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Monthly Archives: June 2015
June Books
Non-fiction: 4 (YTD 23) Oak, by William Bryant Logan Martial Power and Elizabethan Political Culture: Military Men in England and Ireland, 1558-1594, by Rory Rapple Self-Portrait, by Anneke Wills Naked by Anneke Wills Fiction (non-sf): 5 (YTD 18) The Charterhouse … Continue reading
Links I found interesting for 30-06-2015
Supreme Court upholds Arizona redistricting commission Hooray!(tags: uspolitics elections ) “The Hogwarts” Before Hogwarts Williams and Searle’s influence on Rowling.(tags: sf ) SBJ’s pantechnicon extravaganza: A brief history of the Hugo awards – the file 770 compiliation [as credited] Hee!(tags: … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 29-06-2015
Behind Tsipras’s Grexit strategy What’s really going on.(tags: eu greece ) How India changed the English language Loot, nirvana, pyjamas, shampoo, shawl, bungalow, jungle, pundit, thug.(tags: languages english india ) Giant earthquakes are shaking Greenland — and scientists just figured … Continue reading
Links I found interesting for 28-06-2015
Can the Bacteria in Your Gut Explain Your Mood? What’s your gut feeling?(tags: health biology ) Covers: The Best of the Worst No! No! Nooooo!!!(tags: music ) Change Doesn’t Usually Come This Fast Nate Silver takes it personally.(tags: sexandgenderandsexuality )
Links I found interesting for 27-06-2015
It Is Accomplished Andrew Sullivan writes.(tags: sexandgenderandsexuality uspolitics ) Ten Warning Signs How to spot a cult. (Has wider relevance, I think.)(tags: psychology religion ) A World Without Work Very long, but very interesting.(tags: economics work )
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Links I found interesting for 26-06-2015
Airline ‘Hack’ Was Denial of Service Polish airline grounded by cyberattack.(tags: internet poland ) Super Mario Bros meets House of Cards: the European Council’s badge system A Game of Badges?(tags: eu ) Hooray for Obamacare Paul Krugman writes.(tags: uspolitics ushealth … Continue reading
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Weekly reading blog
Current Watership Down, by Richard Adams (a chapter a week) The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, by Luo Guanzhong Sculptor's Daughter, by Tove Jansson Last books finished Yesterday’s Kin, by Nancy Kress The seven-per-cent solution; being a reprint from the … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 25-06-2015
Shift in UK energy policy Blowing off the wind.(tags: eu ukpolitics climatechange ) The Clegg catastrophe Long but fascinating.(tags: ukpolitics libdems )
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Martial Power and Elizabethan Political Culture, by Rory Rapple
An excellent monograph looking at Elizabethan era soldiers fighting English wars, mainly but not only in Ireland. Rapple makes a lot of good points about the way in which the soldiers regarded themselves as something of a caste apart in … Continue reading
Links I found interesting for 24-06-2015
Pitcairn Island, population 48, passes law to allow same-sex marriage Step by step…(tags: sexandgenderandsexuality pitcairnisland ) ALDE back in its kingmaker seat in the EP A bit smaller but still punchy.(tags: eu )
E Pluribus Hugo, revisited
I’ve spent more spare time than is healthy over the last few days musing on the proposed new system for counting Hugo nominations, designated E Pluribus Hugo (henceforth EPH) by its designers (to whom detailed observations should be directed here). … Continue reading
Oak: The Frame of Civilization, by William Bryant Logan
Logan tries to show that the oak tree is Awfully Important to Western Civilisation, and indeed makes a reasonable case for the place of oak in various foundational texts and physical structures of our society. In particular, I liked the … Continue reading
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The Complete Robot, by Isaac Asimov
I think I had read almost all of these before, in one collection or another; this books takes all of the various stories about robots, most of which feature the Three Laws of Robotics (first mentioned in “Runaround”, set on … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 22-06-2015
Mari Ness – Proposed changes to Hugo Awards On the proposed changes to the fiction categories.(tags: sf ) Note to WSFS Members: Killing the Best Novelette Hugo is a Terrible Idea @Scalzi weighs in.(tags: sf ) Napoleon wrote the best … Continue reading
18th Birthday
B turned 18 on Friday. Her brother F and I took her on an outing yesterday, starting with tea at the home where she lives, and then a visit to a scientific outdoor site with fossilised trees, finishing at the … Continue reading
E Pluribus Hugo, and other proposals (long post)
One of the reactions to this year’s Hugo crisis has been the proposal of a tweak to the system for selecting Hugo Award finalists, with the goal of preventing slates from dominating as they did this year – as if … Continue reading
Links I found interesting for 21-06-2015
What’s Really Happening With the Yukos Case Hee hee!(tags: russia )
Thursday Reading (late)
Current Watership Down, by Richard Adams (a chapter a week) The seven-per-cent solution; being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D, by Nicholas Meyer The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, by Luo Guanzhong Yesterday’s Kin, by Nancy … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 19-06-2015
Archaeologists Have Made An Incredible Discovery At Stonehenge What lies beneath.(tags: archaeology ) Jailhouse nation America’s prison system.(tags: uspolitics ) It’s Buy From TOR day! If you like.(tags: sf sadpuppies ) Can Politico make Brussels sexy? It’s changing my working … Continue reading
The Battles of Waterloo
In anticipation of today’s anniversary, I read three classic fictional treatments of the Battle of Waterloo, with the intention of writing them up in good time. Of course, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I’m now … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 18-06-2015
Glastonbury 1992 Ian reminisces.(tags: music ) Valid Complaints on Story about Berkeley Balcony Collapse New York Times screwed up, badly.(tags: ireland usa ) British teen discovers new planet A good work experience placement!(tags: astronomy ) When Less Plot is More … Continue reading
Links I found interesting for 17-06-2015
Eric Flint on the Hugos again. Long, impassioned, right.(tags: sf sadpuppies ) On the upcoming ethnic cleansing of supposed Haitians from the Dominican Republic Awful.(tags: race humanrights haiti dominicanrepublic )
Links I found interesting for 16-06-2015
Fifa Comms Chief Exits After Sepp Blatter Joke Oops!(tags: fifa ) The Marshall Islands Tried to Keep the World’s Nuclear Powers Honest You tell ’em, @MinisterTdB!(tags: marshallislands ) Eulogy for Alex Rondeli Well said, @TxTbUk.(tags: georgia ) John Oliver on … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 15-06-2015
Futurephobia, the Hugos and the invention of SF’s past Deconstructing nutty nuggets.(tags: sf sadpuppies )
Links I found interesting for 14-06-2015
What’s the Point? Human Minds and Sad Puppies More sensible stuff from Matt Foster.(tags: sf sadpuppies )
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Links I found interesting for 13-06-2015
FIFA: the long foot of American justice My friend Matt Oresman writes.(tags: fifa )
Links I found interesting for 12-06-2015
16 Pictures We Can Probably Stop Tweeting In 2014 Hey, I made Buzzfeed! (18 months ago.)(tags: internet ) Support For Irene Gallo Continues to Grow Good.(tags: sf sadpuppies ) Why the EU-Amazon fight was inevitable A quick guide.(tags: eu amazon … Continue reading
Thursday reading
Current Watership Down, by Richard Adams (a chapter a week) Martial Power and Elizabethan Political Culture: Military Men in England and Ireland, 1558-1594, by Rory Rapple Self-Portrait, by Anneke Wills True History/Ἀληθῆ διηγήματα, by Lucian of Samosata Last books finished … Continue reading
Links I found interesting for 11-06-2015
Bright Spots Shine in Newest Dawn Ceres Images Fascinating!(tags: asteroids ) Man who spent €40k restoring car declared owner by judge A happy ending.(tags: ireland ) I Stand By Irene Gallo – Chuck Wendig So do I. This is getting … Continue reading
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Links I found interesting for 10-06-2015
The poverty of political science in Russia More cause for concern.(tags: russia politics )