In “The Hammer of Witches” I posed the question, “Why can’t witches cry?” The question was based on two things. First was this, from the Malleus Maleficarum Part 3 Question XV: Of the Continuing of the Torture, and of the Devices and Signs by which the Judge can Recognize a Witch; and how he...
Read more »
e.g. is Latin for “exempli gratia” — for example i.e. is Latin for “id est” — that is Both are used for clarification, but they’re not interchangeable. The use of e.g. should be followed by examples, for example, in the sentence Be sure to eat your vegetables, e.g. carrots, peas, and lettuce. The use...
Read more »
Or, “Why can’t witches cry?” “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” – Exodus 22:18 Before you get started on this I should warn you that while you may find this post interesting, I can assure you it is not a “feel good” post. Continue reading at your own risk. For the uninformed,...
Read more »
Everyone has their heroes, and when you’re a passionate science nerd, as I am, a good hero to have is Richard “Dick” Feynman. He’s so popular amongst science nerds that it’s almost cliche’ to say you even like him, but the quality of the man overcomes my desire to be on the cutting edge...
Read more »
Just outside Emporia, KS, right off I-35, on the east side of town, there’s a smallish road-sign that says “Repent Now! Or regret it forever…“* Different Sign ~ Same Message Extortion, according to Wikipedia, is a criminal offense which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property, belief, votes or services from a...
Read more »
5. Correcting the Boss’s Grammar It doesn’t matter whether they don’t know the difference between “which” and “that” or “it’s” and “its” or “when” and “where,” you’re taking your life in your hands if you want to criticize the guy who holds your future in their hand. What’s the Rumpus? At first glance, you...
Read more »
Read Part 1 here. Graham’s Number This is it. This is the biggest, most insanely huge, mind-blowing, utterly incomprehensible number you have ever heard about, or ever will hear about. You will, naively, optimistically, arrogantly, and ultimately, hopelessly, try to wrap your mind around it, only to discover that before we’re even ready to...
Read more »
I used to have a poster that had a million dots on it, and I can assure you that you can’t really appreciate how big a million really is until you actually see a million dots, all at once. I used to look at it and, noticing that each tiny little square was really...
Read more »
It’s that time of year again: Lake Superior State University has published their “List of Words to Be Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness,” and, once again, it is written in the same drab, condescending tone I find so common among my inferiors. Once again, LSSU uses the term...
Read more »
Overheard: Guy in a Liquor Store: Y’hear about the Northwest thing? Gal in a Liquor Store: Yeah. Geeze. Leave it to Obama to let someone like that on the plane. Guy: I hear he got on in Amsterdam. Gal: Figures. Them guys know nuthin’ about bein’ safe. Guy: I tell ya, thing’s’d be diff’rent...
Read more »
