Post: #1

Let's start a thread where we can share links to interesting articles that are worth sharing.

I came across a brilliant article the other day:

It is a long article talking about the history of Rome and how the shape of the city along with it its architecture has bled into each other over the past three thousand years.

It is one of the best articles I have ever read. An interesting blend of cultural history and architectural study. The person who writes the blog is a lecturer in history. Interestingly - he/she writes the blog anonymously so as to not scupper his/her chances of tenure. Seems tenure committees can be very sniffy if you are 'wasting' your time doing interesting shit. And not slaving away over your latest academic paper.

http://exurbe.com/?p=2219

Post: #2

On a sidenote - as you enter the British library in London - you get to see one of the best 3D optical illusions in the world:





I found this on the blog above. One of the blogger's hobbies is going around the world and reviewing the different libraries.

Post: #3

Really enjoyed this profile of Peter Ackroyd. He is one of the most prolific (and respected) writers here in the UK. The profile details his working habits. He spends most of the day writing. And works on three different books at a time (a novel, a history book and a biography).

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/...g/?hp&_r=1

I think he is living my dream life.

Oh, and he eats out everynight. And has reduced his drinking by switching from spirits - to drinking two bottles of wine a day.

Post: #4

Great idea for a thread, Cardguy. I will definitely add to this as I discover good articles.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #5

Me too. I have a few different sources for interesting articles. But it is rare that something catches my eye. So hopefully my recommendations will be good ones!

Post: #6

Article on the addiction potential of crack and meth. You may be surprised

Post: #7

Arts & Letters Daily has a great mix of articles, essays and overall reading material.

http://www.aldaily.com/

Post: #8

-

http://www.filmsforaction.org/

I've been watching these all week.

Post: #9

More articles here, with a historical bent:

http://publicdomainreview.org/

This one was pretty interesting:

The Polyglot of Bologna
A look at The Life of Cardinal Mezzofanti, a book exploring the extraordinary talent of the 19th century Italian cardinal who was reported to be able to speak over seventy languages.

http://publicdomainreview.org/2012/06/26...f-bologna/

Post: #10

Cardguy and others, now that we have this subforum, should we move this thread over?

/thread-26172-...#pid540578

Post: #11

Looks like a good idea. Not sure how to do it though. I guess one of the mods would need to do it?

Post: #12

Paul Graham - Cities and Ambition

http://www.paulgraham.com/cities.html

Paul Graham - How to Make Wealth

http://www.paulgraham.com/wealth.html

Post: #13

The cartoonist Scott Adams has a brilliant blog.

His most recent post was a description of how he goes about writing books. Interesting stuff.

http://www.dilbert.com/blog/entry/how_to_write_a_book/

He has a memoir coming out next month detailing his career and how the path he took to becoming a successful cartoonist. I am really looking forward to it. I love the way Scott Adams thinks. He always comes up with ingenious ideas that are simple and inspiring. I can't wait to find out more about the thinking that underpinned his success.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Fail-Almost-Ev...18-3803765

Quote:Dilbert creator Scott Adams offers his most personal book ever -- a funny memoir of his many failures and what they eventually taught him about success.

How do you go from hapless office worker to world-famous cartoonist and bestselling author in just a few years? No career guide can answer that, and not even Scott Adams (who actually did it) can give you a road map that works for everyone. But there’s a lot to learn from his personal story, and a lot of humor along the way.

In How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Adams admits that he failed at just about everything he’s tried, including his corporate career, his inventions, his investments, and his two restaurants. But along the way, Adams discovered some truths you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. For instance…

Goals are for losers.
You can get fit without using willpower.
A combination of mediocre skills can make you surprisingly valuable.

Adams hopes readers can laugh at his failures while discovering some unique and helpful ideas.

Post: #14

I knew Nikola Tesla was a genius. Until is saw this. He is beyond. Man is responsible for EVERYTHING, I respect all innovators who believe their work can better us as a people. But damn..1000x respect


http://tv.globalresearch.ca/2012/07/lost...kola-tesla

Post: #15

Nick Diaz & Bareknuckle Boxing

Quote:There seems to be some confusion amongst fans as to how one should regard Nick Diaz's "boxing".

For many, it seems incongruent to label him the best boxer in MMA, when so little of what he's done in the cage can be qualified as "good" boxing. i.e., Leaning too far forward in his stance - while leading with his face; keeping his hands far out in front of him - where they can't be used to protect the head; feet planted - instead of light on the toes; and, very little movement of his head. None of these would be what you would expect to see in an elite boxer.

Yet, the results speak for themselves; with his most recent display of prowess coming at the expense of the previously labeled "best boxer in MMA", BJ Penn. How can Nick Diaz be the exemplifier of the "sweet science" when everything he does runs counter to what entails "good" boxing?

The answer lies with the fact everything he does, is exactly what "good" boxing calls for.

Great article! The GIFs are sick as hell too!

Post: #16

(09-25-2013 11:36 PM)Edmund Dantes Wrote:  Nick Diaz & Bareknuckle Boxing

Quote:There seems to be some confusion amongst fans as to how one should regard Nick Diaz's "boxing".

For many, it seems incongruent to label him the best boxer in MMA, when so little of what he's done in the cage can be qualified as "good" boxing. i.e., Leaning too far forward in his stance - while leading with his face; keeping his hands far out in front of him - where they can't be used to protect the head; feet planted - instead of light on the toes; and, very little movement of his head. None of these would be what you would expect to see in an elite boxer.

Yet, the results speak for themselves; with his most recent display of prowess coming at the expense of the previously labeled "best boxer in MMA", BJ Penn. How can Nick Diaz be the exemplifier of the "sweet science" when everything he does runs counter to what entails "good" boxing?

The answer lies with the fact everything he does, is exactly what "good" boxing calls for.

Great article! The GIFs are sick as hell too!

This guy is awesome. His style is fucking deadly

Post: #17

(09-25-2013 09:07 PM)We The Real Wrote:  I knew Nikola Tesla was a genius. Until is saw this. He is beyond. Man is responsible for EVERYTHING, I respect all innovators who believe their work can better us as a people. But damn..1000x respect


http://tv.globalresearch.ca/2012/07/lost...kola-tesla

An excellent comic-type strip here detailing his life's work.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla

Post: #18

"Machiavelli: Still Shocking after Five Centuries"

http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/m...?page=show

Quote:Drawing on examples from the Roman emperor Caracalla to the Florentine Cesare Borgia, Machiavelli offers advice for any would-be prince. First and most fundamentally, do whatever is necessary to preserve your power and secure your state. Beware of causing another to become powerful, or of joining forces with a more powerful state, for you will only bring ruin on yourself.
Second, be skilled in warfare, “the only art expected of a ruler”. Keep the state on a perpetual war footing and maintain sufficient arms and soldiers to secure your realm from outside aggressors and internal rivals. Treat “peace” as nothing more than breathing space to prepare for another conflict. Ignore just war theory. A war is “just” when it is necessary—no more, no less.

Third, use deception as a central element of your statecraft. Mask your true intentions, and remain faithful to pledges only so long as they are in your interest.Remember that others will be false to you, unless you ensure that their falsehoods do not pay. Beware of surrounding yourself with powerful subordinates. Keep your own counsel and listen to only a few advisors. Eliminate victorious generals and keep nobles weak and divided.

Finally, employ both cruelty and kindness, as the situation warrants, recognizing that it is better to be feared than loved by your subjects, if you cannot be both. When meting out an injury, do it abruptly and severely, to prevent retaliation. Where possible, let others do the dirty work, for you can subsequently gain favor by cutting their heads off. When doling out benefits, do so gradually, so that they taste better. At all costs, avoid becoming an object of contempt. A ruler’s best fortress to not be hated by his people.

Post: #19

Sounds like feminism took their game plan literally directly from this book. Started reading it a couple weeks ago, but only up to about 10% so far. Probably needn't have bothered with the 9001 page foreword...

Post: #20

(09-26-2013 12:21 PM)cardguy Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 09:07 PM)We The Real Wrote:  I knew Nikola Tesla was a genius. Until is saw this. He is beyond. Man is responsible for EVERYTHING, I respect all innovators who believe their work can better us as a people. But damn..1000x respect


http://tv.globalresearch.ca/2012/07/lost...kola-tesla

An excellent comic-type strip here detailing his life's work.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla

Cardguy - you ever check out Logicomix? It's a comic book that came out a few years ago about the major mathematicians of the early 20th century as told by Bertrand Russell. Sounds dry, but it's actually a breezy read.

Here's Wikipedia's description:

"Logicomix intertwines the philosophical struggles with the characters' own personal turmoil. These are in turn played out just upstage of the momentous historical events of the era and the ideological battles which gave rise to them. The narrator of the story is Bertrand Russell, who stands as an icon of many of these themes: a deeply sensitive and introspective man, Russell was not just a philosopher and pacifist, he was also one of the prominent figures in the foundational quest. Russell's life story, depicted by Logicomix, is itself a journey through the goals and struggles, and triumph and tragedy shared by many great thinkers of the 20th century: Georg Cantor, Ludwig Wittgenstein, G. E. Moore, Alfred North Whitehead, David Hilbert, Gottlob Frege, Henri Poincaré, Kurt Gödel, and Alan Turing."

Post: #21

Yeah - I heard good things about Logicomix. Will check it out!

Post: #22

(09-26-2013 12:21 PM)cardguy Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 09:07 PM)We The Real Wrote:  I knew Nikola Tesla was a genius. Until is saw this. He is beyond. Man is responsible for EVERYTHING, I respect all innovators who believe their work can better us as a people. But damn..1000x respect


http://tv.globalresearch.ca/2012/07/lost...kola-tesla

An excellent comic-type strip here detailing his life's work.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla

Yup. That was pretty dope, deff gona save that to pass it on. Thanks CardGuy.

Post: #23

Checked out Logicomix. Looks pretty cool. I've never read a graphic novel before, nor would I thought I'd consider it - but this one is getting added to my wish list on Amazon.

Post: #24

(09-25-2013 10:52 AM)youngmobileglobal Wrote:  Paul Graham - Cities and Ambition

http://www.paulgraham.com/cities.html

Paul Graham - How to Make Wealth

http://www.paulgraham.com/wealth.html

Thanks for those. Many more great essays on his site.

Here's an interesting one on porn:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arch...re/308327/

Post: #25

Aeon Magazine - What is it to be a Model?