Jupiter takes one for the Gipper!

Jupiter does its stuff!

You may have heard about the planet Jupiter's altruistic ways, how it protects the Earth from gigantic planet-killing rocks by flinging them back out of the solar system, using its mighty, mighty gravity.

Actually there's some debate about this. Spoil sport astronomers (the same ones that demoted Pluto from being a planet no doubt. Jerks!) like to point out that, while Jupiter does a good job of catching asteroids rocketing in from the depths of space, it also has this habit of bumping into friendly, stable rocks already here, sending them in our direction.

But, however that may be, our planetary big-brother did take a bullet for us the other day.  While the ever-ready amateur astronomers accidentally watched on March 17th, something smashed into Jupiter and blew up!

Thanks, bro!

Fined for not paying your fine right

The Austrian national motto: "Pay up!"

I get the feeling Austria is a rather uptight country. What makes me think that? Well, if you are assessed a fine in Austria, not only do you have to pay it, you have to pay it precisely.  Paying less than required will get you in trouble, of course. And paying more than your fine... will get you fined!

Kids, don't try this at home!

Noticing the current trend of trusting the news more if it's delivered by comedians, ABC News decided to try some of that hilarious Bad Lip-Reading on the Prime Minister of Canada. But they really should have practiced more first.

Click here for more!

Civilization encroaches on the beer can house

The man who built the famous (?) Ft. Worth beer can house is moving. You can't stop progress and what was once a quiet residential neighborhood is now chock full of development. In fact, his is the last home left on the street.

But never fear! The unstoppable Louis Torres vows that thanks to his prodigious beer drinking abilities a new and better beer can house will rise from... well, from the normal looking house he's moving into.

An Easter Poem

WHEN A GOOD MAN GOES TO WAR


Demons run when a good man goes to war,

Night will fall and drown the sun when a good man goes to war.

Friendship dies and true love lies,

Night will fall and the dark will rise when a good man goes to war.

Demons run but count the cost,

The battle’s won but the child is lost,

The fight goes on but what’s it for when a good man goes to war.

Now rise the sun, now dawn the day!

When good men run and women stay.

When battle’s done and nothing’s won

It’s a woman’s work to say,

"Well then, soldier, how goes the day?"



Steven Moffat

A better way to escape a riptide??

Milton & Michael: Two old hippies who might save your life

Photo by Ken Harrison

Earlier in the week I wrote about how to spot a riptide and the official government way to escape one. But thanks to an alert reader on Reddit (where the world comes to spew its wisdom) I now know that there is an alternative, countercultural method to free yourself from a riptide if one is trying to drag you to your doom.  And it's being spread far and wide by the 2 old surfer hippies pictured above.

Their message in a nutshell: Don't swim parallel to the beach, swim toward the waves.

For more details, click here.

Meanwhile, the French invent something wonderful!

French science hard at work!

Photo by la Nouvelle République

The french are geniuses! While we slave away on space ships and robot cars, they've created the marvel of the modern age: The steak and sausage machine!  Hopefully, there will soon be one on every street corner as part of our long-promised Jetsons-like future.

But in case you're wondering, France does have its share of epic outer space adventures that have never been equaled.