The underside of the web

This is what my link to the outside world looked like yesterday. All my phone lines and therefore DSL lines were killed by a backhoe. My trusty T-Mobile MDA provided enough connectivity for email and basic web browsing. I discovered that both Amazon and Ebay have phone-optimized interfaces - so now I can buy anything from anywhere. Cool, but dangerous.

Its not my fault - I am paying attention

Marked Brain Changes Afflict Even Senior Citizens Who Have Escaped Alzheimer's Disease
ScienceDaily (2007-11-07) -- Our brains, unlike the skin covering our bodies, do not wrinkle and sag as we age. But new studies show that our brains do change structurally and functionally in ways that may underlie the memory and thinking impairments that can limit independence and quality of life for senior citizens. Neuroscientists have recently discovered that the region of the brain that stores episodic memories -- those for specific events and their context -- was less engaged in older people, particularly those who have a common variant of a particular gene. Researchers also have determined that senior citizens who suspect that their sense of direction is declining are astute observers of a newly discovered age-related mental change.

Big Chunk Of The Universe Is Missing -- Again

ScienceDaily (2007-11-05) reports:

Not only has a large chunk of the universe thought to have been found in 2002 apparently gone missing again but it is taking some friends with it, according to new research. The new calculations might leave the mass of the universe as much as ten to 20 percent lighter than previously calculated. The same group that found what was theorized to be a significant fraction of the "missing mass" that binds together the universe has discovered that some x-rays thought to come from intergalactic clouds of "warm" gas are instead probably caused by lightweight electrons.

... and I think it is odd how often I lose my keys!

I have taken the plunge and joined Facebook

Hearing all the buzz about Facebook, I have belatedly joined it to see if its social networking can be used and useful and fun for someone like me who is way beyond the age of the target audience. If you don't know what it is, go here to check it out.