Frank Lloyd Wright

Today we traveled to Buffalo to see the Martin complex. It included the Barton house (sort of a beta test for Wright design, the first house he built in Buffalo - and satisfied the customer even though it went well more than 100% over budget), the Martin house, the Gardener's house, and the carriage house (yes, even the glorified garage was part of the tour).

The guy in front was our tour guide (docent), who did a great job and was well informed.



It gave me a chance to try the panoramic setting on my cellphone:

Not bad for a cellphone photo.

As good a job as they did at the Martin complex, our overall experience was marred because we also had tickets to see the Graycliff buildings, which we had booked online - but were informed that we wouldn't be able to make it there unless we cut short our tour at the Martin - apparently the two are unrelated except by being booked through the same interface. We can return some other week, Buffalo is not a long trip, but this would have been VERY upsetting for somebody who came from, say, Taiwan!

Last week there was also an example of BAD architecture:

The way that extension protrudes from its main building like a tumor (right in Rochester, near Park Avenue) struck as as preposterous.

Quote of the day

"Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships."
--Sharon Stone

Here's a topic on which I DEFINITELY agree with Paul McCartney

There have been proposals in various countries (and I believe a successful one in Australia) to cut off people's internet access if there is even an (or at least several) accusation that they have been downloading illegally. No conviction, no trial, enough to just say so. Various artists, including McCartney, are speaking out against these efforts by the record companies.

Down by law

Coyote points at a rather extreme case of a town run only for the benefit of its lawmen....leading not only to the town moving toward being a ghost town ("saw its last business close its doors a few weeks ago", although perhaps things went the other way, with the "law" feeding on the remnants after the economy went south), but to an unarmed man shot for protesting a traffic ticket.

Making Love, or Current Reading

This was another pick from economist Tyler Cowen, who said:

My god this book is sick and I feel bad even telling you about it. It's exactly what the title promises and it has no business being discussed on a family-oriented economics blog. The language is explicit and the content is disgusting. It's also brilliant, funny, and unique. How often do I see a new approach to what a book can be? Once you get past the language and topic, it's actually about narcissism, why empathy is scarce, how we form self-images, how men classify and remember their pasts, and why management fad books are absurd.

Another rather cute review is Susie Bright's, who asks "Who is Adrian Colesberry and Why Do I Want to Make Love To Him?"

Definition of the week - Pulfrich Effect

OK, we haven't had one of these in ages. The only reason we do now is that it is just so deliciously obscure. This is an optical illusion that simulates back and forth movement based on side to side movement, with the appropriate goofy glasses.

Quote of the day

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic."

- Frank Pepper

This is sad....

It looks like a man might have been executed for a crime that never really was....

The guy has a point....

... and I do believe the government should stay out of religions issues.

But it seems to me he is not quite honest when he says

"Muslims are allowed to marry a lot of times while Hindus aren't allowed to do so....

Why do we have such a law present here?

I didn't force them to have sex with me nor did I ever dupe them. I have married only thrice till now."

Maybe there shouldn't be a law against bi(or poly)gamy....but the wives are certainly entitled to know there are others in any society that respects at least contract law....and if he did not ever "dupe them", I would have thought each would have known about the others.

Oh, and ONLY thrice :-)

"Utopia is not an option"

Cute little catchphrase, and it captures the gist of our thinking about health care. Whatever we do, it doesn't look like we'll live forever. McArdle expands a bit on that theme, her point being that "rationing" happens one way or the other....it just seems we are a bit uncomfortable about admitting it.

The end of professionalism....

Apparently, too many people are giving away the milk for free.

HT MR

Quote of the day

“It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a ‘dismal science.’ But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of ignorance.”
-Murray N. Rothbard

Great jobs for atheists!

Ok, it's only a parody, but the parody makes sense....if you are a Christian that is taken away in rapture, who is going to care for your pets?

As MR points out, this is a competitive market, with some merchants willing to promise not only to care for your pets, but not to have sex with them either....

Quote of the Day

"A learning experience is one of those things that says, 'You know
that thing you just did?' Don't do that.'"
- unknown (If you know the source, please tell me - I got it unattributed in an email)

The ligher side of health care...

From Language Log:

It is truly almost beyond belief that the Investor's Business Daily could say in an editorial (which after much ribald mockery they have now fixed):

"People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless."

I'm sure you can spot WHY this would lead to ribald mockery!

Panem et circenses - funny in a different desperate way

We've had bread subsidies for quite awhile (at least CORN bread), but now they are taking care of the circuses.

Funny in a desperate way....

There are some odd reminiscences in the health care professions....

My favorites:

#5: Stay away from people named "Some Guy" or "This One Dude", because they for whatever reason, just punch someone in the face or hit them with a crowbar and run off. If I see them on the street, I cross the street to get away from them.

#6 Never, ever leave flashlights, shampoo bottles, beer bottles or any long, circular object on the floor because someday you will fall on it and it will somehow, work its way up your rectum.

If you have taken 7 home pregnancy tests that are all positive, and you come into the emergency department...chances are that test too will come back positive.

Fat and stuck with it?

McArdle is pretty sure you can lose weight...but not much....

Interesting......

Partially in response to their libel suite, chiropractors are under major pressure against false claims in the UK.

Only on the web....

... does a layman like me get to discuss such matters in a semi-serious way with real linguistics professors.

I even got noticed by one of the professors (and an author of a book I bought) in a sort-of approving way:

Jens is quite right: ever since fuck became a human-denoting noun (You've killed my Burmese python, you stupid fuck!), it has been possible for the fuck to occur in NP slots on a fairly broad basis. But not as a semantically inert pleonastic epithet with the affective function of conveying personal irritation. —GKP