Should we clone our pets? from metafilter Have you guys seen this already? Seems like a great idea, unless you do any animal volunteer work. There's a HUGE domestic animal overpopulation problem, with millions of cats and dogs being put to sleep every year for no other reason than there aren't enough homes for them all. Now people are going to pay $50,000 to make a replica of their pet that will be "rather like" the original? That money could save countless lives, and still cover adopting a cat or two from a rescue organization. more inside

Who's the daddy So Amazon launches it's new Search Engine. Playing around with it, noticed that if you hover over the site info button, it shows you the traffic rank for the site. So who's the daddy? more inside

Curious, George: Recycling so there's lots of info on recycling out there. collectively we've done a great job getting started on this whole thing. some businesses have gone whole-hog on the idea. but still, even with all this, my curbside recylcing program can't explain to my why some forms of #2 plastic are unacceptable for the city recycling service contractor. they tell me that #2 plastic in a non-screwtop-bottle form will not be picked up, with no explanation (despite repeated phone calls for more info). anyone have any clue? to me it's like saying that aluminum cans are ok to collect, but aluminum foil is a no-no. i mean, it's still #2 plastic, right? more inside

Open source insurance - There's an interesting article on Salon.com today about how the open source community is dealing with SCO legal attacks -- a new company has sprung up to sell insurance for companies that use Linux to cover the costs of legal battles should they arise. Even more interesting is how the principles of open source are being used to mount the defense.

Curious George: 10W-40? Okay in order to flexercise the Curious George functionality and sate a thirst for knowledge - what exactly do the motor oil designations mean? I know weight is in there, but whats better? 5W-20? 21-63? Hike!

Did you know that Geniophobia is the fear of chins? That atelophobia is the fear of imperfection? That linonophobia is the fear of string? Realfears.com has got the info for all your fear needs.

Hey, Kids--Comics! Anybody who likes comics ought to take a look at Wigu, about a young boy and a poisonous talking potato and Scary-Go-Round, which features a delightfully twisted take on any horror movie convention you can think of. more inside

Bin Laden offers truce - to Europe. He states that if all European troops are withdrawn from the Middle East within three months, Al-Qaida will not attack European targets. "Stop spilling our blood so we can stop spilling your blood." more inside

A Softer World. more inside

Hall of Fame 2004 The best of classical music [via Nomen Luni].

The BrainGate™ Any remember this post from a while back? It seems that a Massachusetts company has just gotten FDA approval for human trials of a neural implant that can act as an interface for a personal computer.

The Monkey's Paw! "He sat alone in the darkness, gazing at the dying fire, and seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so simian that he gazed at it in amazement. It got so vivid that, with a little uneasy laugh, he felt on the table for a glass containing a little water to throw over it. His hand grasped the monkey's paw, and with a little shiver he wiped his hand on his coat and went up to bed." more inside

Very embarrassed by how badly I did on this the first time out, but by the third time I could beat it. And now I know where Montana is.

"Click as fast as you can on the nut icon to make the coconuts fall on the ground." Almost as much fun as flinging poo. Almost.

Plug Pulled on Air America? Already???

Forget Al Queda, I'm more worried about the Australians

LEGO Volvo As a Swede with brotherly love for (almost) all things Danish, how could I possibly not adore a new Volvo made of LEGO? How could you?

Pearl Jam & Nirvana Quiz

New Kids Never Grow Old: M.O.N.K.E.Y. Part VI With the next comment, the MonkeyFilter "Blogstop" exercise will equal the number of comments on MetaFilter's version (although we still have almost 2000 to go to match the original). Monkeys: Start you lexicographies! more inside

A National ID Card Wouldn't Make Us Safer. Bruce Schneier responds to Nicholas Kristof's call for Americans to adopt National ID cards. [Via rebecca's pocket.]