An old Fry and Laurie sketch that may be more prophetic than they anticipated.

Scientists at the California Institute of Technology claim to be one step closer to mimicking plant-like energy production in the lab. Apparently using a Cesium-Oxygen-Nitrogen mixture, they can create a potent fuel from scratch using concentrated sunlight as the only catalyst.

Read More »

A clear and thorough explanation of what is meant by ‘austerity’ measures to make an economy more competitive. In a phrase, it is to intentionally lower the standard of living of a populace, to convince people to accept lower wages, less benefits, and less job security in the interests of maximizing corporate profits. A valuable companion article to this video can be found on The Daily Kos.

Here’s some needed Monday fare. It’s an Alan Watts lecture snippet about nothingness. I’ve read a fair amount of Watts since college, and I find him to be the most effective philosopher at temporarily separating the reader from his or her daily routine, and allowing for some metaphysical reflection. Of course, just as nothingness exists in balance with existence, Alan Watts readings should exist in balance with more concrete studies, applicable to the real world. But, for a rainy, Christmas Angst-filled, consumerist Monday, a little Wattsian etherealism may be in order.

Though it isn’t quite a tricorder, Patrick Stewart’s life is now dependent on his iPhone. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get a block of cheese from the replicator.

And--scene.

Admittedly, my non-Celtic fan Mep friends may disagree…but this picture, taken right after Paul Pierce’s game winning shot against the resurgent but still not rival New York Knicks, is priceless.  (Not pictured: Nate Robinson almost killing himself jumping over Pierce, and Spike Lee almost killing himself in an apoplectic fury off camera as Kevin Garnett bows to him.  Who says civility is dead?)

Apparently, Arnold Schwarzenegger has his own, little-seen YouTube channel, through which he addresses netizens and informs them of California’s progress. What seems initially to be a farce, actually turns into an informative lecture on, among other things, California’s bulky permit process.

If you learn one thing from the Mep Report, let it be this: Do not ever fry gnocchi. That is all.

A mini-documentary on the Leonardo Da Vinci of the modern era, Nikola Tesla.

Hell yeah, I want my pony!

This article at The People’s View should be required reading for all those interested in discovering what some parts of both the right and left of the blogosphere have to gain in trying to destroy (fortunately unsuccessfully, I think) President Obama–or, more accurately, what they have to gain in upping the ante on false outrage in a public forum.  (Here’s a hint: it’s the same thing anti-corporatists are always claiming (often rightly) is the end goal of every politician.)  One wonders how much time MLK or Gandhi would have had for this kind of kabuki.