Recently updated blogs

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about Tennyson’s “Lady of Shalott” and its resonance with our AI age (The Mirror Cracked: AI, Poetry, and the Illusion of Depth). In that post I explored how our experience of the world is increasingly mediated by technology, AI just being one (and the latest) variation. […]

Basically this is my version of a D&D fantasy setting, generic enough so I can slot in other peoples’ dungeons without much modification but weird enough to be interesting. Big sources of inspiration are the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories (Ziragzar is just Lankhmar), seventeenth-century India and America, and Ghibli fantasy. THE SUNDER is a continent which holds forests as old as the world and magic from the Outer Spheres. …

To no-one’s surprise 2024 was the warmest year on record – and by quite a clear margin. Another year, another data point. Unlike the previous year, 2024 was anticipated to be a record breaker even before it began (I predicted a record – despite the huge anomaly in 2023 – with a 55% probability). It did fall at the higher end of the prediction, so maybe we are seeing the …

Today's links The cod-Marxism of personalized pricing: From each to their ability, to each according to their need? Picks and Shovels Chapter One (Part 3): DEFINITELY not a pyramid scheme. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024. Upcoming appearances: Where to find me. Recent appearances: Where I've been. Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em. Upcoming books: Like …

The first moment I was absolutely gleeful in Cornucopia was when I opened a spell-book in the starting area. >OPEN BOOK Opening the spell book reveals :- detect magic spell; dispel magic spell; purify water spell; dispel illusion spell; detect illusion spell; levitate self spell; detect evil spell. This is what you start with! This game is going to take a while. I have the rest of January blocked out. …

Commonly associated with the new year, Daruma dolls are a type of wishing doll considered an ornament but also a symbol of good fortune and the ultimate lucky charm. With its austere, rounded form, intense expression, and distinctive eyebrows, the Daruma doll was originally modeled after the 5th-century founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma. Japanese leather […] Related posts: Tsuchiya Kaban Creates Leather Randoseru For Dogs Tsuchiya Kaban Creates Leather Bag …

Colonel Jubilation B. Johnston and his Mystic Knights Band and Street Singers Attack The HitsColumbia, 1966"enigmatic" credits from the back coverNashville, 1966. After so many recording sessions for the Bob Dylan’s album "Blonde On Blonde » Bob Johnston, the producer and the musicians led by Charlie McCoy needed some relaxation, and also perhaps some kind of revenge. That’s understantable. That’s why they recorded in the process Moldy Goodies as by …

He's not still on about that holiday last month? Well yes, but even I am now growing tired of photos of blue skies and butterflies. (Haha! As if!) However I have to post these, the last of the holiday, so I can move on and post some dreary grey Scottish December/January outings. Yeah, I can't wait either.skinklarge hopper / locustBerthelot's pipitfeeding the lizards at the trackskinks on videoAnother day and …

I made a few pilgrimages to Los Angeles in the `90s when a couple of my friends moved out there (specifically to a bungalow in nearby Costa Mesa, as I discussed here). As a lifelong New Yorker, all I knew about L.A. was stuff I'd seen in movies and television, romanced by locales from films like "Repo Man," Penelope Spheeris' "Suburbia" and "The Decline of Western Civilization." I dutifully logged …

Borrowing the UK’s Shadow Cabinet idea and bringing it across the Atlantic is a good idea. Timothy Snyder: In a shadow cabinet, in Britain and Canada and elsewhere, parliamentarians from the opposition party follow the actual cabinet members, develop expertise in the relevant portfolios, and comment to the press. They remind the public that other policies and other approaches are possible, and get a chance to show off their skills. …

The new, "Absolute," DC books have been a wonderful treat, surprising me and many others with how darn good they are. "Absolute Batman," has been getting a ton of attention, and, "Absolute Wonder Woman," is incredibly solid, but I've been quite surprised with how much I've enjoyed the tweaks made to the O.G. hero in, "Absolute Superman." I've discussed before how I sometimes struggle to enjoy Superman stories although I've …

Flowtape is a German mix series that branched out to releasing music last year, with the Survivors compilation. On January 24 Vol. 2 will be released, and once again with a focus on dark electro and breakbeats. This time Italian producer TLXCO reappears and they also welcome Filmmaker, Anti Yo, Nghtly (pictured) and Gavelman into the fold. It will probably be available on tape (since they only release cassettes) and …

I have firmly resolved to worry less about awards and QSLs in general. I still log my QSOs and upload them to QRZ.com and LotW, but I only do the latter for my communication partners. I personally consider logging itself to be very important and I will never give it up. However, I was looking for a solution to keep track of the DXCC entities I had already worked. Then …

Pricing & AvailabilityWhat comes in the box?Design & ConstructionSize & MeasurementsUser InterfaceEmitter & BeamMode ChartRuntimeDriver & RegulationBatteries & ChargingSwitchCarry & ErgonomicsCompetitionConclusion Pricing & Availability Convoy sent me this light in exchange for an honest review. Here is the official product page where you can see current pricing. At the time of writing, it’s $89 USD with the optional Molicel P45B batteries I chose. What comes in the box? The box …