Loving County, Tx

With roughly 70 residents residing, Loving County Tx is America's least populous county.  It is located on the southern border of New Mexico between Carlsbad, NM and Pecos Tx. 

Notable facts:
677 sq miles
Mentone- County Seat
First elected Female Sheriff in Texas, Edna Reed Claton Dewees, between 1945-47

In the early 2000s, a group of libertarians attempted to start a 'Free Town.'  They were unsuccessful.

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1644829_1411747,00.html

Voyager 1 now approaching interstellar space

Ive always been a great fan of the Voyager Program.  Launched in the early 1970s, these spacecraft have delivered a significant return on investment and represent (I believe) the furtherest tangible object from man in from Earth, in space.  Voyager 1 is now approaching the Heliopause, the area where the 'wind' from our Sun meets interstellar space.  Voyager 1's instruments recently recorded that the wind particles are now moving laterally not vertically as they approach the termination shock.  I don't understand why we don't continuously send ships like this out into space.  Just think with the level of technology now we could construct a significantly stronger and more robust spacecraft.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11988466

Japanese Multiplication Method

This is amazing.  Though only useful for lower numbers--it gets unwieldy at a point--this is pretty cool.  Basically what you do for something like 11x2, is draw two (single) lines in one direction (representing 1,1) and one double line (representing two) and count the intersections.  = 22

http://gizmodo.com/5713010/this-bewildering-japanese-multiplication-method-just-multiplied-my-brain-by-zero

Weekend Civil War Special: States Rights Gist and an unfortunate coincidence

Confederate Brigidear General States Rights Gist must hold the mantle of greatest Civil War name.  A native of South Carolina and reminder of its politics he led troops in several battles ultimately dying in the Nov 1864 Battle of Franklin.

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In an unfortunate coincidence the Civil War's bloodiest day of battle and civilian accident occurred on the same day-September 17, 1862.  The Battle of Antietam and the explosion at the Allegheny Arsenal -- caused by a spark from a horse's metal shoe meeting loose gunpowder which traveled to the arsenal.  Two separate incidents causing the worst statistical day. 

Charles Martel Grandfather of Charlemagne

In a quirky twist of dynastic history, Charles Martel- Leader of the Franks and victor at Tours- was the grandfather of Charlemagne-the father of Europe, and as legend holds it, probably an ancestor to anyone who has European familial history.

The Vacuum of Space

Next time you enter interstellar space exposed, just remember you have around 10 seconds of consciousness to get back inside the ship.  This highly pertinent information comes from the fine people at NASA who wrote "Barometric pressure in Bioastronautics Data Book, Second edition, SP-3006"  Other key points to remember, or notes that may assuage some fears: 1) Your blood wont boil; 2) You wont freeze upon contact.  This is due to the fact that space has no real temperature because there's nothing there-- but I wouldn't want to be exposed to those Gamma, IV Rays or anything like that from the Sun.

http://io9.com/5709637/what-would-really-happen-if-you-were-exposed-to-vacuum

The Markhor

If someone gave me this picture and asked me to guess if this creature was real or mythical 10 minutes ago, I would have probably chose the latter.  Apparently this 'wild goat' is the national animal of Pakistan and naturally, as most national animals of South Asian countries, it is endangered.  I just hope that we are able to save this animal and its habitat so future generations will be amazed that this stranger than fiction creature is in fact a reality.

Gravity is strangely weak on Earth

I watched "A Conversation about Physics with Lisa Randall" on Charlie Rose today.  She makes the (obvious) point that gravity on Earth, the incredible force holding everything together, is rather weak.  Just jump, your breaking gravity.  Physicists realized this and using string and m-theory concluded that this is the result of the 11th Dimension, that our gravity is seeping (see video for correct terminology) into parallel dimensions which are hypothetically right next to us, but in another dimension.  

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/90