I just ate up this essay by Benjamin Kunkel at n+1. Chiefly it diagnoses the two main political strains with their corresponding pathologies (Republicans/conservatives are psychopaths and Democrats/liberals are neurotics, and I just can’t argue with that) but I found this encapsulation of the practice of politics to be troublingly spot-on: A tricky thing about …
Monthly Archive: January 2013
Jan 18 2013
Gun Culture, Running Roughshod
Josh Marshall speaks up for the legitimacy of the opinion of folks who hate guns: It’s customary and very understandable that people often introduce themselves in the gun debate by saying, ‘Let me be clear: I’m a gun owner.’ Well, I want to be part of this debate too. I’m not a gun owner and, …
Jan 17 2013
Who Should Actually Worry about the Chromebook
The Verge has an interesting piece on the implications of Google’s Chromebooks, cheap-as-dirt laptops that run a browser-based OS and purportedly do not suck. Writer Tom Warren emphasizes the threat this poses to Microsoft, obviating the entire netbook and cheapie Windows machine markets – – if they sell. But I think that’s not who should …
Jan 17 2013
Deep Riffs: Bussard Collector
A song of mine from 2006 that’s ostensibly about a plausible spaceship, but really about caring a whole lot about something bigger than yourself. BONUS: This song, though having a sci-fi bent, does not sound like filk. If you don’t know what filk is, just trust me, you’re welcome. Appears on my album Evidence of …
Jan 16 2013
Thoughtful
The only difference for me is that I begin by dreading the responses. Comic by Jim Benton.
Jan 15 2013
From iPad to Nexus 7: The App Transition
Now that I’m settling in with my Nexus 7, after my hefty deliberations which resulted in my recent hocking of my once-beloved iPad 3, I am now focused more on the day-to-day tasks for which this tablet is used. Some apps I became accustomed to on iOS/iPad have versions for Android/Nexus, but there can still …
Jan 14 2013
IV, V, II, III, VI
Thanks to a Fireballing, I rediscovered this essay by Rod Hilton on a suggested viewing order for the Star Wars films which, he says, makes for a much better story, retains most of the big twists and reveals, and concentrates more strongly on the more compelling narrative: the Luke story over the Anakin story — …
Jan 14 2013
Deep Riffs: Running Gag
The opening track from my 2004 record Paul is Making Me Nervous. It’ll slay the crowd and impress your mom.
Jan 13 2013
One Slab to Rule Them All
The day I did not think I would see has come. Today I sold my iPad 3 (WiFi + LTE 16GB) in favor of my Nexus 7. I never did pick up my iPad again after purchasing the Nexus (and only handled my wife’s iPad to set up games and books for Toby to use, …
Jan 13 2013
Grow Sweeter Each Season as We Slowly Grow Old
One of Toby’s favorite songs for bedtime used to be Toad the Wet Sprocket’s “Walk on the Ocean,” and like all bedtime songs he favors, it had to be sung every night for months. Current favorites, incidentally, include “She’s an Angel” by They Might Be Giants, “Somewhere That’s Green” from Little Shop of Horrors (which …
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