How to Smoke Cigars: A GP Primer - via GearPatrol.com - OK, I may have quit smoking cigarettes recently but that doesn't mean I can't have a nice stogie after a steak dinner.  We're not savages, after all.  Check out this link...lots of info for the budding cigar enthusiast.

The 10 Essential Elements of Design - via TechnologyReview.com - A short, effective list of "10 essential elements or aspects of good design that transcend context, industry, and geography."

'Ums' and 'ers' help children learn - via NewScientist.com - An interesting study...It seems to indicate that disfluencies in speech have an unexpected benefit.  They help children learn by calling attention to when something important is said.  Saying "like" every other word still makes you sound retarded, though.
 
Carry Conditions and Firearm Safety - via ITSTactical.com - ITS Tactical is one of my favourite sites that I visit almost every day.  It's actually a little strange, now that I think of it, that I haven't linked to more of their articles in the past.  Anyway...check it out.
 
And last but not least, today there are two posts over at CoolMaterial.com that are particularly, well, cool...
Red Oak Burger Grilling Planks - Because meat cooked outside with fire just tastes better.
and...
Automatic Maratac Pilot Watch - Because sometimes the new hotness comes in a plain package.  Unfortunately they're sold out already.

Chemistry Kit Chemophobia - via Chemical & Engineering News - Meet the Chemistry 60: 60 Fun Activities With No Chemicals.  That's right.  It's a chemistry set.  With no chemicals.  The article says it best - "chalk up another victory for mass hysteria".

Obama sees no magic bullet to push down gas prices - via Reuters.com - Well, let's see...It's easy to TALK about energy independence, but where will the money come from?  Oh, I know!  Stop spending HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS fighting multiple wars and invest a bit into infrastructure, education, and research into domestic energy sources.
 
Washington teen fakes pregnancy as school project - via Yahoo! News - Not only is this a great prank, it also must have taken a lot of courage for this girl to voluntarily subject herself to the social stigma that goes along with teen pregnancy, all for a social experiment.  I hope she got an "A" on her project.
 
Why You Should Care About the iPhone Location-Tracking Issue - via Wired Gadget Lab - While this issue is being somewhat blown out of proportion, I still feel it's necessary to call attention to it.  If you use a cell phone at all, you need to be aware that data about your location could be collected.  Whether or not you're interesting enough for anybody to give a shit where you go and when you're there is dabatable, but that doesn't change the fact that this data is immensely valuable.  It boils down to this:  Never assume you are invisible or anonymous.
Now, storing a database with your whole location history in an unencrypted file right on the mobile device AND the computer you connect it to is not only bad data management, it's also a horrible practice from a security standpoint as well.  At a minimum I expect Apple will cover their ass and add an option to opt out of the location tracking, or at least add an option to wipe the data every so often.

Drawspace.com - If you want to learn to draw or brush up on some skills, heres a great library of tutorials.  Several lessons for Beginner, Intermidiate, and Advanced skill levels.

No Hit Pinatas: The Key to Raising Psycopathic Kids - via thestir.cafemom.com - Ladies and Gentlemen, you are raising a generation of sheltered pussies.  Congratulations.

Adult Star Kirsten Price Tests Kinect's Nude Filter - via G4tv.com - Microsoft's new Kinect for XBOX 360 is an incredibly promising bit of technology despite possible privacy concerns (see here and here).  Here's a video!

To Thwart Distracted Driving, US Government Considers Cell Phone Jammers in Cars - via PopSci.com - The Nanny-state is in full swing these days.  Some jack-holes just can't resist yacking on the phone while driving, so let's put a jammer in every car.  Nevermind the fact that this would also inhibit passengers from using a phone and could also stop a driver from calling for help in the event of an emergency.  I can't see this actually happening, but the fact that anyone is even considering it is evidence of a head up an ass.

Distressed Toddler Gets a TSA Pat Down - via RawJustice.com - This whole body scanner/enhanced pat down business is far from over.  Judging from this story and others like it that are pouring in from all over it looks like the bogeyman terrorists have won.  People have gone to jail for touching children like this, but since it's sanctioned by the government I guess it's OK, right?

Quindell Sherman:  Repeatedly Slams Baby Into Cement in Fight With Girlfriend - via TrueCrimeReport.com - No joke...skip this one if you have a weak stomach.

Quindell Sherman is a piece of filth who got in a fight with his girlfriend, then decided to prove what a big man he was by slamming her infant son into the concrete then throwing him 25 feet into the street.  This motherfucker needs to be put down.  Slowly.

Violent Video Games: Our Responsibility, Not the Courts - via PCMag.com - The bottom line here is that parents have a responsibility to be aware of and control whatever media their children have access to.  This extends beyond video games to movies, music, and TV as well.
 
Teen suspended for riding horse to school - via Boston.com - Another school official overreacts to an innocent stunt.
 
How the AK-47 Rewrote the Rules of Modern Warfare - via Wired.com - As firearms go, the AK-47 is one of the most widely recognized in the world.  Here's an interesting article on it's history and engineering behind a design that's been in use for over 50 years.
 
Foo Fighters Reunite, Krist Novoselic Joins the Band - via PrefixMag.com - The surviving members of Nirvana are back together and making a new record with the help of Butch Vig, who produced the iconic album Nevermind.  While it would be nearly impossible to top the success and historical significance of Nevermind, this new record might be so good that it cures cancer.  True story.    -  p.s.  Nevermind is going to be 20 years old in 2011.  I feel fucking old.

Student, 20, named Mexico police chief - via News.com.au - I hope I'm wrong, but my crystal ball is telling me that this girl is going to wind up getting herself killed.  The idealism of youth is unfortunately not bulletproof.
 
Man facing 10 year prison sentence for downloading Simpsons porn - via Nerve.com - Child pornography is disgusting and those who produce and distribute it deserve every friend they make in the prison showers.  That said, since the Simpsons is a cartoon then no actual children were victimized or abused in the production of the images in question.  I don't understand how this guy could have been prosecuted on child pornography charges, let alone how his lawyer could have allowed him to enter a guilty plea.
 
Woman stabbed classmate in anger management session - via SeattlePI.com - You know you shouldn't laugh, but you also know you want to.  It might be time to fire the person teaching conflict resolution here.
 
Physicists Discover Universal "Wet-Dog Shake" Rule - via TechnologyReview.com - You can sleep a little easier tonight, one of the greatest scientific mysteries has been solved.  According to this article researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a mathematical model to solve for the ideal frequency of oscillation for a wet dog to shake itself dry.  Who funds this shit?