A survey of 1,000 likely voters brings a report that almost half of them would be okay with government-mandated balance of opinion on TV and radio. Some even think blogs should be required to balance their stupid opinions.

Oops, there’s a misplaced word in the last sentence. I can’t quite see it now, so I’m afraid you’ll have to screen it out yourself.

The Washington Post argues the “cognitive fitness market” is more hype than science. “You may get better with practice at matching pictures of ice cream cones or frogs from rapidly changing images or mastering obscure facts about famous people,” writes Beth Baker. “(James Joyce was afraid of dogs.) But whether that translates into brain protection — or confers benefits beyond those offered by square-dancing, eating blueberries or simply yukking it up with friends — is anybody’s guess.”

‘Big Dog’: ‘Most Advanced Quadruped Robot’ Can Go Anywhere Regardless Of Terrain

I have to post this story before Phil does.

Nils Olav already has medals for good conduct and long service. He made honorary colonel-in-chief of the elite Norwegian King’s Guard in 2005. And on Friday he was knighted.

Not bad for a 3-foot tall penguin — actually, three of them.

Clearly, species discrimination is no barrier to social advancement in the land of my fathers.

My hopes of eventually receiving the Order of St. Olav have just increased.

So I’m scanning headlines and I see this one on the topic Lars says will bring us the traffic and recognition we deserve as a serious literary and thoughtful reading blog.

“Jessica Simpson Wants to Be the Next Dolly Parton”

Now, what do you think that means?

Ok, stop thinking about that and get back to Swedish Olympics news. Or closer to home, this news that scientists have concluded drinking several beers really will make other people seem more attractive. Those crazy scientists, they’ll stop at nothing until they get to the verifiable facts.

It ain’t true.

By way of Conservative Grapevine.

I watched a couple more movies on DVD over the weekend. First I rounded off the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. The last movie was quite a mishmash, wasn’t it? In a way, in contrast to most viewers, I actually liked the last two more than the first.

Oh, Pirates III was a mess. No question. Whatever possessed the people at Disney to start the movie the way they did, knowing that lots of children would see it? I have to assume they got a really bad shipment of cocaine in Beverly Hills that week. And how were we supposed to build sympathy for a bunch of characters who kept betraying one another? Continue reading Pirates, Beowulf, and heroism →