Easier to lie Jan 14, 2010
I'll be honest here.  Sometimes it's just easier to lie.  It's not that I want to be a liar.  It's just that some situations are made more difficult by telling the truth.  For example, if an acquaintance asks how I am, I respond with some variation of "good," because that's what you do.  The question wasn't asked to elicit a response about the intricacies of the negative things in my life.  It was asked as a sort of long-form greeting.  Another example is when the topic of my job comes up in conversation.  It's kind of complicated.  Not too complicated for normal people to understand, but complicated beyond the scope of a casual discussion.  Instead of listing examples of what I might do in a typical day, I just say I do math problems.  Is that so bad? #psychology
Too many options (2) Jan 13, 2010
From Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness: 
Our side-by-side comparisons can be influenced by extreme possibilities such as extravagant wines and dilapidated houses, but they can also be influenced by the addition of extra possibilities that are identical to those we are already considering.  For example, in one study, physicians read about Medication X and were then asked whether they would prescribe the medication for a patient with osteoarthritis.  The physicians clearly considered the medication worthwhile, because only 28 percent chose not to prescribe it.  But when another group of physicians was asked whether they would prescribe Medication X or an equally effective Medication Y for a patient with the same disease, 48 percent chose to prescribe nothing.  Apparently, adding another equally effective medication to the list of possibilities made it difficult for the physicians to decide between the two medications, thus leading many of them to recommend neither. (p. 142)
The idea of the tyranny of choice is an interesting facet of behavioral economics, but more so it's a scary reminder that human doctors have no right to be in charge of the health of other humans.  They're simply too predictably irrational, which is the title of another book on behavioral economics by Dan Ariely. #science
Warning to others Jan 13, 2010
Today's F Minus comic reminds me of the Demotivator that says, "Mistakes:  It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others." 
[Image: fminus20100113.gif]
#entertainment
Bats pollinate (1) Jan 13, 2010
It turns out that bats, along with birds and bees (insert convoluted reproduction joke), are in the business of pollinating plants and flowers.  How about that.  I knew those fuzzy little swimming creatures must exist for purposes other than eating bugs and scaring people. 

[On a side note, that Forest Service link also contains this gem:  "The agave is an important plant because it is used to make tequila."  Ah, priorities.] #nature
AT&T population coverage Jan 12, 2010
A recent AT&T commercial claimed that their network covers over 300 million people, i.e. the entire population of America.  This carefully worded claim is a bit misleading, however, since AT&T's subscribers number in the 80 million range, while the commercial is claiming something along the lines of being able to serve 300 million.  In other words, this is a lie. #entertainment
Toast magic Jan 7, 2010
Hypothesis:  The process of toasting food involves magic. 

Exhibit 1:  Pop-Tarts.  When eaten cold, this breakfast food is merely ok, but surely nothing to write home about.  Employ the use of a magical toaster and voila, you now have a warm, gooey, caramelized treat. 

Exhibit 2:  Buttered bread.  Cold butter on mushy bread?  What are you, homeless?  Pop that thing in the magical mystery machine and you have yourself a delicacy! 

Exhibit 3:  Sandwiches.  Ham and cheese on white = lower case mmm.  The magic of toast compels you, and now you have upper case MMM. 

Conclusion:  As usual, I'm right.  Also as usual, magic is involved. #food
Rabbits urinate horizontally Jan 7, 2010
Just so you know, "rabbits urinate horizontally out behind them, not downwards like a cat or dog."  This is why our bunny Max often seems to pee all over his cage right near his litter box.  He needs a higher backboard. #nature
Go-cart handling (3) Jan 4, 2010
A recent commercial for the Mini Cooper claimed that it had go-cart handling.  Not being a go-cart owner or driver, I don't really know what that means, and I'm not entirely sure it's a good thing.  I guess technically I drove a go-cart at Disney World, but those things only went about 10 mph and were surrounded by bumpers so they could serve their main purpose of hitting other go-carts.  Maybe it's alluding to the fact that go-carts have tiny lawnmower engines.  That's good, right?  Or maybe it's because they sit low on the ground, so you can intimately feel whatever surface you're driving on.  I guess if I ever have a desire to drive a go-cart on a highway, I'll invest in a Mini Cooper.  Otherwise I'll stick to a normal vehicle. #travel