One Day I'll Be This Nerdy

http://geoff.greer.fm/2009/06/17/hostnames/

RIAA Paid $16M+ In Legal Fees To Collect $391K

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/07/13/2024228/RIAA-Paid-16M-In-Legal-Fees-To-Collect-391K?art_pos=4

"In a rare outburst of subjectivity, I commenced my blog post 'Ha ha ha ha ha' when reporting that, based upon the RIAA's disclosure form for 2008, it had paid its lawyers more than $16,000,000 to recover $391,000. If they were doing it to 'send a message,' the messages have been received loud & clear: (1) the big four record labels are managed by idiots; (2) the RIAA's law firms have as much compassion for their client as they do for the lawsuit victims; (3) suing end users, or alleged end users, is a losing game. I don't know why p2pnet.net begrudges the RIAA's boss his big compensation; he did a good job... for the lawyers."

The Oh-My-God Particle

http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/OhMyGodParticle/

On the night of October 15, 1991, the Fly's Eye detected a proton with an energy of 3.2±0.9×10²⁰ electron volts.[1,2] By comparison, the recently-canceled Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) would have accelerated protons to an energy of 20 TeV, or 2×10¹³ electron volts—ten million times less. The energy of the Oh My God particle seen by the Fly's Eye is equivalent to 51 joules—enough to light a 40 watt light bulb for more than a second—equivalent, in the words of Utah physicist Pierre Sokolsky, to “a brick falling on your toe.” The particle's energy is equivalent to an American baseball travelling fifty-five miles an hour.

Lego Hello World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX09WnGU6ZY

Great Gummi Project

http://www.pimpthatsnack.com/project/366/

Microwave Popcorn

I eat a lot of microwave popcorn.  A few weeks ago I read somewhere the microwaving a cup of water first would improve the popcorn.  I usually pretty skeptical of people claiming better tastes for stuff that shouldn't matter.  However, it did seem like the steam could help keep the popcorn moist.  Either way I tried it and it does seem to work.  It could be psychological, but I've been too lazy to conduct a double blind study.  The stuff I've read online recommended one cup for one minute.  I've been doing a cup for three minutes, figuring that if it is steam that would lead to more steam.  Then quickly switching the popcorn bag in (quickly to prevent a lot of steam from escaping).

Anyway, here is a thread where it is discussed.  They seem to attribute it to the steam or the preheated components (or it being hogwash).
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=526750

To the Supercave

http://failuremag.com/index.php/site/print/to_the_supercave/

Feces, garbage bags, destroyed apartment, insanity.

A great story about a dude's roommate that goes insane.  I've read it years ago, but it's good enough to reread from time to time.  The first five parts are the actual story.  The next four are answers to questions.

http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_1.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_2.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_3.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_4.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_5.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_6.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_7.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_8.aspx
http://www.wyseguys.com/blog/articles/shitty_roommate_9.aspx

Here's the original thread (although the above links are much better for reading):
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=1353420

Spam

http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/archive/2749/27491501.jpg

Key point:
35 million spam emails sent = 28 people who bought stuff.  We can all blame our spam on those 28 people.

If the Earth Stood Still

http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0610/nospin.html