On hearing that IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Khan had been nabbed and denied bail pending a sexual abuse trial, I was quietly pleased. Presuming his alleged victim isn’t simply hoping to hit the wrongful lawsuit jackpot—which doesn’t seem likely, but can never be entirely dismissed—we’ve got a rare case of a man of power and privilege […]
I’m reading my second Lois Mcmaster Bujold book, both late entries in the “Vorkosigan saga,†which I take to be a series of stories about the rise and rise of Miles Vorkosigan, born to the ruling family of an interstellar empire but tainted by physical defects in a culture that places a heavy stigma on […]
Reluctantly, Eileene told me about the new SpecTrek app she bought for her android phone-plus—reluctantly because it’s pretty dorky. The idea is your phone reports an outbreak of ghosts in your neighborhood and, using some map utility, selects a nearby spot where you can chase one down. When you arrive at the destination, you get […]
I got an exposure to the board game 7 Wonders last night. Players represent the home cities of the seven ancient wonders of the world and try to rack up the most victory points by the end of the game. Building your wonder can play a big role in this, but doesn’t strictly have to; […]
I got an exposure to the board game 7 Wonders last night. Players represent the home cities of the seven ancient wonders of the world and try to rack up the most victory points by the end of the game. Building your wonder can play a big role in this, but doesn’t strictly have to; […]
The ants have returned. You can drive the little buggers back with poison and flamethrowers and boots, but there can be no permanent victory over one of nature’s most successful families. At best, you can weaken a colony to the point where another moves in. I think that’s what happened since last year, when I […]
The ants have returned. You can drive the little buggers back with poison and flamethrowers and boots, but there can be no permanent victory over one of nature’s most successful families. At best, you can weaken a colony to the point where another moves in. I think that’s what happened since last year, when I […]
Overheard a woman tonight explaining her approach to evangelism. I won’t be able to quote her verbatim, but this is pretty close: “When you’re ready. I don’t try to make someone believe; I can’t do that. But when the time comes, when they need God and they’re ready for the Message, it will be there […]
A panel on the radio was discussing bin Laden’s execution tonight, and specifically who deserves how big a share of the credit for it. To their credit and my surprise, conservatives are applauding Obama for the raid. Claims that the Bush administration and its hard-line policies should share the credit are somewhat more dubious. One […]
Someone’s making another go at a privately-owned, for-profit snack bar tucked in a corner of the Montclair Public Library. I think it’s the third attempt I’ve seen in, oh, fifteen years or so, and I wouldn’t bet heavily on any greater success than its predecessors. With several coffee shops, snack stands, and the like just […]