Sometimes all the pop culture in my life ties together.

So I am a little over halfway through this EPIC series called the Baroque trilogy by Neal Stephenson which is about, among many other things, the battle between Newton and Leibenz as to who exactly invented calculus. Through this I am learning far more about British and French history pre American revolution but post Elizabeth I (which is sort of a blank area in pop culture even though there were some awesome king beheadings) than I ever have, well ever. And I am learning so much about the effects of mercury poisoning (TURNS YOU GREY). Apparently Newton was super big into alchemy and was obsessed with finding the philosophic mercury, that essence that is both what gives us consciousness and proves gods hand in the world. And this meant playing around with lots of normal mercury. And drinking it. While the book is fiction this whole Newton/alchemy thing is true and I highly recommend the series if you have a three or four months of your life to spare.
Which ties into Speed the Plow and Jeremy Pivin who has quit the show due to MERCURY POISIONING. Mamet has possibly the best quote ever in response: "I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury. So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer." I thought Piven was great but the person who could possibly even greater is William H. Macy who is replacing him! I wasn’t that keen on the show over all but I am super intrigued by the prospect of Macy. As well as understudy Norbert Leo Butz. All three of these actors are so different and if I had $50 to throw away on rush tickets I might just see it two more times just out of curiosity.
Which ties into SNOW. As in, cocaine. As in thats probably what the mercury poisoning is. And as in what is going on outside my window at the moment (frozen water not illicit substances).