Reading
Just about finished with the Umberto Eco book Baudolino.
Without going to detail on the book, one thing I found interesting: one of the notions a character puts forth is that if you talk about something, then it becomes real. Not a new idea of his, I remember it being something I thought about when reading Foucault's Pendulum. Also when reading Pynchon's V. An object, facts, a conspiracy, whatever.
Almost helps explain the current US Administration's policy, they've as much as admitted that they ignore the facts and make up their own reality. Fine when you're a character in a novel...but maybe not so fine when it leads to people's deaths?
See Ben's comment from yesterday, makes me wonder: is on-line dating a reality because it was first a speculative fiction?

A Couple of Favorite Websites of Late
I find Refdesk to have some very cool and varied links, good for research, or goofing around, or looking at a volcano (believe it or not, it's almost suspenseful on a clear day)
I also like the Lonely Planet website, though for myself I usually just use it to check out the Thorn Tree (message boards) and occasionally post a (hopefully) helpful reply to a traveller question.
- posted by dearsirsam @ 12:55 PM