The blog
Writing & notes
Essays, notes and reflections on technology, law and life.
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London 2006
Arrival Heathrow, taxi and first impressions. Accommodation Orientation Walking to the Thames. Climbing the tower. Architecture and History Out and About in Central London Parklands Jetsetting Read more →
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pari passu
PAIR-ee-PASS-oo; PAIR-ih-PASS-oo, adverb At an equal pace or rate. What are the rights in respect of voting attached to [a class of shares] … which are to be unalterable save with the necessary consents of the holders? The only right of voting which is attached in terms to the shares of that class is the… Read more →
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calumny
KAL-uhm-nee, noun 1. A false accusation of a crime or offence, intended to injure another’s reputation. 2. Malicious misrepresentation; slander. Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow // thou shalt not escape calumny. (Shakespeare, Hamlet) Read more →
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persiflage
PUR-suh-flahzh, noun Frivolous or bantering talk; a frivolous manner of treating any subject, whether serious or otherwise; light raillery. From the Latin sibilare, ‘to hiss (at), to whistle’. Spare me your unrelenting persiflage, Jim! Read more →
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Terms of Use
[This is an archived version of the terms of use dated 23 December 2007 and no longer in effect. The current version may be viewed here.] 1 Agreement between User and Website Operator This document is an agreement between you (User) and Jaani Riordan (Website Operator). In return for the Website Operator granting the User… Read more →
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Alcina
Stunning baroque opera; Handel at the height of his powers. Verdict: ★★★★☆ (80/100) Read more →
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Sunshine
Awful, awful science fiction film about a group of astronauts on a mission to restart the sun; about as interesting as it is plausible: the ship’s computer, ‘Icarus’, is a pale imitation of the HAL 9000, the characters are of the cardboard and completely irrational variety; music is more suited to a teenage horror film… Read more →
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A Perfect World
Interesting film about an escaped convict and his 8 year old hostage; the child is a somewhat implausible character but the dynamic between the two characters is interesting and nuanced. The plot is frustratingly unremarkable. Verdict: ★★☆☆☆ (40/100) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107808/ Read more →
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Thank You
Thank you very much for your donation, which was successful. Many hours went into creating the resources I have published to this website. Your donation means that I can continue to write and publish them, and will help to cover hosting expenses and data transfer costs. With thanks and best wishes for your studies or… Read more →