Farmer Barton shooed Lee away from Marilyn, affection in his eyes.  He matched words to the action, just to pretend that he wasn't alone.

"Now, Lee, I've told you before.  You can't eat the chicken.  I'll need the eggs on this trip, and I need her alive to barter with when we get to Woden.  Go hunt yourself down some field-mice."

The fox cocked ( Read more... )

Inspired by Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality.  Written in one sitting; I may or may not revise and continue it.

HAMLET
Interloper, abandon this strange prank,
which makes cruel use of the blindness of my grief,
and the good heart of my good friend Horatio.
Or else, if thou hast true title to this belov'd form,
tell me:
What drawing did I ( Read more... )

There's a joke people usually tell at this point involving a man who goes to the circus, is insulted by the clown, and many years later seeks revenge. I'm not going to tell it, because I've got a much better version that is probably true.

Henry Gates Jr. is a renowned literary theorist, best known for his 1989 book The Signifying Monkey, named ( Read more... )

Vehicle Profile 3: Rickshaw Convoy

In previous installments, I've described a late-night corporate bus and a frenzied cab ride circa noon. On Tuesday evening, I and twenty others needed transportation down town to celebrate a birthday, and we took vehicles that look like this:


( Read more... )