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Video of the Day
Jun. 30th, 2010 05:45 pmThis piece from ESPN, about the role of soccer among the inmates of Robben Island in South Africa, as part of their World Cup coverage.
Anything more I could say would just detract from it.
Anything more I could say would just detract from it.
Minkin's Disclaimer
Aug. 24th, 2009 08:47 amMy all time favorite disclaimer in a book:
"All characters and events in this book are made up. If some of them seem familiar, it's because so many of us grew up playing the same games."
From Steve Minkin's A No Doubt Mad Idea, which I've talked about before.
"All characters and events in this book are made up. If some of them seem familiar, it's because so many of us grew up playing the same games."
From Steve Minkin's A No Doubt Mad Idea, which I've talked about before.
A No Doubt Mad Idea, by Stephen Minkin
Jul. 17th, 2009 05:55 pmThe cover of a novel. The image reminds me more than a little of Gualala, Calif., which as any trufan knows is the home of R. Twidner.
I remember going into the Huntley Bookstore at the Claremont Colleges, and seeing this face-out on the fiction shelves. The drawing was so appealing I reached right for it -- proof I will buy a book for the cover, if done well.
Minkin's novel is a mix of Northern California in the 1970s and his own term "ludics." That is, the study of games, not just for their own sake (though that too) but also as an element in culture and civilization more broadly. It's inspired by Johan Huizinga's Homo Ludens (that is, "Man the Player" - and wipe that smirk off your face).
There are illustrations of games at the start of each chapter. There are quotations running by along the bottom edge of the pages. (One time, when I spoke to Minkin, I mentioned that turning the novel into HTML would provide one of the few justifications I know for the MARQUEE tag.)
Here are my previous quotes of Minkin, and I tweeted a quote of his earlier today.
I remember going into the Huntley Bookstore at the Claremont Colleges, and seeing this face-out on the fiction shelves. The drawing was so appealing I reached right for it -- proof I will buy a book for the cover, if done well.
Minkin's novel is a mix of Northern California in the 1970s and his own term "ludics." That is, the study of games, not just for their own sake (though that too) but also as an element in culture and civilization more broadly. It's inspired by Johan Huizinga's Homo Ludens (that is, "Man the Player" - and wipe that smirk off your face).
There are illustrations of games at the start of each chapter. There are quotations running by along the bottom edge of the pages. (One time, when I spoke to Minkin, I mentioned that turning the novel into HTML would provide one of the few justifications I know for the MARQUEE tag.)
Here are my previous quotes of Minkin, and I tweeted a quote of his earlier today.
Answer to "Where?"
Apr. 27th, 2009 10:40 pm...which I asked here.
Asmara, Eritrea.
I was reading this post about pre-Japanese Occupation Shanghai (which I suspect was inspired by J.G. Ballard's death, but it doesn't say). Turns out Shanghai was quite the treasure trove of art deco architecture, some of which survives to this day.
Down in the comments, someone mentioned how while one may not be able to see Shanghai as it then was, Asmara, Eritrea is remarkably preserved, and possibly just as rich. You may be wondering how a pocket of art deco has survived in a relatively poor country in Africa. From his first link:
* This was his second link -- a search of Google images on "asmara architecture."
* This was his third link -- an article on streamline moderne, mentioning and comparing Asmara and Shanghai in passing.
*^*^*
When I asked this, I got one response, and it was correct. The answer appears to have been from David Thompson, who has his own blog on art deco, with a number of posts on Eritrea. (How did he find me? I have no idea.) Clearly a specialist, and well done to him.
Asmara, Eritrea.
I was reading this post about pre-Japanese Occupation Shanghai (which I suspect was inspired by J.G. Ballard's death, but it doesn't say). Turns out Shanghai was quite the treasure trove of art deco architecture, some of which survives to this day.
Down in the comments, someone mentioned how while one may not be able to see Shanghai as it then was, Asmara, Eritrea is remarkably preserved, and possibly just as rich. You may be wondering how a pocket of art deco has survived in a relatively poor country in Africa. From his first link:
"During Mussolini's time, Italy invested a lot of capital and manpower in embellishing Eritrea's capital. Asmara was even dubbed Piccola Roma, although it of course never attained the historical importance of Italy's capital. Still, the Italians made Asmara a gem among African capitals, and this can be appreciated to present days. After the Italian period, also other western architects experimented with styles and it is thus possible to walk for hours in Asmara admiring curious and beautiful buildings.
Apart from the architecture, the city was also consciously planned and this planning still makes for an orderly city rarely seen elsewhere in this continent. It also makes visiting architectural highlights easy. One area was where Italian businessmen and well-off people lived. It is the area where many villas are now used as embassies, hotels, or schools. This part of Asmara has quiet corners, squares, trees and flowers, and it is a true pleasure walking around it and appreciating the beauty of it all. Best of all, it is possible to stay in these villas as some of them are now being used as hotels or guesthouses."
* This was his second link -- a search of Google images on "asmara architecture."
* This was his third link -- an article on streamline moderne, mentioning and comparing Asmara and Shanghai in passing.
*^*^*
When I asked this, I got one response, and it was correct. The answer appears to have been from David Thompson, who has his own blog on art deco, with a number of posts on Eritrea. (How did he find me? I have no idea.) Clearly a specialist, and well done to him.
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Minkin FTW
Apr. 11th, 2009 11:18 amDoing an egoboo search on myself in Google Groups, I'm reminded of the following passage from Stephen Minkin's novel, A No Doubt Mad Idea, regarding a twenty-questions game:
"Did you know that the Russian composer Aram Katchaturian described his 'Sabre Dance' as no more than a button on the shirt on the body of his work? No? You're not alone. Suppose my twenty-questions answer was that metaphorical button -- would that be fair?"
((Quoting from Minkin is itself obscure -- I've only ever seen three copies of this novel, two of which I've bought, the third is in the library at UCLA. Minkin has told me there were only 500 or so printed. Which is a damn shame, it's a great book.))
"Did you know that the Russian composer Aram Katchaturian described his 'Sabre Dance' as no more than a button on the shirt on the body of his work? No? You're not alone. Suppose my twenty-questions answer was that metaphorical button -- would that be fair?"
((Quoting from Minkin is itself obscure -- I've only ever seen three copies of this novel, two of which I've bought, the third is in the library at UCLA. Minkin has told me there were only 500 or so printed. Which is a damn shame, it's a great book.))
So, I was reading a special section of the Financial Times regarding Japan the other day, and there was an ad about the Yomiuri. I checked out their web site today, and found not only the English language section, but also a column about Go, which starts with this great quote:
Worry and fear are destructive to our personal lives and our work. But we endure those emotions all the time because we believe there is a payoff. When we set goals, we worry about the obstacles we may encounter. Sometimes the obstacles assume such huge proportions we are consumed by fear. This situation is created because we generally believe what we see. By changing the way we look at things, we can change things for the better.
In go, beginners often worry about their stones being taken. If they let go and even purposely sacrifice stones, their game will improve."
*^*^*
While I'm on the subject of foreign-based but English-language news sources, two sites:
The Local (Sweden)
The Copenhagen Post
Worry and fear are destructive to our personal lives and our work. But we endure those emotions all the time because we believe there is a payoff. When we set goals, we worry about the obstacles we may encounter. Sometimes the obstacles assume such huge proportions we are consumed by fear. This situation is created because we generally believe what we see. By changing the way we look at things, we can change things for the better.
In go, beginners often worry about their stones being taken. If they let go and even purposely sacrifice stones, their game will improve."
*^*^*
While I'm on the subject of foreign-based but English-language news sources, two sites:
The Local (Sweden)
The Copenhagen Post
Just back from the break room, where I saw Wisconsin-Milwaukee beat Boston College, a #12 tournament seed upsetting a #4 seed in the NCAA collegiate basketball tournament.
I have to admit, the thing that completely befuddles me, game theory-wise, is why basketball has become so foul-happy.
These two teams were each shooting just under 50% from the floor, but 90% and 70% from the free throw line, respectively. That's not too uncommon. But BC kept deliberately fouling UW-M in the final seconds -- most notably a foul with three seconds left, when they were 6 or so points behind.
I can kind of understand wanting to control the clock, but it seems to me sending players to the foul line is an almost guaranteed basket against you, while letting them shoot from the floor is much less likely. So it seems to me all you do by fouling your opponent is dig a deeper hole for yourself, while if you let them shoot from the floor they're more likely to miss.
I'll tell you... If I was a refereee, and someone did that three second foul with that big a margin in front of me, I'd eject both the player and the coach from the game. There's nothing there but maliciousness. It's the worst sportsmanship in the world. Take your lumps, and stop prolonging the agony.
(Unless you're a masochist, at which point your kink is not my kink. :)
I always like seeing the underdog win, though.
I have to admit, the thing that completely befuddles me, game theory-wise, is why basketball has become so foul-happy.
These two teams were each shooting just under 50% from the floor, but 90% and 70% from the free throw line, respectively. That's not too uncommon. But BC kept deliberately fouling UW-M in the final seconds -- most notably a foul with three seconds left, when they were 6 or so points behind.
I can kind of understand wanting to control the clock, but it seems to me sending players to the foul line is an almost guaranteed basket against you, while letting them shoot from the floor is much less likely. So it seems to me all you do by fouling your opponent is dig a deeper hole for yourself, while if you let them shoot from the floor they're more likely to miss.
I'll tell you... If I was a refereee, and someone did that three second foul with that big a margin in front of me, I'd eject both the player and the coach from the game. There's nothing there but maliciousness. It's the worst sportsmanship in the world. Take your lumps, and stop prolonging the agony.
(Unless you're a masochist, at which point your kink is not my kink. :)
I always like seeing the underdog win, though.
"A No Doubt Mad Idea"
Oct. 2nd, 2003 11:44 pm...which will probably lead to another post about "influential" books, eventually, but for now, this:
"On to the library. And all through his time at the card catalog, combing the shelves, filling out the request cards, he danced a silent, flirtatious minuet of the eyes with a rosy-cheeked redhead in the biology section, pages of notes spread before her. All his life, he had had a yen for women in libraries. In a cerebral setting, the physical becomes irresistible. Also, he figured he was really more likely to meet a better or at least more compatible woman in a library than in a saloon. Ought to have singles libraries, with soups and salads, Bach and Mozart, Montaignes bound in morocco; place to sip, smoke, and seduce in a classical setting, noon to midnight. Chaucer's Salons, call them, franchise chain."
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