"Black Knight brought pinball to a new level, literally speaking because it was among the first games with ramps and elevated flippers, but even more importantly because it brought a new challenge that drew in and solidified a pinball crowd. In doing so it also set the pinball market on a path that would eventually lead to its demise."
Its sort of amazing that all the high-profile jabs that Republicans have made against government spending have been against totally reasonable science programs that, on the whole, don't really cost that much.
"In reading the history of nations, we find that, like individuals, they have their whims and their peculiarities; their seasons of excitement and recklessness, when they care not what they do. We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first."
Collection of 23 of the more notable routes of exploration in imperial, economic and literary history. Would of course be better if there were a hell of a lot more voyages on here. But each voyage has interesting supporting material as well.
The story is about the introduction of a new kind of milk jug which apparently cuts cost and resource usage drastically.
"A shopper named Jodi Kauffman gave the alien jugs a sidelong glance." is one of the more suggestive things I've read in the Times.
From the abstract for a story in today's New York Times about the acquisition of Wrigley's by Mars, Inc. Seems like the phrase only occurs in syndication of the story, but is worthy of a surrealist master.
Whimsical conceptual art for sale.
Roll call on today's City Council vote to approve congestion pricing in the city of New York. My councilman, Bill deBlasio, who is running for borough president, voted "No", which seems to be a politically questionable move. He's probably lost my vote.
Interesting article in The New Republic about Obama's economic advisors, their basic assumptions, and how they're pointing in a different direction from past policymakers.
Interestingly refutes the notion that it's impossible to sell stolen art. But maybe more interesting is the idea that the rewards offered by burgled museums amount to something very like traditional supply and demand.
Nice longish read about the history of the US's war on drugs. For fans of Traffik/c and The Wire.
Continuing today's unintentional simulacrum theme.
A cogent writeup of the economics of Hirst's latest. I think he's a wonderful craftsman (or would be, if he did any of this stuff himself) of metaphor but a terrible artist. Each of his pieces that I've seen in person have really struck me as being so well executed but with such simplistic attitudes. Which, along with the attention he gets, makes most of his art also about what makes art good and bad.
Orozco's skull was better, by which I think I mean: more evocative, more despairing, more ambiguous and less pat. Worth noting also that
vvork went on a
skull kick for a few days in this month.
