All the cool kids on the internet are hating on Lost after the series finale, but I actually enjoyed the way the series ended. As far as I could tell, the only outright flaw was Christian Shepard’s monologue on the nature of the flash sideways universe. I would have preferred something more ambiguous and subtle at the end, [...]
If I had the budget for one, I’d definitely buy one, so I can certainly understand why people with lots of disposable income are flocking to Apple stores today. That said, there is something sort of unseemly about reveling in the act of consumption. I guess this particular tweet captures what I’m trying to say [...]
I keep hearing about this problem of communicating with people in the future about dangerous radioactive waste storage sites. My solution to the problem is to make the sites as desolate and unremarkable as possible. Given our natural curiosity, putting up elaborate structures seems like more like an invitation than a prohibition, even if those [...]
People always look at me a bit quizzically when I start to rave about Primer. Today’s subtle Primer reference in XKCD perfectly captures both why I love the film, and why nobody knows about it.
Last year Anastasia and I went as undecided Ohio voters. This year we’ve chosen a more subtle muse: I now own a pair of overalls. And a pitchfork.
The first 45 minutes of The Trojan Women had two levels — yelling and interpretive dance. The next 45 minutes turned into a Greek Rocky Horror picture show, thanks in large part to over-the-top performances by Menelaus and Helen of Troy Greece. We secured front row seats in a black box theater, thanks mostly to [...]
What strikes me about the Letterman scandal is the complete lack of acknowledgement of any ethical wrongdoing. I mean sure, older men having sex with young female assistants is icky, but nobody seems to be stopping to consider why this is icky. Even feminist blogs, who really should know better, seen more obsessed with other [...]
It seems odd that women are drastically underrepresented at Wikipedia when women in graduate school outnumber men. This means that there is more to the story, possibly more issues — cough, sexism — which Wikipedia must investigate to figure out what gives when it comes to their lack of women contributors. I find it difficult [...]
One of the most interesting things to come out of the Robert Taylor lecture was this little anecdote. I think it is important to remember that maintaining diversity, beyond the ethical and moral importance of doing so, confers tangible benefits. And we should remember that a lack of diversity at Xerox circa 1970, viewed retroactively, [...]
Last night was my first visit to the Texas Performing Arts Center. The hall was pleasing and larger than I expected, or at least felt that way from our nosebleed seats in the second balcony. We did get a chance to enjoy the outdoor sixth floor balcony during intermission, though the entire evening was, for [...]