Category Archives: Science/Engineering

Home protection

A friend who has a license-to-carry—mainly because he’s in the diamond business—was the other evening extolling the virtues of the AK-47 for home protection. I said what do you want that peasant gun for, when you could have a nice M-4?

Upon which he began a woeful tale of reduced powder in the 5.56 cartridges, and why the 7.62 has more stopping power. Nevertheless, I like the Tavor TAR-21, made by Israeli Weapons Industry Ltd., much better. Compact enough to fit under the night stand, too.

Via Simply Jews.

The principle of mediocrity

I love this notion. Just the name is compelling. The mediocre. The average.

More on it here, and here and, uh, here. Heh.

Flood

Frightening. Plausible. Sad. I couldn’t stop reading, until the Kindle battery ran down and I had to let it charge for a while. Like no flood story ever. I liked the characters, well, the likable ones. But even the unlikable ones resonated. No question I’ll be moving on to the sequel Ark. And many more of Stephen Baxter’s works.

Killer Whale pump jack

pumpjackAnother winner from Luling, home of such things as well as lots of watermelons—including a watermelon water tower.

Melatonin and Vitamin C

Planning my trip to Israel in early October. I’m told to expect the weather to be much like Texas, a little warmer, maybe, but not much. I am wondering how big a melatonin pill I need to start taking 1-3 days before the flight? Also how much Vitamin C to ward off the colds and other contagious stuff floating around in the airliner’s cabin? Cogitate, cogitate.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

Run for your lives. The Mars Hoax is back. Coming to a forwarded email near you.

The plastic cycle of life

Plastic bags, which I greatly prefer to paper (which has a tendency to get wet and fall apart, dropping everything in the street) are under assault everywhere these days. Particularly in (where else) California, home of Queen Nancy, the botox pol a majority of us know and despise. So this little “mockumentary” is more affecting than even its producers realize. Plastic or paper? Plastic, of course. Have some compassion. Help those little bags get out to sea with their pals. Don’t let them die!!!