Uncategorized

by liberal japonicus archives(n.) c. 1600, “records or documents preserved as evidence,” from French archif (16c., Modern French archives), from Late Latin archivum (plural archiva) “written records,” also the place where they are kept, from Greek ta arkheia “public records,” plural of arkheion “town hall, public building,” from arkhē “government,” literally “beginning, origin, first place” … Read more

by liberal japonicus Typepad, which has hosted Obsidian Wings for over 20 years, is closing up shop and by 30 September, will cease to be. To quote the dead parrot sketch, “He’s kicked the bucket, he’s shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible!!”. However, the blog was, … Read more

by liberal japonicus from https://everything.typepad.com/blog/2025/08/typepad-is-shutting-down.html Typepad is shutting downAugust 27, 2025 We have made the difficult decision to discontinue Typepad, effective September 30, 2025. What Does This Mean for You? After September 30, 2025, access to Typepad – including account management, blogs, and all associated content – will no longer be available. Your account and … Read more

by liberal japonicus A large amount of my reading and listening has been concerned with bubbles, specifically the one linked to so called "AI". Some fun etymology before I get into the actual topic. Bubble seems to be from Dutch or German, but I guess is onomatopoeic. About bubbles, the Japan bubble got me here, … Read more

by liberal japonicus FBI searching John Bolton's office.  I would have thought that Powell would have been before Bolton. Thoughts?

by liberal japonicus This post is not, despite the title, NOT about David Brooks. And in the last third, I'll alight on Brooks, so an apology to Russell in advance for for dwelling on it. Anyway, to start, I was reading this article in the Graniuad, and came across this:  That helps explain why a … Read more

by wj    Here's your chance to predict the results (if you get in early), or comment on them (after the fact), of Trump's meeting with Putin today.    Recently, Trump has characterized this as a "listening exercise."  Which is probably, perhaps by accident, accurate. If not quite in the way he meant it.   … Read more

by wj  I've been looking at the pictures of the redecorated Oval Office (and other White House "improvements").  It occurs to me to wonder, is it just an artifact of what got preserved, or did the ultra wealthy of the first Gilded Age (not to mention the aristocracies of the 1700s) actually have good taste?  … Read more

by liberal japonicus Knock yerselves out.