Google Goes Woo-Woo

Google frequently uses its icon for good - for example, you might see the "Google" home page splash image displaying a telescope, and clicking on that telescope image would zip you to a Google search for the 400th anniversary of Galileo's introduction of the telescope.

Google has used its splash images to honor composers, scientists, writers, events, holidays, and more. All good.

But now, they're pandering to the Paranormal crowd. First, on September 5th, with a nudge to search for "Unexplained phenomenon".

And just 10 days later, another bow to all things wacky, this time with "Crop circles" on September 15th:
I ask, what good is this doing? Other than giving George Noory or Richard Hoagland a cheap thrill? Sheesh!

C'mon, Google. With great Power comes Responsibility. Use yours for good.

Math Literacy - We're in BIG Trouble

Here's a chicken display from the Isleta gas station I saw this week. If you're hungry for Potato Wedges, don't get the dozen. Get two six-packs instead, and save yourself 17% !

No wonder the economy is tanking.

UFO's - the Space Age Mythology

CSI (the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry) is holding a UFO conference in Tucson, October 9th-11th. The title of the conference is "UFO's - the Space Age Mythology."

Speakers:

James McGaha, David Morrison, Robert Sheaffer, and Dave Thomas

Conference Schedule:

Friday, October 9 Catalina Ballroom 1:30PM, Opening Remarks (McGaha); 2:00PM, A Short UFO History (McGaha); 3:00PM, ET Life, Finding It (Morrison), 4:00PM, The Betty Hill Story (Sheaffer)

Saturday, October 10 Catalina Ballroom 9:00AM, Roswell (Thomas); 10:00AM, Mexican UFO Wave (Sheaffer); 11:00AM, Moon and Mars Artifacts (Morrison); 2:00PM, Lights in the Sky (McGaha); 3:00, Physical Evidence (Sheaffer); 4:00PM, The Trained Observer (McGaha); 5:00PM, Aliens Among Us (McGaha).

Sunday, October 11 Catalina Ballroom 9:00 AM, Aztec / Socorro (Thomas); 10:00 AM, The End of The World in 2012 (Morrison); 11:00 AM, Panel Discussion; 1:00 PM, Pima Air and Space Museum (optional).

To find out more: visit "UFO's - the Space Age Mythology."

If you like baseball - or even if you don't...

... you might enjoy Jim Belshaw's recent column on "Baseball — A Love Story",

and also, John Fleck's post that inspired Jim's piece, "8-?-2",

Summer's almost over, but you can still catch the smell of a hot dog in the air, and hear the crack of bat on ball. Time's a wastin'!

Cheers, Dave