What, no Vanadium?

For those of you who are looking forward to the arrival of children in your lives: Dr. Hurlbutt proposes chemical names for your baby. Mostly, he's looking at people in the U.S. who have been named after elements, but he does mention a few alloys and compounds as well.

While at the site, be sure to check out Dr. Hurlbutt's Highly Peculiar Online Calendar, with useful entries like "October 4: The Soviets launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit around the earth in 1957. Not to be outdone, the U.S. television network CBS launched the sitcom Leave It to Beaver."

In other space-related news, lately I've been listening to odd radio programs like the one hosted by this guy. My radio is fighting back by not allowing me to listen to the legitimate local news station anymore. Since my media theme lately has been wacky conspiracy theories, last night I watched the 2005 film Protocols of Zion, which was more likeable and less depressing than I'd expected. Online reviewers who complain that the film was unfocused do have a point, though I was willing to go along for the ride. Online reviewers who complain that the filmmaker chose to hide the REAL TRUTH about the conspiracy and obviously must be In On It are, well, predictable.

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In wholly unrelated personal news, last week was the first week since the first week of April that I haven't been to at least one farmers' market (the market I was planning to attend was canceled because of stormy weather). I'm feeling terribly, terribly deprived. I do have some good chocolate here, though, so things aren't all bad.

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I want to say more, but my brain isn't working so well. Perhaps I need some more tea. Mmm... Oolong.