Because a significant portion of my livelihood depends on Apple’s computers and software, I have more than a passing interest in every new product announcement. But I have never entirely understood the infamous Mac rumor mill. In the days and weeks leading up to any conference or press event, especially if Steve Jobs is delivering a keynote address, blogs and message boards go crazy with “confirmed” predictions from “reliable, inside sources” about what will be announced. And inevitably, many of those items don’t appear after all.

Some of the products rumor sites were certain Steve Jobs would announce this Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference but which we didn’t in fact see were:

1. iPhone: This rumor has been going around for years, and it seems like it resurfaces before every single Apple event. Will Apple produce the ultimate cell phone with a built-in iPod (or vice versa)? Not this week. (Rumors appeared on engadget here and here.)
2. Higher-capacity iPod Nano: It’s inevitable that we’ll see iPod Nanos with more memory (6 GB, 8 GB, or more) sooner or later. Perhaps they’ll also come in more colors, or in a metal enclosure. But it looks like it’ll be later rather than sooner. (Rumor appeared on Think Secret, though it was revised a few days before the show to say the new iPod Nano won’t appear until September.)
3. New MacBook Pro: Come on, the current MacBook Pro line has only been out for a few months. It’s way too soon for a replacement. But the availability of new higher-speed, lower-power chips from Intel suggested that Apple might move forward quickly. (Rumor appeared on Computerworld.)
4. MacBooks with Glossy Cases: Admittedly, this was a pretty weak rumor, but you never know. (Rumor appeared on Gizmodo.)
5. Movie Rentals: The iTunes Music Store already sells TV shows. The word on the street is that Steve Jobs has struck a deal with major studios to offer full-length downloadable movies too. We’ll have to wait and see. (Rumor appeared on Think Secret, though, as with the iPod Nano rumor, it was revised a few days before the show to say the movie rentals are coming in September.)
6. New Cinema Displays: Well, this sort of happened. Apple announced that their existing line of Cinema Displays will now have higher contrast and lower prices, but new sizes, built-in iSight cameras, and other rumored changes didn’t happen. (Rumor appeared on engadget and Think Secret.)

Where else but Las Vegas can you see a different magic show every day of the week (and then some)? In fact, even with the unfortunate disappearance of Siegfried and Roy from the stage, no fewer than ten major magic shows, most of which run year-round, are playing in Las Vegas during 2006.

1. Lance Burton: Master Magician (Monte Carlo)
2. Nathan Burton Comedy Magic (Aladdin)
3. David Copperfield (MGM, August 6–September 20 and December 21–31)
4. The Amazing Jonathan (Sahara)
5. Mac King (Harrah’s)
6. Penn & Teller (Rio)
7. Rick Thomas (Stardust)
8. Steve Wyrick (Aladdin)
9. World’s Greatest Magic Show (Greek Isles)
10. Xtreme Magic Starring Dirk Arthur (Tropicana)

Don’t get me wrong here: I have nothing at all against Kate Bosworth. But I think—and most movie critics seem to agree with me—that she was the wrong person to play Lois Lane in Superman Returns. It was a good movie, but Bosworth kept it from being great.

To be sure, her acting could have been better, and certainly some of the blame lies with director Bryan Singer. But casting directors Roger Mussenden and Ann Robinson really should have chosen someone a bit older—after all, this is a character who was supposed to have been a seasoned reporter long before Superman left, 5 years ago, and who’s won a Pulitzer prize for journalism. Bosworth, at 23 when the film was released, wasn’t able to pull that off. And frankly, I couldn’t figure out what Clark Kent saw in her.

Actresses who, in my opinion, might have made a much better Lois Lane include, in alphabetical order:

• Morena Baccarin
• Zooey Deschanel
• Natalie Portman
• Keri Russell
• Jewel Staite
• Charlize Theron

And yes, I am a Firefly/Serenity fan.

In 2005, four countries carried out 94% of the world’s executions:

1. China: 1,770 (minimum estimate)
2. Iran: 94
3. Saudi Arabia: 86
4. USA: 60

Total Executions in 2005: 2,148

Source: Amnesty International

Years ago I took a microbiology class to fulfill the requirements for a degree. It was specifically designed for students like me, arts majors who needed those crucial science credits. As such, it stayed away from “serious” biology and focused more on the societal impact of microbiology. From infectious diseases to the misuse of antibiotics and anti-bacterial soap, it was an interesting, if somewhat frightening class. We also discussed the more benign and beneficial aspects of microbes, chief among them their ability to aid in the production of various food and beverages. It made me realize how indebted we are to these little critters, and how many of my favorite edibles and imbibables would not exist without their help. A few examples:

1. Cheese: Bacteria produce lactic acid, which initially thickens the milk; bacteria also determine the flavor of the cheese later in the ripening process. For examples of the types of bacteria used to make different cheeses, go here.
2. Beer: Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), once added to the wort, a liquid made of barley, hops, sugar and water, converts the sugar in the wort to alcohol and carbon dioxide (creating bubbles in the beer)
3. Bread (leavened): Also made using yeast, although the byproducts of the yeast’s fermentation of the dough are water and carbon dioxide (not alcohol), which fills the dough with air bubbles that make it rise
4. Wine: Like beer, wine is made using yeast, but instead of hops and barley, the starter material is obviously grapes
5. Pickles: Cucumbers are fermented using lactic acid producing bacteria, giving pickles their sour taste and also preventing harmful strains of bacteria from taking hold. Microbes used: Enterobacter aerogenes, Lactobacillus brevis and L. plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus cerevisiae, Enterococcus faecalis
6. Olives: Basically inedible until they are fermented, olives are also fermented using lactic acid producing bacteria, including Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum. and Leuconostoc
7. Yogurt: Bacteria added to milk produce lactic acid that makes the yogurt sour and partially breaks down the lactose in the milk. Microbes used: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and/or acidophilus & Streptococcus thermophilus

The primal power of volcanoes has fascinated humanity for thousands of years, and it is no different today. Tourists flock to sites with particularly spectacular displays of volcanic activity despite the potential danger they pose.

My own experience with volcano tourism involved a few nights’ stay below the slopes of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. As thrilling as the nightly show was, with periodic orange bursts of lava, it was humbling to know that only a few years earlier the volcano had erupted so violently that the surrounding area was evacuated. This knowledge didn’t stop me from enjoying myself, but I did keep a more watchful eye on that distant fiery peak.

• Arenal Volcano (Costa Rica)
• Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)—Kilauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes
• Montserrat Volcano Observatory (Montserrat, West Indies)—Soufrière Hills Volcano
• Vesuvius, Mount Etna, and Stromboli Volcanoes (Italy)
• Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (Washington State, USA)
• Kilimanjaro, Oldoinya Lengai, Meru Volcanoes (Tanzania)
• Yasur Volcano (Vanuatu)
• Popocatepetl National Park (Mexico)
• Fuji Five Lake Region (Japan)—Mount Fuji
• Santa Maria/Santiaguito Volcano (Guatemala)

You can read more about the Arenal volcano in Tabacón Hot Springs at Interesting Thing of the Day.

This is the first entry in our series of IKEA lists.

As I looked through the IKEA online catalogue, certain combinations of words attracted me—those products that bore not one, but two names suggested surnames and identities that seemed vaguely familiar. Where else had I heard similar combinations of carefully ambiguous, yet strangely descriptive names? And then it hit me: in the world of George Lucas, of course. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions of monikers to use in future episodes of the space saga.

• Amorf Spets
  Old identity: Curtain
  New identity: Leader of Anno Amorf
• Anno Amorf
  Old identity: Curtain Panel
  New identity: A trade syndicate from Kelig Groda (see below)
• Bibbi Snurr
  Old identity: Blanket
  New identity: An ambassador of Minnen Ros (see below)
• Fenja Blad
  Old identity: Curtain
  New identity: Feared assassin
• Freja Strå
  Old identity: Fabric
  New identity: Henchman of Jabba the Hutt; twin of Freja Flinga (see below)
• Freja Flinga
  Old identity: Curtain
  New identity: Henchman of Jabba the Hutt; twin of Freja Strå
• Godis Mix
  Old Identity: Glass
  New identity: Planet in the Kelig Groda system
• Jabba
  Old identity: Hanging Dryer with 16 Clothes Clips
  New/Old identity: Member of the Hutt clan; intergalactic smuggler, drug dealer
• Kelig Groda
  Old identity: Slipcover
  New identity: Solar system
• Korall Rev
  Old identity: Curtain with Tie-Back
  New identity: Ship commanded by Pax Drammen (see below)
• Malou Cirkel
  Old identity: Quilt Cover & 2 Pillowcases
  New identity: City on Minnen Ros
• Minnen Ros
  Old identity: RUG
  New identity: Planet in the Kelig Groda system
• Pax Drammen
  Old identity: Wardrobe
  New identity: Military hero from Godis Mix
• Tassa Hare
  Old identity: Quilt Cover & Pillowcase
  New identity: A Jedi master; originally from Malou Cirkel

Walking through an IKEA store, I’m often amused at the names given to various products; how can you not giggle at a wall cabinet given the unlikely name of ASPUDDEN? I know it’s slightly juvenile to find such things humorous, but having no knowledge of Swedish, it all becomes just a delightful deluge of unintentionally (at least to my knowledge) doubly-descriptive words.

In that spirit, I’ve chosen some of my favorite names from IKEA’s online catalogue to create a series of lists that propose new uses for these marvelous linguistic creations.

Just to be clear, I have nothing but affection for IKEA; in fact, our household is almost entirely furnished with the products from this great company—from our BILLY bookcases to our POÄNG chairs. Remember: it comes from a place of love.

I’ll update this post with links to new lists as they’re added to the series.

• IKEA products that could be names from Star Wars
• IKEA products that could be superhero names
• IKEA products that could be vanity license plates
• IKEA products that could be Shakespearean epithets
• (more coming soon)

The following books with subject matter relating to the Holy Grail, Leonardo Da Vinci and/or the Templars all appeared on the April 9, 2006 New York Times Hardcover Fiction and Paperback Nonfiction Bestseller Lists:

1. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Holy Grail, Da Vinci, Templars) (hardcover | paperback)
2. The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry (Templars) (paperback)
3. The Secret Supper by Javier Serra (Da Vinci) (paperback)
4. The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury (Templars) (paperback)
5. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (Holy Grail) (paperback)
6. Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln (Holy Grail, Templars) (paperback)

According to the article What’s Left of Patagonia at Interesting Thing of the Day, both seals and sea lions are pinnipeds, or “fin-feet,” but…

1. Sea lions have much larger front flippers than seals.
2. Sea lions have back flippers that can rotate underneath them; seals don’t.
3. When on land, sea lions can walk on all four flippers, whereas seals sort of slide or bounce along on their bellies.
4. Sea lions have external ear flaps, whereas seals have ear holes but no outer appendage.