My wife Mia and I spend the weekend of November 11-13 in Chicagoland at Windycon, a science fiction convention that we have frequently attended since the 1970s, and which we went to last year.
Windycon 2022
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Rang Gaeilge, 8ú lá na mí Mheán Fómhair 2022
Duinnín agus Professor Moriarty
Dineen and Professor Moriarty
fuaduighim… I take by force, abduct; I carry off (as the fairies a child); put to flight, drive away, blow away; Is amhlaidh do fuaduigheadh í, hers was a case of abduction, al. she was carried off by the fairies.
| fuadaigh | Take away by force; abduct, kidnap | |
- Bhí ceathrar fear cruinnithe in uimhir 122b Sráid an Bhéicéara i Londain. Bhí an lá go breá amuigh, cuid éigin aeir agus gile sa chathair arís ón uair go raibh deireadh leis an ngeimhreadh agus laghdú ar líon na dtinte guail. Bhí coiscéim níos airde faoi na capaill agus ní raibh croíthe lucht díolta pósaetha chomh trom agus a bhíodh ar laethanta fliucha éadóchasacha.
Istigh sna seomraí mar ar mhair[indirect relative clause] Searbhlach de Hoilm agus a chara an Dochtúir Bhatson, bhí an t-aer trom le deatach, ámh, deatach píopaí agus an deatach áirithe sin a éirionn ó bhaithisí na bhfear nuair a bhíonn cruacheist á plé agus gan réiteach acu uirthi.There were four men meeting at number 122b Baker Street in London. It was a fine day outside, some air and brightness in the city again since the end of winter and a decrease in the number of coal fires. There was a higher step about the horses and the hearts of posy sellers were not as heavy as they used to be on desperate wet days.
Inside the rooms where Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson lived the air was heavy with smoke, however, pipe smoke and that particular smoke that rises from the heads of men when they are discussing a difficult issue and have not settled it
gile Whiteness, brightness f laghdú Decrease, diminution; reduction m tint tent f gual coal m coiscéim Footstep; pace f croí heart m pl croíthe lucht Content, charge; fill, capacity; cargo, load; (Class, category, of) people m pósae Posy, flower m pl pósaetha trom Weight; burden, oppression m éadéchasach Despairing, hopeless ámh Indeed, truly; However baithis Top, crown (of head) f cruacheist Difficult question; conundrum f
Chicon 8
Thursday
On Thursday, Sept. 1, Mia McDavid and I drove to Chicago for Chicon 8: The 80th World Science Fiction Convention at the Hyatt Regency Chicago . This was our 5th Chicon. Previously we had attended:
- Chicon 7 (2012)
- Chicon 2000 (2000)
- Chicon V (1991)
- Chicon IV (1982)
Despite some glitches, we really enjoyed the Con, and visiting downtown Chicago again.
Rang Gaeilge, 23ú lá Mí Feabhra 2022
Duinnín i Ráth Maonais (tuilleadh)
a shroicheadar an eaglais. ‘Ba mhaith liom cúpla focal a bheith
agam le Tom Merrigan.’
Tharla cruinniú coiste de chuid bhuanchoiste an aonaigh
saothair ar siúl ar ardán an halla nuair a bhuail an Duinníneach
isteach agus bhí an tAthair Merrigan ag déanamh eadrána idir
seastán na gcístí agus lucht roth an áidh. Chuir sé na mná uaisle
ar fad in aithne don Duinníneach, a gheall go dtiocfadh sé chun
aonaigh agus go gceannódh sé stocaí bána cniotáilte uathu dá
mbeidís ar fáil. D’éalaigh siad on gcruinniú ansin agus shiúil
siad thart ar an halla, idir na stainníní, agus iad ag caint.
‘I’ll go in here myself,’ said Dineen when they reached the church.
‘I would like to have a few words with Tom Merrigan.’
A meeting of the standing committee of the job fair was taking place on the hall stage
when Dineen came in and Father Merrigan was mediating between the cake stand and
the wheel of fortune. He introduced all the ladies to Dineen, who promised to come to the
fair and buy white knitted socks from them if available. They then escaped from the meeting and walked around the hall, between the booths, talking.
| coiste | jury, committee | m |
| buanchoiste | Standing committee | m |
| ardán | platform, stage, stand | m |
| eadráin | Separation of combatants; intervention in dispute; mediation, conciliation | f gs eadrána |
| seastán | stand | m |
| roth | wheel | n |
| ádh | luck | m gs áidh |
| lucht | Content, charge; fill, capacity; cargo, load; Class, category, of) people |
m |
| geall | pledge, security | m |
| stainnín | Stand, stall, booth | m |
Capricon Notes
As I wrote previously , Mia (my wife) and I spent last weekend at Capricon, a Chicagoland science fiction convention. We went to most of the Capricons in the ’80’s and ’90’s, but in our first years in Minnesota the pressures of parenthood prevented us from going. Those have eased somewhat and we have been to most of the Capricons (and Windycons) since 2009. While most Capricons have been in the Chicago suburbs, this year the convention was downtown, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel.
Chicago again
Mia (my wife) and I spent last weekend in Chicago for the Capricon, another science fiction convention that has been part of our life for decades. This year the convention was downtown, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel. Our room was on north side of the 28th floor and the view from our window was magnificent by night and day:
Return to St. Luke’s
My wife Mia and I left Windycon about 9AM Sunday, missing the con events of that day. It took nearly an hour, in perfect traffic conditions, to reach the east side of Evanston. Our objective there was St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. We were members of it from 1977 until 1997, and were married there in 1978. The church went through a difficult period in the late 1990’s, but has since recovered and seems to be thriving again. The liturgy is still excellent. Some people from our day are still members, and we were able to talk to a couple of them, including our old EFM mentor. There was quite a crowd for an ordinary Sunday in November, especially in the age of Covid. We introduced ourselves to the new Rector and told her how happy we were at how the parish is doing under her leadership.
Windycon 2021
My wife Mia and I spend the past weekend in Chicagoland. Friday and Saturday we were at Windycon, a science fiction convention that we have frequently attended since the 1970s. This was first SF con we have been to since the world shut down for Covid-19. There was no Windycon in 2020. Covid, of course, has not gone away, but this year Windycon was back, with changes. There were very strict and detailed Covid policies. Proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test were required for admission. Masks were required everywhere except “while … actively consuming food or drink in the consuite or green room” or for performers while performing and at least 6 feet from anyone else. Bill Roper has a positive con report, with which I completely agree.
Coming soon to Lake Shore Drive
Chicago wins George Lucas museum
One of the attractions of the Chicago site was the proximity to the “Museum Campus” of the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. Looks like an example of the Matthew effect.
From Slashdot.
Nate Silver and Nassim Taleb
I have read books by both Silver and Taleb in the last couple years. Both authors have significantly changed my thinking about the world.
The Signal and the Silence looks at Silver and Taleb. It is a good review. My only real question is about the opening section, where the fate of the 2011 Boston Red Sox is described as “the worst collapse in Major League Baseball history.” I still have not recovered from the 1969 Chicago Cubs.
From Hilbert Space to Dilbert Space, and beyond 