November, 2013 archive
Tabletlands 0
The more I use my Zareason tablet, the more I like it.
I’m using it primarily with FBReader to plough through ebooks from Project Gutenberg at a record pace, and, when necessary, to jump to my browser or to Google maps to investigate references and explore the contexts of mentions in what I am reading.
It also beats hell out of a smartphone for email and browsing. Something to do with 2GB RAMs, I expect.
This device is a nice job of work.
Something–I forget what–interested me in learning more about Japan, not the distorted Japan that we westerners know, but actual Japan, if you will pardon the laborious construction. At some later time, I will post some links to free ebooks that I have accumulated in my quest.
Also, for you mystery buffs out there, I’ve got a bunch of Victorian mysteries for you.
“I’m Not Racist, but . . . .” 0
. . . almost always means, “I’m racist, and . . . .”
Video moved below the fold because autoplays on some systems.
Dammit.
Freshness Guaranteed
0
Same old, same old.
Gaming the Numbers 0
Bob Cesca:
But, because there’s an “Obamacare is a Failed Policy” script that must be serviced, the lowest number of the batch has to be quoted. That’s why you’ve been reading about 106,000 rather than 1.5 million.
Read the rest.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
For all practical purposes, no change.
(snip)
The four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure, decreased to 344,000 last week from 349,750 the prior week. The reading compares with an average 328,750 at the end of August, before delays in processing claims in California caused the numbers to see saw.
California was among states and territories for which claims were estimated last week. The others were Virginia, Hawaii, Washington and Puerto Rico.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits was unchanged at 2.87 million in the week ended Nov. 2.
The Lost Cause 0
When someone speaks to you about the “Lost Cause,” ask him or her, “What exactly was the cause that was lost?”
Slave Master with Slaves
(Study for The American Historical Epic), circa 1924-27.
Crayon with pencil and ink on paper
Citation on request.
Someone Is Wrong on the Internet 0
Warning: Language.
Nuts for Dunkin’ 0
I hope I never want a doughnut this bad.
(And, if I did, it sure wouldn’t be a Dunkin’. It would be a Krispie Kreme.)
Cross the CBBT with Me 0
This weekend, I went to Philadelphia to visit kids.
For grins and giggles, I slapped my dash cam into place and recorded the rides across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
It’s not great cinematography by any means. It’s completely unedited; the camera has a wide-angle lens, so there’s a fisheye effect; and there’s no narration. Nevertheless, if you haven’t crossed the bay on the CBBT, you might enjoy it.
There are three hi-def segments in *.mov format. Because of the hi-def, the files are quite large and may take a while to download:
Northbound Segment One: from the entrance to the south island, where I stopped for breakfast because of the great country ham and the surprisingly reasonable prices (approx. 327MB).
Northbound Segment Two: from the south island to Wise Point (approx. 811MB).
Southbound: Wise Point to Virginia Beach (approx. 1GB).
Zero More Shopping Days Till the Phony War on Christmas 0
If there’s a war on Christmas, it looks to me like Christmas has won.
Reg Henry:
But it seems to me the anger so inspired is hardly conducive to recruiting more Christians. Who would want to join a religion that goes out of its way to be obnoxious to outsiders, in stark defiance of its own beliefs? Goodwill among men? Bah, humbug.
Do read the rest, if only for the delightful bit in which he discusses Sarah Palin’s latest contribution to reducing the overall intelligence of the polity.
Throwing Away the Key 0
Punishment that fits the needs of the prison-industrial complex and keeps them folk in line–forget it.
This Could Spell the End of Television as We Know It 2
If every advertising lie were prosecuted, there would be no advertising.