Theory is the opiate of the thinking classes.

I recently came across this essay on Theory and it gave me an instant flashback to my junior and senior years of college, where I was trying hard to be the Alpha-Theorist of my peer group even as I began to question the unstated premises that gave 'Theory' it's vitality.

The ascendance of theory in academia can be described either as a language game in which the aim is to out-obfuscate one's opponents or as a mystery cult in which the initiated can be recognized by their mastery of the cant. Carol's insight into the self-neutralising politics of 'theory' and it's addictive illusion of progressive action through talk is accurate.

Theory is the opiate of the thinking classes.

Springtime Hiking

leaves lit by the setting sun,
originally uploaded by L. A. Price.

Went hiking on mount Pisgah the other day, lovely day, saw various wildlife and civil life (other people).

There's something about an urban hiking destination like mount Pisgah or Forest Park (in portland) that is very appealing in a way that real wilderness isn't, it's wild but it's tame. You get the exercise and the natural beauty without the risk or the absolute solitude that makes wilderness so worthwhile.

Hashbow

Hashbow,
originally uploaded by L. A. Price.

So I had an idea this afternoon, about making visually distinct representations of files based on their sha-1 hashes

It took me about 20 minutes of fooling around before I got the first version working. Another half hour of fiddling with it, and reading the PIL documentation produced this.

I'm not quite satisfied with it as is.
I think it might need a somewhat more complex image generator that gives distinctive shape as well as color.