You have got to like a paper that starts out by saying….

All else being equal, not many people would prefer to destroy the world. Even faceless corporations, meddling governments, reckless scientists, and other agents of doom, require a world in which to achieve their goals of profit, order, tenure, or other villainies. If our extinction proceeds slowly enough to allow a moment of horrified realization, the doers of the deed will likely be quite taken aback on realizing that they have actually destroyed the world. Therefore I suggest that if the Earth is destroyed, it will probably be by mistake.

Thus begins an excellent exploration of man’s innate tendency to overestimate what he knows.

Some of the best innovations in the world are things that seem ridiculously simple in retrospect. Israeli field bandages are a good example. They seem so natural you wonder why it took people so long to come up with the idea. That is a sign of good design.

You can go here to learn about them. I particularly recommend watching the training video (unfortunately it is QuickTime so I can’t direct link). It will give you a good idea of why Israeli field bandages are becoming the new standard for military medics and other first responders.

My grandfather has Alzheimer’s. This is really not too unusual; many elderly people have Alzheimer’s. In light of that, it is rather peculiar that so many people seem to have no clue how this disease effects people, or how the symptoms are manifested. It’s a common misperception that people suffering from Alzheimer’s don’t realize how Click Here to continue reading.

First few seconds of this are pretty scary. You may never want to cross a bridge again.

This has a lot of information on the collapse. This gives a good idea of how much of the bridge collapsed.

A blogger who goes by the name of ambulance driver was asked for advice on how to deal with the grieving relatives of a dead person. This is the response he gave.

I have not been writing lately because I have been short on time. For one thing, I have been doing too much sleeping. But I always make time for reading even if I have to cut out on the sleeping.

I figure that since I have not been writing I might as well share some Click Here to continue reading.

Just about everyone has probably seen this. I actually meant to post it a while ago. But for those have not, here it is…

Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill.

She was convinced of Oscar’s talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn’t eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.

Oscar wouldn’t stay inside the room, though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor’s prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient’s final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.

Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don’t know he’s there, so patients aren’t aware he’s a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advance warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.

No one’s certain if Oscar’s behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.

I have to think that if the cat is better at predicting death then the staff then he is not picking up information from the staff. But that is just me.

Also, here is an essay in the New England Journal of Medicine about the cat.