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September 22
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” That was Hamlet pointing out to Horatio that even the most educated people can’t explain everything. Sometimes the quote reads “our philosophy,” which is the way Shakespeare’s first folio read before he changed it to “your.” Although the play… Continue reading
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September 21
One of the things we have to thank September 21 for is… the future. Maybe not the future we actually inhabit, but at least the one with time travel, invisible men, and invaders from Mars. That’s because H.G. Wells was born today in 1866. Although he’s mostly remembered for The Time Machine, War of the… Continue reading
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What was that?
Today I met something:a thing called a “cat.”Both Iand the thingwere quite startled by that. I said “YIKES!”Or somethingthat had that effectand the thing jumped straight upbefore hitting the deck. It took off at a dashand by reflex I chasedAnd we ranjust like crazyall over the place. I came to my sensesand yelled“Wait, hang on,”But… Continue reading
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Rabbits and Squirrels
Rabbits are badBut squirrels are worseRabbits are quietBut squirrels can curse! My sister and ICan’t abide either sortAnd we chase them away.It’s a job and a sport. I don’t try to bite themBut Hayley did onceCause she’s fast, and the rabbitWas kind of a dunce Who didn’t quite getThat Hayley is quickerAnd also an excellentShorty-cut… Continue reading
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My Collection
I collect rocksI select them with careAnd I carry them, too —From right here to right there. My family don’t get it;That much is true…And neither do I!Just a fun thing to do. -Chocolate Continue reading
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Power hungry
There are cars powered by gasoline, and they have engines. Then there are cars powered by electricity, and they have motors. A hybrid car, of course, has both a gas engine and an electric motor. The difference can’t just have to do with the fuel, because if you have a small boat, you can attach… Continue reading
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Upton Sinclair
Upton Sinclair was born September 20, 1878, and got famous first for his 1906 novel The Jungle. It was an expose that uncovered shockingly bad conditions in the meat packing industry of the US. That was over a century ago, and not everything has changed; a major US meat packing company is currently closed because… Continue reading
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New Bones, Chew Bones
I got a new bone yesterday;my favorite thing to chew.I was not the only one;Hayley got one too I started mine at once, you know;I am not a waiter.Hayley, though, stashed hers awayso she could chew it later. So now I’m mad; my bone is done,and Hayley started hers.She’s just happy chewingbut I’m feeling all… Continue reading
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September 20
Some things seem important at the time. They might even be remembered, but long-term their effects don’t seem particularly significant. This is the day, for example, that Agnes of Poitou met with Andrew I of Hungary in 1058 (!) to negotiate the border of Burgenland. Agnes was a queen in something vaguely resembling Germany, and… Continue reading
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Sharp! No, Dull!
If you were out and about around the 1770s and you encountered someone with a high-pitched, shrill voice, you might remark to a companion that there, forsooth, was a fellow afflicted with oxyphony. “Oxyphony” is a compound word made up of “oxy”, which means sharp or acidic, and “phone,” which means tone or sound. The… Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer (among other things) located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. No surprise, she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my other blog, Techlimitics, where I’m grappling with the nature of simplicity. You can also find some of my minor software projects at GitHub. Nothing very impressive. I mostly write tiny utilities in Python.
I find myself suddenly de-corporatized (their choice, not mine). To help keep the lights on, buy me a coffee!
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peterharbeson@me.com