyvale. I got there ahead of him and had time to loiter in the street, feasting my nose; the whole of Murphy Avenue between Evelyn and Washington was redolent (a word I’ve never used before) of temptations. A very good thing to know, next time I’m hungry in Santa Clara County.

Posted in California, food | 2 Comments

twaddle generation

Posted on Monday, 2007 August 06 by Anton

What, if anything, does this mean?

The racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the United States has increased exponentially over the past two decades . . . .

Besides wondering whether the writer knows what exponential means, I’m curious about how much range there is for gender diversity to increase.

Posted in humanities, language | 1 Comment

Theophilus who? Theophilus Punter-Day.

Posted on Friday, 2007 August 03 by Anton

Once upon a time, probably in 1992–1994, at a NORML chapter meeting, I had the opportunity to sample some crackers and other yummy snacks made from hemp seeds. It occurs to me now that, if the seeds were selected from a number of different strains, the result could be described as a poly-juana cracker.

Posted in general | 1 Comment

eerie

Posted on Sunday, 2007 July 29 by Anton

The last episode of series 3 of A Bit of Fry and Laurie had a courtroom skit in which one could be forgiven for thinking the judge represented the present occupant of the White House, as the actor in that role (a Canadian) resembled him physically and mangled words in a way widely parodied — but it was first shown in February 1992, before whatsisname sought the gubernatariat of Texas.

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cozy dystopia

Posted on Wednesday, 2007 July 25 by Anton

Glasshouse is Charlie Stross’s best fiction yet, so far as I know.

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