Gifuto Shoppu
Do you speak katakana?
(”Gifuto Shoppu” is “gift shop” written in Roman characters but subject to Japanese phonetic restraints.)
Add comment January 11th, 2006
Posts filed under 'Culture'
Unspeakable DRM Things
If you haven’t been following the Sony-BMG CD debacle, BoingBoing’s roundups are as good a place to catch up as any: Roundup IV is the latest one. You can also read about the EFF’s litigation.
But, of course, this is really an excuse to link to this comic from the one and only Lore. The crazy part is that it dates from the early 1990s, by my recollection. Then again, he is a noted futurologist.
Add comment December 15th, 2005
Political Gossip
So I don’t normally post this kind of thing on my blog, but this is too big to ignore: it turns out that the capital of Jordan is SECRETLY AMMAN!
(If you don’t get it, Charlie, Jason, Joe, and Mark will be happy to clue you in.)
Tags: secretly a man, secretly a man day, pun
Add comment November 20th, 2005
A Meritorious Sentiment
Kanye Was Right. Spotted on a T-shirt at Hastings.
Add comment November 19th, 2005
Electronics I Have Seen in the Possession of Apparently Homeless People in San Francisco
- 286-era Compaq, being used as a pillow on McAllister Street
- HP LaserJet printer on a cart on Leavenworth Street
- General Instrument satellite reciever in some guy’s lap on McAllister Street
- Special Bonus: abandoned fax machine on UN Plaza
Add comment November 18th, 2005
Huis Clos
I finally found this picture from my trip to Japan. The phrase “there are no exits” is a slightly inadequate Japanese translation–I’m not sure of exactly what the Japanese text says, but if it’s what I think it is, a closer analog would be “no exits are available.”
1 comment October 27th, 2005
Betty Goes Goth
Funny, I always figured Veronica would be more likely to do that. Not as awesome as The Punisher Meets Archie, but close.
Via BoingBoing. Tags: comics
Add comment October 27th, 2005
Best Song Request Ever!
My friend Kashena sent the Decemberists a nifty letter with a song request and an awesome rationale. Hooray for Kashena!
Add comment October 26th, 2005
Hardware
Searching Google Local for "hardware" in San Francisco is difficult, because you never know whether these places are selling hardware or hardware.
1 comment October 24th, 2005
Placepiece
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
–Arthur C. Clarke
Gizmodo linked to this article about a clock inspired by the Weasleys’ familial-position indicator from the Harry Potter books. While the device in its current form is almost pure whimsy (I personally hope there’s some way for J. K. Rowling to block its manufacture unless they include “mortal peril” at the 12 o’clock position), Gizmodo’s treatment raises the central technology-and-culture issue: if technology changes such that it’s possible to verify things that we couldn’t before, should we necessarily do so, or is this “leakage” necessary for a healthy society?
Of course, this is far too much to cover in one blog post composed between Property and Civ Pro, but I’m going to point out that this is part of what made me leave the technology field. The problem of Pandora’s box got too disturbing, and I wasn’t sure I could help the good guys win. The whole truth is much more complicated, but I feel a lot more at peace in the world of law.
Add comment October 11th, 2005
