Saw and read lots of things. Same old story. Here, let’s think. Watched Cronenberg’s A History of Violence, which I thoroughly enjoyed; was at times an uncomfortable enjoyment, but that’s I think what Cronenberg was going for, mood-wise. Excellent performances all around, with what you might call a tightly-crafted script. This is a movie that […]
Watching, Reading, Learning
Posted by Ben on October 13, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/watching-reading-learning/
A fast & furious rundown
Charisma Explained. No, really. A British study lays bare the components of charisma. The BBC News Magazine article gives a few pointers (open body posture, let people know they matter, develop a genuine smile, be forceful and articulate, &c.). (BBC News Magazine) And lack thereof. Another study shows that people are more likely to make […]
Posted by Ben on August 22, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/a-fast-furious-rundown/
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart, by Lydia Millet, ends up being a disappointment, but only because the last few hundred pages pale in comparison to the incomprehensible brilliance of the first 250. Honestly, the beginning is outstanding, so it’s not really Millet’s fault that the rest can’t compare. Once you bring the three forefathers of […]
Posted by Ben on August 1, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/oh-pure-and-radiant-heart/
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond In all likelihood you do not need me to tell you that this is a fascinating and well-written book, so I won’t dwell on the obvious. It’s a book I’ve been encouraged to read on numerous occasions and, having read it, I’m not disappointed. One thing I found […]
Posted by Ben on July 15, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/guns-germs-and-steel/
Girl in the Flammable Skirt
Girl in the Flammable Skirt, by Aimee Bender This is as entertaining a collection of stories as any, and one of them is enough to get you hooked (or ought to be, anyway). The title is catchy—it’s what caught my attention—but is also interesting for the fact that the eponymous story is possibly the weakest […]
Posted by Ben on July 15, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/girl-in-the-flammable-skirt/
Capsule Reviews: Long Emergency & Dance Dance Dance
The Long Emergency, by James Howard Kunstler Kunstler is as proficient a thinker as he is a writer, so it comes as a surprise that his newest book doesn’t quite work. The topic—society’s reliance on oil, and the problem of what happens when it runs out—is certainly an important one. Part of the problem undoubtedly […]
Posted by Ben on June 11, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/now-reading/
Let me tell you about my great enormous backlog of links
Going all the way back to mid-February, WorldPress Review carried an interesting story about the US Military’s recruitment schemes, both historical and contemporary. And did you hear about the starquake? Oh. You did. Well, did you hear that women are “less likely to get quality heart attack care,” or that cancer-stricken rats live longer if […]
Posted by Ben on April 14, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/let-me-tell-you-about-my-great-enormous-backlog-of-links/
Il Dottore
Il Dottore by Ron Felber First things first: as an account of a true story, Il Dottore is fascinating. And it’s obvious that author Ron Felber had a blast writing it. (Seriously, though—who wouldn’t?) But whereas Il Dottore makes gains based on the inherently fascinating story of mob connections, double lives, and what-have-you, it takes […]
Posted by Ben on March 16, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/il-dottore/
Of books and movies
The Panopticist has an annotation of the first page of DeLillo’s White Noise which, if it’s the sort of thing you’re in to, is interesting. If not, maybe you’d rather edit your own Psycho shower scene. Yes, the one from the movie. Create your own masterpiece, using the original footage. “All you need is Flash.” […]
Posted by Ben on March 3, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/of-books-and-movies/
Squelch goes the permafrost
Via BBC: …Alaska is not the only region in a slump. The permafrost melt is accelerating throughout the world’s cold regions, scientists reported at the recent Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in San Francisco. In addition to northern Alaska, the permafrost zone includes most other Arctic land, such as northern Canada and […]
Posted by Ben on January 2, 2005
https://www.swordbilled.com/squelch-goes-the-permafrost/