Jewish date: 23 Marḥeshwan 5771 (Parashath Toledhoth).
Today’s quasi-holiday: Halloween.
Worthy causes of the day: “Call on ABC News to drop Andrew Breitbart”, “Tell ABC News: Don't give Andrew Breitbart a platform to spread his lies.”, “Jewish Rights on the Temple Mount - Petition Spot”, “Unite Deserving Dads and Their Children! - The Petition Site”, “Stop Iceland's Cruel Whale Slaughter - Take Action Today @ The Rainforest Site”, “Stop the Yellowstone Bison Slaughter - Take Action Today @ The Animal Rescue Site”, and “Take Action: The Senate Must Act!”.
I would like to apologize for having not posted anything for about three weeks. This is has been due to two factors: 1) I have had a respiratory infection, which is not conducive to getting much of anything done. 2) I have been working on a review of Robert Graves’s The White Goddess, which is a decidedly nontrivial book. Having reached a stage where the review is more or less presentable, I present it without further adieu on Divine Misconceptions and resume posting here, too.
Today’s news and commentary:
- “It’s alive! New computer learns language like a human, almost.”
- “Is killing yourself adaptive? That depends: An evolutionary theory about suicide”
- “Lay Rescuers: Try CPR without Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation”
- “Love Lessens Pain”
- “The True Size of Africa”
- “No high-tech high five, this robot uses a beanbag for a hand”
- “Shark Bytes: How and Where Sharks Attack”
- “Vans drive themselves across the world - Rome to China without a prang”
- “WHEN BAD TASTES GOOD: DISCOVERY OF TASTE RECEPTORS IN THE LUNGS COULD HELP PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA BREATHE EASIER”: I cannot make up something like this either.
- “What does HIV sound like? [Audio]”
- “Have a Heart: Donate Your Pacemaker”
Image which Zemanta thought was relevant via WikipediaAaron
