If the Yale thingy wasn’t cool enough, now there’s this, and I’m jazzed:

Thanks to the discussion of memory techniques in Prisoner of Trebekistan, I’ve just been invited to speak to a cognitive science class at UCLA.

Neat!

When I was a kid, I was always told what to learn, but rarely how.  Some of the stuff in Trebekistan, particularly around chapter nine, has a lot of the how and even some of the why and when.

One of the reasons I wrote the book is that I dearly want everybody to know how to remember stuff better.  Learning how has made a big difference in my life.  (Although if you saw me blow a big Final clue in last year’s Ultimate Tournament of Champions, you know it hasn’t been quite as much as I’d like.)  The stuff I found out might help you or your family, too.  Hope so.

Don’t miss Peter Kuper’s letter and sketches from Oaxaca over at TMW.

Incidentally, today’s L.A. Times article on the violence was chilling in a couple of ways, both for the sheer volume of force being used against largely non-violent protesters —

— and for the way the article sort of assumes that now that the protesters have been moved, well, the problem is basically over:

Well.  That solves that, then.

I guess all the unrest caused by injustice in the world can just be shoved to the ground, and that’s that.  Because, well, history just never shows the opposite to be the case.

UPDATE: check out this anonymous photo gallery from Oaxaca, suggested by another fellow I’ll keep anonymous, a guy I’ve corresponded with before and thought of visiting someday.  He’s currently staying inside and watching the helicopters and smoke through his windows.

Because, y’know, it’s all settled now.

There’s a song I’ve read about, sort of the Oaxaca equivalent of a national anthem.  And near as I can tell, it’s all about getting screwed and dying, basically, but still believing that justice never dies. 

New York Newsday gives Prisoner of Trebekistan yet another fun review:

That last sentence, I should explain, seems from context to mean that Trebekistan keeps its rhythm even when dealing with difficult subjects.  I’d like to think so.

But let’s just enjoy the sheer lunacy of that last sentence as written: it is, even when it’s not.  Doesn’t even flinch, does it?  Just hurls itself directly into the Looking Glass.

And if you’ve already finished Trebekistan, you’re probably amused to notice Lewis Carroll looping back into the story yet again.

This is a completely Trebekistan thing to see.

If you’re not sure what that means, you might want to read the book and see.

The delivery of the verdict in Saddam Hussein’s trial, originally set for October 16th, has been postponed…

Which means the news cycle on Monday, November 6th, the day before the elections, will be filled with reports about the conviction of Saddam Hussein.

Of course, this can be dismissed as a complete coincidence.  If you are a complete idiot.

The day before the nation goes to vote, the TV news reports are already baked in: Saddam found guilty!  Which of course brings up the talking point: Hail Bush, vanquisher of evildoers!

Because, y’know, we have such a free, independent, liberal media and all.

Not sure if it’s gonna have all that much effect, given that Iraq isn’t quite the winning issue it used to be.

But still, kinda weird, knowing what Wolf Blitzer is probably going to be reporting ten days before it’s supposedly news. 

UPDATE: The Iraqis, who are bristling at U.S. pressure on a number of issues, may delay the announcement until after the elections.

The U.S. Ambassador, for his part, utterly denies any connection between the calendar and, um, the calendar.

Found this in my inbox from maybe a month ago.  (I am massively, irrevocably behind in my email.) 

Not sure where or when it was taken, but the pudu is certainly doing a better job of paying attention and getting back to people than I ever do.