April 29, 2008

A Healthy Smackdown

Grand Rounds Vol. 4 No. 32 is up at Doc Gurley's!

Now, if I just had time to read all the articles...

Posted by Steve on April 29, 2008

April 28, 2008

Religion is Not An Excuse For Murder

Inexplicably, the US continues to spill blood and treasure on behalf of these people?

A 17-year-old Iraqi girl was murdered by her father in an honour killing after falling in love with a British soldier she met while working on an aid programme in Basra, it has been claimed.

Rand Abdel-Qader was stamped upon, suffocated and stabbed by her father, then given an unceremonious burial to emphasise her disgrace. Police released her father without charge two hours after his arrest.

"Not much can be done when we have an honour killing case," said Sergeant Ali Jabbar of Basra police. "You are in a Muslim society and women should live under religious laws. The father has very good contacts inside the Basra government and it wasn't hard for him to be released and what he did to be forgotten."

Get out now.

Via Richard Dawkins.Net

Posted by Steve on April 28, 2008

April 27, 2008

Ogged gets naked...

...and is had.

Posted by Steve on April 27, 2008

April 25, 2008

Hard to Break Into Blogging??

Megan asks:

Will it become as hard to break into blogging as it is to break into print?
But she doesn't say exactly what she means by "break into blogging."

I suspect that her unstated criteria is some variant of the "high traffick blogs" or "paid to blog" folks that she talks about earlier in her post and, yes, the higher you raise those bars the harder it will be for someone to "break into blogging."

On a more literal level Wordpress.com or Blogger, amongst others, are trivially easy to get started with. So my answer to her is that it will for a long time to come remain much easier to break into blogging than into print. Getting read is another issue.

Posted by Steve on April 25, 2008 | Comments (5)

Friday Ark #188

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Birds

Invertebrates

Dogs

Other Vertebrates

In Memoriam

  • x

Didn't Make It

  • x

Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)

  • x

Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.

Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:

Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.

For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.

Dog folks: remember to submit your links to:

  • The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe
  • The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings
  • has been out of operation since July 2007

For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival

Posted by Steve on April 25, 2008 | Comments (4)

April 24, 2008

Grateful Dead Donate Archives to UC Santa Cruz

The Grateful Dead Archive will be at UC Santa Cruz:

Band members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart made the announcement this morning at a press conference held in the poster room of San Francisco's historic Fillmore auditorium.

Documenting the history of the band from 1965 to the present, The Grateful Dead Archive will reside in the University Library's Special Collections at UC Santa Cruz. The focal point of the collection will be a dedicated room named "Dead Central," where both academic researchers and the general public will have access to the archive.

Here is a stream of the announcement...fairly entertaining for Deadheads...Bob, Mickey, Eileen Law and others answer questions.

And, yes, at least one pair of Bob's cutoffs will be in the archive.

Posted by Steve on April 24, 2008

Bill Gates Says He will Release His Personal Genome

With one caveat: he will not have his genome sequenced and release it until after the top 20 infectious diseases have been cured.

On Wednesday, 4/23, the University of Washington Department of Genome Sciences kicked of their 2008 Symposium with a Special Panel Discussion: The Personal Genome: Consequences for Society.

pg08poster.jpg

Gates joined Dr. George Church, Dr. Eric Lander and Dr. Leena Peltonen on the panel. After a 15 minute introduction by Dr. Lander the panel, moderated by Dr. Maynard Olson, answered questions from the audience, local and online, for the next 90 minutes. For example:

  • The personal genome is likely to benefit only those in developed countries. How will it assist undeveloped countries?
  • Does all this knowledge of genetic variations risk a world of designer babies?
  • Given the influence of environment over our health doesn't the public over emphasize the power of genes?
Some important points:
  • Even though dramatic advances are being made at an accelerating pace genomicists are still just scratching the surface,
  • 2) there are significant privacy issues to be worked out,
  • there is a high risk of misuse and abuse of genomic information and
  • public education on genomicsand collaboration with the public on the above and related issues will be critical.

You can stream a video of this Panel Discussion. Dr. Lander's introduction is worth the price of admission and Gates' commitment is near the end of the program.

Posted by Steve on April 24, 2008

April 23, 2008

An Easy Decision for the Texas School Board

Nope, they should not have any trouble rejecting this proposal:

A bid by the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research to train future science teachers was flatly rejected by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board members Wednesday.
Here is a sampling of what you would get from ICR:
The purpose of ICRGS is (1) to prepare science teachers and other individuals to understand the universe within the integrating framework of a biblical perspective using proven scientific data, and (2) to prepare students for leadership in science education. A clear distinction is drawn between scientific creationism and biblical creationism, but it is the position of the Institute that the two are compatible and that all genuine facts of science support the Bible.

The programs and curricula of the Graduate School, while similar in factual content to those of other graduate colleges, are distinctive in one major respect. ICR bases its educational philosophy on the foundational truth of a personal Creator-God and His authoritative and unique revelation of truth in the Bible.

The first two goals of their distance education program are:

# create a network of science teachers who desire to teach scientific truths about biblical creation;
# learn the most effective ways to teach scientific truths about biblical creation;
Excellent goals! Ones that any decent science teacher can already handle just fine.

If someone really wants a course like this as part of their educational credentials then they should certainly be allowed to do so. But they should not expect it to qualify them to teach real science.

On a related note, John Freshwater can keep his bible on his desk. However, it sounds like some of his teaching points and methods are well aligned with ICR.

Update: Greg Laden has a related petition you should go sign.

Posted by Steve on April 23, 2008

April 18, 2008

Law and Politics

Professor Brian Tamanaha suggests that perhaps constitutional law should not be taught in law schools and notes:

Students who learn that constitutional law is infused with politics (though it cannot be reduced to that) might wrongly come to think that all law is like that, an easy error to fall into because constitutional law has so much prominence and attention within the legal academy.

Well, they would not be wrong about the reams of dead trees, being fully imbued with politics, shipped from the loading docks of legislatures far and wide.

Posted by Steve on April 18, 2008

Getting A Great Office Job

Some of you may need this guidance...




...and, no, I did not hear him ask for a realtor.

Via Locusts & Honey.

Posted by Steve on April 18, 2008

Friday Ark #187

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Birds

Invertebrates

Dogs

Other Vertebrates

In Memoriam

Didn't Make It

Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)

  • x

Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.

Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:

Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.

For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.

Dog folks: remember to submit your links to:

  • The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe
  • The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings
  • has been out of operation since July 2007

For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival

Posted by Steve on April 18, 2008 | Comments (7)

April 17, 2008

Bear Jam

Now would be a fine time to be grizzly viewing in the Tetons:

bear399.php

But you had better hurry:

Bear watchers eager to get a last glimpse of Grand Teton’s most famous grizzly family likely have only weeks before the cubs set out to fend for themselves.

Grizzly bear No. 399 and her three cubs recently emerged from their den and are, once again, providing park visitors with spectacular viewing opportunities and photographs around Jackson Lake Lodge and Oxbow Bend.

.....

Mother bears, like No. 399, usually allow their cubs to stay with them for just more than two years, and she’ll likely encourage her offspring to leave sometime between May and July, Grand Teton senior biologist Steve Cain said. Rarely, mother bears allow their cubs to den with them for a third full winter.

If you find yourself in a bear jam please do not feed the bears and stay far away from them!

Posted by Steve on April 17, 2008

True Patriots

There are some out there!

Posted by Steve on April 17, 2008

Darwin Junkies Rejoice

Anyone else with even a passing interest in science and evolution can also rejoice: The Complete Works of Charles Darwin are now available online:

This site contains Darwin's complete publications, thousands of handwritten manuscripts and the largest Darwin bibliography and manuscript catalogue ever published; [Click to enlarge] also hundreds of supplementary works: biographies, obituaries, reviews, reference works and more

Via The Wired Campus.

Posted by Steve on April 17, 2008

Hasselhoffisation?

Amongst a batch of Funny Student Emails to Professors

Prof. myname,

I’d appreciate it if you could tell me the meaning of the word Haussmannization mentioned in your Impressionist lecture. My first inkling is that it has something to do with the raw manness that is “The Hoff”, also known as David Hasselhoff. However, I feel that is an incorrect assumption as I cannot recall any significant contribution he made to Impressionism, or Art History in general. I’d appreciate any response to my question. Attached is a picture of the Hoff for your troubles.
Regards,
student name

As an accompanying note says this has got to be a joke, right?

Or, it was written BG, Before Google, and the first sentence is somewhat serious.

Posted by Steve on April 17, 2008

Samual Pepys' Birds

Taken straight from ...a manuscript recently discovered in an attic A Snail's Eye View presents I and the Bird #73 as extracted from The Other Diary of Samuel Pepys.

As noted by Born Again Bird Watcher:

I stand in profound and humble awe.

Go join Mr. Pepys and his friends on their birding journeys.

Posted by Steve on April 17, 2008

April 16, 2008

Blue Jeans v Goliath

Patents that should not be are one of the great rent seeking devices of our time.

Reading this lengthy response to a patent infringement claim by Monster Cable against Blue Jeans Cable is a delicious experience. It starts with:

Dear Monster Lawyers,

Let me begin by stating, without equivocation, that I have no interest whatsoever in infringing upon any intellectual property belonging to Monster Cable. Indeed, the less my customers think my products resemble Monster's, in form or in function, the better.

and gets better and better.

Via Megan.

Posted by Steve on April 16, 2008

April 15, 2008

Fire! Fire!

You do not want to push the wrong button at the gas stations:



Update 4/16: In comments Kip points out a similar occurrence at the Northeast Airport in Philadelphia.

Via haha.nu

Posted by Steve on April 15, 2008 | Comments (1)

April 14, 2008

If It Would Buy A Few Votes....

....she really would be promising universal hair care.

Via TPM Cafe.

Posted by Steve on April 14, 2008

April 11, 2008

Friday Ark #186

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Birds

Dogs

Invertebrates

Other Vertebrates

In Memoriam

  • x

Didn't Make It

  • x

Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)

Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.

Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:

Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.

For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.

Dog folks: remember to submit your links to:

  • The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe
  • The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings
  • has been out of operation since July 2007

For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival

Posted by Steve on April 11, 2008 | Comments (8)

April 10, 2008

The federal governement Sets Another New Record

Spend, spend, spend:

The federal deficit through the first half of this budget year is at an all-time high, underscoring the pressure the budget is coming under as the overall economy slumps.

The Treasury Department reported Thursday that the deficit through the first six months of the budget year totaled $311.4 billion, up 20.5 percent from the same period a year ago. That was the largest deficit for the first half of a budget year on record, surpassing the old six-month mark of $302 billion set in 2006.

And, affirming their dimness, the bush administration couldn't even get it close to right a little over a month ago:
The Bush administration, when it sent its budget proposal to Congress in February, estimated that the deficit for the whole year will total $410 billion, putting it very close to the all-time high in dollar terms of $413 billion.

But, accuracy has never been a strong point of the administration's public face.

Posted by Steve on April 10, 2008

April 8, 2008

Airbrush Culture

As you can't judge a book by it's cover you can't tell a real person by the cover of Ebony or, for that matter, pretty much any other rag on the newsstands.

Shakesville has the story on the latest Vanessa Williams cover. The 14th in a series on the magic of air brushing and makeup.

Posted by Steve on April 8, 2008

April 5, 2008

harry reid's Alternate Universe

harry reid demonstrates excellent Orwellian language usage:





As anyone who has gotten behind with the irs knows there is nothing voluntary about paying your income taxes. Any pointers to truly voluntary taxes of any kind will be appreciated.

Via A Stitch in Haste.

Posted by Steve on April 5, 2008

April 4, 2008

Friday Ark #185

We'll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and....?

Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!

You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.

You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.

Cats

Birds

Dogs

Invertebrates

Other Vertebrates

In Memoriam

  • x

Didn't Make It

  • x

Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)

  • Green Gabbro: Friday Rock Blogging ~ Salt crystals are pretty: Halite
  • A Passion For Nature: Skunk Cabbage

Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.

Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:

Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.

For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.

Dog folks: remember to submit your links to:

  • The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe
  • The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings
  • has been out of operation since July 2007

For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival

Posted by Steve on April 4, 2008 | Comments (5)

April 3, 2008

Air Pogue

David Pogue has an interesting review of the MacBook Air in which he says:

Otherwise, though, I've lived and flown with this machine for a month, presented nine talks on it, and have not missed its missing features one iota. It's plenty fast and capacious as a second machine.

Meanwhile, when your laptop has the thickness and feel of a legal pad and starts up with the speed of a PalmPilot, it ceases to be a traditional laptop. It becomes something you whip open and shut for quick lookups, something you check while you're standing in line or at the airline counter, something you can use in places where hauling open a regular laptop (and waiting for it) would just be too much hassle.

What he does not say is that while regular MacBooks and MacBook Pros may be bulkier they also "start up with the speed of a PalmPilot". I regularly pull out my 15" MacBook Pro for these quick lookups, etc.

Posted by Steve on April 3, 2008

Of Birds and the Spineless

Ecobirder is hosting the 72nd I and the Bird which

...is just like the spring migration. It is full of variety with unique posts, rare pics and fun surprises. So I hope that you will all have fun as we begin our virtual spring migration birding trip.
from Archaea to Zeaxanthol is hosting the 31st Circus of the Spineless which
...couldn't have come at a better time. With the blogosphere currently embroiled in the Invertebrate Battle Royal,...

Enjoy!

Posted by Steve on April 3, 2008

April 1, 2008

Toss'm All Out

Brad Delong quotes Matthew Yglesias and rightfully finds fault with some of the perpetrators:

Matthew Yglesias (March 31, 2008) - The Horror (Foreign Policy):
There was a time when I never could have imagined I'd be reading stuff like this about my own country:

At the age of 19, Murat Kurnaz vanished into America's shadow prison system in the war on terror. He was from Germany, traveling in Pakistan, and was picked up three months after 9/11. But there seemed to be ample evidence that Kurnaz was an innocent man with no connection to terrorism. The FBI thought so, U.S. intelligence thought so, and German intelligence agreed. But once he was picked up, Kurnaz found himself in a prison system that required no evidence and answered to no one...

Read the whole thing; I don't really have the heart to make a witty remark.

Only those people who embrace the idea of being evil and think that evil is cool have any business voting for the Republican Party ever again. Ever. Again.

Or, for that matter, voting for the democratic party which has spent the past 7 years enabling the republicans.

Posted by Steve on April 1, 2008