I don’t know how other bloggers get their inspiration for what to write — there could be chanting involved. In my case, I email myself lots of little notes that include links to (hopefully) interesting sites and stories along with ideas in need of some additional fermentation.

Sometimes these take root but more often I end up with an inbox full of these and sometimes they get deleted without so much as a fond adieu. But this week I figured I’d get them on paper (so to speak) in a single posting and get them out of my inbox and submitted for your approval.

Bonus points if you get the relationship between the picture at left and the title of this post…

glossolalia - Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new Tel Aviv University study has found. Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging. Studies like this one beg the question — does regular CW use offer any protection from dementia and Alzheimer’s?

Mike gives the Icom IC-P7A dual band mini-HT four out of five stars. Nice pics and topical review.

What parent of a teenager hasn’t at least wondered if there isn’t some secret cabal working to part you and your money over the things teens apparently can’t live without? Relax, it’s no cabal — it’s the secret driving power of capitalism and was set into motion in the US in the 1920s. The Gospel of Consumption lays out the case for creating material lust as a way of driving the economy. It’s a must read if you want to understand exactly why you couldn’t live without the GI Joe with the Kung Fu grip.

In Take a Vacation Without Leaving Home, Atlanta Journal-Constitution TechnoBuddy columnist Bill Husted suggests spending a week at home building a computer or one of many electronic kits — including radio kits from Ten-Tec. Cool idea!

There’s a new mailing list for those interested in operating their equipment remotely (presumably via the Internet).

The ARRL is reporting that Modern Marvels, a series on The History Channel, will feature electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla in an episode scheduled to air May 14. Helping out with the program was Bob “Loby” Lobenstein, WA2AXZ.

Is it lights out for Broadband over Powerline?

This guy is the “ham of hams” but not our kind…

Bill Meara, N2CQR CU2JL M0HBR is our kind of ham. He’s the voice behind the popular SolderSmoke podcast and he’s recently launched a new blog.

Did you know that a male ballet dancer is technically a Ballerino? Just another reason to make sure your sons enjoy football.

In an 1870 letter to Joseph Twichell, Mark Twain wrote: …when they used to tell me I would shorten my life ten years by smoking, they little knew the devotee they were wasting their puerile word upon — they little knew how trivial and valueless I would regard a decade that had no smoking in it!

73 de Jeff