In a little bit of synchronicity, the random Russell quote that popped up just now in the sidebar was this one: “It is possible that mankind is on the threshold of a golden age; but, if so, it will be necessary first to slay the dragon that guards the door, and this dragon is religion.” –Bertrand Russell That’s topical because… Read more →
Merry Christmas
(See also: “Nine Days Of Judgement“. Oh, and “Evil Christmas Carols“, which isn’t all Cthulhu, but just familiar tunes moved into a minor key–it really makes them sound like something from a silent film score during the Snidely Whiplash bit.) Read more →
A lull
Just an FYI that there will be a definite lull this week. We found out on the weekend that my wife’s mother had passed away–it was not a surprise–and this week is pretty much going to be dedicated to dealing with that, so no time for hobbies like blogging, etc. I’ll catch back up with all you people on the… Read more →
The Drake Equation
No, it’s a real thing. No, it’s not “half your age plus seven”. In the course of some research today I ran into this, and thought I’d report on my findings here, since it will amuse some people, and interest some others. The Drake Equation looks like this: N = R*fpneflfifcL I’ll get into what each term means in a… Read more →
Stardust Sculpture: Behind the scenes
I love when artists open up about their process and show you various steps along the way to a finished product. I’m also quite the fan of Charles Vess (indeed, I have one of his early pieces hanging in the sitting room). So, when I see today on Charles’ blog a post with a bunch of photos documenting how he… Read more →
Complete Miscellany
The best news story in the world: Camel crashes party, drinks Guinness. I like a Swiss Army knife as much as the next guy (although I greatly prefer my Leatherman), but this is a bit ridiculous. I give money to ORC. You should too (at least the Canadians amongst you should.) I know what an aglet is. I know what… Read more →
Another happy post about torture
Let’s start with a piece in the Guardian: Last week, defence lawyers acting for José Padilla, a US citizen detained as an “enemy combatant”, released a video showing a mission fraught with deadly risk – taking him to the prison dentist. A group of masked guards in riot gear shackled his legs and hands, blindfolded him with black-out goggles and… Read more →
This is my good friend
That’s a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug believed to work through inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX), thus inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. There are at least 2 variations of cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2), and this inhibits both COX-1 and COX-2. It appears that its analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory activity are achieved principally through COX-2 inhibition; whereas COX-1 inhibition is responsible for its unwanted effects on… Read more →
My progeny Simpsonified
This weekend my local comic shop had local Renaissance manWhat else do you call someone who is a sketch comic, a puppeteer, a cartoonist, a bon vivant, and a comic book artist, among other things? Mike Holmes in the store doing Simpsons-style caricatures of people who came by. While I passed on the chance, for fear of looking a little… Read more →
We Live In Science Fiction.
From time to time I am forced to stop and pause to reflect for a moment on the nature of the crazy technological changes that have happened in my lifetime. Sometimes it’s realizing how cool it is that I can carry a phone around with me in my pocket, and that phone lets me get in touch with people all… Read more →
Another One Bites The Dust…
Quoting from the Independent Online: Augusto Pincohet 1915-2006: He took his crimes to the grave Augusto Pinochet, the former dictator who ruled Chile with an iron fist from 1973 until 1990, died in a high-security military hospital in the capital, Santiago, yesterday. His death from heart failure leaves a disputed legacy of brutal political repression; salvation from Marxism; and civil… Read more →
New ISP
Well, after five years with my previous ISP, they finally pissed me off enough to overcome my basic intertia, and I switched over to Bluehost this weekend. If you’re seeing this message, then you’re already seeing my site on Bluehost. I also moved a couple of other sites, and a couple of mailing lists I run. To make a long… Read more →
Change in real cost of food items
So, essentially, the worse something is for you, the cheaper it has become over the last two decades, while at the same time the things that are most good for you are becoming more and more expensive. The trend is clearly towards a society where only the upper classes can afford a healthy diet. You know, the idea that the… Read more →
How my evening went.
My lovely little “first snow of the year” turned into 15cm (six inches) of heavy fluffy blizzard. I may not have mentioned, but my wife is out of town this week, back in Ontario for a family emergency. This means it’s just Sarah and I here, and that means that Sarah is already spending longer at the day care than… Read more →
It had to happen eventually.
Yes, the first snow of 2007 is finally falling. You might not be able to tell from that photo, but it’s really coming down in the big wet flakes. If I have to shovel later, it’s going to be one of those really heavy loads. This is the view from our rarely-used sitting room, which clearly shows that I have… Read more →
