Category Archives: Blather

Market failure

Posted on June 11, 2008 by acb

or possibly Amazon failure. I was putting the world’s smallest and most discreet book-buying link into the sidebar right now (obviously it would be wrong to link to it here) and thought that I might as well point the links … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, Literature | 4 Comments

In the long run, even the dead don’t stay grateful

Posted on June 10, 2008 by acb

via John Naughton, I see that Paul Krugman has resuscitated the argument that the Dead were pioneers of the new economy by allowing taping of their concerts and making their money as much from merchandising and touring as from record/CD … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, Net stories, nördig | Comments Off

As you value your sanity

Posted on June 8, 2008 by acb

Don’t click here. Really. Don’t. And don’t send me the therapist’s bill if you do. Found via Making Light, which has more, and worse in the same vein.

Posted in Blather, Net stories | Comments Off

Also, I may murder my own mother

Posted on June 7, 2008 by acb

I went round to see her this afternoon, because her smoke alarm was cheeping, and tried the change the battery. When I twisted it, as the embossed instructions said to do, I wrenched the whole damn thing off the ceiling. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, God, Journalism | 1 Comment

Death and Badminton

Posted on June 2, 2008 by acb

A while ago, Felix told me about a parody he had once seen of The Seventh Seal, in which Death appears on a very windy seafront, and when he announces himself the Knight thinks for a second and challenges him … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, Sweden | 5 Comments

Jesus saves the Mozart of Taxidermy

Posted on June 1, 2008 by acb

The Financial Times has a strangely moving story about a man whose mission it is to stuff very small and unremarkable fish. I started my taxidermy business when I was 22 and I struggled to earn a living for 12 … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, God | Comments Off

Away for the weekend

Posted on May 25, 2008 by acb

To see Richard Thompson last night, for about the third or fourth time in my life, and clearly the best. It was the first show I’ve seen where his guitar playing would take off unexpectedly in the middle of songs … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, Travel notes | Comments Off

It’s warmer than you think

Posted on May 24, 2008 by acb

One of my silly habits is to read quotidian blogs from the Swedish provinces. I absolutely don’t want anything that tells me large news when I do so. The Archers would be far too exciting. I just want a pleasing … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, Travel notes | Comments Off

Metafictional diary note

Posted on May 23, 2008 by acb

I was drinking last night with the Archbishop of Canterbury and he didn’t have any interesting gadgets in his cassock but later that evening I bumped into Sean who showed me the first worthwhile use of an iPhone: fishporn. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, God, nördig | 1 Comment

My life is complete

Posted on May 20, 2008 by acb

This evening I heard a columnist for the Washington Post explain to a public meeting that “since I came to England, people keep telling me that American journalism is po-faced. I don’t know what po-faced means”

Posted in Blather, Journalism | Comments Off