The Big Birthday Roundup!

Yes, today is my 40th birthday. And really, what better way to celebrate is there than by posting a bunch of links?

– First of all, good vibes and prayers to the folks in Japan after last night’s earthquake. God bless!

– Google has finally allowed users to block domains from search results. You basically go to Google, enter a search term, click a link to a domain you don’t want to see results from, then go back to the Google page and click “Block [domain] from search results”. For those of us who frequently search for IT issues, it’s almost worth the wait to be able to block experts-exchange.com!

– The TSA is at it again: they busted Montel Williams for having a marijuana pipe (even though they’re only supposed to have jurisdiction in airport safety issues) and they photocopied a man’s credit cards and other personal papers. Oh, and the FAA has ordered airlines to remove the emergency oxygen supplies from airplane restrooms, just in case a terrorist might think of using it as a bomb. They’re supposed to be working on a safer replacement, but in the meantime, if you’re in the restroom and the oxygen masks deploy… I guess you just die. And, for the record, Montel Williams has multiple sclerosis, and uses marijuana medicinally. So there.

– Think Americans are stupid? Apparently 30% of all British adults think time travel is possible. I’m not talking about “possible” in the theoretical sense of “maybe one day, with the right technology”… I’m talking “something you can do right now”. 44% of Brits also think some form of Men in Black-style “memory erasing” technology exists, 24% thought Star Trek-style teleporting exists, and 22% thought that light sabres are real, genuine weapons. Saddest of all, 18% of adult Brits think that you can see gravity.

– Back in the world of science fact, Voyager is still giving scientists information. The probe, launched in 1977, is approaching the very edge of our solar system, and in a few years will be in interstellar space. Cool!

– Back in Britain, Rifca Stanescu, an immigrant from Romania, has become that nation’s youngest grandmother… at the age of 23!

– Ever wonder what Pi would sound like as music? It’s actually quite pretty.

– Lastly… remember the egg toss from your youth? Cadbury’s Canadian website allows you to hurl their famous Easter eggs at any Google Maps address you want. It’s silly fun! Look, here’s Sanford Stadium in Athens: