Links: June 29, 2009

Another dead. He hasn't done much in the last twenty years, but this is pretty funny ...




Let me break down the most interesting part of this article from the NYT on firefly mating habits. Basically, male fireflies have protein pieces in their bodies that females can see. Females will look for males with the largest "packages," which will be their only nourishment during their two-week adulthood. The males will then fill these packages with sperm and feed them to the female. I am really glad I know this.

When I was in high school, the only time teenagers were around the rest of society was at the Fourth of July celebrations, when everyone in town got together for a crappy carnival and a half-decent fireworks show. Now, these American traditions are dying.

I don't know whether to consider this an inspirational story of overcoming personal tragedy or the story of a self-centered athlete using the sad death of his friend to garner sympathy from the public. I'm leaning toward the latter, and it makes me sick.