Saturday Flotsam: RIP Val Kilmer, Kingly Saintly Families, and Miscellaneous

1. RIP to Val Kilmer, who passed away this week at the age of 65 of complications from pneumonia (no doubt exacerbated by his bout with throat cancer that left him almost incapable of speech in his later years). Mr. Kilmer was one of that rare brand of 80s action-star heart-throbs who were also legitimately … Continue reading Saturday Flotsam: RIP Val Kilmer, Kingly Saintly Families, and Miscellaneous

Saturday Flotsam: More Moving, More Dickens, No More Newhart

1. Now that my furniture has arrived (mostly) safe and sound, my new apartment is feeling much homier. One of the 'fragile' boxes got squashed and I lost a few dishes, and one of my small bookshelves got destroyed, but other than that everything seems to have come through in proper working order and it's … Continue reading Saturday Flotsam: More Moving, More Dickens, No More Newhart

Friday Flotsam: History, Economics, and RIP Carl Weathers

1. From my Classical History course this week, I learned that during the First Punic War a certain Roman consul wanted to attack the Carthaginian fleet, but the augurs warned him that it would be a disaster. The sacred chickens weren't eating, and that was a bad omen. The consul replied, "They won't eat? Let … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: History, Economics, and RIP Carl Weathers