I’m so proud of Australia 15 Jun 2010 We’re best at car thefts. Beats those wussy Kiwis, who are only best at half shell mussels. [But, those who eat such things report, they are good.] The UK: CCTV. Germany, solar panels. France: Sugar beet[!] Guess what the US is best at… [Hat tip John Lynch, who is from Ireland: Quality of Life. And he left, the fool! To move to Arizona!] Australian stuff Humor
Ecology and Biodiversity Watch out for the crocs, you drunks! 10 Nov 2007 When people visit Australia, we locals like to play up the dangers, like the most poisonous snakes and spiders, poisonous jellyfish, sharks, the drop bears, and of course the crocs. Very few of these are actually dangerous, in that with a bit of sensible precaution and awareness, you can avoid… Read More
Humor More on black and white physics 14 Jul 200818 Sep 2017 Language Log has a very nice summary of the reasons why some holes are black, and some are white. Read More
Evolution The World According to Genesis: Moral Knowledge 6 Jun 200724 Nov 2022 Like any middle eastern deity, YHWHW Elohim is a fairly petty individual. He doesn’t want competition from his creations, so he blocks access to the “Tree of Life”, which is a magical tree whose fruit can make you live forever. We have two magical trees, a corporeal deity of limited knowledge and good will, a snake that talks and has intentions like any trickster god to thwart the designs of the deity, and a justification for wearing clothes, which is not a matter just of shame, but of intended purpose. Read More
Sugar beats! 🙂 Actually, France went into sugar beet cultivation during Napoleon reign, because the Englishs dominated the sea and thus sugar cane transports (though not only, but we speak sweet). The plant Stevia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia) may shade the future of Sugar beet sometimes from now…