Recently updated blogs

Image: Bathhouse built on top of a hot pool, Taiwan. Photo from early 19th century, public domain. No Running Water at Home For people in industrial societies, few activities demand more privacy than washing and grooming the body. We usually do it alone, in our private bathrooms, with locked doors. Seen in a historical context, that is unusual. Bathing in the presence of others has been the rule rather than …

Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy by Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman is a rip-roaring read and simultaneously terrifying. The reader is left with the clear impression of fragility in the world financial system – bad enough in itself – that could tip over into armed conflict. Eek. The book is about the intersection of the discovery by the US of physical choke-points in the global internet with …

A while ago I went to north Wales with my daughter. I posted here a few pictures from that trip. We wanted to visit a place I saw in various websites, that at first looked like a mistake. Someone must have taken the wrong pictures, I first thought. These pictures looked like a place from another country. And actually, that is the intent of Portmeirion, a fake Italian village someone …

Today’s Washington Post has an opinion piece from Brian Greene, running under the demonstrably false title Decades later, string theory continues its march toward Einstein’s dream. In the piece, the argument of string theory critics is given as: Critics argue that the situation is untenable, noting, “If you can’t test a theory, it’s not scientific.” Adherents counter, “String theory is a work in progress; it’s simply too early to pass …

The Communal Table is a weekly art jam at The Drawing Room in San Francisco. There are plenty of tables, art supplies, beverages, and even a live band. I had a great time at the event and highly recommend checking it out if you are in town. It happens every Friday from 6-10pm at Drawing Room SF (on the corner of Valencia and 17th St). It is all ages and …

AN ORAL HISTORY OF HAWKWIND IN THE 1970s by Joe Banks £14.99 Revised and Expanded Edition 248 pp. | 216 x 156 mm 60 illustrations Shipping 31 October PRE-ORDER HERE Available only from Strange Attractor Press and select record shops. The first 500 orders from our web site will come with a ‘Hawkfan’ postcard. The stories of Hawkwind told by those who made it happen. While writing his acclaimed history …

Una premonición del desastroso año después de que la UE apruebe el control del chat, y lo que podemos hacer hoy para impedirlo.

Fans of the simcade racer have a new update to enjoy as Hot Lap Racing adds three new cars and Epic Games Store listing with a promotional 15% discount until September 26th, 2024. The trio of fictional new vehicles are the RBM 4LM JTC, which is a rear-wheel drive choice in the Japanese GT Championship […] Hot Lap Racing Adds Three New Cars and Epic Games Store OnlineRaceDriver - Sim …

FREDERICK: The study of birds and their habits is quite fascinating, Mrs. Gamely. I was only reading about it in stir… Sir Benjamin Stir, I mean… he’s the leading author on the subject, you know. MILDRED: Oh yes? FREDERICK: For instance, did you know there are some species of birds which are now practically extinct? MILDRED: Really? FREDERICK: Now, you take the little bustard. Now it seems that 50 years …

Bit more warmth to tide us over until the long dark descends upon us. An hour on Golden Pond before dusk, little movement but a tiny fizz of bubbles and this cormorant scarred skimmer took a fancy to a Swim Stim durable hooker. Hateful birds. I'd lost a puddle chucker early doors but a fitful breeze conspired to drift it cocked just into netting range at the same time.Sunday and …

3 Text Editors for the Linux Command Line 17 September, 2024 I don’t know exactly, or even roughly, how many editors there are for the Linux command line. But I have tried more than a few of them over the years, and found that most weren’t for me. A variety reasons for that, which probably had as much to do with me as with the editors. But, regardless of what …

Bev and I fly off to the, sun-soaked, island of Corfu on Wednesday afternoon. Gatwick isn't a particularly pleasant airport from which to start our latest adventure, yet is certainly better than the Luton alternative when having to drive from Ramsgate. Because of this tonight will be the final time that the garden moth trap will be operated until we return. To be fair, the recent run of blustery winds …

The world’s birds gathered for their conference And said: ‘Our constitution makes no sense. All nations in the world require a king; How is it we alone have no such thing? Only a kingdom can be justly run; We need a king and must inquire for one.’ They argued how to set about their quest. The hoopoe fluttered forward; on his breast There shone the symbol of the Spirit’s Way …

Day 22 in Ukraine. Sunlight’s soft ballet through lace of old curtains— glimpses of empty streets. — Dusk descends quietly Sirens wail through the stillness, Stars fade from the sky. — Awoken at night Flashes tear through the darkness, Dawn feels far away. Another day arrives. Why is time flying so fast? A week ago, I had a dream about waking up in the middle of an explosion (it was …

I read back my writing and find it uneven, like a mislaid path. Cobblestones, ruddy with rusty moss. But the unevenness doesn’t bother me. In the gaps between sentences, where the rhythm breaks and disperses, where traces of it are cast irregularly over rocky paragraphs, like a varnished wave smeared wetly against the shore, I glimpse something glittering, something close to feeling. That leak of light is a comfort. You …