So, last night we had a ridiculously out of season snowstorm, which dropped almost a foot of snow on us over night. Yes, I am writing this on Easter weekend. Yes, it is April. And yet still I saw this when I looked out the window this morning: The one upside of this is that I got to go out… Read more →
Year: 2007
Oh, and since I mentioned Pullman…
Kidman as Mrs. Coulter seems like good casting to me. And SAM ELLIOTT! I know it’s standard Hollywood, but Weitz claiming to be the writer in a promo piece that doesn’t ever mention Pullman seems kind of dirty to me. (Insert here standard rant about adaptations. Then the standard rant about how visuals from movies colonise your mind like a… Read more →
Good Friday, Part 6
Here’s a quotation from a new story published on March 31st in the Globe & Mail: Mr. Trottier, 24, and his colleague were hanging posters Tuesday night announcing a lecture by Victor Stenger, author of God: The Failed Hypothesis, when they were approached by two men. The men asked for a copy of the poster, mumbled under their breath and… Read more →
Some Eostre Listening
You can now listen to the recent Oxford/Cambridge-style formal debate on the proposition “We’d be better off without religion”, thanks to the Time Online. (Note that this is explicitly not the same proposition as “God doesn’t exist”, etc.) The debate was organized by Intelligence Squared, and had the following participants: Pro: Professor Richard Dawkins Professor A.C. Grayling Christopher Hitchens Con:… Read more →
Good Friday, Part 5
Here’s some irony for you: an article about Fred Phelps cheered me up today. If you don’t know who Fred Phelps is, you can do a little Googling. If I were feeling really snarky, I would list some quotes from Phelp’s church to illustrate the beauty and majesty of religion, but I’d feel dirty linking to him, or his charmingly… Read more →
Attention All Humans
OK, look, it’s been almost two years since I felt compelled to give all humanity a command, but this one has really been building up. Here’s the core of it: an escalator is not a ride. This is not an amusement park, it’s a tool to speed traffic between different levels. You don’t just stand there–your legs still work. Maybe…… Read more →
Good Friday, Part 4
For the record, I’d like to see the rest of the world on the same scale. This obviously comes from Scientific American, but I got it from the always interesting Strange Maps. It kind of saddens me to see that “marred by creationist jargon” tag on Massachusetts though. I do kind of think of Boston and environs as a relatively… Read more →
Good Friday, Part 3
Speaking of those people that cocky atheists particularly love to make fun of, you should take a moment to read this blog post outlining the shock of someone who has lived in the middle east, upon moving to middle america. So when I came to the US I was shocked, absolutely stunned at just how absolutely people believed the Bible.… Read more →
Good Friday, Part 2
You know, you can’t make up stuff like this: The owner of a photo store, who says her business partner is Jesus, began Holy Week by putting signs outside her store urging passing motorists to show their support for the Christian holiday. “Easter: Beep for Christ,” the signs said. Phil Young, owner of a neighboring tattoo store, soon after put… Read more →
Good Friday, Part 1
An unexpected gift
Yes, what you are looking at there is my new Voco Clock, as previously discussed here. Sunday after the tournament, I stopped in at my local comic shop, and was given that item as a “thanks for hosting the tournament” gift. Damn. While I didn’t wake up Sunday until 2:30PM (and, wow, was that a nice change), and thus was… Read more →
Tournament Results
Well, Saturday’s tournament was pretty much an unqualified success–the house is still standing, with no capital expenditures required to put it into wife-ready order before Trish gets back, I think everyone had fun, and I certainly enjoyed myself. And, I got a lot of great stuff from the lads–giant cards, mathematically useful cards, poker signage, classy religious beer, fine whisky,… Read more →
…oh, and speaking of Chandler
Ian Fleming Interviews Raymond Chandler for the BBC That’s the only known recording of Chandler‘s voice. How cool is that? Phillip Marlowe‘s creator being interviewed by James Bond‘s creator. Chandler is getting on in years in this interview, and he comes across as a kinda-drunk cranky old man, but with a razor-sharp mind. It’s pretty awesome. And it’s a goldmine… Read more →
While I’m Talking About Movies…
..but this time good ones: We had a double bill of Double Indemnity and Body Heat last night. Best piece of dialogueBest delivery of a line, though, is a tie between Robinson‘s line about “Margie” drinking straight from the bottle, and Turner‘s “You don’t look lazy.” from the night: Phyllis: I was just fixing some ice tea; would you like… Read more →
Jeff Ford, Look What You’ve Done.
You know, things are so easy in this Internet age that it sometimes only takes a tiny impetus to start things rolling down the hill. For example, brilliant author Jeff Ford might make a slightly nostalgic post about the terrible 1975 movie The Devil’s Rain. One of the unintentionally funniest flicks ever. If I’m not mistaken, the last scene is… Read more →
