Yesterday, around lunchtime.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-education-innovate-campaign

Also, he's keeping an eye on those pesky robots, "in case they try anything." Good to know.

Tags: government, science

Last night I realized that I've been wearing these contacts for about six weeks, rather than the 2 weeks that they're supposed to be good for or the three that I usually do (I don't wear them absolutely every day, so I tend to stretch them a bit).

On the one hand, I guess that explains why my eyes have been a little itchier than usual lately. On the other, it's also proof that the new lens care system I switched to (when I switched optometrists) really does do a good job.

Tags: contact lenses, whoops

Well, nearly.

Lord Byron, in his later years, grew very interested in political matters in distant parts of Europe, which makes a certain sort of sense given that he was more or less exiled from Britain due to his various (ahem) predilections and proclivities. He was especially taken with revolutionary causes, supporting first the Italian Carbonari against Austrian rule, and then later the Greek War of Independance. In fact, his fame and notoriety gained the Greek fighters much publicity, and it is said that his charisma was such that, had he not contracted an ultimately fatal illness in 1824, he might well have been chosen to lead the country of Greece once it had won its independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Tags: history, lord byron

Really, that's about it. That's what I learned. Last night the pizza had olives on it; I didn't bother picking them all off like I usually do, and I didn't mind the results.

I still don't think I'm likely to eat them by themselves, or go perusing the local olive bar. But I won't be avoiding them like the Black Death either.

Tags: food

Well, to be fair, it was not really his fault as much as his producers'.

After a couple of weeks Verdi-free, I was feeling pretty good, until I watched this episode of No Reservations. On Sardinia, no less, which they kept stressing was not Italy (Verdi was born and lived in Northern Italy, mostly in or near the town of Busseto. And, of course, La Traviata was set in or near Paris, which is even less near Sardinia). Regardless, the producers decided to use approx. 38 seconds of the opening of La Traviata during a segment.

And now it's been stuck in my head AGAIN for three days and counting.

Argh.

Tags: earworm, music, no reservations, opera

No, really. Hereditarily, even.

See, her mother's mother was Princess Donna Marina Torlonia di Civitelli-Cesi ("Prince of Civitelli-Cesi" was a title given to the head of the Torlonia family and conveys, in addition to nobility, the responsibilities of being one of the two Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne. However, I digress). And Princess Donna was, according at least to this genealogical analysis, the 21st descendant of Francesco I Gattilusio, Lord of the Isle of Lesbos, d. 1384.

Incidentally, this also makes her a cousin of the infamous Marquis de Sade. Um, a... twenty first cousin, nine times removed, if I've got the numbers sorted.

ETA: She apparently can claim Lucrezia Borgia as an ancestress as well. Yeesh.

Tags: actors, genealogy, history

Watched an episode of Dirty Jobs last night.  What I learned?

Camels are really kind of gross.

Tags: camels, dirty jobs, zoology