LATEST ADDITIONS

Phil Plait, over at <I>Bad Astronomy</I> is outraged over the meddling of George Deutsch in NASA's press releases about science matters. Deutsch, a 24-year-old political appointee and <A HREF="http://scientificactivist.blogspot.com/2006/02/breaking-news-george-deu… dropout</A>, is entitled to his opinions on scientific matters, of course, but it does seem&mdash;shall we say presumptuous?&mdash;to insist on editing real scientists on matters of scientific "accuracy."

Okay, last week we gave a shout out to great first lines; now let's give the last line some.

Do conspiracy theories displace critical engagement with public life in favor of a fascination with the private lives and personal interest of a mistrusted class (specifically politicians)?

You know, because, at first, all I had was the Arcam Solo, and the Arcam Solo does everything. It's a good-looking, easy-to-use, single-box multi-purpose solution; a CD playing, AM/FM receiving, integrated amplifying dreamboat of a component. It does everything I want it to do, does it all very well, and takes up almost no space and draws very little attention to itself while doing it. I love it. If you're interested in a fun and easy, one-stop ride into the high-end, then I think you should definitely get to know the Solo. But, like <a href="http://gpn.unl.edu/rainbow/">Reading Rainbow</a>, you don't have to take my word for it. I can't go assuming authority around here. I may not know audio all that well yet, but I know cool. And the Arcam Solo is cool. Art Dudley, who is way smarter than me about this, and most other stuff, also liked it. <a href="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/705arcam/index.html">He said</a>:

Beethoven conducts <I>Fidelio</I>, Louis Spohr remembers in the February 7, 1865 edition of <I>The Guardian</I>.

This is perfect. Read while drinking at great peril to your monitor and keyboard.

I'm fascinated by blimps. I've also always wondered why they weren't used more for hauling cargo, especially stuff that didn't fit neatly into road-width containers. <I>National Geographic</I> says I'm not the only one.