OMG

Do you know what today was?

Administrative Professional's Day.

We didn't see any flowers on RS's desk...

Luckily there are still two full working days in Administrative Professional's week.

Hope for France!

From an article in today's IHT:Heavily courted Bayrou to speak out on French presidential runoff

Paris (AP): ...Two polls published Wednesday had Sarkozy in the lead, though by small margins. TNS-Sofres had Sarkozy at 51 percent and Royal at 49 percent after questioning 1,000 people Monday and Tuesday. Ipsos had Sarkozy with 53.5 percent and Royal with 46.5 percent, after surveying 1,208 people Monday and Tuesday. No margin of error was given.

Let's get a few things straight

The oceans are rising by about 3.1 mm / year (1993 - 2003 average). The rate is accelerating.

If the Greenland ice sheet melted entirely, sea levels would rise 7.2 meters, about 23 feet.
If the West Antarctic ice sheet melted entirely, sea levels would rise at least 5 meters.
If all Antarctic ice were to melt entirely, sea levels would rise about 63 meters.
12 % of current sea level increases are due to the melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. 88% is due to ocean warming and other glacial melting.

Huh

Who knew that the pecan was a variety of Hickory tree?

Much more than you'd ever need to know about Hickory trees is available here, here, here and here.

South Carolina North

It's going to be over 80 degrees today. There's sand in MS and CC's office. Salt Water. Beach chairs. An umbrella. A cooler and (empty) beer bottles. "Sideout" for company. How much more could we have done to make them feel at home?

Packaged Popularity

It's Friday! What do you say we skip the donuts and head to the beach?

Short Spring

Somebody on WBUR just announced "summer-like" weather would be enhancing our experience next week.

Short spring? I think that makes it one week start to finish.

Hot news!

The May '07 issue of National Geographic has a piece about the "hot pod" that Joy and Michael Michaud cultivated as the Dorset Naga. It's in contention as one of the three hottest peppers in the world.

Current standings according to Nat Geo are as follows:

Jalapeno	5,500 SHU
Cayenne	23,000 SHU
Serrano	25,000 SHU
Thai	60,000 SHU
Scotch Bonnet	75,496 SHU
Red Habanero	150,000 SHU
Tabasco	190,524 SHU
Chocolate Brown Habanero	301,065 SHU
Dorset naga	923,000 SHU
Bih/Bhut jolokia	1,000,000+ SHU
Pure capsaicin	15-16 million SHU

SHU: Scoville Heat Units

Squashed? Squashed.

Well, the big bug may have been squashed, thanks to the keen observational skills exhibited by MG. Now, on to less exasperating things.

The long lenten hiatus is over!

And so NR will be back to full participation this week!

Welcome back, NR!

We need one...

A clock placement committee, that is. Though if it's a choice between "the committee" and a clock placement committee, then there's no contest.

Friday the 13th Cat Blogging

Why? Because we haven't lately, that's why.

The hit squad has arrived

Our estimable pest control guy has arrived this morning with a gleam in his eye - new quarry!

So try to get a glimpse of our small interloper before he's history.

Yuri's Night

Considering our previous entry, perhaps we need something to celebrate. Today's "Yury's Night" celebration should do the trick. Even Google's caught the fever.

so it goes... r.i.p. Kurt Vonnegut

We heard the news today, oh boy.

Kurt Vonnegut, whose dark comic talent and urgent moral vision in novels like “Slaughterhouse-Five,” “Cat’s Cradle” and “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater” caught the temper of his times and the imagination of a generation, died last night in Manhattan. He was 84 and had homes in Manhattan and in Sagaponack on Long Island.

Anurag

AZ has been looking to work out some frustrations over some InstallShield issues. Something about wanting a neck to squeeze. We suggest tracking down Anurag, who has at least twice indicated that he was a responsible guy:

My name is Anurag and I have taken ownership...

and going a few rounds in the boxing ring.

Easter Sacrifice

To mark the start of the Easter season, we present "When bad things happen to good peeps."

Virtual Smashed

The committee has come through and held Friday Tea despite it being Good Friday. And since Smashed couldn't be there - they set up a "virtual smashed" above.

It looks like everyone's having a good time. Just a couple of questions, though. Is that a beer in front of PG? And who's that talking to NR? (KM? What's she doing there...) And what's ED so happy about? He got a good deal on a bicycle wheel, but that was yesterday...

Gut Freitag

Oh, and since this is Holy Week for most of us, and since Friday is Good Friday, the usual festivities may be canceled this week. (Unless elements of the committee decide otherwise at the last minute).

Since it's been quiet around here

We thought we'd link to this article, "The College Prank as Viral Video" (By Thomas Bartlett).

Type "college prank" into YouTube and you will be greeted with hundreds of videos. Most will be really, really dumb. Many won't even be pranks at all. Some will make you furrow your brow, shake your head, and fear for the future of our country.

But a few of them push the art of the prank to new heights. Being able to share videos online has encouraged the best college pranksters to make their stunts more elaborate. It also allows us to share in their glorious inanity.

A Chronicle employee — OK, fine, it was me — spent hours sifting the semi-funny from the truly idiotic in order to bring you five of the best college prank videos. While none of these pranks involve duct tape or shaving cream, they are all pretty juvenile. (See a Chronicle video that compiles all of these videos, with commentary, or watch each video individually by clicking the links below.)

(click the link for reviews) - here are the videos.

Drinkin Time
Start-Up Sound
Upside-Down Room
A Lecture Musical
Fun With Yellow Books