Well, the last order dates for the holidays have passed, and Santa's final sacks of festive MOOs are filling up fast. We're still taking new orders though, and we'll be shipping them out as fast as we can - so don't hesitate to order thank you cards for all your lovely pressies!

Just so you know, here's our warehouse and customer service closure dates over the holiday season.( More )

http://feeds.theonion.com/~r/theonion/weekly/~3/TY-SmR3nmDY/classmates_com_employees

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/classmates_com_employees?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

SEATTLE—Employees at Classmates.com—an online service that enables users to find and communicate with people from their past for a...

http://feeds.theonion.com/~r/theonion/weekly/~3/mGdhZIu7yh4/average_american_consumes_34

http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/average_american_consumes_34?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

A study from the University of California, San Diego, reports that each day the average American takes in 34 gigabytes of data. What do you...

http://feeds.theonion.com/~r/theonion/weekly/~3/LIX7bsXXC-4/tina_turner_burns_down_legs_for

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/tina_turner_burns_down_legs_for?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

LOS ANGELES—Police officers arrested Tina Turner this week on suspicion of arson, reckless endangerment, and insurance fraud, following allegations that the legendary R&B singer burned down her legs for financial gain.

My WD My Book that I've had for a couple of years seems to have died. It's trying to read the disk, I think, but it's making a lot of clicking noises and quietly beeping and the WD diagnostic software can't see it to test it so I'm assuming it's dead. That's the bad news.

The good news is that I didn't lose anything essential. I did have some things that were only on the My Book but they weren't important and if I can't get them back, oh well.

Now I'm thinking about using an online backup system so I'm here looking for advice. I'd prefer a free one but I'm willing to pay for more security or better features.

Does anyone here use one? Have you tried different ones and have a favorite? Are they easy to use? Are they really secure?

Thanks.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2009/1218/Sticking-points-for-a-Copenhagen-global-warming-pact

A key issue blocking a Copenhagen global warming pact from being finalized is whether the agreement would be legally binding, or – more likely – a political deal.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2009/1218/Obama-cracks-the-whip-at-Copenhagen-global-warming-talks

At Copenhagen global warming talks, President Obama urged heads of state to agree on a new pact this weekend and move beyond 'the same stale arguments' that countries have rehashed for 20 years.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2009/1218/US-drones-in-Pakistan-kill-at-least-20-in-barrage-of-attacks

US drones launched missiles into North Waziristan in Pakistan in a barrage of attacks Thursday and Friday. It was one of the largest such attacks in the controversial program the Obama administration has continued and intensified.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2009/1218/Predator-drone-download-by-Iraqi-insurgents-wasn-t-hacking

A Wall Street Journal story on the apparent ability of Iraqi insurgents to intercept video surveillance taken by the US military's $4 million predator drones has attracted intense interest. But the vulnerability of the transmissions has long been understood, and the intercepts weren't really "hacks."

Various methods of commuting home from work.

Salavan Town, Lao PDR
8 Dec 09
Nikon D5000

They set up a mobile market behind my house, so I went over to check it out. These girls thought my camera was quite something!

7 December 09
Nikon D5000
Salavan Town, Salavan Province, Lao PDR

Kids playing with toy cars.

6 December 09
Pakse, Champasak Province
Nikon D5000

Three more days to the SEA Games. Well, since I'm posting this on the last day of the big sporting event, it's a look back in history.

Morning Market
5 December 09
Nikon D5000

I bought a whole bunch of these wild foam animals from an old man and his granddaughter.

4 December 2009
Vientiane, near the Morning Market
Canon IXUS 980 IS

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/scienceblogs/pharyngula/~3/BmistwXz7U4/the_bottom_line.php

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/12/the_bottom_line.php

Isn't this what the global warming debate is actually all about?

Read the comments on this post...

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/scienceblogs/pharyngula/~3/g4Y_xznA8DU/real_sign_real_poll.php

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/12/real_sign_real_poll.php

The Joliet Jackhammers, a baseball team in Illinois, have put up an interesting sign to get people to buy tickets.

Some people are unhappy and want it taken down.

"It's in very poor taste," Councilwoman Jan Hallums Quillman said. "To have God tell you to buy tickets? Give me a break."

I wonder if Quillman felt the same way about the serious billboard campaign that had God announcing his will and intentions? There was one that read, "Let's Meet At My House Sunday Before the Game -God." Was that in poor taste? It seems to me that many people think it's perfectly alright to put words in their imaginary deity's mouth as long as it sounds serious and respectful, no matter what it may be.

Anyway, there's a poll at the team website.

Should the JackHammers take down the current I-80 billboard?

56%: yes
44%: no

Since it appropriately trivializes the foolishness of claiming that a god speaks, I had to vote no. Keep it up!

Read the comments on this post...

We had our bimonthly staff meeting and went to the most wonderful buffet for lunch.

Vientiane
3 December 2009
Canon IXUS 980 IS

It's star trek in it's hey day, (well, Berman's hey day). The series took the most risks, and consequently had the most payoffs.

After the success of TNG, and before the complacency of Voyager, (both still great), this "middle child" series was still an experiment until they found a formula that developed solidly after the first few seasons.

But it's not a clear winner for everyone. A good percentage still likes their trek to be safer and semi-predictable.

DS9 was anything but safe. The one virtue the series, each storyline, and every character shared was that it was on the verge of apocalypse, from the opening credits to the final commercial before B5.

-=T=-

to babeofbryan for my $10 toward a paid account! I will be taking full advantage of this. I have been blown away by your generousity!

Shelley

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/scienceblogs/pharyngula/~3/dfAgvF8Ca1A/friday_cephalopod_must_be_the.php

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/12/friday_cephalopod_must_be_the.php

---

Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide ^{(amzn/b&n/abe/pwll)}, by Mark Norman.

Read the comments on this post...