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All your base are,

in fact, belong to Google.

I couldn't help but make a joke with the title, because it's seemingly right on the money. You see, Google is getting ready to take the wraps off of a new service called Google Base. If it can be posted online, it would appear that they would, in fact, prefer it belong to them. At least, they'll store it for you and make it searchable.

Read the Ars article; I'm not going to bother summarizing more at this point. But make no mistake: this is big. The devil's in the details, of course, but Google often gets the details pretty close to right. I feel a great disturbance in the Web, as if a million business models cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

Oh, and that sound in the background? That's the sound of publishing empires crumbling.

I needed that

Got a flu shot at work (they're rationing, but I'm "over 50" which makes me higher priority). Now my arm hurts, and I feel like I have a slight fever. (Of course, that could also be because I was just out in the cold taking the garbage out.) Anyway, I think I needed that shot this year.

I've had real flu (as opposed to 20-hour "stomach flu" bugs) maybe twice -- each time I was in bed for a solid week. Go get that shot if you can.

A very cool optical illusion

From BoingBoing (of course), Mr Angry and Mrs Calm -- an angry and calm face that trade places when viewed from a distance. There's more here (you have to scroll down for it), including a brief explanation.

( here's how it was done )