Merry Christmas

A decade or so from now, when, say, we're waiting for the kids to come home from college for their winter breaks, and, when they do, they want to spend their time going out with their friends — how much will we be willing to pay then to be able to go back in time, for one day, to now, when they're ten and five years old, they want to go to movies and play games and build Lego kits with us, and they believe in magic?

How much then, for one day with what our family has right now?

How much?

Everything.

All I want for Christmas is what I have right here.


paraphrased from a Christmas post by John Gruber at Daring Fireball.

Quote of the Day - Donald Knuth

The purpose of a liberal education is to learn something about everything, and everything about something.

from a video about his advice to young people.

Study Hacks » Advice on Getting Better from an Accomplished Piano Player

http://calnewport.com/blog/2011/12/23/flow-is-the-opiate-of-the-medicore-advice-on-getting-better-from-an-accomplished-piano-player/

It looks like Middle Earth: Guy Laramee's Books

via Boing Boing.

Ансамбль "Берёзка - "Прялица"

I love the way they walk, and I really love the whole stage and backdrop at the end.

How Chicken Wire is Made

I'm not sure which is better -- this video about making chicken wire, or the fact that there is a website devoted to different kinds of fencing.  Both make me happy to be living in the year 2011.

I was always a little worried about Facebook

While this is something of an exaggeration, I do worry about this from time to time.  I don't know whether it actually showed up somewhere or whether it's a fabrication, but, as the old reporters used to say, it's "too good to check."

Happy Holidays

This came from my Uncle, but I don't know where he saw it first.

Bene Gesserit Litany

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bene_Gesserit

Scooby-Doo and Secular Humanism

An interesting post on the hidden subversiveness in Scooby-Doo.

Ketchupbot + 20th Century Fox Theme on a Flute

Quote of the day -- Tim Minchin

 “Do you know what they call alternative medicine that's been proved to work? Medicine.”


-- Tim Minchin (start at 2:50)