There is a new Tinker book. The world is a happy place.

School holidays, so time to write and think. Have drafted a piece on the origin and use of money, a companion to Easy Guide to Monetary Policy; a couple of economists have kindly agreed to read and comment on it for me before I post.

Greatly enjoyed drwhacky's dinner party last Wednesday ( Read more... )

It is true, I have been neglecting LJ. I don't read my friendslist nearly as often as I should. I don't post as often as I should. Too busying blogging elsewhere and reading other blogs.

Was watching the third season of Lie to Me, which I bought on Friday. In one of the first episodes, Cal Lightman uses the line: "Do you know how to create a ( Read more... )

I was fairly tired when I drove from N's place home on Sunday. But I stayed up until about 6.30pm, then slept until midnight, did not get much sleep until 5am, then slept until noon Monday. My housemate Snake had liked his present (a red Venezia cap: he is not a Ferrari fan, so I am glad I did not splurge on it). I found all the presents (including ( Read more... )

The Emirates flight from Marco Polo airport to Dubai took a bit over five hours and was fairly painless, as these things go. Landed in Dubai to be met by a smiling young man who shepherded us through security to the Hotel reception and to our room. I showered, interneted and went to bed, N being already asleep when I did so ( Read more... )

Traveling around, particularly to the islands of Murana and Burana, the practical Venezian attitude of "short of land? We can just make some more!" was in evidence ( Read more... )

I now know why it is called the leaning tower of Pisa; it is to distinguish it from all the other leaning towers (such as the leaning tower of Castello, the leaning tower of Murana and the leaning tower of Burana, to cite three we have seen up close in the space of a couple of days ( Read more... )

You look at male deities seizing unwilling women and you think "oh yes, scenes of male dominance". But then you look at a Judith looking you in the eye with a knife in her had and the head of Holofernes sitting next to her and that is not quite the subtext ( Read more... )

Friday (continued ( Read more... )

Mediterranean driving is one of weak expectations. Things that would end badly back in places with stronger expectations about rule-following, folk get away with because everyone is much more alert to sudden actions. Hence Mediterranean driving is a process of constant and assertive negotiation. Noticeably less use of traffic lights than in ( Read more... )

Balconies in Catania seem mostly for show, though they do seem to be good places to put potted plants (sometimes a bit sad), air-conditioners and satellite dishes ( Read more... )