There's some interesting news news from the International Astronomical Union this morning. They may be about to settle on the definition of a planet...and there are more of them than you think. (For those of you who don't remember this stuff, you're supposed to think there are nine of them.) The sticking point has been the most distant planet, Pluto. We've been calling it a … [Read more...] about Pluto and Friends
Nikon D80
This is probably a great idea: That's Nikon's just-announced D80 digital SLR. From what I can tell, it's the 10 megapixel imaging technology from my D200 repackaged into a D70-style body for consumer pricing. It's probably slower, lighter, and less rugged, but it's definitely cheaper, with an MSRP of $999.95 for the body. Here's a bit of information about it from Nikon: … [Read more...] about Nikon D80
DEA at MSI
I took a few hours yesterday to drive down to one of my long-time favorite places in Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry.Chicago Museum of Science and Industry I haven't been there in years, and I wasn't exactly looking forward to this. That's because I wasn't there to see the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit. I was there to see this:Closed Doors at Target … [Read more...] about DEA at MSI
This Ain’t World War III
A bunch of people out there, mostly from the right wing, have started referring to the collection of Middle East conflicts as "World War III." That's nonsense. Not because this couldn't be the start of another world war—who can tell?—but because we've already had World War III. We called it the Cold War. Sure, it didn't result in a world-wide eruption of total … [Read more...] about This Ain’t World War III
“It’d be better if I had cancer”
"It'd be better if I had cancer, then you wouldn't tell me what I'm going through is just a phase...You wouldn't see my condition as a lack of willpower, but the disease that it truly is." So begins one of the new public service announcements from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America—the geniuses who brought you "This is your brain on drugs." They also have apparent … [Read more...] about “It’d be better if I had cancer”