Curious, George: Simpletech, my ass. So my removable Simpletech USB drive just stopped working this morning. I've contacted their tech support, but while I wait I ask you for options and 'splanations. more inside

Circus images - a Dutch collection with some marvellous pictures (Flash). Via more inside

Grammar Girl is apparently quite poplar.

Curious Hiking George. Which trails or hikes would you like to do one day? The West Coast Trail (temporarily out of order)? The Milford Track? The Camino de Santiago? (For the purposes of discussion, assume no limits on time, money, or skill.)

Half of all children are below average, and teachers can do only so much for them ... Too many Americans are going to college ... Those with superior intelligence need to learn to be wise. Ah, the Wall Street Journal. Ah, the American Enterprise Institute.

Caring for the wounded in Iraq From the New England Journal of Medicine. Warning: Graphic Content

Bam Bam Bigelow R.I.P.

Normal Rooms - Search by room or country.

Greek pagans will attempt to hold a ceremony in the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens today after obtaining legal recognition. There is some doubt about whether this will be allowed. more inside

Knife Maintenance and Sharpening Here's how to be a knife-sharpening god.

Music For Nitpickers Jazzy horn riffs, spacey-moog-sounds and... Apes.

The tomb of Mona Lisa may have been found. There's talk of DNA samples, but I hope they leave her alone. more inside

El tren de la bruja is an award winning short film by Spanish Director Koldo Serra. It's 15 minutes of riveting cinema and intense psychological terror. Long unavailable, it's now offered online by our enlightened Canadian brethren at the CBC. In Spanish w. English subtitles and NSFW.

Pickle Surprise and Strawberry Short-Cut

McNaught from New Zealand : un-FREAKING-believable. Check out the shots from the Southern Hemisphere in the spaceweather forum. (previously but I felt this was worth another FPP — forgive me! ).

Jean-Philippe Charbonnier In 1954 Jean-Philippe Charbonnier documented French Psychiatric hospitals and this exhibition includes rarely seen photographs from the series. Some photos NSFW. via xenmate's blog

The Dreaming. Contemporary traditional Art/History/Ontography from the people that Gillen brought Spencer to meet and record at the turn of the 20th century.

The Science of Superheroes. The Ontario Science Centre is hosting an exhibit (Marvel-based, so unfortunately lacking in Batman) all about the science involved in being a superhero. But even if you can't make it, you can always read up on this how-to of supervillainy. more inside

Housing project in Scotland for badgers. Protects them from being kilt, you know. more inside

China Successfully Tests Satellite Killer Tech. And there's chuff all anyone can do about it.