Tim Bray on Ruby

Reasonable Doubt

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein on Spinoza.

What is this Snowclone of which you speak?

That They May Face the Rising Sun

The Writer's Choice article on Normblog this week is by Peter Mair and discusses John McGahern's That They May Face The Rising Sun.

Creative etymology

About a month ago I read this article about the (supposed) influence of Irish on American English in Counterpunch and was very dubious about it. This Language Log post has confirmed my suspicions. The Lexicographer's Rules is even more dismissive.

Cat herding

Don't let anyone tell you it's easy.

The Gulf Stream isn't keeping us warm

The notion that the Gulf Stream is responsible for keeping Europe anomalously warm turns out to be a myth.

John McGahern has died.

IBM's Octopiler, or, why the PS3 is running late.