Arbitrary Aardvark

Saturday, September 28, 2013

# posted by gt @ 21:43

# posted by gt @ 12:00

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Academic/Course_Pages/Legal_Systems_Very_Different_13/Book_Draft/LegalSystemsDraft.html

hat tip will baude. david friedman is a great economist, almost as much as his son patri.
his book 'the machinery of freedom' was one of the first hard-libertarian books I read.
(hard as in not soft.)

# posted by gt @ 11:35

photos of monopoly streets in atlantic city.
http://www.scoutingny.com/?p=6935
I've been to atlantic city once about 15 years ago.
I quit my job as the dalai lama's nephew's headwaiter
to go to a party near atlantic city, and as the plane lifted
off I realized I wasn't going to go back to work, and I havent.
I don't count the years I had a law firm as work, and I don't
count what I do these days as work. I'm in a starbucks north
of chicago on my way back to the train station, because a gig got
postponed for ten days.

# posted by gt @ 05:31

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

This photo of supposedly antique machines reminds me that now that I have a computer with a working camera, I could take pictures of some of the Annis collection stuff I have in my attic.
(I think the above photo is a mix of antique and vintage; antique meaning over 100 years old.)
When I moved to Indy 20 years ago I lived across the street from an old brick mansion that was home to the R B Annis Electrical Aparatus Company, and when the historical society threw away his "junk" I dumpster dived some of the pieces and gradually learned more about who he was.
He was a boy genius inventor and engineer who was an expert on magnetism. He built radio and tv stations and invented stuff that helped win WWII and did a lot with custom demagnetizers.
http://www.rbannis.com/files/
http://ndtsupply.com/r-b-annis-pocket-magnetometers.html
http://www.indutronics.com/assets/Accessories/Anis.pdf

I am out of town right now but this would be a good project for the next month.

The creative spirit of Annis Instruments grew from the talents of its founder, Robert B. Annis. Born in 1907, Annis developed a technical knack during the heyday of radio, and spent his early career honing the skills that would turn hobby into profession. During the war years, he'd already amassed enough professional kudos to catch the eye of military-industrial fabricators, and he quickly gained a reputation as an intricate problem solver. His modest, respected staff of engineers and manufacturers has grown to share his skills (some through 45+ years of service), and proudly maintain the Annis name. Today, Annis Instruments remains a small, hands-on operation - an assurance of remarkable consistency and quality.

Annis Instruments produces a catalog of 1000+ products, but to this day specializes in custom solutions in demagnetizing. To begin the consultation process with an Annis engineer, please contact us today. Visit our product line here

Oh this is cool. ftp://geoportal.wri.gvsu.edu/RB_Annis_Bio.pdf It's an online bio of Annis.
I've read it before but didnt know there was a copy online.

# posted by gt @ 14:34

Monday, September 23, 2013

bennet goes to burning man.

i met him many years ago at an eff conference. he's a frequent slashdot contributor.
i've never been to burning man. i think it's probably too late by now, i mean nobody goes there anymore it's too crowded.

# posted by gt @ 13:19

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

sir ian mckellan marries sir patrick stewart

# posted by gt @ 17:30

Sunday, September 15, 2013

http://www.zappos.com/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-seasonal-hi-carmine-rose?zfcTest=fcl%3A3

# posted by gt @ 03:42

Saturday, September 14, 2013

milky way over mount fuji

# posted by gt @ 16:47

Friday, September 13, 2013

I watched The Goldbergs pilot on hulu. I'm a big Jeff Garlin fan, but I don't care much for the show.
It's about the childhood of Adam Goldberg, one of the most annoying actors I can think of. (granted he's a good actor usually typecast as the annoying guy.) Back in the Game, another new abc sitcom, is better, with James Caan as an over-the-top irrascible grandpa.

# posted by gt @ 12:07

Eugene Volokh came to my town yesterday, argued a case and talked to the Federalist Society, but I was in Chicago. I've known Eugene for 20 years via some mailing lists and now his blog, but I've never met him in person. He was an amicus in a free speech case before the Indiana Supreme Court and was given some time for argument. The one time I argued before the Indiana Supreme Court I let the amicus (from the Brennan Center) have 5 minutes.

# posted by gt @ 10:15

Monday, September 09, 2013

a new van gogh rediscovered.

gogo van. but it only goes one direction.

# posted by gt @ 21:59

this is alaska, but it looks a bit like parts of colorado i didn't get to this summer. also had another year of not seeing a beach.

# posted by gt @ 11:16

Sunday, September 08, 2013

MILF attack on Zamboanga.

# posted by gt @ 21:16

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

prufrock dreams of mars as it could have been

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1lpj64/if_mars_had_the_exact_same_atmosphere_as/cc1iy4j

# posted by gt @ 20:39

# posted by gt @ 08:41

Tuesday, September 03, 2013

coase dead at 102,

# posted by gt @ 00:17

Monday, September 02, 2013

# posted by gt @ 23:31

chelsea lately

# posted by gt @ 22:09

the hugo awards were yesterday in san antonio. i don't know yet who won. i'll update later.

scalzi won for "redshirts".

http://www.reddit.com/r/scifi/comments/1lk3s2/lois_mcmaster_bujold_a_lot_of_my_science_fiction

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-1698-captain-vorpatrils-alliance.aspx I don't remember yet if I've already read this one.

just read the first 6 chapters that are free online. i guess there's more if i can find it.
nice reiew by jo walton http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/book-review-captain-vorpatrils-alliance-lois-mcmaster-bujold

walton tells me fred pohl died today. he was there at the beginning of science fiction in the 30s, and his blog won a hugo 3 years ago. he was 90-something. i liked him as an editor and as a writer and as a fan and as a blogger. i used to buy 1960s-era "galaxy" and "if" pulps for a dime each at mile high comics in the 1980s.

# posted by gt @ 07:32