MSU prof Philip Howard has mapped out the ownership of soft drinks in the U.S. He discovered that most stores offer what is referred to as pseudovariety: the illusion of diversity, concealing a lack of real choice. There’s a cluster diagram at his link to get a visual layout of things. Don’t miss the zoom in link at the bottom of the diagram.

From a 1960 Observer.

News flash: Zac Johnson has a new number on the UM football team. Don’t look for #19 on the kickoffs and punts; look for #36. His mother just let me know of the change.

A press release this morning from the Department of Community Health:

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is making
potassium iodide pills available to people living, working or visiting
areas within 10 miles of the state’s nuclear power plants.

In the unlikely event of a nuclear power plant incident, a radioactive
iodine release could occur. Radioactive iodine can be stored in the
thyroid gland, causing thyroid cancer or other thyroid related
illnesses. A non-prescription drug called potassium iodide (also called
“KI”) can prevent these illnesses by reducing the thyroid gland’s
ability to absorb radioactive iodine.

“Hopefully there will never be an accident where these pills would be
needed,” said MDCH Director Janet Olszewski. “Making KI available
now, we are giving the public an opportunity to add an extra measure of
protection to their emergency supplies.”

KI is effective only if taken within a few hours of exposure to
radioactive iodine. If a General Emergency is declared at a nuclear
power plant, taking KI is recommended as an additional health protective
measure, supplementing other emergency measures such as evacuation and
protection of the food supply.

Continued…

I was fortunate to be driving to Adrian yesterday when the story of the U.S.S. Kirk came on the radio. It was one of those riveting tales I wouldn’t have been able to stop listening to had I reached my destination before it was over. It’s an amazing story:

“We looked up out on the horizon, and pretty soon all you could see were helicopters. And they came in and it was incredible. I don’t think I’ll ever see anything like it again,” said Doyle, now retired and living in Rhode Island.

The South Vietnamese military helicopters were packed with people — pilots and their family and friends. And now, as some of the choppers were precariously low on fuel, the pilots were looking for a place to land. Dozens of UH-1 Huey helicopters flew past the Kirk heading for the larger aircraft carriers. The Kirk had only a small flight deck.

I couldn’t get to the computer fast enough to remember correctly. What did the NPR commentator say – there are 3 billion e-mails sent every day? 300 billion? I do remember this: the average number of e-mails received every day is 110.

I’m please to know I’m below average, even with all the Observer mail. That’s a really bad day when I reach that high of a number. These figures must really make Postal Service officials cringe. Can you imagine opening 110 paper letters every day?

The NPR figures were a lead-in to a report on Google Mail’s new software that will help assign priorities to your incoming mail.