FEATURED

Who Is President of Venezuela?

January 20, 2019 by Greg Weeks
Juan Guaidó posted a video yesterday on Twitter, referring to the "usurper" and the need to come out on January 23 as a sign of support for change. What I find curious is that the opposition is referring to him as the president of the National Assembly, not of the Republic. He further discusses the need for a transition government. It's curious because the constitution does give the National Assembly president the right to become president of the country while new elections...

Charlotte Running Company 13 Mile Trail Race

January 19, 2019 by Greg Weeks
I ran the Charlotte Running Company 13 Mile Trail Race this morning, and it was perhaps the most challenging race I've ever run. It's on the trails at the U.S. National Whitewater Center here in Charlotte and it was muddy, steep, and slippery, though fortunately the weather was mild. I had to walk numerous times to deal with the hills and although I didn't fall (a guy at the first water stop was calling out, "WHO'S GONNA BE THE FIRST TO BITE IT?") I came close a few times. I can't believe...
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HUMANITIES

Where are the Talpiot Tombs Located?

January 14, 2019 by James Tabor
A dozen or so times a year I am asked by colleagues and interested readers alike “Just where are the Talpiot tombs located in relationship to the city of Jerusalem?” Some of these questioners are interested in visiting these tomb locations, whereas others are just wanting to get a sense of how far south of [...]...

Monday Missive – January 14, 2019

January 14, 2019 by Mark West

Coming of Age Day — Today is Coming of Age Day in Japan.  Celebrated on the second Monday in January, Coming of Age Day is a national holiday honoring all young adults who reach the age of 20 at any point during the year.  In Japan, 20 is considered the age of majority, which means that young people gain the right to vote and drink alcoholic beverages on their 20th birthday.  Throughout Japan, local governments hold a ceremony called Seijin-shiki on Coming of Age Day.  ...

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NATURAL SCIENCES

The City and the Stars, by Arthur C. Clarke

January 14, 2019 by skullsinthestars

I have such a big backlog of books to blog about — even though I’ve been struggling to focus on reading for fun!  But there are so many good books that I’ve read, from a variety of eras and writers, that I am determined to get through some commentary on each of them.

One of those is another classic that I picked up as part of the SF Masterworks series, Arthur C. Clarke’s 1956 novel The City and the Stars.

As I’ve noted before, I have been playing “catch-up”...

Fake Book Titles Extravaganza!

December 30, 2018 by skullsinthestars

I blame my twitter friend Bhaal_Spawn.  One Friday, a couple of months ago, she joined into a #FakeBookTitleFriday hashtag, in which one Photoshops new (and silly) titles onto covers of old books that are otherwise suggestive. Her thread can be seen here.

Of course, the concept of making fake book titles is not new, as Paperback Paradise has been posting hilarious covers for quite a while now, but I hadn’t felt the urge to try my hand at them myself.  But I was suddenly inspired...

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