Three backstories

A little biology, unnervingly plausible:
http://tamnonlinear.livejournal.com/490426.html?page=2#comments

LOTR, and more:
http://seawasp.livejournal.com/70155.html#cutid1

A LOTR footnote to the above:
http://seawasp.livejournal.com/70155.html?thread=551691#t551691

OK, this is one of those "trust me" posts, with little more than the links, but really, you should trust me. They're very good.

There's a reasonable chance that the first one has been on your friends list lately, and if you're a rasfw regular, you may have seen the second. The third is probably new to you.

Three backstories

A little biology, unnervingly plausible:
http://tamnonlinear.livejournal.com/490426.html?page=2#comments

LOTR, and more:
http://seawasp.livejournal.com/70155.html#cutid1

A LOTR footnote to the above:
http://seawasp.livejournal.com/70155.html?thread=551691#t551691

OK, this is one of those "trust me" posts, with little more than the links, but really, you should trust me. They're very good.

There's a reasonable chance that the first one has been on your friends list lately, and if you're a rasfw regular, you may have seen the second. The third is probably new to you.

A day of the war in Iraq......

The Quakers have been doing a very serious campaign about what could be bought with the $720 million/day the war in Iraq is costing. the US--lunches for school children, college scholarships, refitting homes for renewable energy.

I am not quite such a serious person, so here are some other things which might be bought with the money.

28,000,000 decent restaurant meals at $25 each. Ten days of this is enough to take the whole country out to dinner.

3,600,000 of expensive sushi dinners at $200 each. Fortunately, not everyone likes sushi. One day is probably enough to cover everyone who'd appreciate a $200 sushi dinner, possibly several times.

Or 360,000 of wretched excess $2000 dinners with really good wine. Is there enough wine of sufficient quality to make this one work?

2,400 average houses at $300,000. The actual average is $264,000, but why not allow a little something for closing costs and moving and those unexpected repairs?

40,000,000 new hardcovers from Amazon, assuming that you also get a paperback or two for the free shipping.

Guessing at the numbers: 144,000 little business start-ups for $5000 each, 7,200 medium-small business start-ups at $100,000 each, or 360 large start-ups at $2,000,000 each.

7,200,000 hours of massage or a number of other professional services at $100/hour.

2,440,677.97 year-long subscriptions to the Oxford English Dictionary. That last person will have to throw in about $10 of their own.

720 X-prizes. This is the one that made me go "Gleep!". What research would *you* like to kick-start?

I think the $720,000,000 is just current operating costs. I get the impression it doesn't cover care for wounded Americans or wear and tear on equipment unless the equipment is replaced.

A day of the war in Iraq......

The Quakers have been doing a very serious campaign about what could be bought with the $720 million/day the war in Iraq is costing. the US--lunches for school children, college scholarships, refitting homes for renewable energy.

I am not quite such a serious person, so here are some other things which might be bought with the money.

28,000,000 decent restaurant meals at $25 each. Ten days of this is enough to take the whole country out to dinner.

3,600,000 of expensive sushi dinners at $200 each. Fortunately, not everyone likes sushi. One day is probably enough to cover everyone who'd appreciate a $200 sushi dinner, possibly several times.

Or 360,000 of wretched excess $2000 dinners with really good wine. Is there enough wine of sufficient quality to make this one work?

2,400 average houses at $300,000. The actual average is $264,000, but why not allow a little something for closing costs and moving and those unexpected repairs?

40,000,000 new hardcovers from Amazon, assuming that you also get a paperback or two for the free shipping.

Guessing at the numbers: 144,000 little business start-ups for $5000 each, 7,200 medium-small business start-ups at $100,000 each, or 360 large start-ups at $2,000,000 each.

7,200,000 hours of massage or a number of other professional services at $100/hour.

2,440,677.97 year-long subscriptions to the Oxford English Dictionary. That last person will have to throw in about $10 of their own.

720 X-prizes. This is the one that made me go "Gleep!". What research would *you* like to kick-start?

I think the $720,000,000 is just current operating costs. I get the impression it doesn't cover care for wounded Americans or wear and tear on equipment unless the equipment is replaced.

What various BMIs really look like

http://flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/sets/72157602199008819/

It works well as a slideshow with the info turned on, too.

What various BMIs really look like

http://flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/sets/72157602199008819/

It works well as a slideshow with the info turned on, too.