Recent Posts - page 2
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Barton Fink
The Coen brothers, I decided, deserved one more try. They do have a stellar reputation, after all. After disliking Fargo, Raising Arizona, and Blood Simple, I had almost given up on the Coens, but reviews convinced me to check out… Read More ›
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An English accent—in recordings from 1340 to 2006. (1340? What? Really!?)
Don’t read the title to this post. It’s a lie. Simon Roper has not actually discovered recordings from 1340. Or even 1400. But his 18-minute video is still very much worth watching. When I say “watching,” I mean more than… Read More ›
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The Secret Life of Books
A book about books—how self-referential! And how wonderful! The full title of the book under discussion is The Secret Life of Books: Why They Mean More than Words. More than words indeed. Tom Mole’s delightful paean to the book is largely about… Read More ›
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Racism and linguistics
I’ve only once cited the first-rate Humans Who Read Grammars. Yes, only once. But it’s not my fault! I would love to cite them more, but the authors post too rarely. What’s the matter with you guys? Do you have a life… Read More ›
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Why do physicists play dominoes? And what’s the connection between the Aztecs and the Arctic Circle anyway?
I’m sure you’ve been wondering: what’s a mathologer? Or perhaps you should ask “Who’s The Mathologer?” In that case, the answer is easy: The Mathologer is Burkard Polster. I’m kidding about part of this, of course—not about his name, which… Read More ›
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The Princess Bride revisited
“Never get involved in a land war in Asia.” That’s the line I’ve remembered for more than three decades. Yes, it has been that long since The Princess Bride was first released! How well has this movie held up? Amazingly well, I… Read More ›
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The new Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Where do you go to find the answer to a question about science fiction? Google? Wikipedia? The New York Times? All of those are plausible answers, but it would sure be convenient to have everything you want to know in… Read More ›
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Gaston is learning Polish—and liking it!
“Polish is a very difficult language,” says the typical American who doesn’t live in the Dorchester neighborhood known as the Polish Triangle. That’s primarily because they want to buy a vowel when they see so many consonants. They look at… Read More ›
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Twelve Gifts for Writers
What a refreshing antidote to that horrid book of unscientific advice that I won’t name here. You know which horrid book I’m talking about: that undeservedly famous guide by Strunk and White. The antidote is the little book Twelve Gifts for Writers by… Read More ›
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Nerds, Harry Potter, and Burmese translations: what do these have in common?
You know those “Common Bonds” puzzles, a.k.a. “What do these three have in common?” Look at the title to this post. The first two items are easy—nerds have a lot in common with Harry Potter—but Burmese translations? Take a look… Read More ›
Featured Categories
Books ›
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The Secret Life of Books
February 6, 2021
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The new Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
January 31, 2021
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Twelve Gifts for Writers
January 28, 2021
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The 99% Invisible City
January 21, 2021
Dorchester/Boston ›
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Just Thai… but what more do you need?
February 27, 2021
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Repairing Boston’s electoral process
February 26, 2021
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Repairing the world (or at least the police)
February 25, 2021
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Can you explain this puzzle, WGBH?
February 23, 2021
Food & Restaurants ›
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Support your local restaurant! For instance, the Ashmont Grill again…
February 21, 2021
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Zia Gianna: “Valentine’s Date Night to Go”
February 14, 2021
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Support your local restaurants!
January 25, 2021
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Tavolo
January 13, 2021
Life ›
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“I was allowed to believe things that weren’t true.”
February 19, 2021
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No, your family name was NOT changed at Ellis Island!
February 16, 2021
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Gym Jordan, grammar expert
January 19, 2021
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The road to hell
January 15, 2021
Linguistics ›
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Who are the Sami?
February 17, 2021
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First-naming, tutoyer, and duzen
February 12, 2021
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An English accent—in recordings from 1340 to 2006. (1340? What? Really!?)
February 8, 2021
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Racism and linguistics
February 5, 2021
Math ›
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Why do physicists play dominoes? And what’s the connection between the Aztecs and the Arctic Circle anyway?
February 3, 2021
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The Princess Bride revisited
February 2, 2021
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Suppose you lived on a dodecahedron. How would you avoid your neighbors?
January 24, 2021
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A number theory discovery by a 12-year-old Nigerian boy! And one by an 11-year-old Massachusetts girl!
January 18, 2021
Model Railroading ›
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Model Citizens
December 12, 2020
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Model trains are not cat toys!!!
August 3, 2020
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Bay State Model Railroad Museum Open House
March 9, 2020
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The huge Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
January 26, 2020
Movies & (occasionally) TV ›
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Barton Fink
February 10, 2021
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“Why haven’t I ever been to Petra?”
January 6, 2021
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Science fiction? Greek mythology? Philosophy? All in Jo Walton’s The Philosopher Kings
November 1, 2020
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra… and Gavagai… and intertextuality!
October 21, 2020
Teaching & Learning ›
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Harvard, Homosexuality, and the Shaping of American Culture
January 2, 2021
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Why are you still here?
December 27, 2020
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Dr. Fauci recalls taking ancient Greek, Latin, and philosophy…
December 23, 2020
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Who reads poetry anyway?
December 19, 2020
Technology ›
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That’s Life. “Uncertainty is the only certainty.”
January 10, 2021
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Amazon’s user reviews: Can you trust them? Will ReviewMeta help?
December 30, 2020
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What I’ve learned in the past hour
November 12, 2020
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Not possible! What are emojis doing in 1807?
November 11, 2020
Travel ›
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A Moroccan teen blogs about linguistics (and other matters…).
June 6, 2020
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What are your favorite poems?
May 24, 2020
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How about a nice, relaxing cross-country bus ride from NYC to LA?
January 13, 2020
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Seattle 4: The Food
October 30, 2019
Weston ›
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A Cat
September 6, 2020
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Stuck in the past
July 27, 2020
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Zoom vs. MCET: compare and contrast.
July 7, 2020
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On the other hand… Gödel (but not Escher or Bach)
July 1, 2020
