It’s the middle of August, school starts next week, and that means the annual Dallastown Carnival! It’s been running all week, I could have gone any day, and I didn’t. It’s been hot and stupidly humid, and who wants to walk into Dallastown when it’s hot and humid? It has been pretty, though. I’ll sayContinue reading “Carnival Time”
Recent Facebook Ads
Oh, Facebook ads. Did Facebook serve me something interesting? Oh, yes, indeed. Who doesn’t want to wear some fine Bob Larkin artwork on a shirt. Like, this shirt. What is this, my friends? That’s Bob Larkin’s cover artwork to J.A. Lawrence’s Mudd’s Angels. Harry Mudd and three scantily clad women, the starship Enterprise overhead. It’sContinue reading “Recent Facebook Ads”
A Saturday Miscellany
Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13, died yesterday. He was 97. I can’t add to anything that others have written, and I won’t try. I read Lovell’s book on the Apollo 13 disaster, Lost Moon, and, of course, I’ve seen Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Lovell in Ron Howard’s Apollo 13. I’ve known the storyContinue reading “A Saturday Miscellany”
See a Problem, Solve a Problem
At Diamond archiving files for the retailer website is often a convoluted and tedious manual process. For example, the order form files — my purview — go in these two directories here (depending on if they are text or PDF), then they are archived in directories here (again, text or PDF depending) under their “standard”Continue reading “See a Problem, Solve a Problem”
Possum Mating Habits
I can honestly say that I had never contemplated the mating habits of possums, but… …yeah, it’s really freakin’ hot out there. And who knew possums were into freaky sex? Hoo-boy. After last night’s Facebook ad, again the algorithms show me something of interest… …and while a Bag End-themed bottle of Jamesons is definitively ofContinue reading “Possum Mating Habits”
Nationals on the Shoulder of Giants
Facebook, you know my interests too well. But I am not going to buy an unlicensed novelty Washington Nationals City Connect jersey with “Standing on the Shoulder of Giants”-era Oasis holding the World Series trophy on its back. I’m just not. Yes, I love the new Nationals City Connect jersey — the light blue, theContinue reading “Nationals on the Shoulder of Giants”
The Week I Became an Atheist… Sorta
I saw a post on Reddit over the weekend about the Shroud of Turin which, in a roundabout way, started me thinking about my path to atheism and the role–or lack thereof–the Shroud played in that. As a kid, I harbored serious doubts, and around the ages of 10-11 I became very interested in BiblicalContinue reading “The Week I Became an Atheist… Sorta”
Gollum Screams
The past week I’ve had a terrible feeling of FOMO. (That’s “Fear of Missing Out,” for those not up on the lingo.) Debian 13 is releasing on, IIRC, on August 9th. Two weeks away! And there is a nagging Gollum voice inside me screaming, “We needs it! We needs the Precious!” Except I don’t. I’mContinue reading “Gollum Screams”
The Meaning of Favorite Medieval Fonts
I feel seen. I think the Brothers Hildebrandt Tolkien calendars of the late 1970s, which I know my father had, instilled in me a love for uncial fonts that had lasted to this day. Even now, I have several uncial and insular-style fonts installed on my computer. I’ve had more, but that was in myContinue reading “The Meaning of Favorite Medieval Fonts”
The World of Weird Novelty Songs
You would think I would have heard of the New Vaudeville Band. I listen to the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Neil Innes and the Rutles — how could I not know of the New Vaudeville Band? We all have our cultural blindspots. Not only is their greatest hit (albeit one recorded by session musicians,Continue reading “The World of Weird Novelty Songs”