Jonathan Goodwin
@joncgoodwin.bsky.social
I think I read a book one time, some kind of dystopia, where people went to theaters to watch film of people being shot in the water. Author implied this was a bad thing, socially.
December 1, 2025 at 11:13 PM
I think I read a book one time, some kind of dystopia, where people went to theaters to watch film of people being shot in the water. Author implied this was a bad thing, socially.
I have 'issues' with this 'plot' summary: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquis... Isn't a museum or public statuary more likely, with the seemingly contemporaneous details mere flourishes of a piqued imagination?
Conquistador (Procol Harum song) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I have 'issues' with this 'plot' summary: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquis... Isn't a museum or public statuary more likely, with the seemingly contemporaneous details mere flourishes of a piqued imagination?
"A good grip on the insolubility of the quintic" is a charming phrase I just read on HN. Where else would you find them?
December 1, 2025 at 3:47 PM
"A good grip on the insolubility of the quintic" is a charming phrase I just read on HN. Where else would you find them?
Two irrational (surdic) irritations: innumerate posters mocking some high school student with a near-perfect SAT for not getting into college of choice vs. equally innumerate columnist mocking UCSD for its math placement policies.
December 1, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Two irrational (surdic) irritations: innumerate posters mocking some high school student with a near-perfect SAT for not getting into college of choice vs. equally innumerate columnist mocking UCSD for its math placement policies.
I know this is very obvious, but all the talk about football coaches is emergent marketing: children watch football to imagine themselves as the players (possibly cheerleaders, band, drunken spectators), adults want to be coaches, refs, announcers, and, most of all, athletic directors.
December 1, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I know this is very obvious, but all the talk about football coaches is emergent marketing: children watch football to imagine themselves as the players (possibly cheerleaders, band, drunken spectators), adults want to be coaches, refs, announcers, and, most of all, athletic directors.
Speaking of citations, what is going with the extensive Beckett bibliography here: ctan.math.illinois.edu/macros/latex...?
ctan.math.illinois.edu
November 30, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Speaking of citations, what is going with the extensive Beckett bibliography here: ctan.math.illinois.edu/macros/latex...?
A common, mildly melancholy experience despite my familiarity with bibliometrical precepts is finding a detailed, lucid reading published in a major journal and then noticing it's been cited <5 times, often none at all.
November 30, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A common, mildly melancholy experience despite my familiarity with bibliometrical precepts is finding a detailed, lucid reading published in a major journal and then noticing it's been cited <5 times, often none at all.
Collecting: "Right after the free form piano solo, the time signature of the fanfare preceding the trumpet solo is, per bar, 4 4 , 7 8 , 9 8 , 4 4, 7 8 and 4 4, then transitions to a section in 5 8 for 6 bars, then goes into 6 8 for one bar. The song stays in 4 4 after that.[original research?]"
November 27, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Collecting: "Right after the free form piano solo, the time signature of the fanfare preceding the trumpet solo is, per bar, 4 4 , 7 8 , 9 8 , 4 4, 7 8 and 4 4, then transitions to a section in 5 8 for 6 bars, then goes into 6 8 for one bar. The song stays in 4 4 after that.[original research?]"
A good day to work on annual evaluation. In "what did I learn" section: "a death yak at the Lair stair will take the Kahlúa out of your coffee!"
November 27, 2025 at 4:40 PM
A good day to work on annual evaluation. In "what did I learn" section: "a death yak at the Lair stair will take the Kahlúa out of your coffee!"
If your game had a psychoplasmic tendrils mechanic, perhaps I'd give it a shot.
November 26, 2025 at 4:14 PM
If your game had a psychoplasmic tendrils mechanic, perhaps I'd give it a shot.
ordering a fanta and Kirkland brand Canadian whiskey whisky in honor of the etymological tidbits in recent Pluribus
November 25, 2025 at 12:20 AM
ordering a fanta and Kirkland brand Canadian whiskey whisky in honor of the etymological tidbits in recent Pluribus
if you teach in an academic department are there committees...are there?
November 25, 2025 at 12:18 AM
if you teach in an academic department are there committees...are there?
The financial press always tells the truth: " ‘We’re physicists who are also capitalists,’ says quantum CEO" --> more where that came from (ft.com)
November 24, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The financial press always tells the truth: " ‘We’re physicists who are also capitalists,’ says quantum CEO" --> more where that came from (ft.com)
all text-to-video aspires to the condition of a Tim & Eric clip, and it very well may reach the Cinco horizon soon.
November 24, 2025 at 2:31 AM
all text-to-video aspires to the condition of a Tim & Eric clip, and it very well may reach the Cinco horizon soon.
My favorite compiler flag is "-Wtautological-constant-out-of-range-compare"
November 23, 2025 at 4:09 PM
My favorite compiler flag is "-Wtautological-constant-out-of-range-compare"
There are only a few short steps from undergraduate advising to computing the topological orderings of DAGs.
November 22, 2025 at 6:11 PM
There are only a few short steps from undergraduate advising to computing the topological orderings of DAGs.
Imagining a disappointed browser returning _The Flagellum of Euglena_ to the shelves.
November 19, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Imagining a disappointed browser returning _The Flagellum of Euglena_ to the shelves.
To the best of my memory, there were fellow English majors at my regional comprehensive in the mid 90s who did not read much of the assigned material, but they generally read other things. I associate the growth of the 'post-literate' English major with technology. Perhaps it's been noticed before.
November 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
To the best of my memory, there were fellow English majors at my regional comprehensive in the mid 90s who did not read much of the assigned material, but they generally read other things. I associate the growth of the 'post-literate' English major with technology. Perhaps it's been noticed before.
I'm embarrassed (a little frightened?) to screencap it, but the WSJ has a picture of a journalist emerging from the Black Lodge, curtains and all, on its front page at the moment.
November 16, 2025 at 4:43 PM
I'm embarrassed (a little frightened?) to screencap it, but the WSJ has a picture of a journalist emerging from the Black Lodge, curtains and all, on its front page at the moment.
I have, rarely, some very specific gripes about the citations and formatting in a large book published by a major scholarly press. But I'm scared that if I named the book, you might think I was a bit of a nerd.
November 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I have, rarely, some very specific gripes about the citations and formatting in a large book published by a major scholarly press. But I'm scared that if I named the book, you might think I was a bit of a nerd.
Novelists rarely confront the variety of surnames. A tranche of documents released this week describes the investigations of Detectives Pagan and Badger, among others.
November 14, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Novelists rarely confront the variety of surnames. A tranche of documents released this week describes the investigations of Detectives Pagan and Badger, among others.
The deteriorating simulation feeling now very strong
November 12, 2025 at 11:24 PM
The deteriorating simulation feeling now very strong
I think about great computer scientists like Knuth, E. W. ("Lenny") Dijkstra, whoever used to typeset the hexadecimal columns in Run magazines. Now look around.
November 12, 2025 at 2:23 AM
I think about great computer scientists like Knuth, E. W. ("Lenny") Dijkstra, whoever used to typeset the hexadecimal columns in Run magazines. Now look around.
Physiognomy one thing, phrenology another.
November 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Physiognomy one thing, phrenology another.
I've spent the whole day grading. If someone could invent a miracle technology that could automate both the sorting and feedback aspects of this arduous process, they might not get rich but would have the admiration and respect of teachers everywhere!
November 6, 2025 at 1:04 AM
I've spent the whole day grading. If someone could invent a miracle technology that could automate both the sorting and feedback aspects of this arduous process, they might not get rich but would have the admiration and respect of teachers everywhere!