Friday, January 28, 2011

this week in information (1/28)

I heart the Information Is Beautiful website, especially for their supplement data, and this latest work about horoscope patterning is no exception. Your unique and specific horoscope? Hardly. Be sure to check out the meta-horoscope: good for all star signs! ...except, you know, Ophiuchus. Tip o' the BS Meter to Phil Plait (my always-source for all things pro-science and pro-real) for this one.

In too-good-to-be-true news, Bounce fabric softener sheets do NOT in fact keep mosquitoes away -but they have some success with fungus gnats! And, seeing as how fungus gnats are assholes and really annoying, that's wicked cool! Of course, mosquitoes are actually life-threatening in some areas, what with the malaria and West Nile and all, so it's really scary that the media is reporting this research incorrectly and implying people could forgo actual protection for fabric softener sheets... Yikes.

Holy shit, I agree with the pope about something!! Of course, I disagree with the fundamentals behind his beliefs, but the point remains valid: people have unreasonable expectations and often need counseling and not everyone should get married. Whoa. It's a freaking miracle!!

It's here! It's here! That shocking time of year! When tons of strained bipartisan thoughts miraculously appear! Yes, this week the President gave his State of the Union Address, which means that it was time once again for the State of the Union Address Drinking Game, 2011!!! (another version here)

Speaking of the SotU, check out these word clouds of such speeches, past and current.

European crack-down on "alternative" pet remedies (homeopathy: there's nothing to it!). Remember: if it worked it wouldn't be called alternative, it would just be medicine.

Athletes sued for being stupid.
Wait, how were athletes ever successful BEFORE they started wearing stupid meaningless necklaces or bracelets?
If the bracelets ARE giving them an edge, they should be disqualified for performance enhancing substances. But since there's absolutely no mechanism or science behind the company's claims regarding holograms and "energy flow," maybe famous people should just stop spreading false information and dangerous bullshit. Maybe. In a perfect world.

WHOA beauty! A national parks picture made up of other national parks pictures? Wicked awesome, NatGeo, wicked awesome.

WHOA solar flares!

Aaaaaaand, Tree Lobsters rock my BOOBS.

Happy weekend.

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