The symbol for Ayn Rand's life was a cigarette (one of attitude). The symbol for her characters was a dollar sign (one of value). I've decided the symbol for my life is a clock (one of clarity). What we have that we spend even by doing nothing is time. Ours, the world's - time. Time is a creature, in Orthodox thinking - a created thing. It will one day be taken up into God, like all creatures, … [Read more...]

"Experts step outside their comfort zone and study themselves failing." —Josh Foer #99conf … [Read more...]

From this: http://lifehacker.com/5814945/everyone-wants-better-no-one-wants-change … [Read more...]

It's not a statement of identity - the existentialists have it wrong - you don't have to absolutize an attitude for it to be useful. But as a statement of value, I think it's useful. … [Read more...]

The other day someone asked where I was moving. I said New York. He said "Boy are you in for a surprise." Then, before he let himself explain to me what I was in for (and, by extension, how the world works), he asked "Have you ever been there?" When I said "Oh sure, lots of times," he paused and finally admitted, "Well, I never have." I understand how people work in this way, but since I can't … [Read more...]

I'm having the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau. Saturdays and Sundays are wine and oil days during the Fast, so I've been waiting for a Saturday where I can get to the store. Good thing I did, too - there were only three bottles left. I'm having it for a second (today) of many run throughs, over the years, of Frankie & Johnny - one of many favorite films from the 90s. I had the same … [Read more...]

It's funny to me: We're not saying we didn't help fake a bunch of bombings. We're not saying we didn't steal credit card numbers to spy on UN officials. We're not saying we didn't knowingly and quite willfully install a completely corrupt government in Afghanistan. We're not saying the Saudis didn't lie to the Muslim world about supporting them, while campaigning for the US to bomb Iran. We're not … [Read more...]

Storage Wars on A&E - reality TV about people who rent storage facilties. Sounds so incredibly banal that it could even be fun. What's next, trailer lots? But come on... there's a "war" on everything - what would really be interesting is collaboration, given how rare it seems. I'd watch that. One of the reasons I like Tabitha's Salon Takeover is that she's in the business of making people … [Read more...]

I don't think there's a series on TV with more use of the F-word than Battlestar Galactica. I find myself swearing like a Colonial all the time. Previous title holder would have to be the Sopranos? … [Read more...]