Originally wrote this 16 years ago as I was getting my masters degree. As my adviser often asked “Don’t you want to learn normal things?” While PUREX may save us from being buried in nuclear waste it is not without peril, though it’s more of the did-you-actually-think-this-through-before-you-started-pressing-buttons variety of peril. It is vitally important to …
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Hormeisis Jokes
I have often said that my physics degrees are primarily used to make more esoteric dumb jokes and puns, especially if I can find a way to work math into them. As a coworker will be going to a new job soon, I want to immortalize two connected stories that show why I’ll miss him. …
TWO Coffees from the Philippines!
I am pleased announce that after an absence of a mere month, the Philippine Barako coffee is back. I don’t have a lot of it and this is mostly to tide me over until the Filipino Cousin Network can get me a much larger quantity in a couple months, but the important part is that …
Containing Multitudes: Laser Safety Edition
Most of you found me as the ridiculous coffee & steins guy. Some think of me as the radiation safety man who knows way too much history and is an embodiment of Institutional Memory (this would definitely be the point of view from the researchers and students I wrangle). To others, I am the crazy …
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Colonies and Gold, Part II
As a holiday and end of year gift, I have finished up Part II of the colonial currency and gold coin rant with all due haste. I’ve got three Dominions to cover here, so it’s a bit long. Take a break after the Raj and have a festive drink or something. Remember that handy reference guide to …
Production & Extra Life Announcements
As the denizens of this blog know, Dia de los Muertos is my birthday and, in my family, one’s birthday is a high holy day. It is to be honored and you should enjoy the hell out of that day. While I will be going to visit some of the graves of members of the …
The 2017 Atomic Heritage Roadtrip, Part 2: What Are You Doing Here, Jeff?
Gonna skip to the oddest bit of trivia I picked up from this trip for Part 2, rather than talk nuclear weapons and atomic ephemera this time. We started with fun in Albuquerque for Part 1 and I’ll get back to fun at the Trinity Open House and the Titan Missile Museum next time for …
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Some Holiday Related Bullshitting I Am Proud Of
[NOTE: This tale is originally occurred before Easter 2009] At work on Thursday, my co-worker asked me what my holiday plans were for Easter. I told him that I’d be going down to see my folks and eat some delicious ham. A puzzled look crossed his face and he asked, “Phil, why is it considered …
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Money Rant Two & Blood of the Harpy Update
First off, I want to share these updated pictures that I have in the wake of the “Money Rant Two” post from a few weeks back. I got a lot of emails and tweets telling me how much they enjoyed the tale and also amazed that I am unapologetically a coin collector, in public, with …
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Travel and Stein 666
As quite a few of you have already noticed the order slots for the production window ending Halloween are now up. Fair warning, there aren’t all that many slots for this window because the coffee engines will be winding down for the next week; I’ll be in Atlanta updating my knowledge of laser safety regulations. …
Because It Entertains The Bejeezus Out Of Us
I give you the creations of Fake Science. One need not be a scientist, drunk, or hep’d up on caffeine to enjoy. In particular, Electrolytes. They are what plants crave: