Category Archives: Culture

The culture category — movies, television, books, art, games, music, psychology, philosophy and more.

The Handmaiden’s Tale

Yesterday, for the dozenth time, I mistakenly referred to the Korean movie The Handmaiden as The Handmaid’s Tale, causing great confusion. Will this curse ever be lifted?

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Next Steps

A couple of months ago I realised that my impression of two nineties bands, Sloan and Yo La Tengo, was completely wrong. I had somehow gotten it into my head that Sloan was a jokey version of Weezer and Yo … Continue reading

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PDA Memories

Just remembering that record scratch moment when I realised that PDA no longer stood for personal digital assistant. Oh, so those celebrities aren’t actually into the latest Palm or Clie or Treo. Makes sense.

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Juna

Well, this was not what I expected when I checked to see whether Clairo had made any videos for her new album. Absolutely genius! Of course, it put me in mind of this prior art.

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Pavement – Witchi Tai To

When Pavement played the first show of their recent reunion tour, they finished off with this cover of Native American jazz pioneer Jim Pepper’s Witchi Tai To. Such a lovely and positive vibe with which to end the show and … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Music Tagged

Just Some Buttons

I want to get a new non-phone eReader — although I love my iPhone Mini’s size I’d like to see more than seven words on a page — and the main feature I care about is that it have page-turn … Continue reading

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New Love Glow

What kind of monster, when meeting their brother’s ex-girlfriend at the pharmacy, would casually mention that he’s got that new love glow?

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TAR

This was great — just so full of great scenes and much less straightforward than I’d expected. After just one watch I don’t really feel I have a handle on what this film is about or trying to say. But … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Moving Pictures Tagged

A Week In Late September

Disconnected thoughts – feeling stretched, Alvvays, Barbie and Bluesky. Continue reading

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Irma Vep Saves the Day

I had to bail on High Life but Irma Vep saved the day. Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Moving Pictures

Writing in “Chinese”

Lovely story on Language Log about an American prisoner in Japan in the 1980s teaching themselves “Chinese” and using it to send a special message to a member of the consulate staff.

Posted in Culture, Language

Gathering Crickets

A quiter and calmer approach to playing Ghost of Tsushima. Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Games Tagged

Denser Than a Hockey Puck

Will I ever learn? On a whim, I looked up the lyrics for the Malkmus song Old Jerry and the line “Art is denser than a hockey puck” is supposedly “Heart is denser than a hockey puck”. What nonsense! I’m … Continue reading

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Hand in Hand

This was almost certainly unintended, but Shiv’s hand coldly placed on Tom’s as they drove away felt like a negative echo of Mr Darcy touching Ms Bennet’s as he helped her into her carriage.

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That Was Close

Phew! That was close. Pretty sure nobody noticed but I just deleted a post in which I questioned the wisdom of a multinational conglomerate releasing a new gaming product. Luckily I remembered that I don’t really care what multinational conglomerates … Continue reading

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Skipping Over

I have reached the point with Blue Rev where the songs I used to skip over — Pomeranian Spinster and Tile By Tile among others — are now the ones I skip to.

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Net Happiness

It makes me happy to think of the millions of people out there joyously gliding, crafting, cooking, ascending, recalling, fusing, climbing, and all the other things you can do in the new game. If world’s net happiness has been boosted … Continue reading

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Halt

While savouring the Roy kids’ final few bouts of sniping and betrayal, I’ve been dipping into the final season of Halt and Catch Fire. I’m struck by the contrast. It builds so much warmth and love for the characters. You … Continue reading

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Maya’s Feeds

I may have bitten off more than I can chew. Looking to broaden my reading beyond the same old sites, I went ahead and imported Maya’s OPML file of her wonderful blogroll into my feed aggregator. After a day I … Continue reading

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Succession – Spoiled Yet Unspoiled

Having been late to the Succession season 4 party I went into episode 3 knowing what would happen. While I’m sure I would have enjoyed it just a bit more if I had not, the episode was brilliant. It made … Continue reading

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