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Take a break from your fun in the August sun to ask yourself: what do I really know about this giant glowing globe of plasma shining down on my picnic/game of Ultimate Frisbee/clothing-optional beach right now? Given that the Sun is what makes life on Earth possible, it's appalling how much misinformation we've been fed about our nearest star. Speaking of our nearest stars: Ken Jennings, that one guy from Jeopardy!, may not be as bright as the Sun, but he's an expert on debunking myths and misconceptions. All month, he'll be lighting up our stellar misconceptions regarding the sun.

The Debunker: Are Sunspots Dark?

Oh, This Thing

Hey, you might not have heard of this thing. It's pretty obscure.

So there's this company, you know. They're called Apple. They don't really keep a high profile or anything so it's super easy to miss them. Kinda under the radar, you know? But they do have this cool tablet thing. I forget what it's called, nobody really talks about them much. It's just one of those little companies you run into sometimes.

Like once, I was on vacation, right? And I went on a hike and I found this tiny little store that made soaps and jellies. And I bought, like, ten of each, and they were the best soaps and the best jellies and then, next year, I wasn't sure if they'd still be there because they were so remote! But they were! And I was so happy, because I knew a little place off the beaten path that nobody had ever heard of.

Only What You Need

The dark secret of computers? We don't need as much computer as we have.

Let's discount a few people here. Not to be mean, but in an attempt to demonstrate just how little computer a human being needs. First, we'll take out hardcore programmers. Obviously they're building the future, they need to be on the bleeding edge. Then we'll take out professional gamers. In their world, a tenth of a second lag could end a career, but if all you play is a balloon popping game? Eh, it's not so serious, is it? And finally, let's take out all the people who are trying to calculate the last digit of Pi. Good luck at that incidentally. So who's left?

Shortage

We all need shorts. Yes, all of us. EVEN YOU, READER.

Are you working out in a pair of jeans? Almost certainly no. Are you lounging on the porch during a hot summer's afternoon in a suit and tie? Well, maybe. But most probably no. Are you dressed like a matador to go out and walk the dog at five in the morning? There's certainly a chance... but no. In all those situations, what you're ACTUALLY doing is pulling on a pair of shorts and heading to do your thing.

Shorts aren't fashion. Shorts aren't for models on a runway. What shorts ARE for are all those moments when you just can't bring yourself to care about what you've got on. Shorts are function, plain and simple. And that's why you need some plain and simple shorts.

TO WIT: THESE.