This interlude's theme is 'cynicism'.  Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal covers prehistoric skeptics:

and modern-day realism:

while Surviving the World looks deeply at the joy in academia:

and the use of substance abuse in science:

And yet, in all this, there can be hope in the simple pleasures of life.  Such as getting off this planet, Dresden Codak style:

Why not indeed.  Have a nice weekend!

Alex

Tuesdays at The Satellite Diaries and Friday at The Daytime Astronomer (twitter @skyday)