- Parliamentary train – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I'd never heard of these before today. Noted and filed, to be used later.
- Unusual Words Rendered in Bold Graphics | Brain Pickings
I have learned words, and seen pretty pictures.
- PHP solves problems. Oh, and you can program with it too!
I am a PHP coder. It is, in truth, the only programming language I'm any good at. Well, OK, maybe javascript, too. I got into it because I wanted to get things done, and PHP maybe it very, very easy for me to do that. I'm not the sort of person who learns new languages for fun, so PHP is where I've stayed. But the reason I've stayed is because I've never found anything I wanted to get done that I couldn't do in PHP. Which suggests to me that the hate it gets from "proper" programmers is basically, so much bullshit. So I liked this article.
- "Obamacare" explained very well. via reddit.com
Just in case anyone reading this is confused about what the healthcare reforms in the US mean. Basically, if you read this, and are still opposed to them, then I can only assume that you are someone who would like more people to die. In which case, perhaps you could help the rest of us out by setting an example.
Bookmarks for June 30, 2012
- The Strongest Woman In America Lives In Poverty
This is really saddening. While I don't this sporting prowess should automatically equally riches, the simply fact is that this is an inequality – other olympians can and do get plenty of sponsorship. Her achievement is no less remarkable, and yet it's pretty clear that the reason she doesn't get sponsorship is because her sport means she doesn't conform to a beauty standard. (Bet male weightlifters don't have the same problem.)
Bookmarks for June 29, 2012
- Circumcision ruling condemned by Germany's Muslim and Jewish leaders | World news | guardian.co.uk
Cat, meet pigeons. As an atheist, I do oppose what amounts to mutilation on religious grounds. I mean, I wouldn't be allowed to cut my hypothetical child's earlobes off, just because I believed they were bad, would I? So why should this be different? Hint: if an answer rests on "tradition" it is probably not going to persuade me.
Bookmarks for June 28, 2012
- The Important Lessons Imparted By Subway Steps | Best Of MetaFilter
A life lesson for those of us that design and build things, be they physical or virtual.
- polis: Elements of Urban Housing Design: A Walker's Perspective
Food for thought when designing fictional environments.
Bookmarks for June 27, 2012
- The 5 Craziest Policies In Texas Republicans' 2012 Platform | ThinkProgress
The oppose teaching critical thinking in schools, which is just mindblowing. Critical thinking is almost the only useful thing I learned in school! Still, as someone (I forget who) remarked on Twitter – they are, at least now being open about what they want, which is basically a load of stupid people who will do what they say.
Bookmarks for June 22, 2012
- Why we are wrong to demonize Jimmy Carr. | Chiller
A superb and savage deconstruction of UK tax law, and its avoidance by the rich.
Bookmarks for June 21, 2012
- The Bastards Book of Photography by Dan Nguyen
This looks great.
Bookmarks for June 18, 2012
- Sky City: Chinese company proposes world’s tallest building
A new tallest building is not that interesting. What is interesting is that they're saying that can build it in 90 days.
Bookmarks for June 14, 2012
- The care and feeding of software engineers (or, why engineers are grumpy) | NCZOnline
I would absolutely kill to be certain that from 1:30 to 5:30pm I would not be interrupted by anyone, and could just get on with work. If I could implement just one recommendation from this (very resonant) article at my company, this would be it. Hack days, meeting free days, these would be lovely, but the really big one would be interruption free time.
Bookmarks for June 13, 2012
- Has L.A. changed since the 90s? – losangeles | Ask MetaFilter
A hundred-year history of LA. Makes the place sound interesting.