Tales of the Golem; or, the Modern Epimetheus: June 2006

Monday, June 26, 2006

Capisce paisan, capisce paisan

I'm coming to the sad conclusion that Los Angeles does not have truly great pizza.

Boston has the best pizza.

Monday, June 19, 2006

So worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow

At Kansas City International Airport, the baggage claim is immediately next to the gate, about twenty feet away.

This was such a difficult concept for me to process that I walked back and forth, back and forth, vainly looking for the stairs, tunnel, sliding walkway and tram that would take me to the baggage claim, repeatedly not seeing that the baggage carousel was sitting right there.

However, after I finally saw the carousel I then had to stand by it and wait a long time for the bags to appear, reminding me of the real reason that in most airports, you have to walk a long distance from the gate to be reunited with your luggage... The walk gives you something to keep you busy while the airline gets your luggage off the plane.

Friday, June 16, 2006

I'm the taxman, yeah yeah I'm the taxman

Apparently I have a $63.80 refund coming from the "Internal Revenue Service! <service@IRS.gov>."

I really like the exclamation mark. It is nice to know that our government is an exciting place to work, like Yahoo!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Come we go burn down Babylon one more time

I just learned today that "Iraq" comes from "Uruk" (i.e., the city of Gilgamesh).

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Tower of song

Odd coincidence of the day: Hearing two covers by female singers of Leonard Cohen songs (Dance Me to the End of Love and Hallelujah) for the first time in one twelve-hour period.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

They'd wish success for themselves and their friends

We went to see Friends with Money. It is a character study of three wealthy couples and their non-wealthy single friend, played by Jennifer Aniston, who has quit her teaching job and started working as a maid.

The movie gradually reveals the psychological problems that the various characters have (with the possible exception of the wealthiest couple who arguably don't have any problems at all) but it is not big on plot developments, or explanation, or closure. Few if any of the characters have changed or resolved their problems by the end of the movie. There is no obvious point or moral. I found the movie mildly enjoyable but not really powerful in any way.

Jennifer Aniston is cornering the market on sex scenes in which she evinces a total lack of interest in the loser banging away at her. There was an almost identical scene in The Good Girl.

It is fairly surreal to be watching a movie and realize that the characters in the scene are walking and talking on the sidewalk right outside the movie theater you are watching the movie in. I had a similar experience with Super Size Me, but in that case the McDonald's was about a block away from the theater. This was even closer, directly outside.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Tell me sweet little lies

I have often wondered where the phrase "speak truth to power" originated. I had thought of writing in to Harvard Magazine, which has a column for people to request assistance in such matters.

But after an Internet search my tentative conclusion is that it was coined by Aaron Wildavsky. The dastardly Internet does away with the need for old media once again.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

You hate to watch another tired man lay down his hand like he was giving up the holy game of poker

Phil Hellmuth is a really lousy replacement for Phil Gordon, and the set at Harrah's looks a lot cheaper and nastier than the Palms Casino.

Friday, June 02, 2006

In my hour of darkness

Australians with a keen sense of irony loudly singing "Let It Be" at 3:15 am. Continue with Duran Duran, etc., until 4:00 am. Now I can't get back to sleep.

Tales of the Golem; or, the Modern Epimetheus