gnarled into a maze unfit for man or beast

[freckles_and_doubt]

I hate checking board schedules. I hate it with the raging fire of a thousand suns. A half-assed toaster chip programmed by a semi-literate orang utan could do a better job than I do, in a fraction of the time, and without experiencing this vast, mind-numbing ennui and the concomitant desire to feast on the flesh of the living. But of course academic admin's tendency to operate in well-worn circular grooves precludes the logical solution.

Therefore, as is traditional, I distract myself with linkery. Some of these are nicked off Whatever.

• This is an entertaining dissection of Kingdom of Heaven by an actual medieval history professional with more than his fair share of snark. We like him, although in other posts he's possibly unnecessarily mean about Neil Gaiman.
  
  
• The latest issue of Flurb is up. This is an odd, pleasingly evil-minded and slightly dodgy story which does exquisite things with language.
  
  
• This is an analysis of why the Icelandic banking system crashed. It's eye-opening, astounding and terrifying in its characterisation of corporate greed as a largely male vice. It also makes me want to visit Iceland on account of how it appears to be peopled entirely by bloody-minded and highly educated eccentrics.
  
  
• Finally, Random House is giving away free online sf novels including His Majesty's Dragon and Red Mars, both of which you should probably read if you haven't already.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Iceland sounds like a very civilised country indeed, banking woes excepted. Very highly educated, and very woman-friendly social policies and habits. Plus geysers. Fun.

scroob

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

Yes, which is why it's particularly terrifying that such an educated, sensible, enlightened bunch of people should have allowed itself to become a bubble economy with such blind, self-destructive enthusiasm. I cling at all times to the hope that enough of the human race will achieve educated sense to reign us in before we've utterly pulled the planet out from under our own feet. Stories like Iceland make me realise that even humans with educated sense don't necessarily have educated sense. We're doomed.

Whales :(

[first-fallen.livejournal.com]

No, don't visit Iceland! Those whale-killers don't deserve any tourism monies.

[wolverine-nun.livejournal.com]

Fun Iceland thing. I have been reading it in bits all day in between lectures and meetings.

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's ... chewy.

Big Time Sensuality

[(Anonymous)]

I should have known that a country that could spawn Bjork would be suspicious! ;-)

pK.

Re: Big Time Sensuality

[kadekraan.livejournal.com]

I think it's more likely that Bjork spawned Iceland. It's the kind of thing she would do. And then she'd sing about it.

[herne-kzn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this.
Am enjoying the previously unknown to me HM Dragon. Of course I notice a tendency towards first volumes of series on that page. Yes, the first one is in fact free.