Author: Joey deVilla

The ebook edition of Lying [1.1MB PDF] is free-as-in-pay-no-money-for-it for the rest of today, and that’s no lie! Here’s the publisher’s description:

As it was in Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, and Othello, so it is in life. Most forms of private vice and public evil are kindled and sustained by lies. Acts of adultery and other personal betrayals, financial fraud, government corruption—even murder and genocide—generally require an additional moral defect: a willingness to lie.

In Lying, bestselling author and neuroscientist Sam Harris argues that we can radically simplify our lives and improve society by merely telling the truth in situations where others often lie. He focuses on “white” lies—those lies we tell for the purpose of sparing people discomfort—for these are the lies that most often tempt us. And they tend to be the only lies that good people tell while imagining that they are being good in the process.

You’ve got until the end of the day, but don’t put it off — get it now!

I’m hanging out at Hacklab in Kensington Market, not far from Queen Street West, on the Friday of the Civic Holiday long weekend. I think this best summarizes things in Accordion City right now:

I’m not complaining.

Found via I Fucking Love Science.

And now, some shotgun videos that I found amusing. Don’t worry, none of these videos show anyone getting hurt…much.

A Tribute to Grandpa

It’s one thing to have your cremated remains spread over a place you loved, but it’s even more awesome to have them blasted from a shotgun. I may have to consider updating my will.

Behold the Power of Recoil, Part 1

Newton’s Second Law is a harsh taskmistress.

Behold the Power of Recoil, Part 2

Pistol-grip shotguns are an indispensable tool for “softening up the room” in the Grand Theft Auto games, but they’re not as easy to hold in real life, even if you’re a trained soldier.

Behold the Power of Recoil, Part 3

What happens when you try to hold a shotgun with a straight stock pistol-style? You get a free physics lesson.

Behold the Power of Recoil, Alcohol and Speedos

Letting someone catch him on video in a Speedo was his first mistake.

The dolphin puts in the effort to make a special marriage proposal sign and what does his girlfriend do? She kisses his best friend right in front of him.

A simple “no” would’ve been kinder.

Accordion City has plenty of maps that show where you can find its notable sights and sounds, but what about its smells? The CBC has put together a map of the better and worse smelling parts of town, and they’re inviting the public to suggest locations. If someone hasn’t done it yet, I’m going to add the wonderful smell of the Kit Kat factory just north of Dundas between Roncey and Lansdowne.