Anagrams, by Lorrie Moore

anagrams.gifThis is the last, best novel you will ever read. The last you will ever need to read; you could just read it over and over again, filled with the crushing immensity of its hope, despair, and comedy.

You will read other fiction, eventually. And then you will feel guilty.

“Life is sad. Here is someone.”

Anagrams shows futility better than anything else I have ever read, and it shows why that futility is irrelevant. Or might be.  I loved this book, maybe not from the first page, but definitely from the second.

If you read the first page, you must read through to the last page, or you will be totally and completely crushed.  You’re likely to be crushed anyway, but it’s a good feeling, when you finish: warm, and awkward, and embracing.

Read this now.

by on October 13, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on October 13, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/anagrams-by-lorrie-moore/

Fight!

The NYTimes has a strangely compelling article on the topic of U.F.C. and its sudden rise in entertainment currency:

“Do you know why people die in boxing all the time?” he said. “Neurological damage. In boxing my goal is to hit you in the head and knock you out, or hit you in the head more times than you hit me in the head. That’s basically all there is. And with the boxing glove they have actually created a weapon for repeated brain trauma.”

He leaned over the aisle and make a quick, athletic flick of the shoulders. “You know what would happen if I punched you in the face right now?” he said. “Yes, it would hurt you, but since I’m not wearing a glove, I would probably break my hand. But in our sport there are 500 different ways I can win without hitting you in the head; boxing basically requires it.”

Ultimate Fighting Championship participants use light, fingerless gloves that are meant to protect the hand but not enlarge the striking area or increase the weight of a punch.

Another key difference relating to safety seems to be the culture of the two sports. A boxer who gives up before the referee stops the fight (as Roberto Duran is famously reported to have done, against Sugar Ray Leonard, in the 1980 “no mas” fight) is considered psychologically weak, if not a wimp. In the U.F.C. a fighter who submits, or “taps out,” generally seems to get credit among his peers for recognizing an impossible situation. (There are no female fighters in the U.F.C., though there are scantily clad “Octagon Girls.”)

(NYT: “Getting Your Kicks on Television,” by Seth Schiesel [1 Sept 2007])

by on October 8, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on October 8, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/fight/

It’s only a matter of time now

Really, the headline says it all: “Scientist develops real-life Spiderman suit material.”

Though, admittedly, the body of the article does add some detail (and qualifiers).

(via ScienceBlog)

by on October 8, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on October 8, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/its-only-a-matter-of-time-now/

Ever wonder find yourself wondering, what’s the best glue to attach leather to styrofoam?

Me neither, but thanks to This to That, now I know the answer. (Answer: Hot glue.) And you can find lots more practical joinings, too.

(via LifeHacker)

by on October 8, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on October 8, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/ever-wonder-find-yourself-wondering-whats-the-best-glue-to-attach-leather-to-styrofoam/

Another kind of claymation

A music video by Jan Svankmajer, the fellow who brought us people-eating tree stumps and animated skeletons with Santa hats. What’s not to love?

(via MeFi)

by on September 21, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on September 21, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/another-kind-of-claymation/

It’s coming back

delorean.jpg

(via The Guardian: “Back to the present for DeLorean,” by John Sterlicchi [30 Aug 2007])

by on September 20, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on September 20, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/its-coming-back/

But maybe you knew that already

You want ice?  You need black cherries. (via LifeHacker)

Loneliness is bad for your health.

Bikes “aren’t transportation.”

by on September 3, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on September 3, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/but-maybe-you-knew-that-already/

Surely 34 months wouldn’t kill you.

Would they?

A handy listing of food (and some non-food) expiration time frames.  Although, come on–you’re supposed to refrigerate opened peanut butter after 3 months?  Refrigerate?  Really?

It’s reassuring, as always, to see that even when the sun outlives its useful existence and fries the earth, honey will still be good to eat.

(via RealSimple, by way of Lifehacker)

by on August 26, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on August 26, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/surely-34-months-wouldnt-kill-you/

Proving, scientifically, that what we always knew wasn’t true, isn’t, sort of

“Our findings suggest that consumers who are focused on the future are so preoccupied with finding ways to improve their situation that they become overly sensitive to information that points to such opportunities — and lose sight of the relative advantages of their current choice,” the authors explain.

For example, Meyvis and Cooke asked study participants to choose among three stores on a series of simulated shopping trips. After each trip, they were shown the price charged for a product at their chosen store and the prices charged at each of the other two stores.

After going on a series of shopping trips, participants were then asked to indicate which store was the cheapest and whether they would want to switch to another store for a second set of shopping trips.

Notably, the investigators found that when participants were told in advance that they would make a second set of shopping trips, they were less likely to prefer the store they initially chose and more likely to switch to another store after the first set of trips. In addition, they also thought the store they chose was the most expensive fifty percent more of the time. This phenomenon was replicated in later studies even when the chosen store was less expensive than the other two stores.

In contrast, participants who did not expect to have to make a second choice accurately recalled an equal number of trips on which the chosen store was cheaper or more expensive.

(EurekAlert: “The grass isn’t greener.” [7 Aug 2007])

by on August 26, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on August 26, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/proving-scientifically-that-what-we-always-knew-wasnt-true-isnt-sort-of/

The Art & Science of Tipping

How we think we understand things we don’t, really.  (Namely, tipping.)  Interesting shufflings in the comments area, as well as some worthwhile links.
(Crooked Timber: “Tipping points,” by Henry [16 May 2007])

by on August 24, 2007  •  Permalink
Posted by Ben on August 24, 2007

https://www.swordbilled.com/the-art-science-of-tipping/

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »