Friday Links - Nerf Guns, Stephen Hawking, and Remembering Katrina

Did you know that someone made a heat-seaking Nerf gun?  Well, they did.  And my office needs one.


According to Stephen Hawking, God was not needed to create the Universe.  I like Hawking, and I know he's a lot smarter then I'll ever be, but I'm not convinced by his recent argument.  He says that the Universe spontaneously created itself, and, religion aside, I just don't see how it's possible.  (And, I still think that A Brief History of Time is absolutely fascinating.)

Speaking of science stuff, apparently there's a star somewhere in our universe that is surrounded by water.  Cold water, in fact.  Check it out.  Could there be life in a floating ocean in space?  Very cool.


And, finally, it's been five years since Hurricane Katrina.  And it's been about that long since I paid attention to any mainstream news source.  At the time, I was learning how journalists pick a narrative and make sure every story sticks to it - stories that do not apply are ignored or changed.  Enter Katrina.  According to the media, the government did nothing for days after he hurricane hit, but that was a lie.  Government and private sector aid hit the ground hours later and began the cleanup process immediately.  The noble work of many brave people was ignored so that journalists could give us a sensational story.  The TV also told us about people firing guns at rescue helicopters and violent gangs roaming the streets and abducting women.  It wasn't true.  I haven't paid attention to mainstream news sources ever since.  (With the exception of celebrity news, I always know about things before most people hear about it on TV - often many days in advance.  Sometimes months in advance.)

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Friday Links - I Finally Join Twitter, Discover What a Doctorate Is, and Check Out the Rapture Index

A Professor I know posted a link titled What Exactly is a Doctorate.  It's a very short read that simply diagrams what all of the grad students in the world are doing and why it matters.

Are you aware of the Rapture Index?  George Duncan over at End Times Tavern (a light-hearted news site) has made tongue-in-cheek references to the Rapture Index (a heavy handed fear-mongering site) a few times.  It's like a stock index, but it charts every possible event that relates to the End Times (if you subscribe to their very narrow interpretation of things).  Sounds useless, but it's really entertaining to people like me.  Did you know that false prophet sightings are at a danger level of 3 while unemployment is at level 5?  Occultic practices are on the rise while demon worship is in decline, and the current overall Rapture Index is 171 - just shy of the all time high of 174.  They call it the "The prophetic speedometer of end-time activity," which sounds like a joke - but don't laugh, because the guys at RaptureReady.com are very serious.

And, finally, I'm on Twitter.  I'm not a fan of it, but you can follow me at Twitter.com/ThinkThroughIt.  (Am I the only one shocked that a phrase like "Think Through It" has not been taken by a Twitter user?  I assumed I would end up with something more obscure.  Does this confirm my prejudice against Twitter users that says they aren't into deep conversations, hence the miserly word limit?  I digress.)  Thanks to TwitterFeed I can send my blog entries there (and to Facebook) without ever looking at it, and I like that.  I don't expect to ever log into it again or check my messages, so it's really just a feed for my blog.  But, if Twitter is your thing, there it is.


Enjoy your weekend.

Friday Links: Ikea Ideas and Gay Rights Confusion

Instapundit had a link earlier this week to a blog called Ikea Hacker where people find new ways to put together Ikea stuff.  Sometimes they rearrange the parts, and sometimes they put two different pieces of furniture together to make something new.  For example, there's a cool hamster playground made from some desktop items (including an exercise wheel made from a lazy Susan) and a treadmill desk.  I love Ikea (I know, everyone tells me I'm not supposed to say that) and I'll be looking for an Ikea hack next time I go.  The site has some really good ideas.

   Pictured - A tiki torch that has been built from an Ikea oil and vinegar set.

Meanwhile, in Proposition 8 news, reader Joshua sent me this comic:

(Original is here.)  This is a good reminder that there's more to politics than Republicans vs. Democrats, and that you can't assume that someone's voting record tells you everything about them. 

Of course, not everyone would agree that the judge in this case was a Libertarian.  The Gay Patriot, for example, doesn't completely approve of this exercise of judicial power because it doesn't use the constitution enough, but simply pushes the ideology of the judge into our lives. 

But you're probably more surprised to find out that there are homosexuals who are law savvy that don't care for the recent proposition 8 ruling.  Most people don't realize that this judge's decision was not unanimously popular with gay rights supporters who are of a more Libertarian mindset because of the precedent it sets for putting the judge's feelings above other parts of the lawmaking process.  Rather than dancing in the streets at the downfall of proposition 8, they have been concerned about the role that the federal government is taking in our lives.  (If you're still the type of person who jumps to conclusions about someone based on their politics, you should know that Glenn Beck things gay marriage is just fine, even though President Obama opposes it.)

Have a good weekend.

Friday Links - Get More Sleep

Sometimes I'm still tired after I sleep in on Saturdays.  Apparently, that's normal.  Here's why sleeping in won't make up for staying up late all week.  (via Instapundit.com)

I've decided that my generation stinks at raising kids.  Over at EndTimesTavern.com I saw a link to this article about a brawl breaking out at a kindergarten graduation which only confirms my suspicions.  Sheesh.

And, the next time someone tells you their ideas is the best thing since "sliced bread" you should show them this - sliced bread is only as new as 1928.

Have a good weekend!

Friday Links - Test Your Visual Acuity

According to X-Rite Photo I've got perfect visual acuity (which I attribute to working in a carpet store and being forced to learn the difference between red, pink, salmon, rose, and cherry).  Take the test here and let me know how you do in the comments.

This list from Oddee.com of The World's Coolest Bathrooms makes me want to expand my horizons in the restroom; although, I don't know if I could go while a giant sea turtle was watching.

Here's some Calvin and Hobbes to start your weekend:

Friday Links: JoannaMae.com

My friend Joanna (pictured, at right) has a fun website which is way better than the one you're looking at, now (probably because it is a website instead of a Blogspot account hopelessly dressed up as a website).  It's got some really funny stuff as well as some links to helpful sites about religion and Christianity.  Check it out at http://www.joannamae.com/

 Furthermore, this made me laugh out loud.

And if you still need a distraction, check out Listverse.com's list of the Top Ten Unusual Patron Saints which details Isidore, the patron saint of the internet, and Brendan who looks after whales.  (I'm surprised they left out St. Guinefort - the only dog to be considered a saint - but it's probably because his recognition was never official.  No, that's not a joke, it really happened.)

Happy Friday!