this message will self-destruct: sherlock holmes and the adventure of the hapless interpreters

The most blatant example is human language, where people often attribute meaning to words in themselves, without being in the slightest aware of the very complex “isomorphism” that imbues them with meanings. This… Read More →

as a matter of fact it’s all dark: cyberpunk, language, and the two worlds

Emma Becciu, one of the most gifted interpreters I’ve ever known, has begun a language & translation blog. A lot of it is in Italian; if you can’t read that, turn on Chrome’s… Read More →

in case of emergency

(SCENE. Kugelmass and Nicholas Bourbaki are chatting via Skype. To Kugelmass’s right is a small, unkempt mattress, strewn with gummi bears and Walter Benjamin essay collections. To his left is a painting that… Read More →

Yes, We (Shere) Khan: The Life of Pi, A Film About The Simple Bare Necessities

First, you have to watch this short video. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. -Matthew 7:15 Why should you run? Can it… Read More →

The Social Netflix

Dear readers, No matter what I’m doing, whether I’m being social, or working, or procrastinating, or flirting, I’m rarely all that far away from a screen. That’s particularly true now that I’ve got… Read More →

On Writer’s Block and Responding to the Joker comments

Dear readers, Happy Indian summer, everybody! Even if you’ve already headed back to school, or are working an eight-to-five, there’s a dreamlike haze to August, a feeling as though there’s still one or… Read More →

Look Back In Anger: The Death of Literary Studies

(x-posted to The Valve) Amardeep Singh at The Valve drew my attention to this article by William Deresiewicz, writing for The Nation, and also to the outstanding response written by CR and posted… Read More →

A Little Something You Can Touch: HBO’s Wire and the Politics of Visual Media

(x-posted to The Valve) Spend some on a little something you can touch. A new car, a new coat…it’s why we get up in the morning. -The Greek You want it to be… Read More →

Why Americans Did Not Watch The Oscars

(x-posted to The Valve) The Oscars mean two things to most Americans. First, it’s a chance to celebrate the most impressive films of the year, from a mainstream point of view. We wash… Read More →

The Best and Worst of Intellectual Blogs 2007

(x-posted to The Valve) What a very long year it’s been. It’s been a year shaped by the evolution of political discourse in this country and around the world. Here, as people grew… Read More →