Archive for June, 2011

Revisionist history is as wrong as it is fashionable, but rarely is it as obvious as on Wikipedia, where legions of Sarah Palin fans are reportedly editing the Paul Revere entry to make it match the former Alaska governor’s version of the silversmith’s famous ride.

“And many years later, the Allman Brothers wrote this great song about the whole thing called ‘Midnight Rider’.” (Hat added due to comedy)

The list of edits is telling for an event that happened 236 years ago.

One edit was removed because a Wikipedian said the new info was “not backed by a reliable sources (it was sarah palin interview videos).”

Another shows a bit of bias against the former Republican candidate for vice president of the United States: “[A newspaper] may be a reliable source, but on this Palin clearly is not.”

The Paul Revere discussion page is basically a flame war.

A Wikipedia administrator writes “if you mention Sarah Palin you’re doing it wrong. This article is about Paul Revere, a historical …

Continue reading Palin fans trying to revise Wikipedia’s Paul Revere entry »

Mosquitoes, like Braves fans, love beer, according to a new study from University of Florida scientists.

But that doesn’t mean you have to confront nature sober.

Dad went outside to mow the yard and was never seen again.

As summer begins, here’s a few tips to help keep you from becoming a mosquito magnet:

* Stay indoors at all times. If this is not possible, continue reading.

* Mosquitoes are not color blind, and seem to like dark colors. Wear white clothing instead of black, navy blue or red. Wear long sleeves and pants to expose less skin.

* Mosquitoes home in on carbon dioxide, which living creatures exhale. Certain people emit more carbon dioxide than others, including those who are overweight, pregnant or have a high metabolic rate.

* Higher body temperatures attract the airborne vampires, which may explain why those who drink alcohol get bitten more often. Try to stay cool.

* Some species of bugs like to bite your feet because of stinky bacteria there. Consider bathing, …

Continue reading Study: Mosquitoes love beer drinkers »

Georgia dodges hurricanes like Paula Deen dodges cholesterol screenings, but maybe not for much longer.

The coolest driveway in America would be under water if a hurricane hit Savannah.

The prognosticators at The Weather Channel, based in Atlanta, are picking on our neighbors to the south, saying Savannah is the 4th most hurricane-overdue city in the U.S.

I’ve lived in Georgia all my life and remember a scare or two, including one-way traffic on I-16, but there hasn’t been any serious hurricane damage since way back in 1893, when the “Sea Islands Hurricane” killed more than 1,000.

The most damage I’ve ever seen personally was when tropical storm Alberto stalled atop the west side of Georgia, flooding Albany and other cities.

The most-overdue for misery is Honolulu, which, despite sitting smack-dab in the middle of  warm ocean, has never been hit by a cyclone.

Other cities on the fear-mongering list are:

#2: San Diego. Cool water off the coast seems to deter hurricane’s …

Continue reading ‘Hurricane expert’: Savannah overdue for hurricane »