Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts
2.12.11
5.7.11
I look marvelous.
This made my day: A macaque snagged a photographer's camera, noticed its own reflection in the lens, and took a few snaps.
Something about the pic really captures my feelings about PhotoBooth.
How simple have cameras become, that a macaque finds the "shoot" button more interesting -- not to mention pushable -- than anything else on the mechanism?
Via.
Something about the pic really captures my feelings about PhotoBooth.
How simple have cameras become, that a macaque finds the "shoot" button more interesting -- not to mention pushable -- than anything else on the mechanism?
Via.
20.6.11
If I am not mistaken, you were not disinclined to me
"If I am not mistaken, you were not disinclined to me, Lugones, and you would have liked to like some piece of my work. That never happened..." - Borges, Dream Tigers
1.6.11
Tidbit du Jour
In English, "plumber's friend" is a euphemism for a plunger.
But if you are in a Parisian hotel with wonky plumbing for which you request a "plongeur," you are likely receive a visit from Greg Louganis and a lesson on French faux amis, of which plongeur is one, and not just for the plumber.
So, in Paris, if you have the need, request a ventouse, and leave the plunging to the Olympians.
By which I do not mean the immortals on Mt. Olympus, but today's useless tidbit was in fact, and strangely enough, inspired by "Il Tuffatore" of Paestum, the only example of Greek tomb painting that includes a human figure. He is plonge-ing into the afterlife.
Is it a death, or a rebirth? Intriguingly, "ventouse" is also used to describe suction-aided baby deliveries. So,on second thought, be careful about asking for a ventouse, at least in obstetrical contexts.
But if you are in a Parisian hotel with wonky plumbing for which you request a "plongeur," you are likely receive a visit from Greg Louganis and a lesson on French faux amis, of which plongeur is one, and not just for the plumber.
So, in Paris, if you have the need, request a ventouse, and leave the plunging to the Olympians.
By which I do not mean the immortals on Mt. Olympus, but today's useless tidbit was in fact, and strangely enough, inspired by "Il Tuffatore" of Paestum, the only example of Greek tomb painting that includes a human figure. He is plonge-ing into the afterlife.
Is it a death, or a rebirth? Intriguingly, "ventouse" is also used to describe suction-aided baby deliveries. So,on second thought, be careful about asking for a ventouse, at least in obstetrical contexts.
28.5.11
Things I did not buy.
A pink electric can opener; a programmable slow cooker; a pair of perfectly tailored Bermuda shorts; a trip to Bermuda, with or without shorts; exactly the right pair of chinos; foundation undergarments made of space-age fabrics; whalebone corset; a pair of extremely sharp scissors; ipad, kindle, perhaps a nook; a last word cocktail; praise; silence; eyelet top; frye boots in coral or lime or even coral-and-lime; roof repairs; six bags of black mulch; partridge (already have the pear tree).
19.5.11
Politics & The English Language
Government documents will now be written in plain English, as opposed to the fancy kind.
27.2.11
Demonology in Occitan
Via WIkipedia, a delightful excerpt from La covisada (1923) by Henri Gilbert, written in Occitan and followed by its English translation:
"Diablassas, diablà s, diablassonassas, diablassonà s, diablassons, diablassonetas, diablassonetassons, diablassonets, diablassonetons, diables, diablonassas, diablonà s, diablonassonas, diablonassons, diablonassonets, diabletassas, diabletà s, diabletassonas, diabletassons, diabletassonets, diablons, diablets, diablonetassas, diablonetà s, diabletonassas, diabletonà s, diablonetassons, diabletonassons, diablonetassonets, diabletonassonets, diabletons, diablonets e diabletonets, totes correguèron darrèr la pòrta e se i ranquèron."
"Big she-devils, big devils, big little big she-devils, big little big devils, little big devils, tiny little big she-devils, little big tiny little devils, tiny little big devils, little tiny little big devils, devils, big little she-devils, big little devils, little big little she-devils, little big little devils, tiny little big little devils, big she-devils, big devils, little big she-devils, little big devils, tiny little big devils, little devils, tiny devils, big tiny little she-devils, big tiny little devils, big little tiny she-devils, big little tiny devils, little big tiny little devils, little big little tiny devils, tiny little big tiny little devils, tiny little big little tiny devils, little tiny devils, tiny little devils and tiny little tiny devils, all ran to the back of the door and kept it shut."
"Diablassas, diablà s, diablassonassas, diablassonà s, diablassons, diablassonetas, diablassonetassons, diablassonets, diablassonetons, diables, diablonassas, diablonà s, diablonassonas, diablonassons, diablonassonets, diabletassas, diabletà s, diabletassonas, diabletassons, diabletassonets, diablons, diablets, diablonetassas, diablonetà s, diabletonassas, diabletonà s, diablonetassons, diabletonassons, diablonetassonets, diabletonassonets, diabletons, diablonets e diabletonets, totes correguèron darrèr la pòrta e se i ranquèron."
"Big she-devils, big devils, big little big she-devils, big little big devils, little big devils, tiny little big she-devils, little big tiny little devils, tiny little big devils, little tiny little big devils, devils, big little she-devils, big little devils, little big little she-devils, little big little devils, tiny little big little devils, big she-devils, big devils, little big she-devils, little big devils, tiny little big devils, little devils, tiny devils, big tiny little she-devils, big tiny little devils, big little tiny she-devils, big little tiny devils, little big tiny little devils, little big little tiny devils, tiny little big tiny little devils, tiny little big little tiny devils, little tiny devils, tiny little devils and tiny little tiny devils, all ran to the back of the door and kept it shut."
27.1.11
I Kid, I Kid!
We're having some great dinner conversations. Tonight, we wondered about the image of the scary German Shepherd that's being used to promote Jay Z's memoir. It seems a bit prejudiced against the breed. On the other hand, MJ says, the breed was used by police for intimidation and persecution in the South and eastern Europe.
Can't deny that. The breed has an image problem.
Plus, Nike keeps trying to eat the UPS guy.
One day, he says to me, as he stretches out on the carpet in my office, I will get him. Doesn't he wear a brown shirt?
Not the same thing, I tell him. The rule is, no biting.
My warning isn't really necesssary. Nike's most intense longings involve mainly cheese and peanut butter. He is truly half Snoopy, half Triumph, the Insult-Comic Dog. He is not so much dangerous he is simply undermining.
I kid, I kid, he says. I come from love.
Can't deny that. The breed has an image problem.
Plus, Nike keeps trying to eat the UPS guy.
One day, he says to me, as he stretches out on the carpet in my office, I will get him. Doesn't he wear a brown shirt?
Not the same thing, I tell him. The rule is, no biting.
My warning isn't really necesssary. Nike's most intense longings involve mainly cheese and peanut butter. He is truly half Snoopy, half Triumph, the Insult-Comic Dog. He is not so much dangerous he is simply undermining.
I kid, I kid, he says. I come from love.
4.1.11
22.12.10
13.12.10
Murmuring
Across the street, the television is on: cut to pandas in a zoo, cut to spherical chef behind a large butcher block, cut to funeral of Elizabeth Edwards. In twenty-four hours, the television will still be on, but the images will be entirely different. If, as is often said, the cuts are so quick they disorient all but the very young, what is less often observed is that the news cycle runs no faster than a middle-aged person's digestion.
Over here, some interesting gestures toward "immaterial literature," including my friend Rivka's "Case Notes of Medical Student, East Harlem."
Over here, some interesting gestures toward "immaterial literature," including my friend Rivka's "Case Notes of Medical Student, East Harlem."
27.10.10
14.10.10
Limnology!
My new favorite word: limnology, or "the study of inland waters."
Apparently has nothing to do with the much-maligned limn: "'Limn' is the phoniest word in the critic's vocabulary, aside from luminous to describe a writer's prose (and usually rather gushy prose at that). [...] Most of the time journalists resort to limn because they want something fancier than describe. " So sez Michael Dirda.
"Luminous writing" has been patented, by the way.
Apparently has nothing to do with the much-maligned limn: "'Limn' is the phoniest word in the critic's vocabulary, aside from luminous to describe a writer's prose (and usually rather gushy prose at that). [...] Most of the time journalists resort to limn because they want something fancier than describe. " So sez Michael Dirda.
"Luminous writing" has been patented, by the way.
14.7.10
19.5.10
Whoa, Dude!
Mark's post on speed made me laugh today. Full of excellent cooking advice, such as: "Reach for the white wine; apply liberally to the cook."
2.4.10
Hungry
Looking forward to the next installment of Mark's lamb tagine saga.
"I have your lamb. But I'm not sure how you'll pay for it."
"I have your lamb. But I'm not sure how you'll pay for it."
11.3.10
Reality Is Dead, Long Live Reality TV
Chuckling over Laura Miller's review of David Shields' manifesto against the novel: "It's reality to say that you just can't work up the enthusiasm for novels anymore, but to proclaim from the rooftops that the novel is dead, that's showbiz."
13.11.09
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