“There is that poem about the nightingale singing that humankind cannot stand too much reality. But how much unreality can it stand? Do you follow? You understand me?” “Me unnastand, sah.” “I fired that question right back at the nightingale. So what if reality may be terrible? It’s better than what we’ve got.” “Kay, sah. Okay.” “All right, I let you out of it. It’s better than what I’ve got. But every man feels from his soul that he has got to carry his life to a certain depth. Well, I have got to go on because I haven’t reached that depth yet. You get it?” “Yes, sah.” — Saul Bellow, Henderson the Rain King Read more →
May 2010
Hearty and Fleeting
Photo by melliemels Then, before the rain began, the old place appeared to be, not a lost way of life or one to be imitated, but a vision of life as hearty and fleeting as laughter . . . — John Cheever, The Wapshot Chronicle Read more →
Rt 66 Diner–Making Shakes
Originally uploaded by richardzx Read more →
Twitter: 2010-05-31
In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked at as something shocking now heaven knows, anything goes # Read more →
EppsNet Love Song of the Day: Bargain
I’d gladly lose me to find you I’d gladly give up all I had To find you I’d suffer anything and be glad I’d pay any price just to get you I’d work all my life and I will To win you I’d stand naked, stoned and stabbed I’d call that a bargain The best I ever had Read more →
How to Be a Denialist
Allege that there’s a conspiracy. Claim that scientific consensus has arisen through collusion rather than the accumulation of evidence. Use fake experts to support your story. “Denial always starts with a cadre of pseudo-experts with some credentials that create a facade of credibility,” says Seth Kalichman of the University of Connecticut. Cherry-pick the evidence: trumpet whatever appears to support your case and ignore or rubbish the rest. Carry on trotting out supportive evidence even after it has been discredited. Create impossible standards for your opponents. Claim that the existing evidence is not good enough and demand more. If your opponent comes up with evidence you have demanded, move the goalposts. Use logical fallacies. Hitler opposed smoking, so anti-smoking measures are Nazi. Deliberately misrepresent the scientific consensus and then knock down your straw man. Manufacture doubt. Falsely portray scientists as so divided that basing policy on their advice would be premature.… Read more →
Gary Coleman, 1968-2010
Sad . . . now he’ll never know what Willis was talking about . . . Read more →
Happiness
Twitter: 2010-05-26
USC men's tennis wins NCAA championship!: http://goo.gl/UjM9 # Read more →
Payback Time
PARIS — Across Western Europe, the “lifestyle superpower,” the assumptions and gains of a lifetime are suddenly in doubt. The deficit crisis that threatens the euro has also undermined the sustainability of the European standard of social welfare, built by left-leaning governments since the end of World War II. — Payback Time – Deficit Crisis Threatens Ample Benefits of European Life – NYTimes.com Read more →
Nothing But the Night
Now hollow fires burn out to black, And lights are guttering low: Square your shoulders, lift your pack, And leave your friends and go. Oh never fear, man, nought’s to dread, Look not to left nor right: In all the endless road you tread There’s nothing but the night. — A. E. Housman, “A Shropshire Lad” Read more →
Guide Dogs
New Programming Jargon
Excerpts from Global Nerdy: Bugfoot A bug that isn’t reproducible and has been sighted by only one person. Shrug Report A bug report with no error message or “how to reproduce” steps and only a vague description of the problem. Usually contains the phrase “doesn’t work.” Smug Report A bug report submitted by a user who thinks he knows a lot more about the system’s design than he really does. Filled with irrelevant technical details and one or more suggestions (always wrong) about what he thinks is causing the problem and how we should fix it. Read more →
A Rare Event
I’m out walking the dog and one of the neighborhood moms asks me, “What grade is your son in now?” “He’s a junior in high school this year,” I reply. “I saw him out walking the dog the other day.” “You did? Oh you’re lucky to see that,” I said. “It’s a rare event, like an eclipse. Everyone gets very excited when it happens.” Read more →
So Long, Specter
Arlen Specter is the latest beneficiary victim of President Obama’s support, following on the heels of Gov. Jon Corzine, Gov. Creigh Deeds and Sen. Martha Coakley — none of whom actually exist. Read more →
Finer Things
As we’re driving home from Extra Mile, I ask my son, “How’s that Icee?” “Good,” he says. “What flavor did you go with?” “Pineapple Mango.” “It makes me feel good to be able to provide my son with the finer things in life.” “A 99-cent Icee?” “Fine things don’t have to cost a lot of money.” Read more →
More People I’m Sick Unto Death Of
People who use the word “signage,” e.g., “We’ve got to put up some signage so people can find the right conference rooms.” Look — like most words, the plural of “sign” is formed by adding “-s” at the end, not “-age.” This kind of language abuse just makes everyone stupider. Read more →
Twitter: 2010-05-17
Watching the Growth of Walmart Across America http://bit.ly/kxZkC # Read more →
What Do I Look Like?
I was out for a walk today when a little Chinese boy about 1 year old in human years pointed at me and said, “Panda!” Do I look like a panda to you? — Lightning Read more →