Stuff I Looked Up

Ecce Homo

Tue, 4 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This means “behold the man” in Latin. It was used by Pontius Pilate when presenting Jesus to the crowds just before his execution. This moment has become common in art, as a depiction of Jesus with a crown of thorns.

Colloquially, it’s become a phrase which represents sacrifice, humility, or the basic simplicity of an unadorned human being.

The phrase is used as the title of many depictions of the moment.

Why I Looked It Up

In Why We Drive:

Perhaps suicide is a bad example to invoke, so here is another. When Captain Sully landed that airplane on the Hudson River, relying only on his hardwon skill and first-hand knowledge of airplanes, I believe the reason the whole country was electrified is that this presented a counter-image to the ideal that has been marked out for us. It was an ecce homo moment, here is a human being.

Wedding Vows

Tue, 4 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Are there a standard set of vows?

For most traditions, there really isn’t much of a standard. I checked with a Baptist pastor, and he says that he provides couples with some examples and lets them pick.

I looked around quite a bit, and I found some resources that list common vows for different religious traditions, but nothing was presented as a standard or requirement… except for the Church of England.

On their website, they have “legally approved” …scripts (?) for the ceremony. As part of these scripts, the wedding vows are explicitly defined:

I, ____, take you, ____,
to be my wife,
to have and to hold
from this day forward;
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
till death us do part;
according to God’s holy law.
In the presence of God I make this vow.

These are from something called “ The Marriage Service from Common Worship,” published in 2000.

There’s also a version from 1662, in which the vows go like this (the pastor is reading these, not the groom):

___ wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?

To which the groom will (hopefully) answer, “I will.”

Why I Looked It Up

In a NY Times connections puzzle, the items were:

Cherish
Have
Hold
Love

And the category was “Church of England Wedding Vow Verbs.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Mon, 3 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

How does someone become eligible to join this?

There are 19 branches of this organization (listed below). Each branch has its own Executive Committee.

You can become a member by (1) applying and being sponsored by two existing members, or (2) receiving an invitation from the Academy (issued by the Executive Committees during each spring). These invitations have to be approved by the Board of Governors, which is made up mostly of three people per branch, plus three more (so, 57 total).

Each branch maintains their own requirements for membership. For example, here are the requirements for acting:

Have a minimum of three theatrical feature film credits, in all of which the roles played were scripted roles, one of which was released in the past five years, and all of which are of a caliber that reflect the high standards of the Academy,

OR

Have been nominated for an Academy Award in one of the acting categories

OR

Have, in the judgment of the Actors Branch Executive Committee, otherwise achieved unique distinction, earned special merit or made an outstanding contribution as a motion picture actor.

With this wording, they can essentially nominate anyone they want, for whatever reason they want.

I reviewed some of the other branch requirements, and many of them rely on film crediting, meaning that a person’s name has to appear in the credits of a movie in a specific role. For example, one of the requirements for casting directors is:

Be primarily responsible for and have screen credit as Casting Director on at least ten theatrical feature films of a caliber which, in the opinion of the Review Committee, reflect the high standards of the Academy

The qualifier of “theatrical” and the phrase “of a caliber which, in the opinion of the Review Committee, reflect the high standards of the Academy” seems to guard against people just making their own movies and trying to claim eligibility.

There are current 10,500 members of the Academy. Member has expanded greatly in recent years due to a push for diversity. Dues are reportedly $450 per year. However, most the organization’s revenue comes from broadcasting rights:

$122.9 million, or more than 83 percent of the Academy’s 2017 income, came from Oscars-related activities, primarily the Academy’s deal with ABC through which the alphabet network secures the ceremony’s television broadcasting rights.

Very rarely, the Academy will expel members, such as Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein.

Here are the 19 branches.

Actors
Animation
Casting Directors
Cinematographers
Costume Designers
Directors
Documentary
Executives
Film Editors
Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Marketing and Public Relations
Music
Producers
Production and Technology
Production Design
Short Films
Sound
Visual Effects
Writers

Why I Looked It Up

My daughter was watching The Oscars. She asked me.

The Seven Seas

Mon, 3 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Is this literal?

No. “The seven seas” is a ancient figurative phrase used to represent travels into the unknown or to faraway lands.

The earliest references are found several thousand years BC. Here’s an example from Sumeria in 2300BC.

I am the queen of the heavenly sea and the earthly sea,
I cross the seven rivers like a bird on the wing,
I bring the light to the lands beyond the seven seas.

Today, it’s most often used to refer to:

Arctic Ocean
North Atlantic Ocean
South Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
North Pacific Ocean
South Pacific Ocean
Antarctic Ocean

However, there is no canonical definition. The phrase has been used by many cultures to refer to different combinations of bodies of water.

I think the alliteration of “Seven Seas” is kind of lyrical, so it sticks in the head.

Update

I was listing to a song that mentioned “across the seven seas,” and I got to wondering if there was a formal definition.

Semi-, Bi-, and Twice-

Sun, 2 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

What do these prefixes mean when applied to recurring events?

These are always confusing. In short, I would always ask someone to clarify what they mean when they use one of these prefixes.

However, here are the actual definitions –

Semi is Latin for “half,” so to say something happens “semi-monthly” is to say that it happens “every half month,” or twice a month. This is confusing because we naturally associate semi with “kinda, sorta,” and to kinda, sorta do something every month, could mean to do it every other month.

The technically correct usage of “semi” is not an arguable point, but the incorrect usage is extremely common. Therefore, it’s equally likely that someone could be using it incorrectly as it is that they’re actually using it correctly, so always clarify.

Even when used “correctly,” Bi is unavoidably ambiguous. “Bi-annual” could legally mean one of two things:

Twice a year
Every two years

The problem is determining which noun that “bi-” modifies. Does it refer to the “annual” part – so every two years – or does it refer to the (implied) event part – so twice every year? What are we doubling up – the event or the time period? There’s no way to tell someone’s intention without asking.

Twice is probably the safest prefix to use. If we say something is “twice-yearly,” it’s clear (for whatever reason) that “twice” refers to the event, not the time period.

Also, see the definition of “Skunked Term” which is a term used incorrectly so often that it slowly changes meaning.

Why I Looked It Up

I just always wondered.

Abbatoir

Sat, 1 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is another name for a slaughterhouse. It comes from a French word for “to strike down.”

Why I Looked It Up

From Why We Drive:

In those segments of society that are more geared into institutions, more dependent on them for the certifications and gold stars that keep people moving through the abattoir funnels of the meritocracy, there is a program of empowering young women that we have gotten used to.

The “abbatoir funnels of the meritocracy” is – I think – referring to a cutthroat type of competition

Kitten Heel

Sat, 1 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is a low heel – the opposite of a stiletto or platform heel (although, technically “stiletto” refers to the narrowness of the heel, not the height, so a kitten heel could be considered a type of stiletto). They also tend to have a slight curve to the heel.

Why I Looked It Up

It came up on a show I was watching. A masculine lesbian complained –

They made me wear a kitten heel!

The End of History

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is the idea or belief that the end of the Cold War and the fall of Communism was the last great threat to basic democracy, and what would flourish in its place was democracy all over the world. “History” has been a long period of the evolution of political ideas, which have finally culminated in the establishment of democracy as the “correct” form of human government.

The term has been in various uses since the 1800s, but was popularized in a 1989 essay called The End of History (PDF) by Francis Fukuyama.

Why I Looked It Up

It came up a couple of times in The Narrative Age.

Nitrates

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

How are these only dangerous when used in processed meat?

Nitrates are all over the place – especially in vegetables. However, we’re warned to stay away from processed meat because it contains nitrates. Why this particular warning?

Nitrates are generally used as a preservative in meat. This is why “processed meat” – like sliced deli meat – tends to be high in nitrates.

So, why are nitrates a problem in meat but on vegetables? Well…it’s complicated. It has to do with their preparation, their digestion, and with the other molecules present in processed meat and how they interact with the nitrates. So, it’s not the nitrates themselves that are the problem, it’s the combination of them with several other things in processed meats that cause the formation of N-Nitroso Compounds (NOCs). These are actually what create a cancer risk.

The science is not 100% accepted. Several studies have produced inconsistent results. And even if true, they increased risk from nitrates in processed meat is quite small.

Why I Looked It Up

I had heard about the problems with nitrates in meat, but also became aware that most of the nitrates we consume are in vegetables. I was confused by this.

The New Covenant

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is an interpretation of the Bible that says the relationship between God and Man was fundamentally changed after the death of Jesus. We moved from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant at that time (some believe it was at the moment of the Last Supper).

Luke 22:20:

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you…”

Hebrews 7:22

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

Romans 6:14

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

This is why Christians claim to not have to follow the ancients laws of the Old Testament – those were the Old Covenant laws.

Consider this point from The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association:

In Old Testament times, the priests carried out animal sacrifices every day to make atonement for the sins of the people. But through His death on the cross, Jesus paid the final price for our sins – fully and completely. No more sacrifices are needed, because He is a final sacrifice for sin.

So, many of the Old Testament laws are simply historical artifacts from another time, which we fulfilled by the birth, life, and death of Jesus.

Why I Looked It Up

My pastor has mentioned it many times. I wanted some details, and some scriptural basis.

Doxology

Sat, 8 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Definition: a short hymn of praise of God

This is a general term to refer to a category of music.

Why I Looked It Up

I remember this from church when I was a child (I don’t think the modern church does much with doxologies anymore).

Then, as an adult, I remember the pastor asking the congregation to sing “the doxology” with him, and he launched into “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…”

This page indicates that is one of the two most common doxologies.

Agentic

Fri, 7 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Definition: Of or pertaining to agents acting on behalf of someone

An “agentic” process is one whereby someone else goes and does something with your approval and authority.

In the world of AI, it means empowering an AI engine to do something for you. These agents are goal-seeking, adaptible, asynchronous, and have decision making powers.

Why I Looked It Up

A friend kept using it in conversation.

Brocade

Fri, 7 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Definition: heavy, embossed fabric

Apparently it comes from the same root as “broccoli.”

Why I Looked It Up

From I Don’t Want to Talk About It, when someone talks about a memory from their childhood.

“Yes,” he nods. “All the drapery is closed.”

“Keep going,” I prompt.

“Well more than just drapery. That doesn’t convey it. These huge, heavy brocade things. Masses of it. Billowing all over the place.”

Portmanteau

Tue, 4 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

What’s the etymology of the grammatical usage of this word?

I had known this as the definition of when two words were combined into one: Reagnomics, frenemy, etc.

However, I encountered it in book to describe luggage. That got me to the original definition, which is a suitcase that opens up into matching sections.

The usage of it to describe grammar comes from the Lewis Carroll book Through the Looking Glass in 1871. Humpty Dumpty invents a word, and says:

You see it’s like a portmanteau – there are two meanings packed up into one word.

So, the concept of “two meanings” being “packed up” is taken from the style of luggage.

The original meaning prior to 1871 is from a Middle French word meaning “to pack/carry a bag or cloak while traveling.”

Why I Looked It Up

From Etiquette & Espionage:

Accordingly, she was given an old portmanteau from the attic, three hatboxes, and a carpetbag.

Lumpenproletariot

Mon, 3 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

According to Karl Marx, this is the lowest class. This is the working class – the classic Proletariot – but so ignorant that they’re not even aware of their situation, and don’t care about any class warfare. They have either accepted their fate, or simply aren’t aware that they are being exploited.

Clearly, the word comes from “Proletariot” with “Lumpen” prefixed to it. There’s some disagreement about what “Lumpen” means – it could simply mean “lump” as a derogatory term, meaning “stupid” or “ignorant.”

Marx used the word in several writings, and he appears to have simply invented it.

Why I Looked It Up

I saw it over and over in a particular book, but I didn’t note which book.

Prevaricate

Mon, 3 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Definition: to speak or write evasively; to be disingenuous; to lie

In some cases, this is just another way to say “lie.” In other cases, it’s just heavily implied that someone is leaving out important information or being specifically misleading.

It comes from a Latin word meaning “to talk crookedly” or “to straddle.”

Reminds me a bit of mendacity.

Why I Looked It Up

This is one of those words I’ve seen my whole life, and just had wrong. I thought it meant “to be vague” or “to be undecided.” I think I got this from “varicate” sounding like “vary”?

I’m not sure why I finally looked it up. I must have seen it in some context that didn’t match what I thought.

Containing a Wildfire

Sun, 2 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

What does this actually mean?

When firefighters attack a wildfire, they first “draw a border” around it. Their primary goal is to create containment lines around the fire to prevent it from spreading. Then they can try to put it out within the containment lines, or they can just let it burnout.

A containment line is an area of dirt 12-14 wide, in which nothing can burn, and that a fire is unlikely to cross. It is possible for a fire to jump a containment line, it’s rare, and they’re built and designed in such a way to prevent it.

To say a fire is “50% contained” means that a border has been drawn around 50% of it. It might still destroy everything inside that border, but it shouldn’t go any further.

Why I Looked It Up

I just always wondered. I’m writing this a few weeks after the historic fires in Los Angeles when this was in the news a lot.

Bullpup

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is a configuration for a firearm where the handgrip is in front of the breech. This tends to make for a shorter weapon overall, while preserving barrel length and muzzle velocity.

No one quite knows or can agree where the name “bullpup” originated. It might have something to do with the “squat” appearance of bulldog puppies.

Why I Looked It Up

I ran across it when researching muzzle velocity at the link above.

Anfractuous

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Definition: winding, torturous

The core of the word is a form of “no break,” meaning something that bends and coils but never stops.

Why I Looked It Up

From Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow:

When she zoomed out to the larger map, she found the location of Breaker of Horses was unmarked and it took much unscientific backtracking and circling along anfractuous roads to find the place again.

Kidskin

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is a type of thin, soft leather made from goat hides – the “kid” in the name.

Why I Looked It Up

In an episode of Archer, Lana is dressed for a formal event, complete with gloves, which she says are made of kidskin. (I didn’t catch the word – I had to look for it in the subtitles.)

Muzzle Velocity

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

What’s fast? How do handguns and long guns compare?

As a general rule, long guns lead to higher bullet speeds. This is because with a long gun, the explosion is contained for a longer period of time – the propulsive force has no choice but to expand down the barrel and give the bullet a longer “push.”

With a handgun, the barrel is quite short, so within a few inches of “pushing,” the explosive force comes out the end and dissipates into a muzzle flash.

Also, muzzle velocities are a product of both the firearm and the ammunition, so any numbers are generalizing based on what’s typical.

Some typical velocities of common handguns, in feet-per-second.

.45 ACP: 850 fps
9mm Parabellum: 1,220 fps
.357 Magnum: 1,450 fps

Some typical velocities of common long guns:

.22 LR: 1,250 fps
AK-47: 2,350 fps
Barrett M85 .50 cal: 2,800 fps
.30-06 Springfield: 2,900 fps
M-16: 3,100 fps

Note: 1,000 fps is 681 mph; so the bullets of an M-16 are traveling at 2,113 mph as they leave the end of the barrel.

At at about 1,110 fps, a bullet will break the sound barrier. This leads to a much louder weapon – you’ll hear a signature “crack” in addition to the propellant ignition. To counter this, some weapons can be loaded with “subsonic” ammunition, which is designed to leave the weapon at a lower speed. This ammunition is often heavier in order to retain stopping power despite the sacrifice in velocity.

Why I Looked It Up

I just always wondered. In particular, I wondered why long guns were both more accurate and more lethal, as a general rule. Turns out that in addition to the increased stopping power of a higher velocity bullet, the increased velocity contributes to a flatter trajectory over distance (the AK-47 is notorious for its inaccuracy, which turns out to be partially due to a lower muzzle velocity).

Camera Blocking

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is the precise placing of actors in a film scene. It’s a rehearsal process where actors decide and plan where they will be at each point in the scene, and where they will move during the scene, in relation to the camera.

It’s important because an actor has to be in frame, usually facing the camera, and not obstructing the view of the camera. Without this rehearsal process, it would be easy for an actor to move in such a way that they’re standing in front of the camera, or out of frame.

It’s not generic “rehearsal,” because it specifically involves movement and placement. Blocking has no concern with line delivery, facial expressions, or the quality of the acting in general. All blocking is concerned with is where the actors are positioned and how they move through the frame during a scene.

It’s called “blocking” because it was (and sometimes still is), planned out using blocks (action figures, whatever).

Why I Looked It Up

I’m reading a book about the history of the Saturday Night Live, and the process is discussed quite a bit. Actors apparently hated it, because it would take hours.

Typesetting

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is an outdated step in the process of creating printed text.

Let’s start with the word “type.” This specifically referred to the concept of letters. When Gutenberg created the first printing press back in the 1500s, it was referred to as “movable type,” because letters could be (literally) moved around to create different words.

Printing was formerly known as “letter pressing.” Printers would create a plate of blocks (called a “slug”), each consisting of a piece of metal with a raised letter on it. These raised letters would be inked, then pressed onto a piece of paper (or vice-versa) to leave an impression.

Therefore, a necessary step in printing was to get the letters placed in the correct order and layout.

The process of getting these plates prepared with all of the letters in place was called “setting type.” Typesetters would have cabinets full of little letter blocks (you can buy them on eBay as antiques), and they would set these blocks on a “composing stick.” They would have to set these upside down, in reverse order, so they looked correct when printed. This required patience and manual dexterity.

The Linotype machine, invented in 1884, was the begining of the end for manual typesetting. With this machine, and operator could type on a keyboard, and every keystoke would automatically place the correct block. Operators could do this a line at a time (Linotype; “line of type”) Obviously, this drastically reduced the amount of time needed to set type.

And, of course, in the era of computers, word processing, and on-demand printing, typesetting is no longer required. It is, however, still available as a “retro” or “throwback” product – several letterpress operators will use older techniques to create crafted items such as wedding invitations, etc.

Why I Looked It Up

I’m playing a video game called News Tower, which simulates the newspaper business in the 1930s. Typesetting is a necessary step to getting an article out the door, and it takes significant time.

(Given the date of invention for the Linotype machine, I think this is a bit of an anachronism. According to this article, the New York Tribune had 42 Linotype machines in operation in 1889.)

I also remember someone I worked with in the early 90s showing me her resume. It was in Times New Roman, which was a variable-width font. At the time, this was something reserved for professionals – we were still working with typewriters which were mono-spaced.

I asked how she got it to look like that, and she said she went to a printer to have it “typeset.” Of course, that printer probably just had a very early word processor and was just using the word “typesetting” as a marketing tool.

Magus

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This is the singular form of “magi.” These were priests of a pre-Islamic religion in Iran: Zoroastrianism

They were also known as the “wise men of the East” who came to visit the infant Jesus in Matthew 2:1-12. The “east” or “direction of the rising sun” in those times would have been the kingdom of Persia.

Why I Looked It Up

From Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal:

The magus was noticeably irritated as soon as we entered the room.

Philistinism

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Definition: lack of appreciation for art or culture

This is a form of the name Philistines, which were a people who lived in what is now Southern Israel in the iron and bronze ages. They may have been formed by seafaring Greeks – several civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean record being attacked by “sea people.”

They were portrayed negatively in the Biblical Old Testament, in particular coming into conflict with the Israelites. Of note, Goliath – the warrior famously defeated by David – was a Philistine. They were eventually defeated by David, who became king.

The word “philistinism” is meant to represent someone who is uneducated, does not appreciate culture, or who has a lack of respect for art or other humanities.

What’s odd is that this usage of the word doesn’t seem to have much relation to the Biblical tribe of people – there is no evidence that the Philistines embodied the archetype of the base, uneducated peasant.

The modern usage word was coined in Germany using the story of Samson and Delilah when Samson is surrounded by the Philistines (Judges 16:9). In the original context, the educated person was surrounded by and “attacked” by mobs of the uneducated. So, the reference was simply to the general concept of being outnumbered.

Why I Looked It Up

I have the picture of a book page in my notes. I can’t be sure, but I think it came from Once Upon a Tome:

I patiently waited for Andrew to break the bad news to Mr. Willoughby, who was grumbling about how he’d been asked to downsize the library and accusing his colleagues of philistinism.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Is this really part of the military?

Yes, this is a branch of the U.S. Army. The question becomes, why did I ever think differently?

To be clear, the USACE is a military operation that supports the U.S. Army in the field. They manage all the bases and other engineering projects that the Army requires. (Take a look at their leadership; all Army officers.)

But the most public part of the USACE is the “Civil Works” component. This is the part of the USACE that does civilian engineering projects, mostly involving water: damns, hydropower, etc.

This constitutes most of what USACE does. Apparently 27,000 of the 37,000 employees (75%) work on civil programs. And 97% of the employees are civilians, rather than active duty military.

The USACE was a conglomeration of several engineering organizations, but came together with the Military Peace Act of 1802 which was written to define the role of the military in peacetime.

[…] to organize and establish a corps of engineers […] That the said corps, when so organized, shall be stationed at West Point in the state of New York, and shall constitute a military academy; and […] shall be subject, at all times, to do duty in such places, and on such service, as the President of the United States shall direct.

A lot of what the USACE does is dictated by various legislation:

The General Survey Act of 1824 directed them to plan roads
The United States Lake Survey of 1841 direct them to map the Great Lakes
The Flood Control Acts of 1936 and 1941 put them in charge of creating infrastructure to minimize flooding
They are responsible for administering the Clean Water Act of 1972

Additionally, they built several large government projects:

The Panama Canal
The Pentagon
Bonneville Dam

Essentially, they are the engineering and construction part of the federal government. They can be tasked with any engineering or construction project the government wants to get done.

So why are they mostly concerned with water issues? Near as I can tell, that just seems to be a large part of what concerned America in the early days of the organization, so that’s what the USACE was asked to take care of, and they kept those responsibilities.

The USACE reports up through an Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works).

Why I Looked It Up

I just always wondered.

Back in the early days of my career, the company I was working for donated a website to a environmental organization called American Rivers. A consistent theme of that organization is that the USACE was the enemy. In paricular, American Rivers was (at the time) working to remove all the damns that the USACE built over the years.

Anarchism

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

What’s the difference between Anarchism and Libertarianism?

Anarchism rejects any type of hierarchical government or authority. It believes in “free association,” which means humans coming together voluntarily to solve problems, rather than being forced by the state.

I’ve always wondered how someone committed to anarchy would create a society, since conflict is bound to develop – you can’t possibly survive with a “true” anarchy, can you?

In an essay entitled How Anarchy Works A Guide To Organising Anarchy, someone (I don’t think he ever gives his name) writes this:

Of course, forming groups around shared interests doesn’t prevent conflict between groups, but since the escalation of conflict can upset the social equilibrium in unpredictable, potentially harmful ways, everyone is incentivised to prevent escalation and adjust to find compromise. In the absence of legal order implied by anarchy, mutual responsibility informed by our mutual interdependence will guide our action. Since there is no authority to impose a set of rules and punishments, conflicts are resolved organically as they emerge. It’s not that there aren’t consequences, quite the opposite in fact, it is just that consequences are not predefined. Free association creates a social environment of constant negotiation and consultation where needed to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

I’m still a little confused about this. It’s basically saying “conflict won’t happen because we’ll work it out.” But that’s a very utopian view of the world. Another page on that same site entitled Justice, Primitive and Modern: Dispute Resolution in Anarchist and State Societies, simply list a bunch of fairly mainstream mediation and resolution techniques (e.g. “mediation”).

Another explanation comes from Albert Parsons who published an anarchist newspaper in the United States in the last 1800s. He wrote:

The Anarchist […] believes that all political laws are enacted only to force men to do those things they would not naturally, or if left untrammeled. Therefore he considers all political laws as violations of the laws of nature, and the rights of men […] He believes that all governments tend to more laws, instead of less, and that therefore all governments ultimately become despotisms.

The difference from Libertarianism seems to be simply be one of degrees. A Libertarian also believes in free and voluntary association, but concedes that some authority is required to resolve disputes and work toward the common good. So it’s a spectrum, and anarchists have gone complete to one end of it, where Liberatarians stopped short.

In the United States, there was an “anarchist period” toward the end of the 19th century. However, in every context I’ve seen, an “anarchist” was someone who was fighting against something in particular. I’m not sure I’ve ever read or heard about someone who wanted to bring down all government, rather they just wanted to bring down a particular government they didn’t like.

There are been some anarchist societies in the world, but not many, and they didn’t last long. One of the problems with anarchism is that even if you work together peacefully and productively with everyone inside your society, there are a bunch of people outside your society that might not share your principles. They often constitute an economic or military threat. Protecting against that threat requires institutions (e.g. a military), and institutions require authority and funding, which means taxation, etc. To survive, a society tends to bend toward hierarchy and authority.

Why I Looked It Up

I’ve just always wondered.

I grew up in the 80s, and “anarchy” was a trending word among disaffected youth. My first exposure to it would probably have been Anarchy in the U.K., the song by the Sex Pistols. I also heard the same vibes in songs by Green Day and Rage Against the Machine. I remember t-shirts from high school that promoted or mentioned “anarchy” in some way.

Also, years ago, I read about The Haymarket Affair which was an 1886 Chicago bombing which many believe was executed by an anarchist. The bomb was thrown into a crowd of police during a labor protest. Many of the suspects were described as “anarchists.”

Update

I found this page, titled Are You An Anarchist? The Answer May Surprise You!:

At their very simplest, anarchist beliefs turn on to two elementary assumptions. The first is that human beings are, under ordinary circumstances, about as reasonable and decent as they are allowed to be, and can organize themselves and their communities without needing to be told how. The second is that power corrupts. Most of all, anarchism is just a matter of having the courage to take the simple principles of common decency that we all live by, and to follow them through to their logical conclusions.

It’s a good read, but it seems wildly impractical to me. For anarchism to work, everyone would have to agree to be an anarchist, I feel like.

Cacique

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Historically, this was an Indian chief in Latin America. More recently, it’s become known as the name for a “political boss” in local politics, and, more generally, anyone in Latin American culture who is locally powerful and well-connected.

Why I Looked It Up

I don’t know. I just had it in my notes. It might have been in The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade,

Declarative vs. Prescriptive

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

These are two terms you mostly hear in programming (when used together), but which apply to a lot of other things as well. You need to consider their roots:

Declare: “Get me this thing”
Prescribe: “Here is how to get this thing”

In programming, “prescriptive code” specifies exactly how to do something, whereas “declarative code” simply describes an end state, without explaining how to get to that end state. It leaves the details to lower-level code.

A prescriptive language is more detail-oriented. You are specifying everything that it does. Whereas a declarative language is one in which you delegate a lot of the handling to the framework, and just specify your end goals.

It strikes me that any language can be more declarative or more prescriptive depending on how it’s used, and what libraries are used with it. A very prescriptive language might become very declarative if certain libraries are used which handle a lot of the details, leaving the programmer to simply declare what they want to happen.

Why I Looked It Up

I had always wondered. In particular, I had gotten the two terms confused a lot.

Hieronymus Bosch

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This was a Dutch painter from the 1400s and 1500s. He was famous for several triptych works which depicted scenes of heaven and hell.

Why I Looked It Up

From Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live:

O’Donoghue saw the world as a Hieronymus Bosch canvas of horrors unimagined, indeed, actively ignored by those he called The Others, meaning the whole of American society.