The DARC is done with scheduled activities for the year, except for nets…but don’t forget to set your alarm early if you’ve volunteered for the Dallas Marathon!

There’s a 10-meter contest going on right now. If you’re stubborn enough to try it, I hope you make some good contacts. Other contests can be found here.

In the world of science:

See that picture? Remember the nice eclipse glasses that Kelley K5KTX and Chas KF5JHA gave out at club events? Well, thank them when you see them, because you don’t have a negative image of the eclipse burned into your retina. The original case study is here.

This year’s flu season is still shaping up to be a bad one. I really, really hate the flu. I haven’t had it since 6th grade, and I still remember my teacher kicking me out of class because I was so sick. Let’s hope we all miss out on this one!

A really well-preserved hominid fossil has made its debut in the scientific press. Working with fossils is not easy; it’s taken decades to very carefully cut this one out of the cave where it was found, and to remove most of the rock from the bones…but it’s been worth the effort.

And finally, dinosaurs can be really weird. Think of a duck, then add some Velociraptor. What you’ve got is Halszkaraptor. I don’t know if you should cower in fear, say “aww,” or just scratch your head and have another beer.

Frankly, if you’re not  driving, another beer is usually a good idea. Just make sure it’s a good one.