An otherwise marginally interesting NYT article hits a bright spot with this odd philosophical entreaty: You are not a sweaty, tired person hoping against hope for a quiet spot in the crowd. You are a grain of sand, a drop in the sea of humanity. You don’t need some fancy rational strategy. Be the blanket. […]
You are not a sweaty, tired person
Posted by Ben on August 27, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/or-are-you/
That’s disgusting. So what?
“What, precisely, is so bad about sex between adult siblings, bestiality, and the eating of corpses?” I’m glad you asked. Paul Bloom of Yale looks at the oft-irrational premises of disgust in modern times, delving also into its more ancient roots to look at where disgust comes from (for those who don’t want to read […]
Posted by Ben on August 27, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/thats-disgusting/
An Ancient Lake, (no) dope, and a Bloody Good Time
No dope? Lincoln Allison has an article in the Guardian that asks whether performance-enhancing drugs are really something that should be shied away from. He has lots of thoughtful points (e.g., that in sports where knowledge of doping is fairly public, fans don’t mind that records are “tainted” by drugs; that a strict anti-drug policy […]
Posted by Ben on August 25, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/rundown/
Whaddya believe?
Like all internet “personality” quizzes, this one isn’t exactly what you’d call totally authoritative. It’s called the Belief-O-Matic, and it helps you deduce what religion you ought to be practicing. Well, not exactly, but same idea. Is it useful? Ha! That’s a good one. Is it useful? Of course it’s useful. Okay, so it’s not, […]
Posted by Ben on August 25, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/whaddya-believe/
For the architecturally oriented
MOMA (that’s Museum of Modern Art) explores tall buildings in a neat, flash-based installation. Swell.
Posted by Ben on August 23, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/for-the-architecturally-oriented/
Wallet-size or 5×7?
It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it: Immigration officers are having to pore through naked pictures of hundreds of exotic dancers to keep imposters out of Canada, the Toronto Sun reported Tuesday. Foreign strippers planning to table dance in clubs must now provide photos of themselves with no clothes on to qualify […]
Posted by Ben on August 23, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/wallet-size-or-5x7/
The Pianist (****)
(2002) Roman Polanski – w/ Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Ed Stoppard, Julia Rayner, Jessica Kate Meyer, etc. Synopsis: ‘The Pianist’ tells the (true) story of Wladyslaw Szpilman (the titular pianist), a Jewish pianist living in Warsaw through the outbreak of WWII. The movie begins with Szpilman in what’s a fairly comfortable position even in spite […]
Posted by Ben on August 21, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/the-pianist/
TurnerVision
Ted Turner is an odd duck. Though I don’t really have anything against odd ducks. Witness: Moderator: Who would you want to become the president of the US? Turner: I’m for whoever speaks to our survival not our demise. Moderator: So Who? Turner: Who do you think? … Turner: The invasion of Iraq was the […]
Posted by Ben on August 19, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/turnervision/
That’s just my pet snake Reggie
The Austin Chronicle has an article on an, um, interesting remake of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’ You’re not likely to ever see it—it was made by three ten-year-olds from Mississippi—but there’s always the chance it’ll come out on DVD. (And before you write it off as a simple little home movie, bear in mind […]
Posted by Ben on August 19, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/thats-just-my-pet-snake-reggie/
Thinking Realistically
So… oil prices (per barrel) are heading for $45.00, ouch. Except that even $45.00 is unabashedly unrealistic. Matthew Simmons, an energy investment banker (and an advisor to Bush-Cheney) says: “Oil is far too cheap at the moment. … The figure I’d use is around $182 a barrel. We need to price oil realistically to control […]
Posted by Ben on August 19, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/thinking-realistically/