This is the semimonthly open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. Also:

1. Comments of the week are Kavec talking about what work in military intelligence has taught them about probability and thinking, and John Schilling (1, 2) on waterways and “hydrologically-induced smartness”.

2. I am slowly going through reported comments to see if I need to ban anyone. Dr. Beat has been banned for one month for this comment (compare this). Anonymous commenter banned indefinitely for this and this. Also – and I guess Topher was right about us after all – Science has been banned for one week