QZ qz thoughts
a blog from Eli the Bearded

CDC: The centers for disease control and prevention


This US Government site is usually the first one I turn to for information about any particular disease. I love the blunt terminology, such as this statement about when to keep kids with hand, foot, and mouth disease out of childcare: "Some benefit may be gained, however, by excluding children who have blisters in their mouths and drool or who have weeping lesions on their hands."

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Pathology Guy


Ed's Pathology Notes include a step by step discussion of the autopsy process illustrated with 8-bit style doctors and subject. There are notes on many other pathology and non-pathology topics, but not all of pages have relevant content. A good source of links to other pathology sites, though.

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Probabilities in the Game of Monopoly


Extensive statistical analysis of the chances of landing on any particular space on the Monopoly board. This is useful, eg, in evaluating the potential income of a property. Further tables include data on average income per roll of the dice for properties and other spaces. It then includes advice based on this like: "The square most landed on other than Jail is Illinois Avenue, and in fact a hotel there will bring the most income other than a hotel on Boardwalk."

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Oklo Fossil Reactors


In 1972 in Oklo, Gabon, while mining for uranium a very strange thing was discovered: the fossilized remains of a naturally occuring nuclear reactor. Later several other similar reactors were discovered, each dating back about two billion years. This is one of the few sites I've been able to find with explanations of the phenomenon and photographs of the site.

dead link: http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/centre/waisrc/OKLO/

2020 Update: That site is dead, but there are lots of sites about the Oklo Natural Fission Reactors now. And there's a start-up company named Oklo trying to make small fission reactors.

The Avalon Project at Yale Law School


This collections bills itself as "Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy". While some of the documents are purely of historical interest, many have current legal standing in international affairs. This is the place to go to find the text of the Dayton Peace Accords, the peace agreement that ended the Bosnian war; the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which gave the US a chunk of Panama to build a canal; the Good Friday Agreement, which has brought some peace to Northen Ireland; and a wealth of many other documents.

dead link: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm

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Bert's Quarter Shrinking Gallery


Small tube electromagnets with very large power discharges make for a way to magnetically crush coins placed inside the tube. Bert's gallery has a selection of photos and description of the shrinker and a larger collection of photos of the effects.

dead link: http://205.243.100.155/frames/shrinkergallery.html

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