Invincible Summer

Pynchon and paranoia Jul 15, 2007 Fascinating rereading Pynchon after 2-3 decades. The density of the writing, the allusions. Images flying off at tangents. Writing about the

Cultural differences Jul 15, 2007 cycling & journal & wellbeing

If the English ever come to think it normal for work to be a joy, to spend one’s life working on matters one cares about, we shall have a second English Revolution at least as profound as the 17th century’s.

Feeling employed Jul 12, 2007 journal & software One of the subtle pleasures of growing older is exploring one’s own pathologies. This month I am once again employed, after a decade of

A piece of the rope Jul 9, 2007 Mark Twain on Cecil Rhodes: In the opinion of many people Mr Rhodes is South Africa; others think he is only a large part of it. These latter

A sudden bonfire Jul 7, 2007 politics & journal

Anyone who has aspired to write science fiction or fantasy might reasonably take heart from the popularity of writers such as Neil Gaiman, who is

On neighbours Jul 6, 2007 ‘Community’ has become a verbal conjuring trick in the political vocabulary. Who, in the urbs or suburbs, actually experiences it and its lessons of

Why it matters Jul 6, 2007 If Anthony Barnett, founder of openDemocracy.net can do it, I can too. He reposted my comment on Gordon Brown’s proposed constitutional reforms as

Vanished adults Jul 6, 2007 To the National Film Theatre on the South Bank last night with Miki and Ruth Eisenhart to see Mikio Naruse’s 1960 classic When a Woman Ascends the

Technology, society Jul 5, 2007 More clips from my reading. No one was specializing yet. That came later, when the bureaus and paranoias moved in, and the organization charts

Tidal power in Westminster Jul 4, 2007 Yesterday’s speech in Parliament by Gordon Brown, his first as prime minister, is the most cheerful noise we’ve heard from government for years.

Sports and high-culture news Jun 30, 2007 Andrew Keen worries in this essay that Web 2.0 is dissolving our culture into narcissistic white noise. (Like we needed new technology to do this?)

Against the fragile human land Jun 29, 2007 arts & journal & politics In my dreams I’m still driving… Meantime, police in London report finding a car bomb outside a Park Lane night club, lucky things. MPs in the

Rumbled by Doctor A Jun 29, 2007 Doctor A Dr A has rumbled me and my Quote Monkey. From her Facebook profile: No need to quote others, I always say, unless you are incapable of

Falling towards England Jun 29, 2007 journal Hardly a ballistic parabola, falling towards England… i-it’s more like a rubber band, snapping me home. Paris by lunchtime and I’m much encouraged

Ancient beach towns Jun 27, 2007 journal

Alassio, Liguria Snapped awake and alert at 4.30am. A dream voice still echoing a soft Irish brogue in my ear: “He is vicious to you, John, the

The wind from nowhere Jun 26, 2007 Dream sequence: suddenly I’m driving across a busy intersection without right of way. A yellow bus squeals to a halt inches from my nearside;

The fanatacism, the reliance Jun 25, 2007 Just before dawn knocking comes very loud, hard as steel. Slothrop has the sense this time to keep quiet. ‘Come on, open up.’ ‘MPs, open up.’

The wrong questions Jun 25, 2007 Proverbs for Paranoids, 4: If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers. from Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas

Broken and reassembled every day Jun 25, 2007 arts & politics & wellbeing

They have had their moment of freedom.

Mechanical men Jun 25, 2007 ‘Th-they think I don’t care, any more. “You can observe without passion.” Bastards… No I didn’t mean that… Slothrop, we’re all such mechanical men.