Cat, I tried, but this is what I ended up with. Rereading it, I feel like James Blish ("a typewriter with a glacial surface") wrote it in one of his philosophical novels. I also seem to be suffering from drug reactions which are making me even grimmer than usual, and these aren't the sort of drugs I can stop. This is in bad need of a rewrite, and perhaps more. So I'm going to run it here, under my usual friends-lock, in the hope that someone can figure out how to make it more human.

[Update: Cat actually likes it, so I'm going to turn it loose. Here goes...]

( Short philosophical essay )

[Second version, due to LJ client kerfluffle]

( Feminism, the MSM, Chinese policy, + homily )

( Political and angry )

My girlfriend, apipiyalotl, has started her own journal—I just reviewed the first post. She will be writing about her upcoming travels in México, mostly, or at least that's what she says. She's an interesting writer and she has interesting things to write about; drop by & welcome her, if you feel so inclined.

This inspired by remarks in catsittingstill's journal:

( Non-partisan and you still don't have to read it )

Firedoglake is starting a letter-writing campaign. Go to it!

"My Roomba is Rambo". (PDF. Ubicomp 2007. About human adaptation to the domestic robot. Not all that great of a paper, but great title.) Second best title from that journal, and a really good paper: "Merolyn the Phone", an HP Labs paper about cell phone naming.

Jump, Apple, jump!

In one of these great moves in marketing history, Apple has decided not to support UIs written in C or C++ in 64-bit apps. Adobe CS4 is going to be greatly delayed on the Macintosh because of it, if the people who need CS4 (which is likely to include the most of the entertainment industry) even bother with Macs any more. Way to go, Apple!

Have I missed the day? It seems I have. We've been dealing with a domestic drama involving my lover's daughter, and I have had other things on my mind. And at first I thought I didn't have anything to say on the subject. I mean, what is there to say other than, "torture bad?" Which has been said over and over again over the centuries, believed for a while by some, and forgotten. But filkertom and catsittingstill have both written essays, and they sparked a few reflections.

( You don't have to read it. )

A little common sense, please. The US voting system is an exceptionally poor one, but that's no excuse for not recognizing the difference between "not so good" and "spawn of hell".

Yes, I've been reading the political blogs again. Bad wolf! Bad!