I So Want to Visit This Future Space Swimming Pool

In either The Smoke Ring (or was it The Intergral Trees?), Larry Niven describes the coolest thing ever; a swim in a zero-G bubble of water. I've wanted to do this since I read the description. . . which, judging from this demonstration, Niven described very well.

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Imagine lighting off a few scuba tanks in the center and swimming through the edge just to surround yourself with an unsupported wall of cool clearness. The mind boggles.

Lesson: Learn Math Before, Not After

A coworker was sharing some of the joys of rearing children, specifically homework. It's new to us; in our day (he said in a crotchety rocker-on-the-porch complaining voice, most likely while whittling) we didn't have homework . . . in the third grade.

For the simple addition and subtraction, her son gives her her portion of the homework, which includes the answers. After a brief moment of shock she realized some of the parents might need the answers if they didn't know how to add.

Asshole that I am, I said, "It's a pity they don't have to show they know how to add before they multiply."