I used to check the Recent Quake List regularly (it used to usually have about ten entries—Note that they’ve given up on updating it with St Helens data for now; there’s apparently just too much activity). If St Helens is going to be engaging in this kind of nonsense, I’ll have to check in more frequently.

Update: Current news can be found here.

Maybe this will be one of those things where you hear about it for the first time and then see it everywhere: fake trees as cell towers. Even a giant pencil would be more fun than the big green-painted metal cylinder down the street from my house.

If there’s one thing we collectively love, it’s visions of the future from history. Here are some visions of future transportation.

Loyal reader John (who gets bonus points for making me look up the work “fossick”) recommends the entertaining article by Christopher Buckley, “The Roquefort Wars.” If even Republicans aren’t happy, is anyone enthused about voting for W? I also do not recommend making choices based on the behavior of Michael Moore

I finally figured out how to use/had a browser that did the right things with the MLA’s Language Map. It demonstrates that I moved from one hotbed of Russian speakers to within shouting distance of another. Well, walking distance, anyway.

This one’s not on Quizilla, even, and it’s old enough that the characteristics might be out of date. Regardless, here’s my result:

Which OS are You?

Sarah says:

Does this mean we’re incompatible?

We have trains that tilt, but ours can’t (yet) go 125 mph, dammit. I would dearly love to make the Portland run in fewer parsecs.

Inspired by Susan Juby’s vacation, I’m eyeing vintage trailers. Mmmmm, another expensive and bulky hobby! But if you just want to visit, try Shady Dell.

What a great idea for a baby gift: customized white-noise CD! This guy used a hairdrier, but other babies I know might enjoy clothes drier, Volvo, old gas furnace, or freeway whoosh.

Yes, the kids are back in school and the germ soup is bubbling away- it’s time to start fruitlessly avoiding colds. The CDC and the American Society for Microbiology have some hand-washing tips to help you:
“Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Lather well. Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 10 to 15 seconds. Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails. Rinse well. Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.”
They also recommend that crazy turn-off-the-tap-with-the-towel thing which never works out for me. They also like those alcohol-based hand sanitizers.