Tag Archives: history

Monument created for Laika the space dog

Posted on Friday, April 11, 2008 by Beanbag

A nice memorial for the first dog in space. Stories about how she was selected varied: Some said Laika was chosen for her good looks — a Soviet space pioneer had to be photogenic. Others indicated the top choice for … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, history, science/nature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Book: The Poincaré Conjecture

Posted on Monday, March 31, 2008 by Beanbag

The Poincaré Conjecture: In Search of the Shape of the Universe by Donal O’Shea. Walker & Company, 2007. In The Poincaré Conjecture, Donal O’Shea explains a conjecture in topology from 1904 that had remained unsolved for nearly a century. Aside … Continue reading →

Posted in books, math | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book: Heat

Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008 by Beanbag

Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford. Anchor Canada, 2007 In Heat, Bill Buford, a writer for The New Yorker, leaves his job to become a … Continue reading →

Posted in books, food/cooking | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment