September 2009
19 posts
The Daughters of Pierus
As the Muse spoke, Minerva could hear wings beating on air, and cries of greeting came from high in the trees. She peered into the foliage, attempting to discover where those sounds, the speech of human beings to be sure, were emanating from: why, from some birds! Bewailing their sad fate, a flock of nine magpies (which mimic anyone they wish to) had settled in the branches overhead.
Minerva...
America's Greatest Idea
I hope you are watching The National Parks.
It is on your local PBS station—in glorious high definition—now, and full episodes will be available on the website the day after they air on TV.
Bismarck Tribune Calls Out Pomeroy and Conrad →
“The numbers tell a pretty straight-forward story. If the campaign contributions don’t buy influence, what do they buy?”
Yikes →
The Greatest Human Is Dead →
“I’m here because all fairy tales take place in the woods, King Cole, even...”
– Fables #88
WatchI love this stuff. I spent a whole afternoon a few weekends back watching Ricky Jay videos on YouTube.
Klosterman on The Beatles →
“Like most people, I was initially confused by EMI’s decision to release remastered versions of all 13 albums by the Liverpool pop group Beatles, a 1960s band so obscure that their music is not even available on iTunes. The entire proposition seems like a boondoggle. I mean, who is interested in old music? And who would want to listen to anything so inconveniently delivered on massive...
“Downed Frigate” by Metroid Metal
...
Failure of Leadership
Here’s the problem with President Obama’s wishy-washy support of national health insurance that would compete with private insurance.
One, by giving even the appearance of political maneuvering or negotiating over this point, he is signaling a vast majority of the people who actually elected him—and the Democrats facing a campaign in three months—that the campaign promise...
Some days I pray for silence,
and some days I pray for soul.
Some days I just pray to the God of Sex and Drugs and Rock ‘n Roll.
— “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf
MP3s Sound Fine →
Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood on why people who want FLAC recordings, spend too much time in audio forums, and spend too much money on speakerstands are “lost” and why MP3s are underrated as a medium for audio recordings.
Reverse Engineering H1N1 →
“I now know how to modify the virus sequence to probably make it more deadly.” For around $1000. This is one of the best articles I’ve read recently. (via /.)