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October 27, 2005
Words I didn't know recently: pareidolia
Lisa Schmeiser's defense of "Lost" defines the word as "the practice of seeing patterns that aren’t really there", and I have long thought that such a word should exist. I was disappointed, however, that it does not appear in any of the dictionaries I consulted, including the OED, M-W, and Oxford American. It's in Wikipedia, for whatever that's worth. Wordspy indicates it only dates to 1994. http://www.teevee.org/archive/weblog/2005/10/24/102803.htmlPosted by irons at 09:35 AM
Brownback Today, Specter Tomorrow
Mark Schmitt thinks that the Miers fiasco, in addition to empowering the miscellaneous right-wing anklebiters, has made Arlen Specter an angrier and less complaisant Judiciary chair. The irony of Specter being the bulwark against theocracy is a little unsettling, but perhaps Anita Hill still haunts his dreams. http://markschmitt.typepad.com/decembrist/2005/10/brownback_today.htmlPosted by irons at 09:24 AM
October 26, 2005
Blisteringly negative NYT review of a ninja-themed Japanese restaurant
I hardly know what to excerpt, it's a target-rich environment. I'll go with this: "If a restaurant wants to charge between $12 and $18 a glass for white wine and $15 for weak specialty drinks, it should respond to an expressed interest in sake with a presentation of its sake list, not with the words 'I'll bring half a liter,' which is what a ninja said." http://events.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/dining/reviews/26rest.html?pagewanted=allPosted by irons at 08:42 PM
The Haughey-Knauss backchannel
Comment authentication for Matt Haughey's a.wholelottanothing.org MT site passes through Greg Knauss's admin.eod.com domain. How curious. Knauss is my favorite defunct blogger, the Fafblog of his era.Posted by irons at 11:20 AM
October 25, 2005
Desirous of a cheap, Tivo-compatible USB-Wifi adaptor?
I loaned mine to mom while my Tivo was busted. Today, in the pleasant hour before I realized that the exchanged Tivo box was drastically more busted than the one I'd sent in, I happened to price the Linksys WUSB11 USB Wifi adaptor -- $60 when I bought one two years ago, they're now $35 at Amazon, before a $25 rebate that expires November 23rd. They're 802.11b, not 802.11g, but the Tivo won't care. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005AW1H/bumpponet-20/103-1098892-3589419?%5Fencoding=UTF8&camp=1789&link%5Fcode=xm2Posted by irons at 05:23 PM
The Stranger's Indictment Night Party
"With indictments reportedly right around the corner in the CIA leak case, The Stranger and The Mirabeau Room are planning a party to celebrate the demise of... Well, we don't yet know whose demise we'll be celebrating, or when exactly we'll be celebrating it, but as soon as there's a demise to celebrate The Stranger, naturally, will be there. And you should be too." With funny drink names. http://www.thestranger.com/blog/archives/2005/10/23-29.php#a002005Posted by irons at 10:02 AM
October 24, 2005
Connie Mack is completely unhinged
A stunning, combative interview with the chair of the tax reform panel, who does not know very much about money. He also seems to think that his grandfather's involvement with the creation of American League baseball is something to be proud of. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/23/magazine/23questions.htmlPosted by irons at 11:47 AM
Billmon's appraisal of Patrick McNulty, nominee for Deputy AG
He's no Jimmy McNulty, I'll tell you that http://billmon.org/archives/002292.htmlPosted by irons at 09:47 AM
October 21, 2005
NPR: Tom Coburn's hat handed to him by Murkowski and Stevens
Which is a pity, because in this case (and I may never say this again) Coburn was right. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4969033Posted by irons at 06:34 PM
Madritsch claimed on waivers
Bobby Madritsch, the scowling, tattooed, mesmerizing Mariners pitcher who threw 4 innings and blew out his shoulder in 2005, was claimed on waivers today by the worst team in baseball as the Mariners shored up their roster against the rule 5 draft. It's a goddamn shame; I was really looking forward to seeing him in the rotation with Felix Hernandez. http://ussmariner.com/?p=3070Posted by irons at 03:33 PM
Project on Student Debt
My little sister has a job. A real job! it's appalling. http://projectonstudentdebt.org/Posted by irons at 12:06 PM
October 20, 2005
Simpsons neologisms
Wikipedia has a pretty good list of terms and phrases coined by the Simpsons over the years. "S-M-R-T" is probably the one I've used most, and I was surprised to see the claim that it was just a verbal gaffe by Castalleneta, yet so in character that they used it. The list has gotten longer since I made a note of it yesterday. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_neologisms_on_The_Simpsons#SPosted by irons at 06:35 PM
October 11, 2005
Words I Didn't Know Yesterday: kakistocracy
"Government by its worst citizens." Context. At first I thought it was rule by Japanese persimmons. http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50125124?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=kakistocracy&first=1&max_to_show=10Posted by irons at 04:38 PM
October 10, 2005
How many seconds in command does Zarqawi have?
Lots! At least 33, by this count. http://blogenlust.typepad.com/blogenlust/2005/09/kiss_of_death.htmlPosted by irons at 04:59 PM
October 09, 2005
Fazal Majid: "The Resistable Ascension of the Smartphone"
Preach it, especially on the structural defects in the relationship between the phone manufacturers and the fucking telcos. I feel like the phone I want has been five years out since the Newton, a decade ago. http://www.majid.info/mylos/weblog/2005/10/09-1.htmlPosted by irons at 10:20 PM
Sweet Dee lives to see another day
Of FX's two boundary-pushing sitcoms, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" was renewed, and the inferior "Starved" was canceled; Larry David's comedic influence spreads like revolutionary kudzu http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/newswire.cgi?id=7000Posted by irons at 10:02 PM
October 04, 2005
Billmon predicts Greenspan's successor
"NYSE Chair Calls For Calm, Vows Markets Will Reopen Eventually" http://billmon.org/archives/002224.htmlPosted by irons at 04:26 PM
October 03, 2005
Who knew that Hilton actually operates a hotel in Hanoi?
http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?moreDesc=true&ctyhocn=HANHITWPosted by irons at 09:21 AM