Iran and China show their colors nice and bright during troubles. Sunshine is the best disinfectant, so when a government tries to stop communication and the press during troubled times, we know that the government is diseased. Urumqi has lost its Internet rights. We just saw this in Iran, so it’s no surprise that another […]
Violence in Urumqi
It’s pronounced /oo room chee/ with the accent on room. The Uighurs are rioting. My wife and I spent some time there a decade ago or so. It didn’t seem a particularly nice place at the time, and the surrounding desert is dust and wasteland. Sometimes beautiful and sometimes just desolate and empty. The Uighurs […]
Summer Reads
From The Guardian, a list of the best summer reads of all times. I don’t know what constitutes a summer read. I’ve read, and really liked, the first item on the list. So I was all prepared to go through the list, giving my opinions on all the ones I’d read. But, um, well, I […]
4th of July
It was a radical idea. A government formed by the people, with their consent, and with a threat attached: Do what’s right by us, or we’ll tear you down and try again. Here are a few more reasons, slightly less majestic, that the American spirit should be appreciated.
Books
I’m a book guy. I like good books to read, and I like pretty books to look at and handle. But I don’t like musty-smelling books. For those who do, there’s Classic Musty Scent. Check out the list of compatible files. [Link from @foliosociety]
Ants Own Everything
It’s been awhile since I posted about ants (here and here), but they keep being cool. BBC News has a headline called: Ant mega-colony takes over world In short, they believe that a huge colony has spread all over (probably hitching a ride with humans), and members won’t fight against each other.
Walk Tall Walkman
Thirty short years ago, the scene changed. Happy birthday, Walkman! This kid wore one for a week and wrote a little report (remembering to use lots of big words like “plethora” and “aesthetically.” Kids have to prove that they’re adults). The most best line was: “It took me three days to figure out that there […]
Water on his tongue beginning to boil
What would happen to your body if you were suddenly in deep space without a spacesuit (our grandkids’ equivalent to up a creek without a paddle)? You would actually be ok for a while. As long as you don’t try to hold your breath.
Anti-Fluoride Extremists Bare Their Teeth
This is in the small city closest to the teeny town where my wife grew up (and her parents still live). …anger over fluoridating Geelong’s water supply mounted today. P.S. Geelong is pronounce /jih LONG/
Old News is Good News
If you have hours and hours to kill, then check out Chronicling America, a site dedicated to old newspapers and the stories they print. At the moment, you can view papers from 1880 to 1922 (from California, DC, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Texas, Utah, and Virginia). Search, print, save, zoom in […]