Today, April 6th, is celebrated as Tartan Day. This holiday commemorates America’s Scottish heritage, from the colonization of the New World to the Declaration of Independence and beyond. I first learned of Tartan Day some years ago at the North Carolina Renaissance Faire, and the idea intrigued me. If the Irish get St. Patrick’s Day,Continue reading “On Celebrating Scottish Heritage”
On Baseball Talk
Tomorrow, in honor of the start of the new baseball season, we are allowed to wear Orioles gear at the office. A footnote to the e-mail from HR on Friday noted that other teams’ gear was permissible. I found my Niners jersey. The Niners, as in Ben Sisko’s baseball team from Star Trek: Deep SpaceContinue reading “On Baseball Talk”
On Elbow, Live at Abbey Road
Yesterday, it came in the mail. Elbow and the BBC Concert Orchestra. The Seldom Seen Kid Live at Abbey Road. For two months I’ve been wanting this, the live recording of the entirety of their Mercury Prize-winning fourth album, backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and a concert choir. From the moment I heard theyContinue reading “On Elbow, Live at Abbey Road”
On Talk Like A Dalek Day
Look what I’ve just learned! Today, April 3rd, is Talk Like a Dalek Day! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! The Daleks are now the masters of the Earth! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Okay, I’ve done my part for Talk Like A Dalek Day. 🙂
On the Sixth Floor View
Seriously, I do not get the weather today. This morning was rainy. No, worse than rainy. It was dreary. Sheets of water poured forth from the grey sky and ran down the sidewalks. The rain had brought out the earthworms. Hundreds of them, all stretched out on the wet sidewalks. Rain beat against the officeContinue reading “On the Sixth Floor View”
On Space Bat
We must take a moment to salute a true hero, Space Bat. On March 19th, a bat affixed himself to the space shuttle Discovery and took off into space. It was, sadly, also his last flight into space. A tribute video to a true space pioneer: And a memorial website in tribute to Space Bat.Continue reading “On Space Bat”
On Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes
I’ll be honest. I’ve not been looking forward to Guy Ritchie’s upcoming Sherlock Holmes film. The cast of Robert Downey, Jr. as Holmes made no sense to me. The early set photos didn’t instill any confidence in me, and while I was intrigued by the casting of Jude Law as Dr. Watson, I was iffy.Continue reading “On Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes”
On the Uses of Sitar Music
I find myself completely taken with sitar music this morning. I’m trying to wake up, and the coffee isn’t quite doing it for me. Of course, coffee doesn’t work instantly. I have to give it more time. So, I’m adding some sitar music into the mix. The sitar has a tangy sound, like a stabContinue reading “On the Uses of Sitar Music”
On The Leisure Society’s The Sleeper
Sometimes, I find things on the Internet I never expected to find. Maybe it’s random chance. Maybe it’s kismet. Maybe it’s just luck. Click links, wander down strange paths, and the thing you never knew you wanted is just… there. That’s what happened on Friday. I found myself reviewing a review of an album thatContinue reading “On The Leisure Society’s The Sleeper”
On the Reach of International Law
If President Obama’s administration is unwilling to commission a Truth Commission to investigate the crimes and moral failures of the Bush administration and bring the actors who authorized torture to justice, that’s okay. The Spanish are more than willing to make up for our lapse. And the Brits, too. SpainÂ’s national newspapers, El PaÃs andContinue reading “On the Reach of International Law”