Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Nicole,
Happy Birthday to you!

Woah.  I have a 24 year old daughter.  Now that is scary.

Woundwart notes the age gauge.  It tells me: "You were...  25 years old when Apple introduced the Macintosh" So be it :)

Hey, we have a new planet!  (or something...)  There's a new kid in town, named UB313, which orbits our Sun and is larger than Pluto.  First we had Quaoar, then Sedna, and now this - clearly the whole planet definition thing needs to be looked at.  I actually think all of them are Kuiper objects and probably not really planets... 

P.S. Score another one for Caltech.  We can't play football, but we can find planets :)

P.P.S. However, we can't find our way down Mount Wilson in the dark.  Without flashlights.

BW: Top ten hybrid myths.  #10 is "Hybrids are a Fad".  That is clearly a myth :)  Here in Southern California many freeways have a diamond lane, the left lane can only be used by vehicles with two or more people in them - or, by hybrids.  A very cool law, IMHO. 

The Sailing Simulator!  Very cool.  I was able to hit 8 knots to weather in 17 knots, how about you?  [ via The Horse's Mouth ] 

So what do you think, Is it time to revamp the periodic table?  (One approach is shown at right; it looks a bit like the solar system including Kuiper belt objects...)  This is one of those vexing problems that nag at you every day, isn't it :) 

Here are more awesome pictures from science, posted at Princeton's website.  Just amazing.  [ via Cory Doctorow ] 

Okay, more beautiful pictures, this time from the Harbin ice festival in China!  I have to say it - this is SO COOL!  Check it out, you'll be amazed... 

Here's good news: Randall Parker reports Brain Enhancement Drugs Headed to Market.  Primarily memory enhancers, but also some other things that I can't quite remember... 

Maybe after I use brain enhancement drugs, I'll be able to fully comprehend quantum physics.  Until then, it seems too weird to be true.  Bram Cohen (author of Bittorrent) illustrates the weirdness perfectly with hisquantum duelist.  "After entering and locking the black box, the Quantum Duelist flips a coin.  If it comes up heads, he turns to the right, if it comes up tails, he turns to the left.  Either way, he then takes ten paces forwards, turns around, and fires a gun straight ahead.  According to quantum mechanics, after the black box is opened, there's some chance that the duelist will be lying on the floor ten paces to the left, dead from a gunshot between the eyes fired by himself at a distance of twenty paces."  Riiight.