Stay Hydrated Out There

Because if you don't stay hydrated, you could get....dehydrated.

Sloppy Drinking Dogs May Be Smarter Than You Think

Everyone knows that when they put a water bowl down for their dog, the result always involves a giant mess of water everywhere. Accordingly, the conventional wisdom is that dogs are sloppy and clumsy drinkers.

Well, some folks have researched dogs' drinking, and our canine friends might be smarter than you think.

There were key differences between cat and dog strategies. The dogs extended more of their tongues to whack the water with a much wider surface area, then used their tongues to pull the water upward into a column at a blazing rate — hitting an acceleration of roughly five to eight times that of gravity when changing direction from downward to upward. That’s much faster than cats move their tongues, Jung said. And while cats barely flick the water, dogs use a wide cross-section of tongue to plunge into the liquid.

But dogs and cats, it turns out, time one key movement in the same way: Just before the column of water is about to collapse, they close their mouths around the airborne liquid, maximizing their water intake.

“Dogs use a very smart (mechanism) to optimize their drinking,” Jung said

So maybe we should cut our dogs a little slack for the mess.

[via Ace's ONT]

What's the Geotechnical Term For "Really Bad Idea"?

I'm a lawyer by trade, so I don't really try to opine on engineering matters. Even though I'm not an engineer, I don't think that building a dam in Mosul was a very good idea. Here's why. Apparently, the dam in Mosul is built on:

“a foundation of soluble soils that are continuously dissolving, resulting in the formation of cavities and voids underground that place the dam at risk for failure.”

Right. Continuously dissolving soil. What the hell does that mean? Is that the technical term for quicksand?

I think the geotechnical term for this is: Constructed in one of the worst possible places to locate a dam. Not being an engineering type, I sent this article over to a friend of mine who is actually a structural engineer. His response?

"Sounds like a big dam problem. " 

Indeed.

Captain America's Dog

I've got lots of work today (court, real estate closings, etc.) so I don't have time to break down all the scandals in DC. Suffice it to say that government sucks and politicians suck. But you already knew that.

Instead of all the mopey political garbage, I've decided to leave you with something happy below the fold. Eventually, I'll get around to some substance. Maybe.

In any event, enjoy.

Organic Water? Surely, you can't be serious.

He is serious, and don't call him Shirley. Apparently, someone who has not taken Chemistry 101 (or assumes that you haven't) is selling "Organic" water. This is lunacy. Even NPR, the fortress of granola eating, Birkenstock wearing, spotted-owl saving folk everywhere can't help but send out the snark:

Remember the properties of water? H2O means each molecule of water contains two atoms of hydrogen (H) joined to one atom of oxygen (O). In order for something to be organic — as in alive — it needs carbon. So water, by definition is inorganic.

Hey bro, here's a hint. When NPR is making fun of you, you've gone too far.

[H/T: Donna B at Opining Online]