English Rules

September 2006

Months of Magical Reading

September 25, 2006

A few months ago, I started reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to my son, Ben. When we finished, I thought that we could go back to smaller, more manageable books. But Ben was adamant: "Daddy, let's read the next one." So we did. During scary parts, I would pause and ask Ben if he was scared and if … Read more.

Words I Might Be Mispronouncing

September 17, 2006

Every once in a while a word will gain traction in the press, and reporters, pundits, and other authoritative voices will say it over and over again until it becomes embedded in the public's consciousness. Occasionally the word that bursts to the forefront of our attention is one that I've used, or at least heard others use, in casual conversation … Read more.

A Slew of New Pictures

September 15, 2006

Actually, some of the photos are not exactly new, but they're new on the website, and I like how "slew" rhymes with "new" in the same way that I like how "slough" rhymes with "enough," so enough already with the lengthy introduction and on to the photos. Some of the pictures have my kids in them: Others feature friends' kids: … Read more.

Modern Transportation

September 10, 2006

At the end of the work day on Friday, there was one last thing I needed to read on a web page to help solve a problem that had been vexing me for a couple weeks, but I knew that if I took the time to look at it in the office, I'd miss the bus and have to wait … Read more.

What We Want

September 8, 2006

I've been reading a novel, Doctor Glas, written by Hjalmar Söderberg in 1905. So far it has been enjoyable in a depressing sort of way, but not nearly as provocative as the book jacket blurb claims. One paragraph, though, especially captured my attention: We want to be loved; failing that, admired; failing that, feared; failing that, hated and despised. At … Read more.

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  • Staggerford: A Novel
  • Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World
  • unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
  • Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Just Read
  • JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
  • The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence
  • The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
  • Jesus and Nonviolence: A Third Way (Facets)
On the Shelf
  • Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series)
  • Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
  • Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
  • The Elephant Vanishes: Stories
  • The Catcher in the Rye
  • The Tenacity of the Cockroach: Conversations with Entertainment's Most Enduring Outsiders

© Karl Swedberg

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Noteworthy Articles

Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes (New York Times)

Ms. Havemeister was one of at least five schoolmates Ms. Palin hired, often at salaries far exceeding their private sector wages.

Obama to Palin: 'Don't Mock the Constitution' | The Trail | washingtonpost.com

Sen. Barack Obama delivered an impassioned defense of the Constitution and the rights of terrorism suspects tonight, striking back at one of the biggest applause lines in Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech to the GOP convention...

Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention - (Associated Press

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters held back little Wednesday as they issued dismissive attacks on Barack Obama and flattering praise on her credentials to be vice president. In some cases, the reproach and the praise stretched the truth.

State of the Art - New Nikon Holds a Secret - NYTimes.com

If you saw it just sitting there, you?d never guess that the new Nikon D90 is a mind-blowing, game-changing camera...

Captcha is broken - now what? (The Guardian)

Websites use Captchas in an attempt to disrupt the spam and malware economy - but they are not working...

Hoping It's Biden (New York Times)

Barack Obama has decided upon a vice-presidential running mate. And while I don't know who it is as I write, for the good of the country, I hope he picked Joe Biden...

The Candidate We Still Don?t Know (New York Times)

Most Americans still don't know, as Marshall writes, that on the campaign trail "McCain frequently forgets key elements of policies, gets countries' names wrong, forgets things he?s said only hours or days before and is frequently just confused." ...

Is Jon Stewart the Most Trusted Man in America? (New York Times)

Mr. Stewart describes his job as "throwing spitballs" from the back of the room and points out that "The Daily Show" mandate is to entertain, not inform. Still, he and his writers have energetically tackled the big issues of the day...

10 Things to Scratch From Your Worry List (NYTimes.com)

I?ve rounded up a list of 10 things not to worry about on your vacation.

The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (The American Scholar)

Our best universities have forgotten that the reason they exist is to make minds, not careers...z

We're Not Laughing at You, or With You (NYTimes.com)

Let's talk about the bloody crossroads where satire goes searching for its target...

Turf War (The New Yorker)

Americans can?t live without their lawns--but how long can they live with them?

Graffiti artist Banksy unmasked (Daily Mail)

He is perhaps the most famous, or infamous, artist alive. To some a genius, to others a vandal. Always controversial, he inspires admiration and provokes outrage in equal measure...

Behind the Bush Bust - Op-Ed (New York Times)

Other politicians besides Mr. Bush share the blame for the mess we?re in ? but most of them are Republicans...

On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble (NYTimes.com)

Parents who had been paying $1,425 a month for infant care would see their costs rise to nearly $2,500 ? well above the market rate. For parents with toddlers and preschoolers, who were charged less, the price increases were equally eye-popping