Annoying Macbook Pro issue: left USB power
By Dave Gottlieb | January 4, 2009
Contrary to spec, the left USB port on the (early-gen?) Macbook Pro notebooks is unpowered, or under-powered. Many devices will only work in the right port (I have an external HDD which emits a “low power” beepcode in the left port). If plugged into the left port, portable devices may claim they are charging but actually deplete the battery. Annoying, durf durf.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Obama
By Dave Gottlieb | January 4, 2009
Obama had the following line in a primary speech: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” I realized that this translates very neatly into Internet cliche: “All our base are belong to us.”
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Dogs on God
By Dave Gottlieb | January 1, 2009
Prints here. Many of the best New Yorker Cartoons are about dogs.
Topics: dogs | No Comments »
Read recently: Portnoy’s Complaint, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Singularity Sky, Iron Sunrise
By Dave Gottlieb | December 22, 2008
Maybe I’ve forgotten something . . . not sure. Was busy with end of term stuff for a while. Book links: here, here, here, here.
I’m down on many of the best(-recognized?) contemporary SF authors: I often feel like Stross, Doctorow, and Scalzi are all way overrated (especially the last; my god!). But the two Stross novels I just read were a lot of fun; the sheer cosmological big-think involved was impressive and engrossing; his usual faults mattered less. (I think it’s significant that these are both early works. A pessimistic reading is that Stross used all his best ideas up, and doesn’t want to return to them.)
Topics: Books | 1 Comment »
Some traditional Jewish holiday music (Mefi cross-post)
By Dave Gottlieb | December 13, 2008
Almost no traditional Christmas carols were written by Jews (though there have been rumors). But sometimes it seems like almost all the best 20th century Christmas songs were. Many people are dimly aware of this, but few know its full extent. I have compiled a list, with representative performances.
Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Music, Jewish life | No Comments »
Marsellus Wallace etc., picture needed
By Dave Gottlieb | December 13, 2008
Cheezburger, motherfucker — can I has it?
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
40 Motivational Speeches in 2 Minutes
By Dave Gottlieb | December 12, 2008
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Agency costs argument against school choice (i.e. vouchers, etc.)
By Dave Gottlieb | December 10, 2008
Is there an argument against school choice proposals that focuses on the imperfections in the agency relationship between parents and children? (I.e., parents are agents for their children, but their interests don’t always align well, which means that sometimes the state must intervene in the relationship. I think this forms the best argument for compulsory education, as well.)
UPDATE: I mean, 1) is there such an argument (ans: yes) and 2) has it been published or raised in public debate?
Topics: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Read: Absurdistan
By Dave Gottlieb | December 7, 2008
I finished Absurdistan. I’d been excited to read it since I read the beginning two summers ago (. . .) but I didn’t get around to it till now. I’m disappointed. I enjoyed it — it’s dazzling, in fact — but I ultimately felt like most of the plot was a mistake. The events that take place in the titular ’stan obviously mean something, but they just seem like a profound waste of verbal ammunition. Very funny, and for the most part very well drawn, it’s a shame the larger arc of the plot seems so silly.
Topics: Books | 2 Comments »
Creepy hair salon names
By Dave Gottlieb | November 28, 2008
Subtle Snips.
Hair Party.
Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »