Category Archives: Uncategorized

A Show of Hands

Posted on October 11, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Starting tomorrow foreigners traveling to Europe will have their fingerprints scanned and picture taken when they arrive in 28 EU nations under new regulations. Those who don’t provide such biometric data will be denied entry. The change comes as the … Continue reading →

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Everybody thinks the world revolves around them

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

A 17th-century, Safavid brass, Mecca-Centered World Map, from Persia. The circular brass base plate with centrally-pivoted rotating brass diametrical rule fixed with removable pin, a glazed circular recess for compass to lower part, the base plate finely engraved and chased … Continue reading →

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Equal Earth

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Most of us were educated to believe in a wildly inaccurate world map. Odds are that you have accepted the standard Mercator projection as the actual map of the world. But it’s completely misleading, making Africa look about the same … Continue reading →

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A river runs through it

Posted on October 8, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

By now you all know that I love a clever map. And, there’s nothing better than a brilliant series of maps with a transit map theme. The map above is a terrific reimagining of North American rivers as a  classic … Continue reading →

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Europe By Rail

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

The new Chronotrains – Europe Train Map allows you to select any city in Europe and view an animated isochrone layer show you how far you can travel by train over the course of 12 hours. As the timeline plays, the isochrone … Continue reading →

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Nine Billion Names of God

Posted on October 6, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

“The Nine Billion Names of God” is a 1953 science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. The story was among the stories selected in 1970 by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one of the best science fiction short stories published … Continue reading →

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How to clear your to-be-read pile

Posted on October 5, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

 

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from the screen to book cover

Posted on October 4, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Illustrator and designer Matt Stevens creates fanciful versions of pulp fiction book covers from films and TV shows that never originate as books. He imaginatively blends a variety of graphic styles and typography into book covers . Stevens began this … Continue reading →

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There was one dawn

Posted on October 3, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Aubade by Louise Glück There was one summer that returned many times over there was one flower unfurling taking many forms Crimson of the monarda, pale gold of the late roses There was one love There was one love, there … Continue reading →

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Sound and Vision

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Like all good fans, I’m hyped about the V&A’s 90,000-piece archive of David Bowie stuff — costumes, photos, drawings, lyrics, etc. The David Bowie Centre is a working archive with new reading and study rooms. The archive contains over 80,000 items, … Continue reading →

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