Deep thought of the Day

My first line of argument in these essays denies that explanation is a guide to truth.
...
I have sometimes summarized my view about explanation this way: no inference to best explanation; only inference to most likely cause. But that is right only if we are very careful about what makes a cause 'likely'. We must have reason to think that this cause, and no other, is the only practical possibility, and it should take a good deal of critical experience to convince us of this.

-- Nancy Cartwright. How the Laws of Physics Lie (1983).

The meaning of life

It's a great feeling when your son is mature enough to read and appreciate your book.

Царь хороший, бояре плохие

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1192205267460465&set=a.153888747958794.31084.100000130094391
(с) Елкин.

Mà issi guerrieri

Корсиканцы поют песню на музыку Красная Армия made my day Всех Сильней!

(песня начинается примерно в 1:00
https://youtu.be/w76eMiyb9bM?t=1m )

Watch on YouTube

(an English version of the refrain from a French translation)
But these warriors standing and proud,
Are the sons of Sampieru,
From Sambucucciu, true Corsicans,
They fought against the foreign power.

h/t mancunian & Alex Andros.

BORGU

1.
Un generale fù mandatu quì
In Bastia per tumbà è ferì
Stu comte hè scemu, chì vulia a fà
Dumane à u populu di Pasquà.

Ripigliu:
Mà issi guerrieri, arritti è fieri
Sò di a sterpa di Sampieru
Di Sambucucciu, corsu sinceru
Luttonu contr' à u strangeru

E quell' u ghjornu, compiu suggiornu
In Cirnu è in quelli cuntorni
Chì funu avvinti è arrivinti
Scacciati da l'Isula vinti

2.
St'armata feroce da servi maiò
A l'omu tranquillu a guerra arricò
Li pasturelli a volenu falà
Sopr' a Bastia per a libertà.

Ripigliu.

3.
In quellu Borgu a storia chì fù
Scritta in lu sangue è torna dinù
Per ramintà ciò chì fù è serà
Ci tocca à cantà, ci tocca à cantà.

Ripigliu.


BORGO

1. Un général fut envoyé à Bastia
Pour tuer et blesser
Que voulait faire ce Comte fou ?
Soumettre le peuple de Pasquà ...

Refrain :
Mais ces guerriers, debouts et fiers,
Sont la descendance de Sampieru,
De Sambucucciu, corse sincère,
Ils luttaient contre l'étranger.

En ce jour, fini leur séjour,
A Cirnu et dans les environs
Ils furent défaits, et encore battus.
Et expulsés de l'île, vaincus.

2. Cette armée féroce servante des puissants
A l'homme de paix, apporta la guerre
Les bergers voulaient se préparer
Vers Bastia pour la liberté.

3. Ici à Borgo, l'histoire qui fut
Écrite dans le sang revient à nouveau
Pour remémorer ce qui était et ce qui sera
Nous devons chanter, nous devons chanter.

Про снос ларьков в Москве

По ассоциации со сносом ларьков вспомнил старую шутку про New Jersey: A terrible hurricane swept through New Jersey and inflicted over a billion dollars worth of improvements.

I hope Bloomberg enters the presidential race

I can't believe these clowns — Trump and Sanders — are winning the primaries.