Monthly Archives

September 2009

Perhaps, perhaps…

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The Daily Galaxy (a blog I’ve not read before) ran a small article on the 14th regarding the (from America, anyway) minute possibility that the Universe is poised to become the new religion. While I’d like to think that awe over the grandeur of the entirety of space and the elegance of quantum theory will replace belief in myths and fables at the center of human existence, I do worry about calling anything a religion. I think that implies an attachment and rigidity that we should probably avoid going forward – if the Universe teaches anything it’s that change is constant and entropy is a-comin’.

Richard Dawkins & Carl Sagan: “Will the Universe Be the New Religion?”

There is, of course, something reassuring about saying “the Universe works in mysterious ways” instead of the usual statement. Richard Dawkin’s interview (included in the article) is delightful, but it could be the Religulous talking.

So long, ScaryGoRound!

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As of Friday, ScaryGoRound has said goodbye to its present form. Its creator, John Allison, moves on to a new comic endeavor – can’t blame him! I get bored with my artsy activities about an hour in, so I can’t quite imagine seven years! I’m going to miss this amazing little gem of Brit-humor and quirky monster tales. My SGR fix has been a daily institution for at least the last five years and it’s going to be hard to let Amy, Shelly, Ryan, Bat-Friend, Desmond, etc go.

I’m certain, though, that whatever Mr. Allison has in store for us will be fantastic. I’m just glad I finally got around to ordering my “Nosferatu doesn’t share his toffees” t-shirt before they all ran out.

Now, what to do with the SGR link in my right sidebar? Suggestions?

What’s for dinner?

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Well, tonight it was this:

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Baked salmon with rosemary (from the patio garden) and lemon, asparagus seared in sesame oil and rough-mashed redskin potatoes with parmesan cheese and garlic. Complimented by a vodka tonic with a twist of lemon and blackberries.

It was so fantastic that we had a visitor join our candlelit table moments later:

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She is not a very good table top dancer. And she nearly doused herself in vodka before walking past the flames. So much for romance…

Ever wonder what it’s like to see time?

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And not just as a clock on the wall…

The BBC has an audio clip with a synaesthete named Holly Branigan that explains just that. Unlike most patients suffering (I’m not sure it sounds like something to suffer through, frankly) from synaesthesia, Holly can see time in addition to space instead of smelling colors or feeling sounds. Her description is absolutely fascinating, if you have a moment to spare:

What is it like to see time? (BBC)

Happy 7 years of this blogging

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Readers, I’ve been blogging in earnest for seven years, as of today.  Strange, I know, that it happens to fall on September 11th.  So what was I up to seven years ago?  Reading through the dead posts on my “nickblog” account on Blogger, it seems that I was:

  • excited about Dusty integrating a blog for me into the now defunct AResultofBoredom.org
  • about to be ripped off for 850 college-student dollars for a never-delivered Sony VAIO
  • questioning one of many truly stupid decisions perpetuated by my high school/college girlfriend
  • preparing to embark on a job interview at the Moxie cafe in West Halls

I can actually remembering hammering out that first post on Blogger, if you can believe it.  Just me and the 2400c/180 in my first dorm room.   I had been writing for an indeterminate amount of time using Blogger and HTML-based web pages.  (Probably back to at least 2000.) But I can’t find any of these materials, so we are going to have to call 9/11/02 the beginning.

So, happy blog-day to me.  Thanks for reading.

Random Object Generator

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Installment #6:

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What is it? carved Chinese box

What’s its deal? souvenir from Beth to me following her journey across China (sometimes on camel)

Where does it live? atop of a stack of books on the ladder-style bookshelf in the living room

Any notable facts? this box is empty inside, though it seems like it would be the perfect size for something…

Gag me. Now.

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The fact that Ted Nugent has a hunting cabin near my home, making him a favorite of my dad and his buddies only adds to how infuriating the existence of this event is to me:

Verizon Wireless Sponsors Anti-Energy Bill, Right Wing Event

It’s like, can Verizon make itself look any more evil?  Align itself any more with the WalMart, phone holster and buckshot crowd? Can the rally attendees be any more the stereotype of themselves?  “God gave us the right to keep and bear arms?”  Seriously?

(Thanks, NewsJunkiePost.)

Update: Ironically, this is post number 1776, according to WordPress’s numbering.

Loose change on global currency

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You may remember that, after the global recession hit full swing, some curious news reports about creating a single global currency began to surface.  Well, from rumors to a report by the United Nations itself, the single international bank concept is gaining traction.  Here’s the latest from Bloomberg:

UN countries should agree on the creation of a global reserve bank to issue the currency and to monitor the national exchange rates of its members, the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development said today in a report.

Almoste makes me want to head up to Pittsburgh for the G20, just to hang out in hotel bars and listen in on the latest gossip.

Banksy mural more than half painted over

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Wow, if this doesn’t smack of a Douglas Adams-level of beauracracy in action, I don’t know what does.  As reported by the BBC:

Blur Banksy is ruined by mistake

What a terrible waste of a fantastic piece of art.  Truly shameful.  Reminds me of this passage from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:

“But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months.”

“Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn’t exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything.”

“But the plans were on display …”

“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”

“That’s the display department.”

“With a flashlight.”

“Ah, well the lights had probably gone.”

“So had the stairs.”

“But look, you found the notice didn’t you?”

“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”