Sunday, August 31, 2008
Word for the day - illeism. Referring to one's self in the third person. In this brief I just wrote, I sometimes wrote plaintiff, and sometimes wrote I, so it came out a little stilted. Volokh.
Cerebus the Aardvark is a well-known independent comic book character who usually refers to himself in the third person, says wikipedia.
Cerebus the Aardvark is a well-known independent comic book character who usually refers to himself in the third person, says wikipedia.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Word for the day: lection.
A lection is a reading, in this context, from Scripture. - wikipedia.
I was typing up a brief, mistyped election, and wondered why spellcheck allowed lection. Blogger, on the other hand, doesn't recognize "lection" or "spellcheck".
A lection is a reading, in this context, from Scripture. - wikipedia.
I was typing up a brief, mistyped election, and wondered why spellcheck allowed lection. Blogger, on the other hand, doesn't recognize "lection" or "spellcheck".
I didn't know Secret Headquarters had a blog.
Malcolm Gladwell in the New Yorker writes about innovation. Link from Marginal Revolutions.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
"How much farther do they have to go before we just call them Tricorders and be done with it?" - websnark.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Free Tibet video from Xeni. I am back from evansville.
That's "free as in video" and/or "free as in Tibet."
There's no word for the day today, but there's a phrase, "Tijuana Bible"
Today I caught some annoying virus. It was a program, "xp antivirus 2008" that pretended to be a virus checker, but was really a virus, and took me about an hour to get off my system. Grr. This was on a day where I got to bed at 6 am and woke at 8 am to an automated phone call from the phone company, because they haven't fixed last month's billing error and still think I owe them money. But it was a good day.
That's "free as in video" and/or "free as in Tibet."
There's no word for the day today, but there's a phrase, "Tijuana Bible"
Today I caught some annoying virus. It was a program, "xp antivirus 2008" that pretended to be a virus checker, but was really a virus, and took me about an hour to get off my system. Grr. This was on a day where I got to bed at 6 am and woke at 8 am to an automated phone call from the phone company, because they haven't fixed last month's billing error and still think I owe them money. But it was a good day.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I'll be offline for a week shortly.
Here's tynan's 10 things you can do "RIGHT NOW" to improve your life:
1 Buy and read Kurtzwiel's Fantastic Voyage : Live Long Enough to Live Forever.
2. Open a new account, save 10-15% of your income in it forever, spend the interest.
3. Throw away what you don't need.
4. Take a walk every day
5. Daily, delete a number from your phone or call them.
6. Go thru closet, put away or give away stuff you haven't worn in a month.
7. Buy bulk detergent, toilet paper etc for 6 months, to cut down on shopping trips.
8. If you’re disorganized, get and read Getting Things Done : The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. $9.
9. Find the most expensive thing you aren't using, sell it on ebay.
10 share this page with your friends.
My thoughts on the list:
1 agree, but havent done. Kurzwiel is excellent.
2 agree; my savings routine works a little differently.
3. Throw away: I have a hangup, and can't do this. I'm a pack rat.
4. walks: I should but don't. I've recently restarted my bicycling habit.
5. I don't use phones that way.
6. I dont do this.
7. I do stockpile a years supply of lots of things.
8. I'm disorganized. I don't usually buy books.
9. Sell on e-bay: I'll admit, I've never sold anything on ebay. Maybe I should. I'm not a good shipper.
10: share. Sure.
Here's tynan's 10 things you can do "RIGHT NOW" to improve your life:
1 Buy and read Kurtzwiel's Fantastic Voyage : Live Long Enough to Live Forever.
2. Open a new account, save 10-15% of your income in it forever, spend the interest.
3. Throw away what you don't need.
4. Take a walk every day
5. Daily, delete a number from your phone or call them.
6. Go thru closet, put away or give away stuff you haven't worn in a month.
7. Buy bulk detergent, toilet paper etc for 6 months, to cut down on shopping trips.
8. If you’re disorganized, get and read Getting Things Done : The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. $9.
9. Find the most expensive thing you aren't using, sell it on ebay.
10 share this page with your friends.
My thoughts on the list:
1 agree, but havent done. Kurzwiel is excellent.
2 agree; my savings routine works a little differently.
3. Throw away: I have a hangup, and can't do this. I'm a pack rat.
4. walks: I should but don't. I've recently restarted my bicycling habit.
5. I don't use phones that way.
6. I dont do this.
7. I do stockpile a years supply of lots of things.
8. I'm disorganized. I don't usually buy books.
9. Sell on e-bay: I'll admit, I've never sold anything on ebay. Maybe I should. I'm not a good shipper.
10: share. Sure.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Word for the day: drey. A squirrel's nest.
Some notes about squirrels. For a project.
There are ten species of tree squirrels in the northern hemisphere only. there are 36 tree squirels. The most common squirels are the following:
Eastern Gray
Red squirrel
Fox squirrel
Abert or Kaibab squirrels
Douglas squirrel
Pine squirrel
Japanese squirrel
Persian squirrel
Arizona gray
Western gray squirrel.
The largest squirrel is the Ratufa (ratufa indica) sometimes known as the Indian giant squirrel, it can grow to three feet in length. This species is found in southeast Asia, and parts of Nepal.
Squirrel is the hardest word for a French speaker to learn, says my cousin's French wife.
What do you call a group of squirrels? Squirrels don't group. That's less true of marmots and prairie dogs, which are in the squirrel family along with chinchiilas. Squirrels are rodents. There are 11 types of marmots. Rodents include rats mice beavers porcupines capybara. My spellcheck doesn't recognize capybara, which means grass master. Maybe cappybara or something else.
"a rodent with a better agent." - magnificent octopus. http://www.marmotadventures.com
Some notes about squirrels. For a project.
There are ten species of tree squirrels in the northern hemisphere only. there are 36 tree squirels. The most common squirels are the following:
Eastern Gray
Red squirrel
Fox squirrel
Abert or Kaibab squirrels
Douglas squirrel
Pine squirrel
Japanese squirrel
Persian squirrel
Arizona gray
Western gray squirrel.
The largest squirrel is the Ratufa (ratufa indica) sometimes known as the Indian giant squirrel, it can grow to three feet in length. This species is found in southeast Asia, and parts of Nepal.
Squirrel is the hardest word for a French speaker to learn, says my cousin's French wife.
What do you call a group of squirrels? Squirrels don't group. That's less true of marmots and prairie dogs, which are in the squirrel family along with chinchiilas. Squirrels are rodents. There are 11 types of marmots. Rodents include rats mice beavers porcupines capybara. My spellcheck doesn't recognize capybara, which means grass master. Maybe cappybara or something else.
"a rodent with a better agent." - magnificent octopus. http://www.marmotadventures.com
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Note to self: go to gencon.
Wil: "I made a sound like a giraffe getting run over by a train while they're both hit by a meteor." Get well soon.
Scalzi: runs the gamut from armadillos to badgers.
Position on aardvarks unknown at this time.
To kill the joke by explaining it, Dorothy Parker once wrote that Katherine Hepburn runs the gamut from a to b. Hepburn's feelings were hurt, by what Parker just meant as an offhand comment, and it was awhile before they reconciled.
Position on aardvarks unknown at this time.
To kill the joke by explaining it, Dorothy Parker once wrote that Katherine Hepburn runs the gamut from a to b. Hepburn's feelings were hurt, by what Parker just meant as an offhand comment, and it was awhile before they reconciled.
word for the day: hottubbing.
Doesn't have anything to do with the next post at volokh, college dating.
Doesn't have anything to do with the next post at volokh, college dating.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Via Tucker Max a story about a guy who gets an indoor swimming pool for his pet penguin.
I can tell I'm going to end up reading his whole blog, which will probably take about 24 hours total, so that was my birthday present - some online entertainment/information. This one's good too: amazing race. I've now read the older third of the posts, and that's enough for a day.
I can tell I'm going to end up reading his whole blog, which will probably take about 24 hours total, so that was my birthday present - some online entertainment/information. This one's good too: amazing race. I've now read the older third of the posts, and that's enough for a day.
Today I harvested okra, tomatoes, parlsey, mint, other herbs, and collard greens from my garden, 10'x25', which is mostly flowers this year. Don't have a cam right now.
A small harvest, but better than none. Turned 48 today, don't seem to have accomplished much. Celebrated by going to the state fair. Saw the elephant, some white tigers, ate fried foods. My idea for next year: deep fried sushi on a stick.
Was at a family dinner a few weeks ago. Cousin Linley supplied the corn, tomatoes, cukes, from his garden, which is 800 acres at the edge of kansas city. I tend to assume anybody with a farm like that is working family land, but he and Uncle Ed were swapping war stories - Ed flew planes, Linley rode in them around the Pacific. Turns out he's a doctor. Retired due to the cost of medical malpractice insurance. And an old clipping in the basement shows that Ed was a cowboy; even though his job was in kansas city; he rode a horse as a cattle buyer. By the time I knew him it was more of a desk job.
A small harvest, but better than none. Turned 48 today, don't seem to have accomplished much. Celebrated by going to the state fair. Saw the elephant, some white tigers, ate fried foods. My idea for next year: deep fried sushi on a stick.
Was at a family dinner a few weeks ago. Cousin Linley supplied the corn, tomatoes, cukes, from his garden, which is 800 acres at the edge of kansas city. I tend to assume anybody with a farm like that is working family land, but he and Uncle Ed were swapping war stories - Ed flew planes, Linley rode in them around the Pacific. Turns out he's a doctor. Retired due to the cost of medical malpractice insurance. And an old clipping in the basement shows that Ed was a cowboy; even though his job was in kansas city; he rode a horse as a cattle buyer. By the time I knew him it was more of a desk job.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Apparently Scalzi's just won the Hugo in Denver.
This is the first time I've met a hugo-winning author before they won it.
Here is an hour-long talk between Randall Munroe, Moot, and Ryan North.
Here's moot having a better hair day, clowning at the Berkman Center.
Update: Scalzi won a Hugo but not the Hugo.
Ok, Scalzi won for fan author. Novel, which is the main one, went to The Yiddish Policemen's Union, which was considered a front-runner.
So this weekend I wasn't in Denver for the Worldcon and I wasn't in Baltimore for Okaton. I stayed home and did nothing, consistent with my cost control policy of don't spend money except for basics: rent, utilities, the club, work-related travel.
This is the first time I've met a hugo-winning author before they won it.
Here is an hour-long talk between Randall Munroe, Moot, and Ryan North.
Here's moot having a better hair day, clowning at the Berkman Center.
Update: Scalzi won a Hugo but not the Hugo.
Ok, Scalzi won for fan author. Novel, which is the main one, went to The Yiddish Policemen's Union, which was considered a front-runner.
So this weekend I wasn't in Denver for the Worldcon and I wasn't in Baltimore for Okaton. I stayed home and did nothing, consistent with my cost control policy of don't spend money except for basics: rent, utilities, the club, work-related travel.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
A mini mass spectrometer from a small indianapolis company could bring significant changes to industries ranging from cancer detection to crime detection.
It's part of a general trend toward lowering information costs.
International herald tribune article focuses on fingerprints, but that is only one of many possible applications. Minaturization of machines is a trend associated with the Japanese, with NASA, and with the computer industry where Moore's law rules.
Dean Kamen is famous in part for minaturizing medical equipment, making things both smaller and cheaper, as though produced by a market economy rather than a soviet-style
medical establishment.
Update: ok, prosolia doesnt make the spectrometers, they make the spray.
It's part of a general trend toward lowering information costs.
International herald tribune article focuses on fingerprints, but that is only one of many possible applications. Minaturization of machines is a trend associated with the Japanese, with NASA, and with the computer industry where Moore's law rules.
Dean Kamen is famous in part for minaturizing medical equipment, making things both smaller and cheaper, as though produced by a market economy rather than a soviet-style
medical establishment.
Update: ok, prosolia doesnt make the spectrometers, they make the spray.
Word for the day: apotheosis. wiki. deification
Example 1:
Boingboing: The Mario Scarf Blog document's Cassie's "extreme-geek knitting" project: to knit a long strip of cloth that depicts the entire first level of Super Mario Brothers. This is the utter apotheosis of geek crossover passtimes.
Example 2: Obama.
Example 1:
Boingboing: The Mario Scarf Blog document's Cassie's "extreme-geek knitting" project: to knit a long strip of cloth that depicts the entire first level of Super Mario Brothers. This is the utter apotheosis of geek crossover passtimes.
Example 2: Obama.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Ilya Somin at Volokh on the issue of whether an association of law professors should boycott an anti-gay-marriage activist's hotel. For reference, I should link to Daily Kos and Bainbridge.
Me: Spending money with Manchester is as political a decision as not spending money with him.
Ilya: I don't see why. If you're spending money at his hotel in order to support his political agenda, yes. But if that's not your motive, I don't see why engaging in a business transaction with him is necessarily "political."
This is a now a placeholder for a potentially long rant on economic democracy.
Me: Spending money with Manchester is as political a decision as not spending money with him.
Ilya: I don't see why. If you're spending money at his hotel in order to support his political agenda, yes. But if that's not your motive, I don't see why engaging in a business transaction with him is necessarily "political."
This is a now a placeholder for a potentially long rant on economic democracy.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
solar 
