Saturday evening roundup

Science loves beauty. Case in point,
with explanation here.

Sloths! Exposure is good for their survival.

Adam Gopnik laid down a dare last week. You may recall my feelings about Mr. Gopnik: when I find myself reading something in the New Yorker and thinking, this is a bunch of hippie crap, it generally turns out to be written by him. And so when he quoted Dr. Johnson in one of his crappy posts,

...Dr. Johnson said, rightly, that anyone who decides to write something believes herself to be wiser or wittier than the rest of mankind, and that it is up to the rest of mankind to decide if she is.

I finalized my decision (as one of the rest of mankind) to not renew my subscription to the New Yorker. It's just gotten too expensive--yes, I know good journalism is expensive--for how inconsistent and yet time-consuming it is. I'd like to read more books, and the only way that's going to happen is if I quit the New Yorker. And since the New Yorker wants to charge me an exorbitant amount to keep subscribing (I don't want their weekender bag or a discount at their silly store), it's an easy decision.