Verizon, in its wisdom, has decided that Chateau Steelypips is not, in fact, in need of DSL service this weekend. We've been without Internet connectivity since mid-afternoon yesterday. This is probably for the best, as my neck and shoulder are starting to suffer some twinges indicative of muscle spasms brought on by too much typing, so after this quick trip into the office to check email and do a quick blog sweep, I'm going home to lie on the couch and watch tv, the way God intended us to do on Sunday.
If you're wholly dependent on my recommendations for your entertainment, here are a couple of quick links:
1) Aaron Bergman has written a review of Not Even Wrong (which is actually a rather long PDF file linked in that post), and Peter Woit has posted a response. I haven't read the book (Peter didn't send me a review copy), and I'm not going to sit here long enough to read the review (see previous comment about God and television), bu if you can't get enough of the debate over the scientific value of string theory, I recommend reading those posts.
If you can't get enough of people with Ph.D.'s calling each other names, I recommend reading the comments to those posts.
2) If you're not quite up to wrestling with string theory today, but still feel a little cynical, Kevin Drum offers a twist on the "five random quotes" game: Pick five quotes you think are a crock of shit.
That could be fun, and would certainly be easier than finding five I agree with. Maybe I'll give it a whirl, once we're back on the Internet at home.
If those don't work for you, well, you can always watch bizarre videos on YouTube...
Comments
# 1 | Aaron Bergman | August 20, 2006 2:03 PM
I think you're forgetting something.
There are snakes.
On a plane.
# 2 | Peter Woit | August 20, 2006 3:54 PM
Hi Chad,
I thought you were on a list of people I asked the US publisher to send copies to. Definitely want these people to get the idea that they should send lots of free books to bloggers. Bad publisher for not doing it. Will see what I can do...
# 3 | Corkscrew | August 20, 2006 4:21 PM
They say the only safe computer is one not connected to the internet.
That's why I recommend Verizon, for all your security needs :)
# 4 | Uncle Al | August 20, 2006 9:42 PM
We subscribers to Cox Cable are called "Cox Suckers." Get yourself a speaker phone, call technical assistance, and tell them that any day (2 hrs) they do not supply service is a free day credited to your bill per the service agreement. "Credit me."
Service improves - especially when after you tell your neighbors. Many automated phone systems are sensitive to screamed vituperation and connect a human on the far end. Vent your spleen if put on hold.
No scientific dispute can persist - both parties do the experiment and look. String theory is only opinion absent observables. It is no better than economics, psychology, social engineering, or climatology. Real stuff is predictive and falsfiable even if it exists suspended in aspic,
http://www.lagriffedulion.f2s.com/color_of_meritocracy.htm
http://www.lagriffedulion.f2s.com/elec2000.htm
{In the 2000 presidential election, in Florida]...893,000 blacks voted, an astounding 95.6 percent of the 934,261 black registrants.