An Endorsement

Mr. Plotz has just released a new book based upon his long running Slate series "Blogging the Bible".  He just did a nice summary to shill the new book here.

I can't endorse reading his full blog series enough as he goes through the bible one book at a time.  I also highly recommend everyone do this for the entertainment and cultural literacy value.  Much of western culture and history doesn't make sense without this literary grounding combined with often-difficult-to-unearth ecclesiastical history.  I've only read the bible all the way through once, forgotten most of it no doubt, but it has been so valuable in making sense of the last three thousand years or so of history.  Screw the whole believing in any deity, this is the all time best seller, top of the charts, for the conquering west of Romanum Invictus. 

I know it is hard to get beyond the endless string of begats In The Beginning and it is so tempting to skip directly to the special effect extravaganza of Revelation.  Even an atheist likes me needs to know what people think they believe even if I don't believe myself.
 

Scientific Coffee Addendum: NEW RULE

Do not, under any  circumstances, create the Black Blood of the Earth (BBotE) using a flavored coffee.  I can't speak to the flavor yet, but the environmental consequences are severe.

I just did this with a pound of french vanilla coffee, all at once.  1 pound of coffee + 2L of water = approximately 900mL of BBotE

When you get to the straining step to free the precious black ichor from the grounds, the 50ml first poured through the filter yielded enough oil to completely saturate it.  Of course, the act of pouring also aerosolizes oils as well.  My home now smells like a cathouse where the whores rub themselves with can after can of General Foods "International French Vanilla Cafe" coffee instead of perfume.

I am afraid to bring open flame near the coffee filter once it dries...