2012 — 14 September: Friday

There's a fly in this morning's ointment, too, dagnabbit. I've just read the Ts&Cs attached to a voucher I have from a certain relatively local Indian restaurant only to discover it doesn't apply to meals on a Friday. That's going to alter the shape of my planned lunchtime. Not to mention the disappointment it will cause to the keen student of Indian food I'd already invited to accompany me. Then there's poor Roger, who's not currently feeling well enough to raise the shutters on his informal Tea Shoppe this afternoon...

At this rate, I may even end up visiting dear Mama.

French (un)dressing

I don't follow these things closely, but it seems a French magazine has published¹ photos displaying an English Duchess demonstrably minus the proven health benefit of a vest. I expect we'll be sending a gunboat² to sort the blighters out.

With that, and the explosion of anti-American sentiment in Libya following a film posted on YouTube (or whatever the hell the excuse was), it occurs to me it's about time the human race grew up.

There are worse...

... pieces of music with which to shovel in some breakfast:

I'd heard, and enjoyed, several tracks this week and caved in mere moments ago.

I offer this...

Herein lies a question: to what extent do the Brits energize American intellectual life, and, especially, give voice and backbone to conservatives? To be sure, the British ex-pats are not uniformly conservatives — consider Schama himself or the late Tony Judt, both of whom leaned left. Yet — to use economic terms — the issue may be one of demand, not supply. In an era when many conservatives pray at the alter of Ronald Regan and Ayn Rand, celebrate guns-in-every house, challenge evolution and climate warming, champion life for the unborn and the death penalty for the born, they have a greater need for credible intellectuals than the left.

Russell Jacoby in Salon

... exactly as cut'n'pasted. No proof-reading. No comment.

Earwiggo...

... all over again — or, maybe, "I can see clearly now":

I mildly observe that 4K digital projection works fine on an Imax screen, not that one would fit in my living room.

What just happened?

Well, let's see. There was the news that Peter's cold is going to keep him in London this weekend, there was the pleasant meal and chat with Len at Fisher's Pond, followed by the loan of a few bits and pieces. There was some minor league, but vital, hackery / consultancy from Brian. And now there's a Raspberry Pi sitting quietly in the living room doing all my internal web serving as if born to the task. (Details here.)

Time, obviously, for my evening meal. And the prospect of a walk tomorrow, too.

Footnotes

¹ Quite why this snippet was selected for both BBC Radio 3's miniature "A look at the papers" and then the news bulletin on the hour completely baffles me. Most things do, of course, at this time in the morning, and with only one cuppa loaded.
² If we can find one that isn't already fully-equipped with French weaponry. I still recall all too clearly, with very mixed feelings, the cartoon published during Thatcher's disgraceful Falklands "squabble" that contrasted the cost of HMS Sheffield and the Exocet missiles by which it was so easily destroyed.