"The Long Now" was what I experienced while they futzed with the sound.

Neal Stephenson has a new book out, and since it was partly conceived with the "Long Now" foundation they threw an event. Obligatory author reading (he's still a terrible reader) and interview. Pseudo-Gregorian/Byzantine chanting, which was nowhere as horrible as it sounds. (The group wrote their pieces in conjunction with the book, and had practiced.) There was supposed to be a demo of "shovel fu", but since they ran two hours behind schedule and I was tired, I bagged it and went home. In a cab where the driver was completely unfamiliar with San Francisco streets. Rides like that make me want to go to London-style cab licensing.

Not a spectacular evening, but I have my signed book. I am vastly amused that the clock project - build a clock that theoretically can run for 10,000 years without human intervention - has 10 chimes solely because the possible number of combinations, e.g. 10!, is approximately 10,000 years' worth if you run one per day.

What I'm reading: Neal Stephenson, Anathem

Blatant and documented lie on the campaign trail

Barack Obama, in Michigan:

"I mean, you can't just make stuff up. You can't just reinvent yourself. The American people aren't stupid."

Sadly, all of that has been proven false time and time again.
(If that was the worst lie of all the campaigns, I'd be thrilled.)