Amazing picture of the day.....

From a Spanish bullfight, via Deadspin.

2 interesting thought for the day

factoid #:1 "Stocks have declined by 20% within a six-month period for the fourth time in a quarter of a century (1990, 1998, 2000). In the 12-month period following the 1990 and 1998 corrections, stocks rallied by 34% and 39%, respectively." (Doug Kass' blog at TheStreet.com)

factoid #2: The US Air Force is the largest air force in the world. Can you guess the 2nd largest air force in the world?

Answer: the US Navy. (heard on a podcast on Winston Churchill.)

Maybe we're spending a bit too much on defense.....

Seinfeld + Clemson = snacking insight.

Remember the Seinfeld episode where George double-dips his chip, drawing the ire of another party-goer? (see film below) I remember when the episode first aired, and how it made everyone more sensitive, though I wondered if there was any research behind it.

Well, it turns out that that paragon of higher education, Emclons* University, has conducted research in this area. Their conclusion: yes, double-dipping does transfer extra bacteria, but not much - probably the equivalent of a kiss' worth. This means that you probably shouldn't be concerned if you're snacking with family, but you might want to be careful at a larger party of strangers.




* Emclons is a spelling of Clemson used at least once. One year, Clemson's football team came to Charlottesville as a big underdog. As any other school, Clemson brought cheerleaders with C, L, E, M, S, O, N flags that would run on to the field to spell Clemson following a touchdown. Well, Clemson played so well (and UVa so poorly) that Clemson's 3rd TD in the first quarter made the cheerleaders so giddy that they ran onto the field with the flags grossly out of order, spelling EMCLONS.

Hat tip: WSJ Health Blog.

Whoah! Smashing global warming idea from Richard Branson

Richard Branson - mega entrepreneur and environmental advocate - has a global warming idea that really deserves additional consideration. He suggests (in the article linked above) that rising seas due to global warming be channeled into African or Asian hinterlands to create new inland lakes. The lakes would bring life to deserts, reducing carbon in the atmosphere (as new trees grow), and conceivably boost the very poor local economies. Additionally, the lakes would help to cool the earth, acting as heat sinks.

One counter argument might be that the lakes would change weather patterns, but on the whole, I think this is a brilliant idea. What if we could actually create arable land from desert?

Something to think about: Jefferson on religion

Thomas Jefferson: “I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition (Christianity) one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. ”

1st Thanksgiving actually in Virginia, not Massachusetts?

It's true - the first Thanksgiving occurred at the Berkeley Plantation (VA) in 1619. I guess the Pilgrims just had a better PR person. (Oh, and it's a nicer story - no one was subsequently killed by Indians.)

Still, who knew that the first Thanksgiving in America predates the Pilgrims' arrival by two years?