Yeah, so, they might be a little light on the mechanistic side (i.e., their concept of mutation is a bit Fantastic Four-y), but I've got to give props to nocc design studio for their new collection "radiation" for both generating a chair that I would like to own and drawing inspiration from evolution.

The basic concept of the collection was to imagine the versions of archetypal furniture that might occur if the furniture's "genes" were mutated.

While I may not be a huge fan of Windows, I am a fan of the 2010 edition of Bill Gates' annual letter. He discusses many themes that have been touched on repeatedly here, like the importance of vaccinations and agricultural research. Crucially, Gates focuses on innovation, scientific research, and providing effective funding. Well worth a read.

On this day in 1933, the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified repealing the 18th Amendment and ending Prohibition. I plan on celebrating by drinking a Qupe Petite Syrah. How about you?

I was listening to Friend* of the rugbyologist George Hrab's lovely little Geologic Podcast #143, which featured a live performance of his song Speak to You in Boston. The song is about psychic mediums (media?) that claim to contact the dead. It wonders why the dead are vague, lie, and tell intimate secrets to creepy strangers.

Maybe, just maybe, having had the extrinsic incentives for moral behavior removed by the passage of eternally binding judgment on their souls, the dead feel free to be lying dicks.

That would explain this pathetic performance.