Yeah, my father-in-law cut off the tip of his finger slicing vegetables. From what I can see, the wound was similar in severity to Mr. Spievak's.

His finger tip grew back without the need for magic pig bladder powder.

By all means do a study, but remember the old saying: anecdotal evidence is neither.

Loving these entries, more please.

I propose an annual 1K competition. Perhaps on October 24th? (1024 in the US at least.)

Teresa,

Poe's law. It's impossible to distinguish the parody from the real thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_Law

@GHurley, #61

The "new information" thing is a canard of the Intelligent Design movement. It is meaningless because they refuse to define "information". It's a semantic device used to confuse and intimidate people into questioning evolution.

@Evidence

Your definition of "evolution" is different from that used the biological sciences.

@Rebdav

This article directly addresses your question about mules and has some good basic info about one class of major mutational event, chromosome number changes:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/04/basics_how_can_chromosome_numb.php

Ah, license and attribution for "aBBGecedary".

Modified from the Boing Boing Gadgets logo you see at the top of the page. License is http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Also, I forgot the basic description: it's an animated GIF, with 1 repeat. Reload to re-start the cycle.

Showing less artistic talent than Gabriel M., but more pandering to the judges, here's my entry.

"aBBGecedary"

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4416/wastrel1kkf9.gif

1024 bytes
32x32 = 1024 pixels
gif comment: 1024
runtime 512 * 2 = 1024 hundredths of a second (10.24 seconds)

I loved the "Word TV" feature on word.com back in the early days of the web. This is my small homage to the pioneering GIF artists who braved the wild Internet of that era.

You said you weren't going to post any April fools.

1. this should be interesting...
2. i predict a bumpy ride until a channel culture gets established
3. does freenode have a "disemvowel" mode setting?

Yes, well done, super awesome. I love this.

Uncultured fools:

People waste/spend money on expensive shoes, gourmet food, rare books, tech gadgets, sporting events, vanity license plates. If it doesn't scratch your itch, why not keep your trap shut about it?

This is a whimsical and amusing object, I'd be happy to pick one up if I had the money :].

cars didn't go as fast back then and the dog sits on the runningboard so it's not as crazy as all that

I've never purchased or used it but have always liked that stuff because of the Lloyd Dangle artwork on the box.

http://www.troubletown.com <= Mr. Dangle's site

I like it.

Somebody set up us another down here?

It's hard to dice vegetables when you can't see.

Onions make me tear up so much that I'm literally blinded, now I could just "sack up" and chop the things blind, but I think I do a better job when I can see what I'm doing.

When they hit the market in 10 years or so I'll give them a try..

I recommend a visit to the panda's thumb or pharyngula for any creationists/IDiots who want to prattle about teaching the controversy or lie about evolution being "unproven".

@ Jere7my, #22

What you're talking about may have been explained in this paper:

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/100/21/12045

This article is a less technical discussion:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030930055440.htm

To summarize, a molecule known as Neu5Gc is present on the outer surface of most mammalian cells, but is absent from human cells (we've lost the ability to produce this molecule sometime in our evolutionary history.)

Consumption of Neu5Gc from red meat causes it to become incorporated into our bodies. This may trigger the immune system to target tissues that are presenting it on their surface.

This provides a plausible explanation for the the higher incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in meat eaters.

As for the inhaled pig brains, dunno.

As far as eating weird foods causing autoimmune problems - generally unlikely. The immune system has mechanisms to handle unfamiliar antigens in food, the name for this process is "oral tolerance".

My immunology is rusty but I think I got that mostly right...

-dcb

Epiphytic perhaps.

But I'm suspicious that this doesn't cause increased inductive resistance or somesuch that results in more power being drawn by the lamp. (Not that I know anything about how fluorescent lights work...)

Nightmare Frankenstein burn victim ear + slimy naked cockroach... I think we deserve a unicorn chaser.

If I may be so bold:

http://www.unicornlady.net/images/Gallery/9-2/winged_unicorn_nmbr_I.jpg

-d

I finally resorted to buying a pair of swim goggles, which really work but aren't so comfortable, tend to fog up and are goofy looking.

The blurb on the display addresses comfort and fogging, I guess the goofy thing is a matter of opinion. Perhaps I'll ask for a pair for Christmas.

Nonesuch (#6) your cynicism is laudable, but they're clearly 2 different signs.

Yeah that's the ticket Matty. If you didn't want our thugs following you, you shouldn't have opened your mouth about that little pet issue of yours.

#8, that would be oblate spheroid.

"Oblate" is a good word.

#3, the lens is a "metamaterial", a new class of substance which is being used for all sorts of neat things lately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamaterial