neumatikos

Since I seem to be unable to say anything at present, either about myself or about current events, I am instead linking to Jane Galt at [Asymmetrical Information](http://www.janegalt.net/blog/archives/005447.html), who has an excellent post on “Myth Busting”

As everyone knows, I had hoped that people’s attempts to use Katrina to prove that they were right all along would wait until the victims were laid to rest. This suggestion has been roundly ignored by all those who feel that their accusations will have more punch if they are made in the face of the nation’s shock and horror.

Still, it would be hoped that the message of “Hey, America, you really suck weasels!!!” could have waited a few weeks.

The whole post is a diatribe on why certain Europeans need to get off their high horse over Katrina, but what really fascinated me was all the statistical comparisons made between Europe and the US.

The average temperature in Dublin ranges from 4.8 degrees celsius in January to 15 degrees celsius in July. The average temperature in New York, where I live, which is pretty temperate for America–it doesn’t have extremes of either heat or cold–is -1 degrees celsius in January, 25 degrees celsius in July. In other words, while they have a temperature range of about ten degrees, we have a temperature range of about twenty-six degrees. And that’s not even a rugged area like Minneapolis (-11 degrees celsius to 24 degrees), Chicago (-6 to 24 degrees), or Kansas City (-5.5 to 24.5).

I never knew Europeans had it so good. There’s no wonder then, for all the stories of Eupopeans whose constitution couldn’t handle the New World and they suddenly died. Compared to the Extremes of American climate and geography, Europe is a veritable Garden of Eden!

I just want you all to know that I hate long communtes and last night was a nightmare. That is all.

[This is amazing](http://www.livejournal.com/users/howardtayler/125260.html): Sri Lanka (of recent tsunami fame) has pledged $25,000 to help with the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Talk about a widow’s mite.

Hi there. Just a quick post to let you all know that I’m starting to add photos to the new gallery that my wonderful husband set up. I really like it a lot. The new set of pictures that I have uploaded is of Magnolia, which is the place we moved to here in New England. Hope you enjoy.

Addendum:

I have also added the Gloucester pictures as well. I’m hoping to get the rest of Rockport and Labor Day Weekend finished before next Saturday (homework willing). After that I’ll start doing backlog from other trips and vacation times.

Since I’ve been too lazy to put any effort into actual blogging, and since I quite literally have nothing better to do with my time until school starts next week, I’ve been busying myself with code instead of writing.

I’ve installed a new photo gallery up in place of the old one (which was cheap and crummy). This one is robust and free. It does all kinds of amazing things–if only I could figure out how what they are and how to do them. The name of the software is called (oddly enough) [Gallery](http://gallery.menalto.com/) and it is a thing of beauty. I’ve got every bit as much usability as (http://www.flickr.com), and it’s all running off my own site! You should give them a good thorough look if you have any interest at all in managing pictures on a web site.

The address for the gallery here at Neumatikos is pretty intuitive: [http://www.neumatikos.org/gallery](http://www.neumatikos.org/gallery). Help yourself. I’m sure Valerie will have it brimming with pictures very soon, now that uploading and organizing them is a breeze.

Now all I’ve got to do is crack into their CSS and figure out how to make the gallery look like the rest of the site…

Orson Scott Card [gets it right](http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2005-08-21-1.html) on the Jewish evacuation of Gaza.

One of the things I’ve been doing since we moved (other than feverishly trying to cronicle the events of our honeymoon) is catching up on my reading. We have all these bookshelves crammed into our little apartment, stuffed quite full of books. Most of those books are mine, and I must confess that a good number of them I’ve never actually read. I… *acquired* them by various means because they *looked* like they might be good.

Now, before you look at me in horror, please understand that a good deal of my book acquiring has been passive. Other people give me more books than I give myself, usually. Nevertheless, this puts me in the odd situation of having no more room for books, with no knowledge of whether the books I have are any better than the books I don’t have yet.

So, while I wait for school to start, I’ve been reading up. My goal is to read through as many previously unread books as possible, with the intent of determining whether I ought to have ever allowed them on my bookshelf in the first place.

Which brings me to Umberto Eco and *Focault’s Pendulum*. Continue reading “An Excellent Book I don’t recommend”

Myrna Loy You scored 9% grit, 9% wit, 33% flair, and 52% class!

You are class itself, the calm, confident “perfect woman.” Men turn and look at you admiringly as you walk down the street, and even your rivals have a grudging respect for you. You always know the right thing to say, do and, of course, wear. You can take charge of a situation when things get out of hand, and you’re a great help to your partner even if they don’t immediately see or know it. You are one classy dame. Your screen partners include William Powell and Cary Grant, you little simmerpot, you. Find out what kind of classic leading man you’d make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 0% on grit You scored higher than 0% on wit You scored higher than 41% on flair You scored higher than 97% on class

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on Ok Cupid

Cary Grant You scored 14% Tough, 9% Roguish, 23% Friendly, and 52% Charming!

You are the epitome of charm and style, the smooth operator who steals the show with your sophisticated wit and quiet confidence. You are able to catch any woman you want just by flashing that disarming smile. When you walk into a room, the women are instantly intrigued and even the men are impressed. When you find yourself in trouble, you are easily able to charm your way out of it, or convince others to help you. You’re seen as dashing, suave and romantic. Your co-stars include Katharine Hepburn, Irene Dunne, and Joan Fontaine, stylish women who know a class act when they see it. Find out what kind of classic dame you’d make by taking the Classic Dames Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 19% on Tough You scored higher than 23% on Roguish You scored higher than 32% on Friendly You scored higher than 98% on Charming

Link: The Classic Leading Man Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating