Open thread
Posted on May 16, 2006 by jason
Wow! Go look at this photo taken from Arvin, CA of the setting sun and an approaching comet. Again: Wow!
Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 is now in at least 58 visible pieces. This truly is a spectacular sky show. With binoculars, a telescope, or even the naked eye if that’s all that’s available, it’s worth a view. Note that augmented vision provides the best presentation.
Birds in the News 58 (v2n9) is up and once again has all sorts of good stuff. The photos are definitely worthwhile (check out the golden eagle, and tell me if you don’t chuckle at that owl photo…), but it’s also got lots of interesting news including this very important new find: “Scientists have discovered that migrating dragonflies and songbirds exhibit many of the same behaviors, suggesting the rules that govern such long-distance travel may be simpler and more ancient than was once thought.” There’s a lot more.
The scope of Dubya’s domestic spying just keeps getting broader. Now, it involves specifically monitoring the press. It’s apparently intended to catch the media’s confidential sources. OK, we can add “freedom of the press” to the list of civil rights and liberties lost to our country. I smell a rogue executive…
Go take the National Geographic 2006 literacy test. It’s fun, educational if you miss one, and won’t take very long at all. It covers more than geographic knowledge.
Grand Rounds Vol. 2, No. 34: the best of the medical blogosphere from the last week. I found a lot of good information and enlightening views of medicine in this one.
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8 Responses to “Open thread”
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xocobra
May 19, 2006
don’t you have to be 18-24 yrs of age to answer the national geographic questions correctly?
jason
May 19, 2006
Um, no. I’ll be 36 this winter and scored perfectly on the test. I just ran through it again to be certain, but there’s nothing specific to age. Where the hell did that come from?
xocobra
May 19, 2006
i know how OLD you will be. It came from the bottom after you answer the question. When it checks it for you, it shows you how the group of 18-24 yr olds answered it. pay attention would you mr smarty perfection pants
jason
May 19, 2006
Oh, I saw that. Sorry, I didn’t realize that’s what you were referring to.
I imagine that’s based on their magazine readership or a poll done independent of the online test. Correct me if I’m wrong, but they don’t say what information supports that declaration.
xocobra
May 19, 2006
oh why would i correct an old friend like you? I would think that would get old of me continually correcting or just talking about old things.
jason
May 19, 2006
Smartass! Paging Dr. House…
Well, if I didn’t love you so much I’d verbally lash you for such insolence. Or is that orally lash you? I always get those confused.
xocobra
May 19, 2006
what about verbally oral?
xocobra
May 19, 2006
what about verbally oral lashing?