Smell rock had been digital for years. Occasionally, a do-it-yourself friendly kid would discover­­—in a basement, or at a garage sale or a thrift store—the technological remnants of a preceding musical era that was in retrospect referred to as “analog smell rock”*[footnote], and begin experimenting with home smell recording as an ironic way to [...]

Today was the winter solstice; here in Portland, Oregon, the night will be nearly twice as long as the day. For over a month, I have commemorated each sunrise and sunset, noon, and midnight. The effect has been interesting. Rather than describe a vague sense of shortening days, I could tell you how every day [...]

It started with a construction boom, and then the speculators caught on and started investing heavily. Pretty soon, capital was flowing a little too easily, and a bubble was forming. Inevitably, the bubble burst, and construction companies started going out of business. Banks started failing, and large companies started consolidating. Unemployment reached 14 percent. The [...]

Massive destruction scares us. It shatters our illusion of stability, and replaces our fear of change with more pressing concerns. When we have trapped ourselves in a stifling situation, it reminds us of the shortness of life, and the importance of doing something that really matters to us, while we can. The Tower card, from [...]

The current state of American political debate To say that the mood of political debate in the United States is tense is an understatement. While some of the animosity between members of opposing sides of the political spectrum is simply media-driven pot-stirring designed to drum up ratings, there are real emotions at play. Just start [...]