What's the Fourth without beer? Here's a gallery of microphotographs of the world's most famous beers. I think they're <I>beeyootiful</I>.

I grew up in Charlottesville, VA, in the shadow of Monticello and a few blocks from UVA, Mr.Jefferson's university, so I always felt a tad proprietary about the Fourth of July. Schoolchildren in Charlottesville were pretty much taught that the Revolution was Thomas Jefferson and some other guys against King George.

Jimmy Carter says happy birthday FOIA and tells us why we need less secrecy, not more.

So <I>that's</I> why my apartment is always a mess when I get home!

While we're thinking about thinking, think about this: Recent research confirms that animals have language, experience complex emotions, and can apply abstract reasoning&mdash;including the assimilation of previously acquired information&mdash;to problem solving. So why do we think we're so special?

My buddy John Atkinson likes to say that what makes science work is <I>not</I> simply the measurement of observed phenomena, but the scientist's refusal to believe those measurements. I once asked him if he'd teach me to do audio measurements and he said no, "because you'd <I>believe</I> the measurements&mdash;a good scientist knows the measurements are trying to lie to him."