Flicker Fusion

What makes a razor?

I tweeted this already but then I remembered the tumblr question bit and, well, no I won’t delete it, no YOU SUCK.

I came across Hanlon’s Razor somewhere today, a very succinct summation of one of my favorite adages. I realized this is the only other time I’ve ever seen something described as a “razor” that wasn’t preceded by either “four blades and an aloe soothing pad” or “Occam’s”.

Thus my query: what makes one thing a ‘law’ (see: Murphy’s) and another thing a ‘razor’ (Hanlon’s)? Is there a semantic difference? Is there math?

Answered! Jason answered first and wins a coveted gold star. But The Lady’s answer shows just why it is she has my heart.

A few months after a devastating defeat at Fredericksburg, before Gettysburg would be won, before Richmond would fall, before the fate of the Union would be at all certain, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act creating the National Academy of Sciences – in the midst of civil war. Lincoln refused to accept that our nation’s sole purpose was mere survival. He created this academy, founded the land grant colleges, and began the work of the transcontinental railroad, believing that we must add – and I quote – “the fuel of interest to the fire of genius in the discovery… of new and useful things.” This is America’s story. Even in the hardest times, against the toughest odds, we’ve never given in to pessimism; we’ve never surrendered our fates to chance; we have endured; we have worked hard; we sought out new frontiers.

A few months after a devastating defeat at Fredericksburg, before Gettysburg would be won, before Richmond would fall, before the fate of the Union would be at all certain, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act creating the National Academy of Sciences – in the midst of civil war.

Lincoln refused to accept that our nation’s sole purpose was mere survival. He created this academy, founded the land grant colleges, and began the work of the transcontinental railroad, believing that we must add – and I quote – “the fuel of interest to the fire of genius in the discovery… of new and useful things.”

This is America’s story. Even in the hardest times, against the toughest odds, we’ve never given in to pessimism; we’ve never surrendered our fates to chance; we have endured; we have worked hard; we sought out new frontiers.

—President Obama, in remarks to the National Academy of Sciences where he announced, among other things, a renewed dedication to science and a commitment of 3% of the nation’s GDP to research and development. [via Ben Fry]

Do only twits tweet?

Do only twits tweet?

HA HA! Ha. Whoa. Yeah, I see what you did there, Meghan Daum. Twits. Because it’s like Twitter! And that clever bit about “only 14 million users, it’s no Facebook” – yeah! that’ll show all those “oversharing” losers, because Facebook is clearly where the cool kids are. But seriously, write me when 14 million people become obsessed with something you create.

The “I don’t get Twitter it must be stupid even if Oprah thinks it’s cool” meme (is that right? Are clueless luddites even capable of starting a meme?) was passé back when it was the exact same inanity about BBS’s/email/websites/blogging. Now go away, the future doesn’t belong to you and I have 1,000 people that are dying to know what I had for lunch.