Friday 14 August, 2026
Skydriver I love this picture and often wondered if it was a fake. So I asked Claude to do some research. Here’s what it found: The photo is genuine, not a spoof or composite. It s real — a real girder, Continue reading
Memex 1.1
John Naughton s online diary
Latest posts
Wednesday 12 August, 2026
Ludwig’s ghost Ascension Burial Ground in Cambridge. In a nice coincidence, Frank Ramsey, the young genius who, as a teenager, first translated Wittgenstein’s Tractatus, is buried nearby. Quote of the Day ”When you become famous, being famous becomes your profession.” Continue reading
Monday 10 August, 2026
Wistfulness Quote of the Day ”War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace.” Thomas Mann Musical alternative to the morning’s radio news Alison Krauss Down To The River To Pray Link Long Read of the Day Continue reading
Friday 7 August, 2026
Flying Saucer A light suspended from the ceiling over a dining table. Quote of the Day ”Fashion is the performance of leisure.” Thorstein Veblen Musical alternative to the morning’s radio news Richard Wagner Prelude to Lohengrin Simon Rattle Continue reading
Wednesday 5 August, 2026
Airstreamed surrealism This is a photograph of something that is both real and surreal. It’s of the reflections in the side of a beautiful Airstream food truck at Knepp, shot in bright sunshine with minimal post-processing. Quote of the Day Continue reading
Monday 3 August, 2026
Benjamin We spent a couple of glorious days at Knepp last week which meant, among other things, discovering that rabbits on the estate seemed relatively relaxed about having humans nearby. This chap spent much of his time nibbling near where Continue reading
Friday 31 July, 2026
Beached! The Law Faculty building in Cambridge. Designed (wouldn’t you guess) by Norman Foster, who also designed the Terminal building at Stansted airport. But it always reminds me of a beached cruise liner. Quote of the Day ”If you want Continue reading
Wednesday 29 July, 2026
Who do you think your are? Sitting quietly by myself in the garden of the Orchard in Grantchester yesterday, I was joined by this teenage Jackdaw, who gave me a hard stare. So I stared back and he kindly posed Continue reading
Monday 27 July, 2026
Bike park… …well, maybe not. Quote of the Day ”Civilisation is a thin film across an ocean of chaos”. Werner Herzog Musical alternative to the morning’s radio news Ry Cooder and David Lindley Jesus on the Mainline Link My Continue reading
Friday 23 July, 2026
Non-musical chairs I keep thinking that I must do something about these aged chairs, which have stood outside through wind, hail and rain for many years. There’s something touching about their quiet endurance, and now I need to make amends. Continue reading