In which John Green investigates the dawn of human civilization. John looks into how people gave up hunting and gathering to become agriculturalists, and how that change has influenced the world we live in today. Also, there are some jokes about cheeseburgers.

KNEB Sports Director Rob Barney and Coach Tom Osborne join their voices together to promote Teammates of Western Nebraska through the sale of Rob Barney “Robbleheads”, available at Valley Bank in Scottsbluff and Gering, Wm. Eric Vath Clothier, and KNEB Radio.

From College Humor.

While the spoof is funny, Wonders of the Universe and Wonders of the Solar System are quite brilliant. I really enjoy everything that Professor Brian Cox does. He’s a particle physicist, but he explains everything he does so that even a simpleton like me can understand and enjoy the subject matter. If you’ve never had a chance to see anything he’s done, you should. His absolute joy in science is refreshing and engaging.

Here he is in an episode of QI and A Night with the Stars lecture on BBC a few weeks ago. If you live in the UK you can watch Wonders of the Universe online.

Damn it! Why do the Brits get to have all the really good TV Shows?

This year, once again, all the proceeds from Tim’s beautiful, seasonally sentimental Christmas song ‘White Wine in the Sun’ will go to The National Autistic Society (NAS) which provides support, information and services for people with autism and their families and campaigns for “a better world for people with autism”.

It‘s available to download from various online sources including iTunes (as ever) but this applies to all legitimate downloads of the single from November 1st 2011 to February 1st 2012.

I really like Christmas
It’s sentimental, I know, but I just really like it
I am hardly religious
I’d rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu, to be honest

And yes, I have all of the usual objections
To consumerism, the commercialisation of an ancient religion
To the westernisation of a dead Palestinian
Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer
But I still really like it

I’m looking forward to Christmas
Though I’m not expecting a visit from Jesus

I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun
I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

I don’t go in for ancient wisdom
I don’t believe just ‘cos ideas are tenacious it means they are worthy
I get freaked out by churches
Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords but the lyrics are spooky

And yes I have all of the usual objections
To the miseducation of children who, in tax-exempt institutions,
Are taught to externalise blame
And to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right and wrong
But I quite like the songs
I’m not expecting big presents
The old combination of socks, jocks and chocolate is just fine by me

Cos I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun
I’ll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

And you, my baby girl
My jetlagged infant daughter
You’ll be handed round the room
Like a puppy at a primary school
And you won’t understand
But you will learn someday
That wherever you are and whatever you face
These are the people who’ll make you feel safe in this world
My sweet blue-eyed girl

And if, my baby girl
When you’re twenty-one or thirty-one
And Christmas comes around
And you find yourself nine thousand miles from home
You’ll know what ever comes
Your brother and sisters and me and your Mum
Will be waiting for you in the sun
Whenever you come
Your brothers and sisters, your aunts and your uncles
Your grandparents, cousins and me and your mum
We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun
Darling, when Christmas comes
We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun
Waiting for you in the sun
Waiting for you…
Waiting…

I really like Christmas
It’s sentimental, I know…

Taken from Dan Barker’s talk at Skepticon IV.

Space Nazis attack Earth. There’s no way this isn’t going to be cool. Here’s a picture of the moon base for you to look at. Be sure to click on it to see all the details