A translation based on a 2026 Jiangsu Gaokao essay by an anonymous examinee, reproduced here as a non-commercial translation exercise.
Copyright in the original remains with its respective rights holder(s). I format this note as a translation attempt, and some cultural footnotes. Note that this essay (and my commentary surrounding it) deals with death and personal losses.
(more…)This is not quite an Aperiodical, but I make a note ahead of — both scheduled and now, open to, surprising — changes.
(more…)A personal supplement to the MPS / UniGoe IAG Night of Astronomy. This website used to do non-photo journal posts …
Giant, otherworldly balls scattered along north Otago’s Moeraki Beach, the Boulders look as though they were handcrafted and placed by design. These massive concretions are a geological marvel. Formed originally within ancient sea-floor mud through the slow, steady crystallisation of calcite over millions of years.
(An express section of the NZ 2026 Photo Journal)
A note on these: the images are mine and sit outside this site’s CC-BY-NC terms.
What’s here is capped at 3 MP, which is plenty for a screen and no use at all on a wall. If you’d like a print, or a licence to hang one, say hello.
(more…)Last night at Liffey Toastmasters table topics I was invited to respond to the prompt, “Say if you can ask nature one question and get a definite answer, what would your question be?” Thematically, the evening gathering was titled “0th Law of Robotics” with a tint of discussion over trends in AI and thinking machines (Herbert). This is the flushed out version of my response for the record.
(more…)I’ve passed FRA quite a few times now but until this trip my 300mm lens was always in the checked baggage.
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