The McBournie Minute: Who’s ready for some ballot issues?

If you live in America, and if you’re not getting bombed right now, there’s a good chance you do, tomorrow’s a big day. Not only is it Taco Tuesday, it’s also mid-term election day. That means you get to go to the polls, wait in line, then check off the name of the person whose crazy ads offended you the least–if you feel like going at all.

But honestly, choosing our leaders isn’t as important as the ballot issues that are coming up. These things rarely have the kind of publicity as the people crazy enough to want to hold elected office. Plus, ballot issues don’t have egos they need stroked by public approval every few years. The only time you hear about ballot issues is when some faith group gets involved (read: anything related to abortion or marriage equality).

So to make sure you’re prepared tomorrow, here’s a quick overview of the ballot measures you may see tomorrow, and how to vote on them. Continue reading The McBournie Minute: Who’s ready for some ballot issues?

Don’t let science take away our fear

"[... The] only thing we have to fear is fear itself, and that fear is what will beat the snot out of the Nazis and anything with more than two legs."
“[… The] only thing we have to fear is fear itself, and that fear is what will beat the snot out of the Nazis and anything with more than two legs.”
The Guys have long been skeptical of science. For instance, if scientists are so sure about their theories and processes, then why do they always wear goggles? What’s the matter, nerds? Not sure how those combustible chemicals really work?

That’s why it’s especially concerning that doctors accidentally removed a man’s natural and necessary fear of spiders while also removing part of his brain that caused his seizures.

Before his surgery, he had arachnophobia, which is what keeps shoe manufacturers and newspaper publishers in business. Afterwards, he reportedly became fascinated by spiders. That’s not good. Fascination is a slippery slope to letting them live, and letting spiders live is how we all get creeped out by them.

He also reportedly became temporarily repulsed by music. Unfortunately, he regained music appreciation before we could find out what “The Itsy-bitsy Spider” would do to him psychologically.

Vampire deer exist, time to update your list of fears

We thought we had gotten rid of deer with huge friggin’ fangs decades ago. We were wrong.

Researchers with the Wildlife Conservation Society have found a Kashmir musk deer in northeastern Afghanistan. It’s the first one observed since 1948. While finding a rare deer doesn’t seem like big news, it’s particularly concerning that this deer has long fangs that hang out of its mouth.

There’s also the whole thing about surviving in a country that’s been the scene of one war or another for the past 30 years that makes this even scarier.