Mini-Reviews of Books Read, November 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...


   1. "Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall" by Kazuo Ishiguro
     <http://www.amazon.com/Nocturnes/dp/0307455785>

   This is a collection of short stories by the Japanese-born and English-
   raised author of "Remains of the Day".  As suggested by this book's
   title and subtitle, each story is on the theme of music and evening.
   Unfortunately most of the musicians portrayed are of the jazz-type,
   rather than the classical I'd anticipated and usually associated with
   "nocturnes".  Overall, I found the stories a little disappointing - I
   couldn't get excited about fading, self-absorbed jazz musicians.  At
   least one story was a bit memorable thanks to a bit of humour, with a
   "Jazz Musician of the Year" trophy getting stuffed up a roast chicken
   to avoid getting caught red-handed by security guards.


   2. "Rework: Change The Way You Work Forever"
       by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Rework/dp/0091929784>

   This is a sort-of "How To" guide on starting and running a business by
   the founders and "rock stars" at 37signals (a web application company).
   Essentially the authors debunk a lot of the received wisdom about
   startups, e.g. don't prepare long term plans and you don't need venture
   capital (in fact it's best to avoid it).  While some suggestions are
   questionable, I did find some areas where I whole-heartedly agree, e.g.
   focus on a few things and do them well, and meetings are wastes of time.
   The book is an easy read, with short chapters that get to the point,
   and plenty of pictures to reinforce the ideas.  Taken with a grain of
   salt, there are some useful bits of advice here.  YMMV.


   3. "At Home: A Short History of Private Life" by Bill Bryson
     <http://www.amazon.com/At-Home/dp/0767919386>

   On the surface this book appears to be a history of household living,
   with each chapter devoted to a single room in a house.  While the layout
   of the book is indeed based on Bryson's current house, a converted
   Victorian rectory in Norfolk, the author often goes off on tangents.
   For example, in the kitchen chapter, after mentioning the ubiquity of
   salt and pepper shakers, he goes on for several pages on the history of
   various spices.  American-born Bryson got his start writing offbeat
   travel-type books, but lately has been writing more about history and
   popular sciences.  As a long-time Bryson fan I could forgive the many
   long-winded digressions, but I was hoping he would stay on-topic a bit
   more.  When he was, it is clear that household life before the modern
   era was usually very tough for the average person.  We take a lot for
   granted these days, travelling in air-conditioned vehicles between air-
   conditioned homes and offices.  The history of the household can be
   summarised as the steady improvement in comfort.  But perhaps we have
   become too comfortable?


   4. "Liars in Love" by Richard Yates
     <http://www.amazon.com/Liars-Love/dp/0440046696>

   This is a collection of short stories by Richard Yates, who wrote
   "Revolutionary Road".  I found that novel intriguing if not a little
   disturbing, so was keen to read more works by the author.  In these
   stories Yates again puts the post-WW2 "American Dream" under a critical
   spotlight: frustrated ambitions, broken homes, superficial relationships.
   The styles and themes of some of the stories reminded me of a couple of
   my favourite American authors: J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
   Though arguably not quite at the same level of those two greats, overall
   this is an interesting collection.


   5. "Ten Thoughts About Time" by Bodil Jönsson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Thoughts-About-Time/dp/184529050X>

   The subtitle of this collection of essays is "How to make more of the
   time in your life".  While this may sound like one of those self-help
   books on time-management, the author takes a more philosophical approach
   to the thoroughly-modern problem of time "flying".  In one essay, she
   writes that taking time out from our packed schedules and busy lifestyles
   can be a useful way of controlling the pace of time.  In another chapter
   she talks about "setup" time, in particular in the context of tackling
   difficult and uninteresting tasks, which reminded me of "creative
   procrastination".  The main criticism I have is that I found some parts
   a bit rambling - perhaps this is a translation issue?  Apart from that I
   found the author's personal thoughts on time quite interesting, and in
   some cases resonated with my own.

Found Footage, Nov 2010

   1. "Cat Parkour"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfozbcrMpGs>

   2. "How cats lap milk in super slow motion"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-JUo_2eyuU>
   More info: "For Cats, a Big Gulp With a Touch of the Tongue"
     <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/science/12cats.html>

   3. "Water Droplet Bouncing on a Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Array"
     <http://www.thoughtware.tv/videos/watch/5426>

   4. "High Speed Video of Popcorn Popping"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qhh2rwIeuo>

   5. "These Gears Really Work?"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYcqJ5HdxA4>

   6. "Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the
       same time!"
     <http://vimeo.com/12816548>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, October 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...


   1. "The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying
       Logic at Work and at Home" by Dan Ariely
     <http://www.amazon.com/Upside-Irrationality/dp/0061995037>

   This is a follow-up to Ariely's "Predictably Irrational", which expands
   on research findings that show how people often behave irrationally.
   There are some interesting and entertaining bits, such as how we tend
   to overvalue our own work (the "Ikea effect"), the perils of online
   dating, and the uses and misuses of revenge.  Everyday examples back up
   the research and make it fairly easy to follow the main arguments.
   According to the concluding chapter, if we accept the shortcomings in
   our decision-making, we can improve how we "love, live, work, innovate,
   manage and govern."


   2. "The Scales of Justice" by John Mortimer
     <http://www.amazon.com/scales-justice/dp/0141022647>

   This is another in the "Penguin 70s" series, and features a couple of
   short stories inspired by the "Rumpole of the Bailey" TV series, also
   created by John Mortimer.  In the first story the main character tells
   his wife and family that he wants to give up a secure legal career to
   become a writer.  The second story is more in keeping with the TV
   series, and shows a lawyer skillfully defending a client being framed
   by a shady doctor.


   3. "I sommersi e i salvati" ("The Drowned and the Saved") by Primo Levi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Drowned-Saved/dp/067972186X>

   This is a collection of essays by Italian author and Holocaust survivor,
   Primo Levi.  His first two books, "If This Is A Man" and "The Truce",
   contained his first-hand experiences of his horrifying year in a Nazi
   concentration camp.  "The Drowned and the Saved" was written three
   decades later, and is the author's attempt to try to understand how it
   could have happened, and consider if it happen again.  Obviously, the
   subject matter is quite dark and heavy, but there are interesting
   insights into the nature of memory, guilt and responsibility.  One
   chapter, "The Grey Zone", looks at how things aren't always clearcut as
   people make out: that there often isn't just "Good" and "Evil", but many
   shades in-between.  Another interesting chapter contains correspondences
   with Germans following the translation and release of "If This Is A Man"
   in Germany.


   4. "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" by Alain de Botton
     <http://www.amazon.com/Week-At-Airport/dp/1846683599>

   In this brief book, philosopher-author Alain de Botton writes about his
   week as the author-in-residence at the recently-opened Terminal 5 at
   Heathrow Airport.  Despite being invited by the Terminal's management to
   spend some time at the huge, he was given the freedom to give a warts-
   and-all account of the mostly self-contained microcosm of modern life.
   An eye-opening and though-provoking read.


   5. "In Other Words: A Language Lover's Guide to the Most Intriguing
       Words Around the World" by Christopher J. Moore
     <http://www.amazon.com/Other-Words/dp/B000OFOIZE>

   A whirlwind tour of so-called "untranslatable" words from non-English
   languages.  In some ways this book covers similar ground to the Tingo
   series.  Like those books, it merely scratches the surface, but the
   structure of this book arranges by language group, and has the benefit
   of providing an index of the words featured.  Another difference of this
   book is the suggested emphasis of culture on words and their meaning.
   A quick and interesting read for people into different languages.


   6. "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Willow-Sleeping-Woman/dp/1400096081>

   This month's dose of Murakami is in the form of a collection of short
   stories written in parallel to his more well-known novels.  There's
   quite a bit of diversity in the styles of the stories, from the
   conventional to the surreal.  One highlight is "Dabchick", which is
   reminiscent in some ways of Kafka's "The Castle", but mercifully briefer
   and "finished".  An entertaining collection.

Infographics Overload, Oct 2010

   1. "Online Communities 2"
     <http://xkcd.com/802/>

   2. "Creative Examples Of Infographics"
     <http://www.noupe.com/how-tos/creative-examples-of-infographics.html>
   "Data visualization techniques have been often used in modern maps to
    incorporate variety of information, for instance for network designs,
    destination points, and local landmarks."

   3. "Information is beautiful: 30 examples of creative infography"
     <http://www.designer-daily.com/information-is-beautiful-30-examples-
        of-creative-infography-5538>
   "The perfect infography must synthetize complex information in a simple
    visual representation, which is not easy. The following examples take
    information architecture to another level by making it beautiful."

   4. "The Rise of The Tower Graphic"
     <http://www.maxgadney.com/2010/10/the-rise-of-the-tower-graphic-and-
        video-thanks-to-tom-pearson.html>
   "Typically taking up several screen-depths, they are rarely structured,
    with the exception of a unifying subject and background colour and
    typically stylish 'style-guide'."

   5. "Victorian Infographics"
     <http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/12/victorian-infographics.html>
   (as in, from the time of Queen Victoria)

Of Nobels and Ig Nobels, 2010

   It's that time of year again, and the 2010 Nobel Prize announcements
   wrap up today with the Prize in Economic Sciences.  The official site
   lists this year's worthy winners:
     <http://nobelprize.org/>

   On a lighter and related note, this year's Ig Nobels have also been
   announced.  These prizes are awarded "for achievements that first make
   people laugh then make them think".  Visit the site for the winners:
     <http://improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2010>

   A selection:
   * Physics Prize: Lianne Parkin, Sheila Williams, and Patricia Priest
     ... for demonstrating that, on icy footpaths in wintertime, people
     slip and fall less often if they wear socks on the outside of their
     shoes.
   * Medicine Prize: Simon Rietveld and Ilja van Beest ... for discovering
     that symptoms of asthma can be treated with a roller-coaster ride.
   * Peace Prize: Richard Stephens, John Atkins, and Andrew Kingston ...
     for confirming the widely held belief that swearing relieves pain.
   * Economics Prize: The executives and directors of Goldman Sachs, AIG,
     Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, and Magnetar for
     creating and promoting new ways to invest money - ways that maximize
     financial gain and minimize financial risk for the world economy, or
     for a portion thereof.
   * Management Prize: Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare
     Garofalo ... for demonstrating mathematically that organizations would
     become more efficient if they promoted people at random.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, September 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month, including a double dose of
   Murakami mayhem.


   1. "A Wild Sheep Chase" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Sheep-Chase/dp/037571894X>

   The anonymous narrator works in advertising.  He's recently divorced,
   but he's met a new girlfriend with three unusual jobs.  When the agency
   publishes a pamphlet for an insurance company, an associate of a
   notorious right wing politician pays him a visit.  The pamphlet contains
   a harmless-looking photo of some sheep grazing on a remote mountainside.
   The party heavy issues an ultimatum: find out where a photo was taken or
   else he will ruin the narrator's business.  On closer inspection, one of
   the sheep in the photo is very different from the others, having a star-
   shaped birthmark.  Thus begins the "wild sheep chase" of the title.

   The novel features many of the usual Murakami traits... for example,
   outsiders in unusual situations.  This time though, there aren't many
   musical references.  Some of the action verges on the surreal, with a
   talking "sheep man" and people with supernatural powers.  Most of the
   characters are referred to by nicknames or simple nouns: the Rat, the
   Boss, the Sheep Professor, the girlfriend, J (the bar owner), the ex-
   wife, etc.  This makes them feel more like caricatures rather than real
   people - maybe that's the intent?

   I have to admit this book didn't quite "work" for me like previous
   Murakami novels I'd read.  Perhaps my expectations were too high?
   Overall though, it was still an enjoyable read.


   2. "Innocent House" by P. D. James
     <http://www.amazon.com/Innocent-House/dp/0141022574>

   This story is actually part of a novel called "Original Sin".  There's a
   suspicious death at the riverside offices of a publishing company.  A
   recently-retrenched editor (apparently) chooses to kill herself in the
   office of a colleague, leaving a plausible suicide note.  But other
   deaths and mysterious events suggest something more sinister is at hand,
   and pique the interest of poet-detective Adam Dalgliesh.

   It's hard to properly review the book, since it is really an excerpt of
   a larger work.  I read it to get a taste of the (famous) author's style.
   It sets the scene well enough, and I was curious to see how things
   panned out.  While I found it enjoyable enough, I'm not normally a fan
   of crime novels.  I might get around to reading the full book if given
   the chance and if I don't have anything else to read.


   3. "Gli occhi dell'imperatore" ("The Eyes of the Emperor")
      by Laura Mancinelli
     <http://www.amazon.com/occhi-dellimperatore/dp/8806131915>

   This historical novel is set in medieval times.  It is the story of
   Bianca Lancia and her love for Frederick II of Swabia, son of Frederick
   Barbarossa, and the Emperor referred to in the title.  Bianca was the
   youngest daughter of a Piemontese Count, and destined for the nunnery.
   One day, while riding in the woods near her family's castle, she meets
   Frederick II.  She receives a falcon as a parting gift.  Every night
   since that day, she would look out to the setting sun and remember his
   eyes, in the belief that he likewise would return the gesture, and that
   they would eventually be together again.

   Many years pass, and when Frederick II's second wife dies, the now frail
   emperor sends his most trusted knight, Tannhauser, to fetch Bianca. Much
   of the territory between her home in northern Italy and Frederick's
   castle in Puglia (the southern heal of Italy) is ruled by hostile
   forces, so the entourage is forced to take a difficult route by sea and
   over mountains.  Even within the borders of Frederick's dominion, they
   still have to avoid capture by mercenaries and kidnappers.  The knight's
   own interesting story is revealed during the journey.  When he finds
   himself falling in love with Bianca, he ultimately chooses loyalty to
   his emperor over his own happiness.

   This was a short, interesting novel.  I appreciated how the story was
   told in a simple style.  In fact, it reminded me a little of Baricco's
   "Silk".  The author received the Rapallo Carige Prize for her book in
   1994.


   4. "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood/dp/0375704027>

   Many of the typical Murakami elements are present to some degree:
   cooking, reading, cats, coming-of-age, music, isolation, wells.  But
   this time there weren't any elements of the surreal.  In fact, the
   style is more introspective than usual, dealing with dark topics as
   the young people in the plot deal with growing up in the supposedly
   liberating time of the late 1960s.

   There are many music references, mostly the Beatles (as suggested by
   the title) and some classical music.  The references to a couple of my
   favourite novels ("The Catcher in the Rye" and "The Great Gatsby") also
   struck a chord with me.  Being a coming-of-age story, it can get quite
   racy at times.  Parts are also very gloomy, as some characters have to
   deal with tragic events, such as terminally-ill parents, youth suicide
   and mental illness.

   While the novel may seem autobiographical in nature, the author denies
   that his youth was anywhere near as eventful as what has been portrayed.
   Nevertheless, being deeper and more personal in tone, I found this a
   satisfying and interesting departure from the usual Murakami style.


   5. "The Design of Design: Essays from a Computer Scientist"
      by Frederick P. Brooks
     <http://www.amazon.com/Design-Essays/dp/0201362988>

   This is a collection of essays about the design process across various
   disciplines, written by one of the pioneers of big-iron computers.  The
   same author had earlier written a classic book on software engineering,
   "The Mythical Man Month", and a key essay about there being "no silver
   bullet" that can exponentially increase the productivity of programmers.

   This new collection of essays also draw upon the author's experience in
   house architecture, administration and book authoring.  In deriving
   general principles about design, the essays are relevant to people
   involved in any design activity.  Topics include: the nature of design,
   design as a collaborative exercise, approaches to thinking about design,
   and the assertion that formalised processes are no substitute for
   individual talent.  Case studies are also provided.

   The essays can get a bit technical, but are usually brief, to the point,
   and full of interesting anecdotes.

Odds and Ends, Mon 20 September 2010

   1. Paleo-Future
     <http://www.paleofuture.com/>
   "A look into the future that never was."
   e.g. "Electronic Home Library (1959)"
     <http://www.paleofuture.com/blog/2010/7/14/electronic-home-library-
        1959.html>

   Elsewhere on the net...
   * "Delightful paleo-gadgets of 1959"
     <http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2010/08/30/now-see-this/>
   * "American City of Future (1925) #2"
     <http://www.sadanduseless.com/image.php?n=658>

   2. The Joys of Modern Technology
   * "Antivirus Programs"
     <http://www.thedoghousediaries.com/?p=1870>
   * "Why DRM Doesn't Work"
     <http://bradcolbow.com/archive/view/the_brads_why_drm_doesnt_work/
        ?p=205>
   * "The DVD experience: piracy vs legal"
     <http://i.imgur.com/GxzeV.jpg>

   3. How Less can be More, while More can become Nothing
   * "The Less Feature"
     <http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/the_less_feature/>
   * "King Gustavus' Folly: The Story of the Vasa"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/09/08/king-gustavus-folly-the-story-
        of-the-vasa/>

   4. "Things Organized Neatly"
     <http://thingsorganizedneatly.tumblr.com/>
   Examples:
   * "Food Stylist Linda Lundgren"
     <http://www.fubiz.net/2010/08/19/linda-lundgren/>
   * "Pencil sculptures"
     <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/7916457/Pencil-
        sculptures-miniature-masterpieces-carved-into-graphite-by-Dalton-Ghetti.html>
   * "2010 World Cup"
     <http://www.growingsignals.net/project/world-cup/>
   Looks more like an olympic torch, though.

   5. "This was done with a slide rule"
     <http://i.imgur.com/9h8HU.jpg>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, August 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  If I spent more time, I could
   probably make the reviews shorter ;)


   1. "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Boiled-Wonderland-End-World/dp/0679743464>

   Another month, another Murakami.  The structure of this book tells two
   stories in alternating chapters.  The first story, "Hard-Boiled Wonder-
   land", is set in the mid 1980s.  The narrator is a Calcutec working for
   "the System", which is engaged in an information war with the Semiotecs
   of "the Factory".  He's part of a secret program where people's brains
   were altered so their subconscious can be used to encrypt information.
   While this sounds like a cyberpunk thriller, the hi-tech references are
   a convenience to set the scene.  In fact, as the story unfolds there are
   more references to popular and rock music and cooking than to computers
   and technology.

   The other story, "The End of the World", is very different in style and
   setting.  The narrator of this story is trapped in a strange place
   called the Town.  A condition of entry was that he be physically
   separated from his shadow.  He is given the role of Dreamreader, and he
   spends his days in the Library reading dreams encoded in the skulls of
   the Beasts.  Occasionally he's allowed to meet with his shadow, who is
   quietly plotting their freedom.

   These two different story lines are related somehow, but I won't say
   much more to prevent spoilers.  Overall, this is another refreshingly
   different, entertaining and insightful novel by Murakami.  Be warned:
   I'll be reading more Murakami in the months ahead.


   2. "Point Omega" by Don DeLillo
     <http://www.amazon.com/Point-Omega/dp/1439169950>

   This novella is set in modern-day America.  Jim Finley is a filmmaker
   who wants to make a documentary about Richard Elster, a retired academic
   and military advisor, and his role in an ongoing war.  They discuss the
   documentary at Elster's ranch in the California desert.  The grandiose
   scenery gives a philosophical air to their conversations, emphasising
   timelessness and insignificance in the big scheme of things.  Then, out
   of the blue, the story takes a different tack when Elster's daughter
   (who had  been taking timeout from a relationship at the ranch) goes
   missing.  This forces Elster to snap out of his reflective, ponderous
   state and become the concerned father.

   The unresolved ending of the main story left me a bit unsettled, but
   maybe that's the point?  Maybe I need more time to think about it,
   especially given how the story is book-ended by descriptions of two
   visits to an art installation, "24 Hour Psycho",
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hour_Psycho>
   where Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller "Psycho" is played silently
   in slow motion at two frames per second.  The viewer is forced to
   concentrate for longer to follow what's happening, often revealing
   things that would normally slip one's notice at normal speed.


   3. "Silk" ("Seta") by Alessandro Baricco
     <http://www.amazon.com/Silk/dp/0307277976>

   This short novel tells a simple story with an economy of words.  It's
   set in the mid-19th century.  Herve is a silk merchant who travels each
   year from his home in France to a secret and hostile region in Japan to
   buy silkworm eggs.  While there he becomes enchanted by the mistress of
   the local chief.

   In addition to the sparsity, there are a few brief passages where whole
   sentences are repeated, such as the description of Herve's trek across
   continents.  Each major point on the annual journey is mentioned, with
   slight differences (for example with how a particular lake is called by
   the locals).  These journeys could've been described in greater detail,
   easily filling the book out to several hundred pages, but that would
   detract from the main story.  In "Silk", only the final journey home is
   described in a little more detail, since events made it necessary to
   take a very different route.

   I'd previously read the English translation of this novella.  After
   reading and enjoying Baricco's other books, I wanted to re-read it, this
   time in the original Italian, to see if it still stands up.  It
   definitely does!  There was a mediocre movie made based on this book,
   starring some skinny actress.  But trust me, the book is way better.


   4. "Coders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of Programming"
      by Peter Seibel
     <http://www.amazon.com/Coders-at-Work/dp/1430219483>

   This is a collection of edited interviews with pioneering computer
   programmers.  It provides interesting insights into how different people
   write the software that underly the systems in use today.  Topics
   generally covered in each interview include: how they got started with
   computers, how they tackle solving problems, finding and fixing bugs,
   testing and reading code, plus more philosophical issues, such as: is
   programming science, engineering, art, craft, or some combination?

   Definitely worth reading if you work in IT, or are looking to.  I'd also
   suggest it is mandatory reading for people working in jobs that deal
   with programmers (e.g. recruiting agencies), so they can get a better
   understanding of what makes programmers tick.


   5. "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh
     <http://www.amazon.com/Brideshead-Revisited/dp/0316042994>

   This nostalgic novel is set during the years leading up to World War II.
   The story starts when Captain Charles Ryder is helping set up an army
   camp at Brideshead, an estate he visited often.  This triggers him to
   reminisce...  In those days he was student turned socialite painter.  He
   met Sebastian Flyte, a minor member of the British aristocracy, while
   studying at Oxford.  He becomes close to the whole Flyte family, who
   unusually for English aristocracy are very Catholic.  In the first half
   we see Sebastian waste his life away drinking to excess.  Everyone tries
   unsuccessfully to help him.  The tangled romantic lives of the Flytes
   are a chief focus of the second half of the book.

   Overall, I found this book a bit disappointing.  I was intrigued by the
   subtitle, "The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder",
   but the book itself failed to live up to my expectations.  The writing
   style was a bit too purple for my taste.  Many of the characters are
   dealing with the consequences of their Faith or lack of it, but I found
   their journeys a bit unremarkable.  The book reminded me of another
   novel set in the same era, "The Razor's Edge" by W. Somerset Maugham,
   where the central character is seeking spiritual meaning.  While the
   writing in that book was also a bit ponderous, I did find it more
   interesting.  I couldn't really relate to any of the characters in

   "Brideshead Revisited", and I failed to get interested in the inevitable
   decline of the English aristocracy.  Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's "The
   Leopard", was much more interesting in its portrayal of the decline of
   the Italian aristocracy in the mid-19th century.  One of the Flyte in-
   laws is involved in politics, so there is a bit of discussion about the
   uncertainty in Europe at the time.  But the novel lacked the critique
   present in George Orwell's novels.

Pixies - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "The Pixies are an American alternative rock band that formed in Boston
    in 1986... The band's style of alternative rock music is heavily
    influenced by punk and indie rock, and while highly melodic, is capable
    of being abrasive at the same time. Francis is the Pixies' primary
    songwriter and singer and has a distinctly desperate, yowling delivery.
    He has typically written cryptic songs about offbeat subjects, such as
    UFOs and surrealism. References to mental instability, violent Biblical
    imagery, and physical injury feature in many of the band's songs...
    Avowed fan Kurt Cobain's acknowledgement of the debt Nirvana owed to
    the Pixies."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixies>

   The band is credited with perfecting the "loud/soft/loud" dynamic in
   alternative music.  A recent documentary about the band was titled
   "Loudquietloud".

   The band broke up in the early 1990s, but has recently reformed and
   embarked on a world tour.  A couple of the band members have had success
   outside the band.  Lead singer/songwriter Black Francis (aka Frank
   Black) has released several albums, both solo and with his new band the
   Catholics.  Kim Deal has had some hits with The Breeders, a band that
   includes her sister.

   The band's official web site:
     <http://www.pixiesmusic.com/>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you listen to samples of tracks via the album pages on All
   Music:
     <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wifrxqr5ldhe~T2>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "Gigantic"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIu_b_fG_2g>
   The band's debut album, "Surfer Rosa", was released in 1988.  This was
   the only single taken from the album, and is one of the few songs where
   bassist Kim Deal sings lead vocals.  Unfortunately there is no official
   video.  This clip has the album version of the track with some
   interesting facts thrown in among the photos of the band.  For example,
   the real name of the lead singer is the very un-rock and roll sounding
   Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV.

   2. "Where Is My Mind?"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7sGp7Glxis>
   An aptly titled track, given the weird lyrics that feature in many of
   the band's songs.  This track also appears on the "Fight Club"
   soundtrack (1999).

   Other standout track from the band's debut album include the opener
   "Bone Machine" and "River Euphrates"

   3. "Debaser"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDw-hTuwcvA>
   This is an official video of the opening track from the band's second
   album, "Doolittle", released in 1989.  The song references a 1929
   surrealist film, "Un chien andalou" - for example, the lyric "slicing
   up eyeballs".

   The raw sound of the band's debut, produced by Steve Albini, made way
   for a more polished sound.  Gil Norton went on to produce the rest of
   the band's studio albums.

   4. "Here Comes Your Man"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvi4iA3PnKE>
   This is the first single from "Doolittle".  It's probably the first
   Pixies song I ever heard, when it was part of the test tape that was
   played repeatedly before Triple J started broadcasting officially in
   Adelaide in 1989.

   5. "Monkey Gone to Heaven"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R_-3w_Iwk0>
   The band's second single from "Doolittle".  A classic Pixies song.

   6. "Wave of Mutilation"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BihjWa47WuM>
   Another standout on "Doolittle", which is my favourite Pixies album.
   Other great songs include "Tame", "There Goes My Gun" and "Gouge Away".

   7. "Velouria"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHhox4_SeHQ>
   In 1990, the band released its third album, "Bossanova".  "Velouria",
   was the second single from the album.  This is the official video, but
   the sound quality not the best in this version.  It's a simple clip,
   featuring the band members climbing down a rock in extreme slow motion.

   8. "Dig for Fire"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2dBsBW9yjY>
   This was the first single from the album.  It's an okay song, but not
   the best on the album and a strange pick for a single in my opinion.

   9. "Down to the Well"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaIH6KcELns>
   One of my personal favourite songs from "Bossanova", featuring the
   classic loud/soft/loud dynamic.  Other solid songs on the album include
   the opener "Cecilia Ann" (a cover of a surf instrumental), the raucous
   "Rock Music", and "Is She Weird".

   10. "Planet of Sound"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvKCJDUBE2w>
   In 1991 the band released its fourth album in as many years, "Trompe le
   Monde".  Francis' obsession with UFOs is very prominent in the lyrics of
   many of the songs.  "Planet of Sound" song was released as a single in
   the UK.  This is a live version from the TV archives.

   11. "Head On"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F5TZ7z7tJs>
   The second single in the US was a cover of a Jesus and Mary Chain song.
   This is the official video clip, featuring a live version of the song.

   12. "Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nM-Xx4faZI>
   One of my fave tracks from "Trompe le Monde".  Other standout tracks
   include "Alec Eiffel" and the title track.  It was their last studio
   album.

   Bonus tracks...

   13. Pixies: "I Can't Forget"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sojmdvJQMx8>
   From the tribute to Leonard Cohen, "I'm Your Fan".

   14. Frank Black: "Los Angeles"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDVgfnyHP0c>

   15. The Breeders: "Cannonball" featuring Kim Deal
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AsId-qVIb4>

Another Quick Fix of Flicks, 15 August 2010

   You might want to turn the volume down for some of these.

   1. "Radiolab and NPR Present Words"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0HfwkArpvU>
   A clever montage.

   2. "Mad Men: The Carousel"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2bLNkCqpuY>
   "Mad Men" is a show about advertising people set in the early 1960s.
   It's well-written and a welcome departure from those endless crime-scene
   shows.  SBS (belatedly) starts showing Season 2 from tonight.  Here's a
   clip of a highlight from the end of Season 1.

   3. "Mad Men Opening Credits"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRr-Fb5xQo>
   Not only a great show, but it also has one of my favourite opening
   credits from any TV series at the moment.  Cool music, too.

   4. "Simpsons parody of Mad Men"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcmM7Jh2Y3k>
   "The Simpsons" openers are probably my other favourite opening credits.

   5. Schumacher's pitstop from "Asterix at the Olympic Games"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfSWYxMqhAc>
   The rest of the movie was ok, but not great.  This bit was a highlight.
   Ferrari Formula 1 fans in particular will get a kick out of this.

   6. "Fishing for a goal"
     <http://blog.planetargon.com/entries/2010/7/28/fishing-for-a-goal>
   Elaborate, entertaining goal celebration.

   7. "Champion cardstacker builds capitol with 22,000 cards"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvLkjuYunRw>
   This guy has an interesting job.

   8. "World's Most Amazing Trick Shot!"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XTGBOKqccw>
   Uses billiard balls _and_ dominoes.

   9. "Amazing Amazon Box"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nv28lunRSY>
   I wonder if this happened naturally, or if it was staged?

   10. "Freakonomics, the movie"
     <http://devour.com/video/freakonomics-trailer/>
   For those who don't like reading books.  Hopefully it will get more
   people thinking about economics.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, July 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...

   1. "Zodiac" by Neal Stephenson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Zodiac-Stephenson/dp/0802143156>

   This novel is described as an eco-triller: think Rainbow Warrior meets
   Bourne Identity.  Written by renowned cyberpunk author Neal Stephenson,
   perhaps it should be classed as enviropunk?  Our hero, Sangamon Taylor
   (S.T.), is a rogue chemist who works for environmental activists who
   expose pollution and other dirty deeds of big corporations.  He think
   he's found evidence of organochlorines dumped into the Boston harbour.
   Although they've been at the bottom of the harbour for years, the drums
   have only recently started leaking.  The company knew this would happen,
   and was secretly taking steps to clean up the mess before being found
   out.  An experimental program was started to genetically engineer super-
   bugs to consume the dioxins and convert them to safer compounds.
   Unfortunately, things don't go quite to plan, and it all starts getting
   messy.

   A pacy and enjoyable page-turner.  Like later, more well-known books by
   the author, there's exposition of some technical topics, in this case
   organic chemistry.  However, as a novel I don't think it stands up as
   well as against "Cryptonomicon", which is probably my favourite
   Stephenson novel.   Later stuff hasn't been as consistent, and tend to
   be overlong, like his most recent novel, "Anathem".  In that novel, I
   was intrigued by the set-up of another world and different way of life,
   but once the story moved to the real "action", I found it became tedious
   and lacked believability.  I might re-read the two classic cyberpunk
   novels which initially got me hooked on the author: "Snow Crash" and
   "The Diamond Age".  It will be interesting to see if they still stand
   up, or if they simply captured the spirit of the age.


   2. "Scale" by Will Self
     <http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scale-Self/dp/0146000315>

   This is a little collection of loosely-connected short stories.  The
   common theme, or perhaps more precisely, the common word, is "scale".
   In the title story the narrator is a man who confesses to having lost
   his sense of "scale".  Other stories mention the word in different
   senses, such as the scales of a frill-necked lizard, bathroom scales,
   and the ever-present issue of crusty scales on the inside a kettle.

   I found the stories slightly off-beat.  I might check out a more
   complete set of the author's short stories.


   3. "Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Kafka-Shore-Murakami/dp/1400079276>

   Another solid, imaginative novel by one of my current favourite authors,
   Haruki Murakami.  There are two parallel story lines, which are resolved
   by the end of the novel.  One plot line follows the coming of age of a
   young Japanese boy, while the other follows an old man's final adventure.
   The boy, adopts the name "Kafka" and runs away from home.  His mission is
   to become "the world's toughest fifteen-year-old."  Nakata, the old man,
   was involved in a mysterious incident during World War II, when he
   suddenly lost consciousness along with his classmates while out on an
   excursion.  Unlike the others though, he lapsed into a coma and awoke to
   having lost the ability to read and write.  However, he seems to have
   picked up the ability to talk to cats, which allowed him to earn some
   extra money as a finder of lost cats.

   Like Murakami's other novels, music plays a part in the lives of the
   protagonists.  For example, a character is introduced to Beethoven early
   in the story and becomes obsessed with the man and his music.  The guy
   is fascinated by one piece in particular, the 40+ minute epic "Archduke"
   trio.  Other typical Murakami touches are present, such as supernatural
   abilities and otherwise ordinary-looking people inwardly living
   unconventional lives.


   4. "The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol" by Nikolai Gogol
     <http://www.amazon.com/Collected-Tales-Gogol/dp/0375706151>

   This is a collection of short stories by early-19th Century Russian
   author, Nikolai Gogol.  His writing is considered a pre-cursor to the
   works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Franz Kafka.

   The early stories are set in rural Ukraine, and many of the characters
   were superstitious people who fear witches and devils.  While these
   stories paint an interesting picture of life on the Russian frontier,
   they didn't really grab me.

   The later stories were set in the then Russian capital of St Petersburg,
   and I enjoyed these more.  A famous example is "The Nose", about a man
   whose nose decides to take off one morning and live a life of its own.
   Along with "The Overcoat", in which a character has a mean existence
   while dealing futilely with bureaucrats, is a fore-runner of some of
   Kafka's famous work almost a century later.  Soon I hope to read Gogol's
   classic novel, "Dead Souls".


   5. "Il tempo invecchia in fretta: Nove storie" by Antonio Tabucchi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Tempo-Invecchia-Fretta-Tabucchi/dp/B0033J788C>

   This is an intriguing collection of nine stories by Antonio Tabucchi,
   (who wrote "Pereira Sustains").  This collection's title roughly
   translates as "Time Ages Hastily", and the stories share the theme of
   the passing of time and how people struggle to deal with it.  The
   central characters in each of the stories has gone though difficult
   times, such as living in a police state, surviving a concentration camp,
   or restoring peace after war in the Balkans.

   One of my favourites was about a man recovering from his war-time
   injuries on a beach by the Adriatic Sea.  He has regular conversations
   with a young girl who is also holidaying there with her parents.  She's
   a bit of a naive idealist, while he cautions against ideals and what
   they can lead to.  Things lighten up when the man reveals he's studying
   cloud formations, and he teaches her how to predict the future from the
   formations.

Odds and Ends, Sun 25 July 2010

   1. Star Wars

   * "19 Things You Didn't Know About Star Wars"
     <http://www.onlinephdprograms.com/15-things-you-didnt-know-about-star-wars/>
   * "Fancy, Your Pants Are: Star Wars Gentlemen"
     <http://www.geekologie.com/2010/06/fancy_your_pants_are_star_wars.php>
   * "John Woo: 'He Wears It' Star Wars Meets Today's Fashion"
     <http://colt-rane.com/john-woo-he-wears-it-star-wars-meets-todays-fashion/>
   * "StarWars the baroque version"
     <http://www.behance.net/Gallery/StarWars-the-baroque-version/146136>


   2. Brand Power

   * "15 Brand Names Decoded"
     <http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Family-Lifestyle/15-Brand-Names-Decoded.html>
   * "20 Corporate Brand Logo Evolution"
     <http://www.instantshift.com/2009/01/29/20-corporate-brand-logo-evolution/>
   * "50 Fantastically Clever Logos"
     <http://designshack.co.uk/articles/graphics/50-fantastically-clever-logos>


   3. World Cup and Chinese Astrology (Revisited)

   After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, I noticed some interesting coincidences
   between Chinese Astrology and the winner of the World Cup:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2006/10/world-cup-and-chinese-astrology.html>

   Based on that "analysis", since this year's tournament was held in the
   Year of the Tiger, I speculated we could have a first-time winner.  As
   we now know, Spain won the Cup, for the first time.  Spooky ;)

Play "Phone Grip Roulette"

   In case you haven't heard, there's a bit of a ruckus regarding Apple's
   latest iPhone.  Not so much from the overwhelming majority of the three
   million (3,000,000!) people who actually bought an iPhone 4 in the past
   three weeks, just various bloggers, journalists and commenters.
   Personally, I think Apple has responded appropriately.  But then I am a
   long-time Apple fan and wannabe iPhone developer ;)

   Regardless of your standpoint regarding the so-called 'Antennagate', the
   fact that other phones can do the disappearing signal trick means people
   have a new game to play when they get together: whoever can make their
   phones drop the most bars in 30 seconds, wins.  People could play "Phone
   Grip Roulette" to break deadlocks, instead of "rock, paper, scissors".

   Apple has put up a page showing various phones having the signal wrung
   out of them without much effort:
     <http://www.apple.com/antenna/>
   Featured phones include RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC Droid Eris, and
   Samsung Omnia II.

   And it's not just 3G and/or smartphones.  I can make my eight year old
   Sony Ericsson drop from five bars to two.  Here are some amusing videos
   of other phones dropping bars:
   * Nokia E71
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amPG52DVQuk>
   * Nokia 5800
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MPY4axjJEk>
   * Motorola Droid Incredible
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4zbQ3f7H0U>
   * RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650
     <http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/07/17/can-you-make-your-current-
        phone-lose-signal-depending-on-how-you-hold-it/>
   * Google Nexus One
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIA_lMwqJA>
   * Palm Pre
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zft3-Lwh2bo>
   * HTC Hero
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nFR57x1dVA>

   I guess a lot more people are going to want free cases!

   Some other thoughts and observations:
   1. Maybe it's a good thing that the signal can be blocked easily by
      human flesh, since phones get placed near our brains and there's no
      conclusive guarantee that they're 100% safe.
   2. Maybe the problem extends beyond the small percentage that have
      returned their iPhones, and they consider it a feature to be able to
      disrupt a call at will without actually hanging up?
   3. If this 'problem' has existed with many phones over the years, why
      have other manufacturers been left off the hook?
   4. If it all turns out to be a massive beat-up, I'm sure those people
      profiting from the advertising and other revenue via their blogs and
      the press will donate their ill-gotten gains to charity.  Somehow I
      doubt it.

Spain - A Rough Guide

   This is about the band called Spain, not the country and winners of the
   2010 FIFA World Cup.  The timing is purely coincidental :)

   From All Music:
   "Spain do have some decided jazz influences, particularly in the
    refined, spacious arrangements and precise rhythm section, both of
    which reflect the influence of cool/lounge jazz. But they are most
    definitely a rock band, performing songs with lyrics and vocals in a
    sedate but moody style that bears some resemblance to the work of
    early Cowboy Junkies, or (more vaguely) the Velvet Underground's
    third album. The songs are slow, but not quite lethargic; reflective,
    but not quite depressed; moody, but not chilly."
     <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gpfqxqu5ldte>

   The singer, bassist and songwriter is Josh Haden, son of Jazz legend
   Charlie Haden.  He has three sisters, who also have performed with
   alternative rock bands.  Critics often point out the limits of Josh's
   vocal delivery, but the music makes up for it I think.

   The band's official web site:
     <http://spaintheband.com/>

   Pretty much all of the band's songs can be listened to in full on
   the official site, so instead of linking to YouTube clips, this rough
   guide highlights some of the standout tracks from the band's work so
   far.  You can listen to the tracks via the Music Player:
     <http://spaintheband.com/discography>

   If you want to see videos of the band, check out the clips on the
   site:
     <http://spaintheband.com/videos>
   or try searching on YouTube.

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "It's So True"
   The opening track from the band's debut album, "The Blue Moods of
   Spain", released in 1995.  The song features a simple melancholy
   melody over a hypnotic bass line.

   2. "Dreaming Of Love"
   A single and probably my favourite track from the first album.
   There's some nice guitar playing and a great little solo.  The vocal
   delivery builds a bit of tension, and the use of effects helps flesh
   the vocals out.

   3. "Untitled #1"
   The first single from the debut album.  This is the first track I
   heard by the band.  It stood out from the teen angst stuff that JJJ
   were playing at the time, and prompted me to check out the rest of
   the album.

   There are several other strong tracks on the debut album, such as
   "Her Used-to-Been" and "Ray of Light".  The closing track, the aptly
   named "Spiritual", was covered by Johnny Cash.

   4. "Every Time I Try"
   In 1997 the band put out a track on the soundtrack for "The End Of
   Violence".  It's a slower, more contemplative version than that which
   would appear on the band's second album, and I still consider it the
   definitive rendition.  There was an official video, but the only
   place I could find the clip is on this Chinese site:
     <http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDczNzc4MjA=.html>
   You may note the source of the clip was the ABC's rage.  Apologies
   for the ads.

   5. "It's All Over"
   In 1999 the band released its second album, "She Haunts My Dreams".
   It shares the distinctive style of the first album, with the song-
   writing and performance, maturing.  The use of a hammond organ on this
   track is a welcome addition to the band's sound.

   6. "Before It All Went Wrong"
   7. "Nobody Has To Know"
   Another couple of slices of melodic melancholy from the second album.

   8. "She Haunts My Dreams"
   In 2001 the band's third album, "I Believe", was released.  Oddly,
   the first track shares its name with the title of their previous
   album.

   9. "You Were Meant For Me"
   10. "Mary"
   Another couple of standouts from "I Believe".

   In 2003 the band released a retrospective: "Spirituals - The Best Of
   Spain".  The band did split for a while, and Josh Haden released a solo
   album, "Devoted", in 2007.

   11. "I'm Still Free"
   Haden has recently reformed the band, and its fourth album will be
   released later this year.  This is the first single from the new album.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, June 2010

   It's been a while since I've posted book reviews.  Unfortunately, I
   haven't found the time to write in-depth reviews worthy of the good
   books I've been reading.  Maybe one day.  In the meantime, I'll have
   to make do with brief summaries/impressions of books, starting with
   those I've read in the past month.


   1. "After the Quake" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/After-Quake-Murakami/dp/0375713271>

   A collection of short stories by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.  The
   six stories share the theme of how various people respond to the major
   earthquake that hit Kobe in 1995.  There's a surreal element to some of
   the stories, which is part of the author's style.

   Back in March I read a full-length novel by Murakami, "The Wind-up Bird
   Chronicle".  That was a very interesting and enjoyable read, and a novel
   I'd like to write a proper review for.  Murakami creates intriguing
   characters, and writes about aspects of Japanese society: alienation in
   the modern era, honour and duty, and the influence of the West.  I look
   forward to reading more of Murakami's work in the future.


   2. "Lustrum" by Robert Harris
     <http://www.amazon.com/Lustrum-Harris/dp/0099522691>

   A dramatisation of the life of the great ancient Roman orator Cicero,
   and sequel to "Imperium".  In particular, this book covers a five year
   period (the literal "lustrum" of the title) starting with Cicero's year
   as Roman Consul (equivalent to a co-President of the Republic).  As in
   the first novel of the series, the reader learns a lot about government
   and politics of the Roman Republic, before it became an empire.  The
   novel shows Cicero often using pragmatism while wrestling his principles
   during the corrupt and brutal times he lived in.  One could argue that
   the modern era is just as corrupt, it's just that some of those wielding
   power today resort to more subtle and sophisticated techniques.

   My earlier review of "Imperium" can be found at:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2007/03/imperium-under-jaguar-sun-and-software.html>


   3. "What the Dog Saw, and Other Adventures" by Malcolm Gladwell
     <http://www.amazon.com/What-Dog-Saw-Gladwell/dp/0316075841>

   A collection of articles written for The New Yorker magazine over the
   past decade or so.  Like Gladwell's other books I've found some of the
   topics more thought-provoking and well-argued than others.  Topics
   covered include: what makes products or people successful, the problem
   with information overload, why some people panic and others choke, the
   importance (or otherwise) of talent, and the problems with traditional
   job interviews.  A couple of articles stood out for me: why dogs behave
   the way around certain people; and Gladwell's argument that, despite the
   recent prominence of profiling in criminal cases, the practice is not
   much better than the work of psychics.

   There's also a chapter about Nassim Taleb's ideas about managing risk.
   I've read and recommend both of Taleb's books, "Fooled By Randomness"
   and "The Black Swan".

   I've also read Gladwell's other books: "The Tipping Point", "Blink" and
   "Outliers".  I wasn't that convinced with "Blink", but I found the core
   arguments of the other two quite plausible.

   My reviews of Gladwell's "Outliers" and Taleb's "Fooled By Randomness":
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2009/02/outliers-long-tail-fooled-by-randomness.html>


   4. "Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behaviour"
      by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman
     <http://www.amazon.com/Sway-Brafman/dp/0385530609>

   This book looks at how humans can often make irrational decisions in
   their everyday lives.  The authors cite many examples across various
   situations and studies, and identify how and why we are "swayed" from
   being logical or rational.  The authors argue that by better under-
   standing these psychological factors, we can learn to avoid making
   bad decisions.

   The book covers some of the same turf as Dan Ariely's "Predictably
   Irrational", which I've also reviewed and recommend:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2009/03/predictably-irrational-nudge.html>


   5. "The Wonder of Whiffling: And other extraordinary words in the
       English language" by Adam Jacot de Boinod
     <http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Whiffling/dp/0140515852>

   By the author of "The Meaning of Tingo", this book focusses on obscure
   and strange words in the English language.  For example, an "anecdotard"
   is an old man given to telling stories.  Phrases are organised by topic,
   and sometimes cite the era and source.  For example, P.G. Wodehouse came
   up with "whiffled", meaning drunk, in a 1927 story.

   There's a (small) section on workplace buzzwords, which probably
   deserved greater coverage.  I guess that's one of the failings of this
   book and the rest of the series: it can only scrape the surface and
   sometimes leaves you wanting more.  Also, the lack of indexes and
   pointers to other reference materials mean the books aren't as useful
   as they could be for research purposes.

   My review of "The Meaning of Tingo":
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2007/05/tingo-metamorphosis-sette-racconti.html>
   The author also compiled a follow-up to the original Tingo book,
   "Toujours Tingo".


   6. "The Twenty-three Days of the City of Alba: Stories" by Beppe Fenoglio
     <http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-three-Days-City-Alba/dp/1586420402>

   A collection of short stories by Italian author, Beppe Fenoglio.  Most
   of the stories relate to the author's experience as a member of the
   partisan anti-fascist resistance at the end of WW2.  Fenoglio does not
   attempt to glorify the partisans, but rather to portray them as ordinary
   people thrust into extraordinary situations by the war.

   Earlier this year I read one of Fenoglio's novels, "A Private Affair".
   It's about a partisan's quest, against the backdrop of a guerilla war,
   to seek out an old friend so that he an ask him about a private matter.
   Overall, I found the novel even more satisfying than the short stories,
   and worthy of a review in its own right.

   I was prompted to read Fenoglio's work after seeing a mention by my
   favourite author, Italo Calvino.  According to Calvino, Fenoglio's
   stories best capture the everyday lives, struggles and motivations of
   the partisans.

Gomez - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport. The band are
    distinguished for having 3 singers and 4 songwriters, employing
    traditional and electronic instruments. Their sound is versatile and
    evades typical music genres falling into indie, alternative, rock,
    folk and experimental."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gomez_%28band%29>

   An English band with a Spanish name.  Looking at images of the band
   members in the early days, you wonder they could produce such mature
   sounds.  The style is often very different to that of the band's
   contemporaries.  That's probably what got my attention.

   The official web site:
     <http://www.gomeztheband.com/>

   Many of the band's clips are on an official YouTube "channel":
     <http://www.youtube.com/user/GomezBand>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you can try listening to some clips at:
     <http://music.msn.com/music/artist-videos/gomez.3/>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "78 Stone Wobble"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxcy7xUeMo8>
   The band's first album, "Bring It On", was released in 1998.  It was
   produced by the band, and it won the 1998 Mercury Music Prize for best
   album.  This is the first single, and it introduces the eclectic feel of
   the band's music and quirky lyrics.  There are three singers in the
   band, and on this track they all get a turn at the mike.

   2. "Get Myself Arrested"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceX71za3GhY>
   This is the second single from the debut album.  A suitably eccentric
   video.

   3. "Whippin' Piccadilly"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Db82PAfss>
   The third single from "Bring It On", has a lighter, catchier sound.

   4. "Get Miles"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPs9BsJPEcQ>
   A live version of the bluesy opening track from "Bring It On".  Of the
   three singers in the band, I like this guy's vocal style the most.

   Other standout tracks on the band's very solid debut album include
   "Make No Sound" and "Here Comes The Breeze".

   5. "Bring It On"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgizC2R6_l8>
   The band's second album, "Liquid Skin", was released in 1999.  Again, it
   was self-produced, and arguably refines the style from the band's debut.
   Oddly, the first single from "Liquid Skin" has the same title as the
   band's first album.  The official video clip mocks a series of public
   service announcements.

   6. "Rhythm & Blues Alibi"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfd3vr6y1Hg>
   The second single from "Liquid Skin".  As in several songs, there are
   multiple vocal parts.

   7. "We Haven't Turned Around"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBE5WemNPMU>
   The third single from "Liquid Skin".  A quieter, more melodic affair.

   Other highlights from "Liquid Skin" include "Revolutionary Kind" and
   "Blue Moon Rising".

   The band released an EP, "Machismo" in 2000.  The clip for the title
   track is on YouTube.  A collection of B-sides and other rarities,
   "Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline", was also released in 2000.

   8. "Shot Shot"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phZSnEtr0hw>
   For the third album "In Our Gun", released in 2002, the band broadened
   its musical palette a bit with the introduction of some electronic and
   dub influences.  It may have alienated some of its fans, but the band
   manages to pull off another solid album.  This is the opening track and
   first single.

   9. "Sound of Sounds"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDVNDy_G3pQ>
   The second single from "In Our Gun" is a great singalong ballad.  The
   three singers deliver some great harmonies.

   10. "Ping One Down"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skl4lhgKzDI>
   Another single from "In Our Gun".

   Other top songs from the album include the title track, "Even Song" and
   "1000 Times".

   11. "Silence"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XmbhFmo5tw>
   The band's fourth album, "Split the Difference", was released in 2004.
   It was the first album where the band used an outside producer, and was
   a more standard rock and roll affair.  I have to admit it's not my
   favourite Gomez album, but it does have its moments.  This is the second
   single from "Split the Difference" is an example of the straight-up
   rockers on the album.

   12. "Sweet Virginia"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJoz7tWBkuE>
   The third single from "Split the Difference" is a slower-paced ballad,
   and probably my favourite track on the album.  There doesn't appear to
   be an official video, so I've picked this unofficial clip.

   Other favourites from "Split the Difference" include "Chicken Out" (a
   stomper) and "There It Was" (a ballad).

   The band released a live album, "Out West" in 2005.  It includes tracks
   from the band's first four albums, plus a couple of covers.

   13. "How We Operate"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8bDpzpDVu4>
   "How We Operate" was the fifth studio album by the band. It was released
   2006, and was produced by Gil Norton (the Pixies, Foo Fighters).  In my
   opinion it was a sparkling return to the energy and eclecticism of the
   band's earlier work.  The first single is the title track.

   14. "Girlshapedlovedrug"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmaYRNW1pHk>
   The second single from "How We Operate" is a lighter, catchy pop song,
   with an appropriately quirky video clip.

   15. "See The World"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKJJRnuCwF4>
   Another single from "How We Operate".

   Other standout tracks from the album "All Too Much" (an awesome song,
   unfortunately I couldn't find a clip for it) and "Hamoa Beach".

   Another collection of rarities, "Five Men in a Hut", was released in
   2006.

   16. "Airstream Driver"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rNFW34nNM>
   Album number six, "A New Tide", was released in 2009.  This is the
   first single.

   17. "Little Pieces"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo5PnYmTImA>
   This is a live acoustic version of the second single from "A New Tide".

   Other highlights from "A New Tide" include "Mix" and "Other Plans".

   Some members of the band collaborated on another EP while on tour in
   2009.  "Final Keep Me Up" was recorded using only iPhones.  Currently
   it's only available online at: <http://www.thefinalkeepmeup.com/>.

Another Quick Fix of Flicks, 14 June 2010

   1. "Philip Zimbardo on 'The Secret Powers of Time'"
     <http://blog.3rdeyeview.co.uk/biz/2010/05/28/the-secret-powers-of-time/>
   "Time is the most important resource you have. This video is a great
    example of how your perspective of time can change you. Professor
    Philip Zimbardo conveys how our individual perspectives of time affect
    our work, health and well-being. Time influences who we are as a
    person, how we view relationships and how we act in the world."

   2. "PIXELS"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxX_bVluflo>
   "New York invasion by 8-bits creatures!  PIXELS is Patrick Jean's
    latest short film, shot on location in New York."  If you're a fan of
    video games from the 80s and 90s, you'll get a kick out of this.

   3. "The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly: 21 Seconds"
     <http://scatter.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/the-shortest-possible-game-
        of-monopoly-21-seconds/>
   "If everything went just the right way, with just the right sequence of
    rolls, Chance and Community Chest cards, and so on, what is the quick-
    est way one player could go bankrupt? After working on the problem for
    a while, we boiled it down to a 4-turn (2 per player), 9 roll
    (including doubles) game."

   4. "I Am Sitting In A Video Room 1000"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qKz5YW5J-U>
   "An homage to the great Alvin Lucier, this piece explores the 'photocopy
    effect', where upon repeated copies the object begin to accumulate the
    idiosyncrasies of the medium doing the copying."  In this case, a video
    is uploaded to YouTube where it is encoded, then downloaded back to a
    computer.  This cycle is repeated 1000 times.  There are also many
    intermediate versions showing various levels of degradation.

   5. "A little iPad magic"
     <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/05/31/a-little-ipad-magic/>
   A magician incorporates an iPad into his tricks.  Bits of this have been
   played on TV.  This is the full clip.

   6. "Working Lego Printer"
     <http://www.thomas-fitzgerald.net/2010/06/04/working-lego-printer/>
   A clever bit of work, using Lego to make a functioning computer printer.
   Tip: turn the volume down.

   7. "LittleDog Robot"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUQsRPJ1dYw>
   An interesting video showing the latest advances in robotic technology.
   If you're interested, there are more videos posted on YouTube by the
   team that developed the robot.

   8. "Watch amazing 2-minute Star Wars trilogy ... with LEGOs!"
     <http://scifiwire.com/2010/05/watch-amazing-2-minute-st.php>
   The title says it all.

Graphical Odds and Ends, 7 June 2010

   1. "30 Unique Logo Designs That Actually Say Something"
     <http://devsnippets.com/article/30-unique-logo-designs-that-
        actually-say-something.html>

   2. Paper Art
   * "100 Extraordinary Examples of Paper Art"
     <http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/100-extraordinary-examples-
        of-paper-art/>
   * "The Beauty of Paper Art"
     <http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/29/the-beauty-of-paper-art/>

   3. "Business clichés visual find-it poster"
     <http://www.xplane.com/xblog/2010/01/07/business-cliches-visual-
        find-it-poster/>

   4. "lunchbreath's Assorted Infotoons"
     <http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunchbreath/sets/72157613074565475/>

   5. "textorizer"
     <http://lapin-bleu.net/software/textorizer/>
   "Textorizer is a program that allows you to make pictures formed with
   text."  Web version: <http://textorizer.whatfettle.com/>

   6. "Don't believe your eyes: This year's best illusions"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/special/best-new-visual-illusions-2010>

Nick Drake - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "Nick Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Best known
    for the sombre pieces composed on his primary instrument, the guitar,
    Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone. Although
    he failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime, Drake's work
    has gradually achieved wider notice and recognition; he now ranks among
    the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Drake>

   He only released three full-length albums in the late 1960s and early
   1970s.  Sadly, he died from an overdose of a prescribed antidepressant
   when he was just 26 years old.

   Several of my favourite musicians have cited him as an influence, but
   I only got into listening to Nick Drake's music a few years ago.

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  Since Drake's work
   pre-dates the music video era, many of the clips are home-made by fans.
   Apologies in advance for any out-of-place Google ads.  Where possible,
   I've selected clips where the ads should lead to revenue for Drake's
   estate, and not for something crass.

   If the links are blocked, you can try listening to some clips on the
   Wikipedia link above, or at Bryter Music, the official website of the
   Estate of Nick Drake:
     <http://www.brytermusic.com/>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "Time Has Told Me"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1tWbJtBpyE>
   The opening track from Nick Drake's debut album, "Five Leaves Left",
   released in 1969.  He was only 21 when he recorded this album, and the
   lyrics display a maturity beyond his years.  On this album he was
   joined by some accomplished backing musicians.  This track features
   some electric guitar work by Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention.

   2. "River Man"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idcaRTg4-fM>
   Another strong track from "Five Leaves Left", this song features a
   delicate string arrangement.  According to Drake's manager, Joe Boyd,
   Drake considered it as the centre piece of the album.  The clip was
   produced by Drake's record label.

   3. "Way To Blue"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S40DdlD9JxI>
   This is a home recording of a track from Drake's first album, with just
   Drake singing while playing the piano.  The album version is backed by a
   great string arrangement.  This clip was also produced by Island Records.

   4. "Day Is Done"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2jxjv0HkwM>
   Another beautiful contemplative piece from "Five Leaves Left".  The clip
   includes a nicely put-together montage of pictures from the album's
   original artwork.

   5. "One Of These Things First"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSlh8u8Nrig>
   In 1970, Drake released his second album, "Bryter Layter".  Once again
   he was joined by guest backing musicians.  This upbeat track features a
   couple of members of the Beach Boys.  The song was included on the
   soundtrack for "Garden State" (2005).

   6. "Fly"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ShXHW_FrlM>
   This is a simple and moving track from Bryter Layter.  John Cale from
   The Velvet Underground plays viola and harpsichord.  This is probably
   my favourite track on the album.  A beautiful, stripped-back home
   recording of this song is included on the posthumous compilation, "Time
   of No Reply".

   7. "Northern Sky"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtyLL_BE-oo>
   Another favourite from Bryter Layter.

   8. "Hazey Jane II"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSZ9oX0rLgg>
   This track features some brass instruments as accompaniment.  Initially
   I found the brass and string arrangements on this album a little jarring,
   but over time I've come to appreciate them more.

   9. "Pink Moon"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXnfhnCoOyo>
   This is the opening and title track from Nick Drake's third and final
   album (1972).  Unlike his first two albums, this one was basically just
   Drake solo.  As such, it's a more personal and intimate record, as
   demonstrated by the opening track.  Bizarrely, it was used as the
   backing for a VW commercial a few years ago.

   To wrap things up, here's a trio of great tracks from Drake's final
   album...

   10. "Place To Be"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbutR2nvMCw>

   11. "Free Ride"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l09L45RM2RI>

   12. "Parasite"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-2WSDtksj0>

Life and Times in the Office

   1. "Simple Desks"
     <http://simpledesks.tumblr.com/>
   "A collection of minimal work spaces."

   2. "Messy Desks"
     <http://messydesks.tumblr.com/>
   "A collection of messy work spaces."  This one is unbelievable:
     <http://messydesks.tumblr.com/post/563413422>

   3. "Your Office Chair Is Killing You"
     <http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/10_19/
        b4177071221162.htm>
   "Meet public enemy No. 1 in today's workplace"

   4. "The Gervais Principle III: The Curse of Development"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/04/14/the-gervais-principle-iii-
        the-curse-of-development/>
   "In the first two parts of this series, we talked about the archetypes
    that inhabit organizations (sociopaths, losers, clueless), what they do
    (the Gervais principle) and how (the four languages).  In this part,
    we'll use a somewhat unorthodox take on the idea of arrested
    development to explain why the three groups behave as they do, and use
    that to predict the outcomes of individual interpersonal interactions."

   5. "Two Interesting Gervais Principle Follow-Ups"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/05/06/two-interesting-gervais-principle-
        follow-ups/>
   "These two go further, in a couple of rather dangerous (and fun)
    directions."

   6. "The Seven Most Annoying Coworkers (Who are Actually Face-Eating
       Aliens in Disguise)"
     <http://bygonebureau.com/2010/04/28/annoying-coworkers/>

   7. "Why do big companies suck?"
     <http://www.scottberkun.com/blog/2010/why-do-big-companies-suck/>
   "There are some things that tend to happen when companies get big that
    are bad..."

Fibonacci and Fractals in Nature

   Examples where mathematics can be seen in the things around us...

   1. "Fibonacci Numbers and Nature"
     <http://www.maths.surrey.ac.uk/hosted-sites/R.Knott/Fibonacci/
        fibnat.html>

   From rabbits to shells to flowers to vegetables, Fibonacci numbers (0, 1,
   1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc) are everywhere in the natural world.

   2. "Fractals in Nature"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-natural-
        fractals.html>
   A fractal is "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split
   into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size
   copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity. [Wikipedia]
   Not just theoretical constructs, fractals are present in nature.

   More good stuff at miqel.com:
   * "PHI: The Golden Ratio or Golden Section"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-phi-
        golden.html>

   * "The Mandelbrot Set"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-mandelbrot-
        magic.html>

   * "Various Fractal Types and Categories of 'Chaos'"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual_math_fractal_
        types.html>

   3. More Mathematics in Nature
   * "Maths in Nature"
     <http://www.abc.net.au/science/photos/mathsinnature/>

   * "Nature by Numbers: linking math to nature"
     <http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/03/nature_by_numbers_linking_
        math_to_n.html>

   * "Geometry In Nature: The DNA of Design"
     <http://www.slideshare.net/MarkRosenhaus/geometry-in-nature>

Some Financial Reports: the Bad, the Good, and the Fictitious

   1. Greek Economic Tragedy

   Greece has been in the news a bit lately, as its government looks like
   needing emergency loans to prevent it from defaulting.  The Greek
   government's debt is about US$ 400 billion.  If you include money owed
   by the private sector (i.e. companies and households), the combined
   external debt is even higher.  A lot has been said about the PIIGS of
   Europe (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) and their potential
   financial problems.  Strangely, nothing much is said about the biggest
   debtor in Europe, namely the United Kingdom.  The UK is easily the
   second largest debtor in the world, after the US, with US$ 9191 billion
   of external debt.  That's a staggering US$ 150,673 per person.

   The following article is a bit out of date, but it highlights that the
   UK looks like the basketcase of the G7:
   "The true extent of Britain's debt"
     <http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3078296/the-true-extent-of-
        britains-debt.thtml>

   Debt in itself is not a problem, as long as it can be paid on time.
   One way of measuring the level of a country's debt is to compare it to
   annual output (or GDP).  For example, if the debt-to-GDP ratio is 50%,
   it will take half of a nation's total annual output to pay off its debt.
   Here's a league table that ranks the debt level of several countries:

   * United Kingdom  US$ 9191 billion, US$ 150,673/person, 365% of GDP
   * Germany         US$ 5208 billion, US$ 63,350/person,  185% of GDP
   * Greece          US$ 536 billion,  US$ 47,401/person,  153% of GDP
   * Australia       US$ 826 billion,  US$ 38,798/person,  107% of GDP
   * United States   US$13400 billion, US$ 43,646/person,  94% of GDP
   * Italy           US$ 1060 billion, US$ 18,235/person,  58% of GDP
   * Japan           US$ 1492 billion, US$ 4,528/person,   35% of GDP
   * China           US$ 363 billion,  US$ 271/person,     5% of GDP

   Source: Wikipedia, "List of countries by external debt"
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_external_debt>

   So, on the surface, the UK looks as though it has a much bigger debt
   problem than Greece.  However, Greece has a few extra problems:
   * High levels of corruption, e.g. fakelaki
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fakelaki>
   * A bloated public sector, so much of the debt is not very productive
   * It's still paying off costs of hosting the 2004 Olympics
   * It looks like past governments have been cooking the books
   * Unlike Australia, it doesn't have a lot of export revenue


   2. How IT Companies make their money

   On a more positive note, it appears some tech companies are faring well
   despite the global financial crisis.  Here's how some companies generate
   their revenue...

   * Apple
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-in-case-you-had-any-
        doubts-about-where-apples-revenue-comes-from-2010-4>
   * Microsoft
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-microsoft-operating-
        income-by-division-2010-2>
   * Google
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-in-case-you-had-any-
        doubts-about-where-googles-revenue-comes-from-2010-2>


   3. "The Forbes Fictional 15"
     <http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/13/fictional-15-richest-characters-
        opinions-fictional_land_print.html>

   "Global markets are rapidly recovering from the 2008 financial crisis,
    and so are the fortunes of the fictitious. There are six new characters
    on the 2010 edition of Fictional 15."

One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand + The Double

   Reviews of a couple of books, wherein each story's central character
   appears to be having a crisis of identity...

   1. "One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand" by Luigi Pirandello
     <http://www.amazon.com/One-Hundred-Thousand/dp/0941419746>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12117>

   Things start going wrong for the main character, Vitangelo Moscarda,
   after his wife jokingly tells him one morning that his nose is a bit
   crooked.  He looks in the mirror and, to his surprise, he realises that
   his wife is indeed correct.

   This seemingly harmless discovery triggers a complete self-examination
   by Moscarda.  If perceptions of physical features can vary, what about
   perceptions of identity?  No longer can he take it for granted that
   everyone else perceives him the same way he himself does (i.e. the 'One'
   in the title).  If his own wife can't perceive the "real" Moscarda, then
   each person has a different perception of him.  Therefore there must be
   multiple perceptions of his persona (i.e. 'One Hundred Thousand').  By
   extension, there are multiple perceptions of each of these people's
   identities, so a massive feedback loop is created.  In the end, Moscarda
   thinks, it's like he has no true identity at all (i.e. 'No One').

   The plot is essentially a mechanism for examining the philosophy and
   psychology of someone's identity.  Throughout Moscarda's "illness", his
   behaviour is bizarre and often humorous.  For example, to show he's not
   simply a passive heir to his father's banking business, he evicts a
   destitute tenant.  This incurs the wrath of the other townspeople, so he
   tries to overcome perceptions that he is greedy by gifting another house
   he owns to the destitute family.

   This was Pirandello's last novel, and in many ways it's the culmination
   of a career-long fascination with themes of personality and identity.


   2. "The Double" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
     <http://www.amazon.com/Double/dp/1420931342>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210190>

   Our "hero", Golyadkin, is a civil servant who is going through a bit of
   a rough patch.  To complicate matters he's "discovered" that he has a
   double.  This newcomer looks exactly like him, works in the same office,
   and even has the same name!

   After initially taking him in and gaining his confidence, Golyadkin
   begins to have doubts about his double.  He refers to the other as
   "Golyadkin Junior", and fears that "Junior" is trying to usurp him at
   work and his private life: this "evil twin" must be behind his recent
   and continuing fall from grace.

   Throughout the story it is never made clear whether the central
   character is having a major identity crisis, or merely living a double
   life.  The reader is taken for a wild ride through both St Petersburg
   and Golyadkin's delusions.

   This was Dostoyevsky's second novel, and is not as highly-rated as his
   later work.  However it's also not nearly as long.


   While both books cover some heavy themes, they do have some comical
   moments to lighten things up.

Odds and Ends, Mon 12 April 2010

   1. "Would dew believe it: The stunning pictures of sleeping insects
       covered in water droplets"
     <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1260946/The-stunning-
        pictures-sleeping-insects-covered-early-morning-dew.html>

   2. "22 Most Unusual Google Earth Photos"
     <http://www.webdesigncore.com/2010/03/27/22-most-unusal-google-earth-
        photos/>

   3. "Quentin Tarantino Reference Manual"
     <http://www.madatoms.com/site/blog/quentin-tarantino-movies>

   4. "Solved: The mathematics of the Hollywood blockbuster"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527483.900>

   5. "Arts: Photographer Loves Math, Graphs Her Images"
     <http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/pl_arts_found/>

   6. "The Six Twitter Types"
     <http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/the-six-
        twitter-types-guy-kawasaki>

   7. "The Difference between Nerd, Dork, and Geek Explained by a Venn
       Diagram"
     <http://www.greatwhitesnark.com/2010/03/25/difference-between-
        nerd-dork-and-geek-explained-in-a-venn-diagram/>

   8. "Sarcasm punctuation mark aims to put an end to email confusion"
     <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6995354/Sarcasm-
        punctuation-mark-aims-to-put-an-end-to-email-confusion.html>
   "Expressing sarcasm in the written word can be a dangerous business, as
    anyone forced to apologise for sending a tongue-in-cheek email will
    confirm. Now a US firm has come up with an ingenious solution to this
    very real problem – a new item of punctuation."

   9. April Fools 2010 - Roundups
   * "Your April Fools' Day Prank Spoiler"
     <http://lifehacker.com/5507090/your-april-fools-day-prank-spoiler>
   * "El Reg April Fools 2010"
     <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/02/april_fools_2010/>