much more interesting than the tired old Santa Claus physics email

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mzombiepower.html

thank you, xydexx!

"you learn something new every day"

I'm not sure that I do, but I have no learned at least one new word today:

personalty
n. movable assets (things, including animals) which are not real property, money or investments.
See also: personal effects real property

error in 9-11 Commission report

All the hijacked aircraft were in one of NORAD’s Continental U.S. sectors, the Northeast Air Defense Sector (also known as NEADS). NEADS is based in Rome, New York. On 9/11, it could call on two alert sites, each with one pair of ready fighters. These were the Otis Air National Guard Base in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Langley Air Force Base in Langley, Virginia.

This is a common error, but it is nonetheless incorrect, and I'm surprised they would make it in a report of this importance. Langley AFB is in Hampton, VA (southeastern VA, near Norfolk), not Langley, VA (northeastern VA, near Washington, DC). The two are 180 miles apart (by road, probably a little less by air).

well worth reading

citations and a link to a good essay, thanks to robbysmom