Reading A Bad Book and the “Page 99” Test
John Warner, a.k.a. the Biblioracle at the Chicago Tribune, talks about quitting on bad books: I used to be one of those people who refused to give up on a book.…
Are You Pondering What I’m Pondering?
Mitt Romney blames his loss on Obama's skill at giving out "gifts" to women, the middle class, and minority groups. After all his blather in October about how his 47%…
My Favorite Spy Movies
The release of Skyfall, which I haven't seen yet, prompted me to reflect on my favorite spy movies. They are, in no particular order... North By Northwest: A couple of weeks…
Are You Pondering What I’m Pondering?
Today is the anniversary of the birth of the following people (among others, naturally): Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Auguste Rodin, Charles Manson, and Neil Young. So, as you can see, some…
Light Blogging For A While
Even though there's a lot to sort through from this week--the election and Philip Roth's retirement from the page come to mind--my Dad's death on Thursday will keep me quiet…
Are You Pondering What I’m Pondering?
Vote, damn you. What to look for, and ignore, on election day. Considering that most airlines are an inch away from charging passengers a $50 not-getting-kicked-in-the-head-with-an-iron-boot fee, I'm sad to…
Are You Pondering What I’m Pondering?
In one sense, it's unlikely. My Dad's health has declined still further, which, though expected, is proceeding faster than I anticipated. I see him again this weekend. Ordinarily I could…
Are You Pondering What I’m Pondering?
LA Times Book Critic David Ulin praises the novella as a form. Does climate change exacerbate storms like Sandy? I no longer feel any temptation to climb trees in the…
Being Jim Snowden
"There is no me. I do not exist. There used to be a me, but I had it surgically removed." --Peter Sellers I actually wanted to start this post…
Dudes and Doubitability
Reading Rebecca Watson's Slate article on sexism and sexual harassment in the skeptical community depressed me this morning. (And with a cold coming on and a car in the shop,…