horse, house, hp, movies, rackham, river, religion, random

Horse meat is pretty popular outside of the Anglosphere, unlike changing one's maiden name

Two realtors have looked at the house, with an 80 grand spread of projected prices.

Amusing alternate 7th book: HP Widdershins (much shorter, and illustrated) That said, I've read and enjoyed the real Deathly Hallows.

I've seen Pan's Labyrinth, The Queen, the Battle of Algiers, and Secretary. Two Miyazakis came today (Howl, Castle) but haven't watched yet.

I've discovered the artists Aubrey Beardsley and Arthur Rackham; both seem neat.

India has its first woman president, as of a few days ago. China controls 80% of the vitamin C market. Wisconsin is fighting over universal care -- more "expand and subsidize", not a full reform.

The new Gilded Age

River Tam interviews (embedded QuickTime)


Religion beat killed reporter's faith. Which randomly made me think of God as metaphor.

I've been learning Ocaml again. I haven't done much with the house yet. Sleep still sucks.

I eat babies!

My mother was into lamb, among other meats; I used to think it tended to be too greasy. But I've gotten the idea that it has a better chance of being grass fed than commercial beef, so have been trying it some more. Tasty. Helps that the local store *has* lots of lamb, unlike Kroger at home (which lacks a meat counter, too.) ... another local store has a truly impressive array of jams, many imported -- I've been enjoying some Marco Polo raspberry which seems to have sugar crystals at the bottom -- but no peanut butter other than Skippy. Lettuce is under a dollar a bunch. Red bell peppers are $1.49/pound.

Got a bunch of paperwork done today, bills and stopping payments and sending inheritance money.

I just watched "Howl's Moving Castle". My first thought: she has a nose! I'm used to Miyazaki heroines having round faces and almost no nose, but Sophie was oval and nosy. Soon to become even nosier. Good film, but I have a feeling a bunch of additions and subtractions were made via the book, and a scene which went "Everyone out!" *house falls down* "Everyone back inside!" confused me.

Empathy in mice

Texas Board of Education to be headed by Creationist (from James.)

From Facebook:
"Why did you stop believing in Santa? Because you found alternative explanations to the phenomenon of presents appearing on Christmas morning, explanations that were more provable and did not require a supernatural character. Same can be said about God." -- Claudio D'Amato

I was thinking that practical languages to me to learn would be French (opens access to two nice countries to live in) and Chinese (I for one welcome...) Maybe Japanese for the tech, plus leveraging the fscking kanji/characters, though of course there's a big cultural draw. Spanish? Italian? Not sending the same "I want to live there" signals. I get the impression the Dutch and Swedish all speak English anyway, so those languages can be put off until an actual emigration. Plus, you know, relative literature sizes.

30 July New Yorker has had a bunch of interesting articles: an apostate Israeli Speaker; prosthetics; head of Death Row in California; debunking the pacifist bonobo.