Public Domain Image of the Day

You know he's a good doctor on account of the big bucket o' pills.

public-domain.zorger.com

Public Domain Image Of The Day

Dugong. Pretty much says it all.

[Old Book Illustrations]

Évariste Galois - Proving Mathematically That You Can Be Dead By 21

Chances are Galois is one of the most amazing people you have never heard of. The early 19 th century French mathematician led a short but substantial life. By the age of 20 he had surpassed such famous mathematicians as Legendre and Fourier in terms of ingenuity in the field, and his work still forms the foundation of modern abstract algebra.

However, by the age of 21, he was dead. He died in a duel, possibly over a lover. It begs the question, if Galois was so smart, why did he challenge his killer to a duel? Why wouldn't he just use his mental prowess to commit murder in some undetectable way? Is this a case for book vs. street smarts?

We could point to many people today who attempt to kill others (and succeed) without putting their lives in jeopardy. Undoubtedly, the majority of these people could not evaluate a permutation let alone be the first to conceptualize a new field of mathematics from it. They do, however, manage to stay alive.

Did Galois simply lack street smarts?

Or, perhaps, honor is simply on the decline?

(Note: This post was penned by my good friend, The Loble. If we are lucky, this won't be the last.)

Deep Space Eyeball

Tell me this doesn't look like a giant blue eye. Seriously, just try to tell me that. In fact, it is the Helix Nebula.

This image came from a kickass collection over at the HubbleSite Gallery.

Prefab House on a Pole

After my recent post about the semi-submerged aquatic habitat, I started thinking about other interesting dwellings that I would like to live in. Then I recalled having seen this a month or two back: Single Hauz, from Front Architects of Poland (their homepage is in Polish). The Single Hauz looks like this:

I figure you could chain up a Jelly-fish 45 to one of these, and then cut it loose whenever you need to "get away."


Read more about this this at Wired, BLDG BLG, and Gizmodo.

Awesome Picture

Think You Are Tough?

I'll bet this guy would disagree with you.


Image from this site.

248 Dimensions In Your Face!

This is the graphic representation of an abstract 248-dimensional structure, described thusly in a Discover Magazine article:

After 120 years of puzzling, mathematicians have mapped out the most complex abstract structure ever conceived, a 248-dimensional representation called the Lie group E8, first predicted in 1887 by Norwegian math genius Sophus Lie. A major theoretical triumph, the result may also hold the key to a unified theory of physics.

Pretty trippy, right? If you want to get more in depth with this, you can visit this site.

Dangers of Kansas

After my recent post about the nature of tornadoes in Kansas, I decided that it would be a good kickoff to a new series: Dangers of Kansas. This series will cover a broad range of topics - from natural occurrences to human events.

A notable problem associated with the human population in Kansas is a psychological disorder, most commonly known as "flatland hysteria." Several other terms are frequently used, such as "the plain crazies," and "prairie madness." However, the modern usage of "prairie madness" should not be confused with past usages, such as the one described here.

Today, this illness usually manifests itself in one of two ways:

• The first is an intense, euphoric mania. It is characterized by severely blurred vision, rosacea, and an almost total inability to sleep or stop vibrating.
• The second involves more of a stupor. It is accompanied by apocalyptic visions, unhappy orifice, and of course, excessive number three.
  

The illness appears to some degree in around 20% of the Kansas population. However, this number has been on a steady rise over the past 30 years, and it has researchers concerned. Some evolutionary biologists have suggested that the modern form of of flatland hysteria is a genetic artifact of the original prairie madness, as historically, those who were considered the most "mad," were also those who were most likely to risk the long venture across the vast, deadly wasteland to find a mate. No matter what the origins of the illness, there can be no doubt that it poses a serious threat to the political, economic, and human health of the State of Kansas.

Do You Trust Your Local Meat Dealer?

Do you trust your local meat dealer? Heck, do you even know your local meat dealer? If you are like me, you don't know him, and you damn sure don't trust him. Which brings me to my concern:


The thoughts this brings to my mind are horrifying. To think, all a terrorist operation would have to do would be to operate several local meat merchants, and then they would have all the explosives they need. This is why I am calling on all Americans to be sure and dispose of their waste fats the American way: yourself. Don't let anything get between you and your waste fats - especially not some shifty-eyed meat dealer.

My New Glacier

Well, it isn't actually mine. But, the pictured glacier was recently named after me. This was done because I saved it from "glacier harvesters," which is something of a cross between a poacher of endangered species and a rainforest arsonist.

It's located in Glacier Bay, Alaska. As you can see, it's a real mammoth. It crushes a dozen boats a year on average, with its record-setting calving. It has produced 5 out of the 10 largest icebergs currently floating in Earth's oceans. It is also thought to be responsible for causing some massive tsunamis discovered in the fossil record, and there is serious scientific concern that another such disaster could cause catastrophic damage today, especially when considering the large numbers of oil tankers and nuclear vessels that use the nearby waters. Look out Man, Mother Nature isn't taking anymore shit from you.

To learn more, visit the National Snow and Ice Data Center's page about glaciers, or visit the National Park Service's site about Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

Tornadoes are no joke.

I know that it is very fashionable these days to joke about tornadoes. I hear kids at the mall throwing around the term "F5" like it means nothing at all. Well it does mean something - just ask anyone from Kansas (as am I). Kansans face the threat of deadly tornadoes every single day of their lives. For many residents, it isn't financially feasible to live in a solid-frame house. The constant devastation has driven many poor dirt-farmers to simply live in cheap tee-pees, pitched directly over the entrance to a deep underground tornado shelter. Most Kansans will spend roughly 35% of their lives in some sort of tornado shelter - or will die trying to get there. So, the next time you hear someone make some flippant comment about tornadoes, you set them straight. You tell them: Tornadoes are no joke.

Suck on that, Grandpa!

You know, sometimes I find Post Secret to be kind of depressing - but not always: