Or so says this crazy, ranting lunatic.

Bug Girl’s Blog: “Stupidity….there’s an app for that” is a skeptical look at an iTouch/iPhone app to repel mosquitoes.

Biological ramblings talks about this cool thing that shrikes do. Do you know about the shrikes? It’s cool.

Below the fold. Because that’s where it belongs.
Continue reading Hide in a box or climb on the flying saucer? Decisions decisions. →

Pseudoscience, quackery, and the swine flu.

An Epidemic of Fear: How Panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers Us All

Back in the 1990s, Khristian Oliver (that’s an interesting name) was robbing a man’s home. That man had a rifle to defend his home from robbers, but Khristian took the rifle from him, shot him in the face, and then used the rifle to beat him to death. In this way, the murdered man became one more example of how useful it is to own guns to defend yourself.

But that’s not the interesting part of this story.
Continue reading The Bible says “If ye take a man’s rifle and beat him to death with it, ye shall be put to death” … in Texas. →

Consisting of the many and varied robotic spacecraft exploring our Solar System and parts beyond, the IREL soldiers on tirelessly, often in obscurity and in conditions that would make even the most hardy of human beings question their resolve, all to provide us with the data necessary to enhance our understanding of the Universe. They may only be robots, but they give every ounce of circuitry in the service of completing their missions, in many cases going above and beyond the call of duty to return useful measurements long after their designed operational lifetimes. Join me now as we take a look around the league.

… and Essay at Quiche Moraine.

… I’d still slam the door on their faces.

Hat tip: Atheist Media Blog

How the Perception of an Intact Body Can Go Awry

Twin Cities Skeptics and Minneapolis Skeptics present: “Phantom limbs, alien hand syndrome, the rubber hand illusion…How the Perception of an Intact Body Can Go Awry…”

Details here.

I took this photograph not using a telephoto lens, and not using angry bees for protection. But there was a 5 meter high electrified concrete and steel fence.

But for how long? Consider this report on PhysOrg:

Elephants’ fear of angry bees could help to protect them from PhysOrg.com
At a time when encroaching human development in former wildlife areas has compressed African elephants into ever smaller home ranges and increased levels of human-elephant conflict, a study in the October 9th issue of Current Biology suggests that strategically placed beehives might offer a low-tech elephant deterrent and conservation measure.

[…]

Continue reading Bees Make Elephants Beat It →

I’ve heard it does. I just put Lizzie‘s disk drive in my freezer. What is going to happen next?

Here is the web site.

OK, I’m going to go write something.

Read this essay by Mike, and watch the following video. There will be a quiz.

I do make the absolute best pumpkin pie, which I am reminded of because of this recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie. There is a very large extended family with whom we have had Thanksgiving for the last few years and they have come to rely on my pies. But since Offspring is expected to be borned within a few days of Thanksgiving this year, they should make a backup plan.