I’ve changed my mind, based on late-breaking news. This is now the QOTD for January 11th: Various medical authorities swarm in and out of here predicting I have between two days and two months to live. I think they are guessing. I remain cheerful and unimpressed. I look forward without dogmatic optimism but without dread. I love you all and… Read more →
Author: Mr. McLaren
QOTD
“Nothing like songs about obscure philosophical figures beating children to death sung in a falsetto.” — Dorian Wright, talking about this. Read more →
A couple of quick links.
Still drowning in work, but here’s a few divertimenti for you: Seeing one artist’s rendition of the Simpson’s cast in a more realistic, and heavily manga-influenced, style didn’t do much for me. I mean, I dig Marge’s hair, and the twins look great, but it’s not like the image is a revelation or anything. On the other hand, the same… Read more →
Objective (If Sexist) Fact.
I admit it, I am too insanely busy at work to generate much useful content this week. However, I do want to quickly share with you some simple facts, that might be helpful in settling a discussion that comes up time and time again. In the wake of the post-holiday sales, I acquired the four volumes of “the Ultimate James… Read more →
An Idea Distilled
The best editorial cartoons are the ones that take an entire position, argument, or notion and distill it down to a single image that captures the essence o the longer and more detailed version exactly. Take this one, for example. I’d say that pretty much captures it. That’s one of the selections at Time’s 2006 Cartoons of the Year list.… Read more →
Road Tapes: How did they survive?
What you’re looking at there is the answer to the question “How did they survive on road trips in the days before MP3 players that could carry a ridiculous number of hours of music?” Of course, it’s only the answer for that small subset of “they” who couldn’t be satisfied with the radio, and needed to have their own music… Read more →
Some favourites from 2006
I thought I’d start off this year with some omphaloskepsis and put up a quick list of some my favourite posts here from last year. These aren’t the best, or the most popular, just some that I particularly liked. My favourite in January was probably Who We Just Made Our Prime Minister…, wherein I, with the aid of some booze,… Read more →
Past Due
…and just before the holiday season wraps up, let me sneak in these two links that I totally should have mentioned before Christmas: Venture Aid 2006–the cast of The Venture Brothers, a show for which I am so the target audience, doing… well… here’s what they say about it: “This year, Dr. Venture has pulled together family, friends, and enemies… Read more →
Words of Wisdom
Let’s go out for 2006 on some quotables–things that either amused, or enlightened me in the waning hours of 2006. “Anyone who gets married is a fool. I can understand why a man would get married. Everybody can use a wife. it’s just that nobody needs a husband. If women are fool enough to get married it really doesn’t matter… Read more →
I feel like such a parent.
My daughter is sleeping in a bed. A real bed, not a crib. Wow. She’s getting old. That means I’m getting old. Wow. Read more →
Some bookery
Yes, I am being a lazy poster during the intra-holiday week. You can’t complain about the cost, though, can you? M. John Harrison, one of the authors I hold in particularly high esteem, has a lovely piece up at his site about his writing process. Here’s a little taste: I don’t have any writing pattern. I hate being professional. I… Read more →
I can’t believe this ever aired
Late December Miscellany
Why we love Jon Sung. I am a failure as a consumer. I live somewhere people would rather have a day off than shop, and even today the only shopping I did was to take some stuff in to get framed at the half price framing sale. Will points us to the Global Rich List, which helps put some things… Read more →
…and a modern favourite.
It wouldn’t be fair to post about my favourite classic Christmas carol and not mention my favourite modern one. So, without further ado, I present: Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’ by Tinsley Ellis. (That link is to an Ogg Vorbis file, rather than to the perhaps-more-expected MP3. It will probably just work in your music player of choice, but if… Read more →
My favourite carol
Just for the record, this is my favourite classic Christmas carol: Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen, When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even; Brightly shone the moon that night, tho’ the frost was cruel, When a poor man came in sight gath’ring winter fuel. “Hither, page, and stand by me, if… Read more →
