Friday Hodgepodge

Friday, February 07, 2020

As far as I'm concerned, snow is pretty under a microscope and from afar-- and an ugly mess otherwise! (Image by David Grubler, via Wikimedia, license.)
Four Things

1. Scientific wonder of the day: Snow Crystals. This (PDF, via John Cook) 500-plus page scientific book about snow crystals is beautifully illustrated with examples, and this even includes some of the figures -- like one explaining plate-like vs. columnar shape vs. temperature (Fig. 3.16 on p. 102).

The author has an entire website on snow crystals, where the visitor can learn about such curiosities as identical twin snowflakes, buy illustrated volumes on snowflakes, and pretty much go to town on the subject of snow.

Knowing this makes me no less happy to be permanently exempt, as a Floridian, from shoveling snow in the winter...

2. Word of the day: Astrophilately. This is the commemoration of space exploration through postage stamps and postmarks.

For anyone interested, there is a club.

3. "Law" of the day: Cunningham's Law. Via Irreal, the law states:
The best way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question, it's to post the wrong answer.
The source -- which has more -- cites an illustrative xkcd cartoon.

4. Etiquette Tip of the day: Fighting Fire With Fire. Miss Manners puts a way to shut down incessant talk about medical conditions very delicately:
In your most compassionate voice, say, "Please stop. I feel for you -- so much, in fact, that I get squeamish when I hear about illness, and you won't want to be around me. I'm really sorry, and I hope you understand." Miss Manners trusts that they will understand that the physical consequences of nattering on would be dire.
This makes me think of a monster's ... breath weapon ... from a B-grade science fiction movie for some reason.

No need for more, thanks!

-- CAV

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