Recently updated blogs

Cheers to my brother Paul for the scans! Aphex Twin’s rhythmic ambience. TWIN PEAKS by Kurt B. Reighley There is a word in German, klangfarben, for which there is no precise English equivalent. Associated predominantly with 20th century composers such as Stockhausen, the world loosely translates as “sound colour,” emphasising unique timbres as a compositional tool. Slap on I Care Because You Do (Elektra), the latest release from Aphex Twin, …

What follow is an excruciatingly long, overblown review/demolition of the first half of a supposedly popular book on the history of mathematics. As I began to approach 12,000 words, yes you read that correctly, I decided to break off and pause. I couldn’t decide whether to simply end there or to add a second part in a further blog post. I’m still not one hundred percent sure what I’m going …

“Do what you want, and you will never work a day in your life.” That old adage, intones 66-year-old Vonn Scott Bair, “is a myth, a lie, a LIE.” He’s been doing what he wants since retiring eight years ago, but said, “I work longer and harder than I ever have.” It’s not that Bair ... The post Retirement sends Vonn Scott Bair full speed into long days as actor, …

Last year, I outlined the specific requirements that an app needs to have in order for me to consider it a Signal competitor. Afterwards, I had several people ask me what I think of a Signal fork called Session. My answer then is the same thing I’ll say today: Don’t use Session. The main reason I said to avoid Session, all those months ago, was simply due to their decision …

Research shows that exploration and learning are top motivators for heritage travelers, who actively seek authentic and meaningful experiences year-round. To keep visitors coming back throughout the year, consider refreshing how you tell your story every few months—or more frequently, if possible. Regular updates not only encourage repeat visits from your local community but also ensure your site feels vibrant, dynamic, and engaging for all.… Continue reading 250th Spark: Your …

“Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country” is an excellent, genre-blending book, that brings together nature and travel writing, literary and cultural history, exploration of the supernatural, plus the added element of memoir. It’s filled with the sense of love, wonder, and appreciation for England’s landscapes and the ghostly tales that quietly echo through its forests, hills and moors.

I discussed Labour’s economic policy agenda on the Politics Theory Other podcast.

I started to write notes by hand on paper and oh boy, did my handwriting get bad. Reply by email

Has it really been over two decades since THE PRINCE & ME (2004) was first released in theaters?!This delightful romance, which spawned a trio of sequels -- albeit with a different lead actress -- was released on Blu-ray this past fall, and I was glad to have a chance to revisit the movie after many years via this review.Luke Mably plays Crown Prince Edward of Denmark, a bored and somewhat …

This one speaks for itself: The lawyers, of course, complied (and split the bill). Is this the first time such an order has been issued? Nope. See “Order Granting Motion to Compel Lunch” (Aug. 4, 2006). Bonus points to both judges for making sure the lawyers tipped their servers.

If you’re building a new Python web app these days, there’s a good chance you’re using FastAPI. There are a lot of features that make FastAPI easy to get started with. There are also a lot of nuances that take a while to understand. One feature I’ve been untangling is the way FastAPI manages calls to API routes via decorated path parameters. The new year is a perfect time to …

At a play group we attended recently for queer families with little kids, we were asked to fill out a new form for participant tracking by the host organization. Beyond some basic demographic questions you've probably been asked before, one question asked: how does your child describe their gender? For the new baby, we simply wrote: baby. But, we have never thought to ask our three year old this, so …

On the extent, causes, and lessons of the disaster, in my latest article at Postliberal Order.

“Seattle AM General trolleybus downtown, 1986” by Steve Morgan is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Ridership-based route productivity measurements—those which compare a route’s average number of riders to its cost of operation—are common within transit planning. Unproductive routes will be the first considered for elimination when funding is tight. Those that perform well may merit additional service when the budget supports expansion. I have previously argued that ridership-based measurements are, …

One week at Number One from w/e 19th March 1983The early eighties indie charts show another unexpected burst of volatility which propels the weeks old "Fatman" back to the top of the chart for one week. Let's take a look at what's going on lower down, shall we?New Entries10. Action Pact - People EP (Fallout)Peak position: 10Hard-edged female fronted punk outfit from the modestly populated village of Stanwell in Surrey. …