Via Ezra Klein, Adam Serwer takes dim view of conservative attempts to blame the Mumbai attacks on Indian culture, specifically the relative lack of guns among the geenral population: This is a really strange and immature coping mechanism that manifests on the right in times of high profile tragedy. Rather than contemplate being a victim… Continue reading Plaxico Burress and the Short Skirt Theory
Counterknowledge, by Damian Thompson [Library of Babel]
This caught my eye at the library yesterday, because it looked like a compact survey of kookery, and I wasn’t disappointed. Indeed, it’s probably the most blog-like book I’ve read in quite some time– bits of the chapters could easily be posted at Orac’s place, and nobody would think it odd. The endnotes are even… Continue reading Counterknowledge, by Damian Thompson [Library of Babel]
links for 2008-12-02
Schneier on Security: Lessons from Mumbai "If there’s any lesson in these attacks, it’s not to focus too much on the specifics of the attacks. " (tags: news society security blogs) Does the broken windows theory hold online? "Does the aesthetic appearance of a blog affect what’s written by the site’s commenters?" (tags: culture internet… Continue reading links for 2008-12-02
Haiku
Colicky baby: Like snow blown by the wind, her Shrill cries fill the air.
Zeilinger on Physics
I got email last week from the Institute of Physics pointing me to a pair of video interviews with Anton Zeilinger of the University of Vienna. Zeilinger has built an impressive career out of doing fundamental tests of quantum mechanics– he’s not only got the accent and the hair to be a brilliant physicist, he’s… Continue reading Zeilinger on Physics
World’s Deadliest Novel?
The Yorkshire Ranter points out the similarities between last week’s horrific attacks in Mumbai and Frederick Forsyth’s The Dogs of War, and dubs it the “world’s deadliest novel.” Steinn picks up on this, and wonders if it’s accurate: The plot of Dog’s of War is a coup in an African country, and it seems likely… Continue reading World’s Deadliest Novel?
Spaceman Blues, by Brian Francis Slattery [Library of Babel]
I’ve gotten out of the book-logging habit, but Spaceman Blues is good enough that I feel compelled to write about it. I had heard of the book some time back– I believe I recall Patrick Nielsen Hayden saying nice things about it at some con or another– but the packaging didn’t really give me a… Continue reading Spaceman Blues, by Brian Francis Slattery [Library of Babel]
Putting Baby Mojo to the Test
It has been observed that my New York Football Giants are undefeated this year in games where SteelyKid was present for the game, and happy. The one game they’ve lost, an inexcusable thrashing by the otherwise hapless Browns, was a night game, and Kate took her upstairs for a final feeding before kickoff, and put… Continue reading Putting Baby Mojo to the Test
Thursday Baby Blogging 112708
It’s Thanksgiving today, which has always been one of my favorite holidays. It’s not just that there’s nothing more American than a holiday dedicated to overeating and football. I also like the idea of setting aside a day to be thankful for what you’ve got. And I’ve got a lot to be thankful for– a… Continue reading Thursday Baby Blogging 112708
links for 2008-11-27
slacktivist: Why oh why can’t we have a better press corps? "Part of the answer to that question is that our newspapers are being asked to do something they were never designed to do and something they are fundamentally and structurally incapable of doing: they’re being asked to provide shareholders with double-digit and ever-increasing profit… Continue reading links for 2008-11-27