Signs of the Times: An Open Letter to Orlando Soria

Dear readers (gay or not), How much do symbolic protests — such as protests native to Facebook — matter? *** I think it’s fair to say that I have a robust immune system.… Continue reading →

The Best of 2012, Part 2 of 3

Some people think that only five good things happened in 2012. They are wrong. Twenty good things happened. That’s a difference of 300%! Without further ado, here are the next eight chart-toppers. 6.… Continue reading →

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… Continue reading →

Why English Will Die

(An excerpt from my interview with Christianne McGinn, of Concordia University in Montreal.) CMG: What’s your own educational background? Indeed, I often wonder that myself. CMG: You studied at the University of California… Continue reading →

The Best of 2012 (First Five)

We’re back. It’s a new day, a time of optimism and sequester. We couldn’t have done any of this without 2012. Let’s talk about the top five ways that 2012 got it right.… Continue reading →