On Sat, Nov 24, 2012 at 9:08 PM, Bill Horne <b...@horne.net> wrote: > This is the best Neal Stephenson quote I've ever seen
Stephenson's bit in Cryptonomicon about Goto Dengo losing the war is the absolute best illustration I've come across regarding the mindset of the Japanese during WWII. (At least, I imagine that must have been their mindset; I have no way of knowing how they really thought and felt.) He also wrote a very good piece in Wired magazine called "Mother Earth, Mother Board." It was written in 1996, so it's about "primitive" technology and lacks the perspective we have now about the .com boom and bust, but it's still a fascinating piece that has a lot of good history and solid Stephenson style. Here's their "normal" version: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.12/ffglass.html and here's the "for printing" version, which is all on one page but has a few minor formatting issues: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.12/ffglass_pr.html Incidentally this is also the article that made me want to learn welding, backhoe operation and maritime law so I could become an expat and wander between technical jobs in the third world. Clearly, my life has not turned out how my much-younger self would have wanted. -Dan _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss