A Momentary Taste of Being

When he shares with us a shopping list found in a copy of Carl Jacobi's Revelations in Black .  And I thought I was the only person with extant copies of that work!

From Books Inq., this fascinating article about a scholar's seder.

For the symboliste/decadent inclined--for the rest of us--against the grain.  Sheik Dr. Tahir ul-Qadri issues a 600 page fatwa condemning terrorist violence.   Let us hope that his thoughtful inquiry into the subject marks a turning point in the conversation amongst different parts of the world of Islam.  Even if not, it is refreshing to hear such a voice speak up.  via Underbelly. Another view of same.  Fascinating excerpt from article referenced above: Although numerous fatwas condemning terrorism have been released by scholars around the world since 9/11, Dr Qadri's 600-page ruling is both significant and unusual because it is one of the few available in English and online. Those hoping to combat terrorism have long spoken of their frustration at the traditional Islamic hierarchy's inability to exert their influence on the internet, where violent jihadists and Saudi-influenced Wahabis have long reigned supreme. Dr Qadri's ruling also goes furthe...

Animation of a single sentence from Lydia Davis. . . and while we're at it the whole Electric Literature school and the Journal

Originally sent to the blog to hear F. Scott Fitzgerald read from Othello (see February 7, 2010), there is a tremendous amount of useful, interesting material on the blog-- open source resources for culture--Open Culture, very nice. See the construction of Fallingwater Picasso painting on glass An ultra-deep field 3-d tour of the universe and others that may be of more interest to you.

Found via another blog, I think Maverick Philosopher, Oscar--the Cat who Predicts Death

A fascinating run-through of some of literature's more spectacular drugs My favorite and one that is keenly missing is the one from Philip K. Dick's Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said; however, if I told you what it did, I would be committing the ultimate spoiler.  So I sha'n't--but read it and find out.  It is one powerful drug.

The World's Largest Book--neat

A writing program I simply must own

An interesting lecture by Geoffrey Hill on Milton . And a brief appreciation of the short fiction of J.F. Powers.

Not for me, but The Web 2.0 Suicide Machine may be useful to those hopelessly addicted. (I consider myself hopefully addicted.)

I grew up as a fan of science fiction.  As such, Charles Babbage and the Difference Engine loom large in my imagination--as large as the book by Gibson and Sterling, as large as Lady Byron and her program for it.  So it is a great pleasure to me to be able to see, even if only in video, a working example of the difference engine.

Groined Vaults in Public Works. Fascinating and wonderful.  I love how we differ and how different our eyes see the same things.  It's wonderful to have someone point this out from time to time.  Enthusiasms can be contagious.

The Poetry Bomb --interesting

A compendium of the opening lines of novels. But it is missing one of my all-time favorites: "No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream." The Haunting of Hill House --Shirley Jackson

Really the only reason for posting this one is to fill the coveted X authors slot.  And to note that I was out and about yesterday and before and noted someone was reading The Landmark Herodotus   (It might have beenThucydides--I'd have to go back and find out who it was--sorry).  And I recalled having happened upon the latest of the three in the bookstore the other day-- The Landmark Xenophon's Hellenika and thought, what a lovely addition that would make to the others--some kind investor should consider supplementing my library with it. Alas, I have no patrons!

Interesting , now if something could just be done about deconstructionist architects with their hallways going nowhere-- the Remington House has already been built.