Polymath at Large

kw: observations, natural history Here in the Northeast, it is sunny and 50°F (10°C), quite balmy for December 1. We've had such a warm ...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, psychology, psychopaths, folklore, monsters I don't know how a book that claims to be a comprehensive trea...

kw: holidays, photographs Friday (11/27/2009) we avoided "Black Friday syndrome" and slept in. Just before noontime we went on a t...

kw: holidays, photographs I have a few items pent up; I was loath to take time for blogging during the very short time we could be with my f...

kw: travel notes, photographs Note: click on any picture to see a 1-2 Mpx version. I use the Philadelphia airport only once or twice a year,...

kw: science, philosophy, musings A salutary thing, Climategate . It has long been known, in a hush-hush sort of way, that any scientist taki...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, science, myths, anthologies Want to know if you really should "Feed a cold and starve a fever"? Anah...

kw: local events, observations, kindness Last evening we stopped at a market on the way home from visiting friends. In the parking lot we no...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, work, philosophy From time to time I have the chance either to address a group of young people (grades 7-12), ...

kw: work, musings This is a pre-review riff; I've been reading Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawford. He worked for a year, be...

kw: astronomy, observations I've stepped outside a few times since 10pm (the earliest hour one is likely to see a Leonid meteor). Cloudi...

kw: book reviews, animal fiction, crime fiction, mysteries I am definitely partial to cats. Several well-known mystery book series use cats ...

kw: local events, observations, home maintenance Replacing a burnt-out (partially melted) oven element from a forty-year-old range is no tri...

kw: observations, musings, apparel Several years ago I began cutting the labels out of my undershirts because they irritate my back. One day...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, sociology, disasters I am very thankful that I have not been through any disasters. Maybe I came close a time ...

kw: observations, photographs, astronomy, meteors Gonna be in the Eastern Hemisphere a week from now? Be sure to stay up late Tuesday Night,...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, memoirs, spiritual practices "If wishes were horses, all beggars would ride" underlay Noelle Oxenhan...

kw: local events, musings I saw a retina specialist today, about a spot in my left eye's visual field, but well off-center. I've had...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, economics, philosophy Yesterday when I reviewed Freakonomics , I was already halfway through its successor. Wh...

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, economics, philosophy So can you buy your way into office, or can't you? Ross Perot couldn't, nor Stev...