Urban legend
esiegel | March 23, 2013"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." -Confucius
I never was any good at taking someone's word for it; I've always been the type of person who wants to learn it for myself, and often that means living it and finding out on my own. This weekend, I'm still reeling from the loss of Magnolia Electric Company's Jason Molina, who died of alcohol abuse earlier this week. I'll remember him best for his heartbreaking vocals and lyrics, particularly at the concert I saw him…
revere | October 26, 2009CDC is again warning parents not to send your children to a swine flu party. The idea is to provide them with immunity, like used to be done with chickenpox parties. It's pretty hard to believe this is a live issue and CDC admits it doesn't have evidence that any have actually occurred. When it came up in the spring, during the first wave of H1N1, we and all other flu experts said it was a very bad idea, but at least one could understand the reasoning then. Since there was no vaccine and the worry was that swine flu might come back in the fall in altered and worse form during flu season, it…
revere | February 8, 2007Here's a serious manhole question for the hivemind. We all "know" that there have been instances of people or dogs being shocked or even electrocuted by stepping on electrified manhole covers. Our oldest didn't believe it was possible. His point: a manhole cover is embedded in the ground. Therefore, almost by definition, it is grounded. So how is it possible to have a voltage between the metal cover and the street in which it is set? I was sure I had read it more than once in the paper. Mrs. R. was so sure she had read about at least a "half dozen" such cases in New York she made a bet with…