From P.Z. Meyers:
Four of my favorite things are development, evolution, and breasts, and now I have an article that ties them all together in one pretty package.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
The Blood Rain
This is pretty interesting, although I don't buy into the theory that it's origin is panspermic.
The red rain that fell in the Indian state of Kerala continues to create interest. Are the particles found suspended within it extraterrestrial in nature? The rain first fell on the 25th of July, 2001, but red rain phenomena continued to occur for two months thereafter, although in some cases other colors appeared, and there are reports of colored hailstones. This was no one-shot event. I’ve held off on this story hoping to get further information, but enough readers have asked for details that I’ll go with what we now have.
We know this much: The red color is caused by the mixing of microscopic red particles with the water, the characteristics of which are unusual. As noted by Godfrey Louis and Santhosh Kumar (Mahatma Gandhi University) in their paper on the subject, the particles vary from 4 to 10 microns in size and appear under magnification as red-colored glass beads. Electron microscope work shows them to have “…a fine structure similar to biological cells.”
And although they look something like unicellular organisms, the particles show no nucleus, although dyes reveal ‘…a layered structure after the dye penetration.’ They’re also quite stable over time, showing no decay or discoloration after storage without preservatives for over four years. No trace of RNA or DNA can be found.
Moreover, the major elements found in these particles are carbon and oxygen. The amount of material is substantial: With more than 100 reported cases of red rain, the authors surmise that, at minimum, over 50,000 kg of red particles are involved. They rule out particles washed out from rooftops or trees, and find it unlikely that, given the wide dispersion geographically, the particles are pollen or fungal spores. Nor do they believe a serious case can be made that the red rains were caused by desert dust.
The red rain that fell in the Indian state of Kerala continues to create interest. Are the particles found suspended within it extraterrestrial in nature? The rain first fell on the 25th of July, 2001, but red rain phenomena continued to occur for two months thereafter, although in some cases other colors appeared, and there are reports of colored hailstones. This was no one-shot event. I’ve held off on this story hoping to get further information, but enough readers have asked for details that I’ll go with what we now have.
We know this much: The red color is caused by the mixing of microscopic red particles with the water, the characteristics of which are unusual. As noted by Godfrey Louis and Santhosh Kumar (Mahatma Gandhi University) in their paper on the subject, the particles vary from 4 to 10 microns in size and appear under magnification as red-colored glass beads. Electron microscope work shows them to have “…a fine structure similar to biological cells.”
And although they look something like unicellular organisms, the particles show no nucleus, although dyes reveal ‘…a layered structure after the dye penetration.’ They’re also quite stable over time, showing no decay or discoloration after storage without preservatives for over four years. No trace of RNA or DNA can be found.
Moreover, the major elements found in these particles are carbon and oxygen. The amount of material is substantial: With more than 100 reported cases of red rain, the authors surmise that, at minimum, over 50,000 kg of red particles are involved. They rule out particles washed out from rooftops or trees, and find it unlikely that, given the wide dispersion geographically, the particles are pollen or fungal spores. Nor do they believe a serious case can be made that the red rains were caused by desert dust.
Save the Gases!
I have to admit, I thought this was a joke.
*They* call it pollution, we call it Life!
Appearently, it was made in all seriousness, much like the Mah-ha-ye video.
*They* call it pollution, we call it Life!
Appearently, it was made in all seriousness, much like the Mah-ha-ye video.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
The Past is Not Really As Good as we Remember It
Thaurloteion: mork and mindy was a spinoff from happy days?
Toast171: yes
Thaurloteion: the show about the 50s? with diners and motorcycles?
Toast171: eerrrrr... yes.
Toast171: also the show that invented the term "jump the shark"
Thaurloteion: how do these two relate?
Toast171: The Fonz fought Mork in a battle of psychokinetic prowess
Toast171: and won
Toast171: we dont speak of it
Thaurloteion: theres a part of me that doesnt believe you, but its fighting with the part of me that believes if a show goes on long enough, things like that will happen
Toast171: oh yes, it's all so horribly true
Toast171: and then there was the Happy Days Cartoon
Toast171: with the time machine
Toast171: and the magic-using ditz blonde from the 23rd century
Toast171: and some kind of pet
Toast171: that was also somehow magical
Thaurloteion: yes Mr. Cool
Thaurloteion: the fonz's dog
Toast171: hmmm.. she wasn't blonde
Thaurloteion: really, how was mork and mindy a spinoff?
Thaurloteion: because i thought it was set in the 70s
Toast171: it was as I said, and yes it was set in the late 70s/early 80s
Toast171: and later sported Johnathon Winters as a baby who aged backwatds
Toast171: TV is much better today
Toast171: even Stargate
Thaurloteion: so this
Thaurloteion: The character of Mork was introduced in an episode of Happy Days titled "My Favourite Orkan". Richie tells everyone he has seen a flying saucer but no one else believes him. Fonzie tells him that people make up stories about UFOs because their lives are "humdrum". Then, while Richie's at home, Mork walks in. He freezes everyone with his finger except Richie and says he was sent to Earth to find a "humdrum" human to take back to Ork. Richie runs to Fonzie for help. When Mork catches up to him, he freezes everyone but finds himself unable to freeze Fonzie due to The Fonz's famous and powerful thumbs. Mork challenges Fonzie to a duel: Finger vs. Thumb. After their duel, The Fonz admits defeat. But Mork decides to take Fonzie back to Ork instead of Richie. Then, Richie wakes up and realizes he was dreaming. There is a knock on the door and much to Richie's dismay, it is a man who looks exactly like Mork except in regular clothes asking for directions. When production on Mork & Mindy began, an extra scene was filmed and added to this episode for subsequent reruns. Mork contacts Orson and explains that he decided to let Fonzie go, and was going to travel to the year 1978 to continue his mission.
Thaurloteion: is accurate?
Thaurloteion: "famous and powerful thumbs?"
Toast171: eech... yes, every word is true
Thaurloteion: and people complain about Simpsons plots
Toast171: no matter how low you fall in life son, shows like this prove there really is no bottom to society. These guys were *paid* to write this. Someone thought it was a *good* idea. Be afraid.
Thaurloteion: but did they only think it was a good idea because they sold their souls to the devil for some cocaine and millions of dollars?
Toast171: dozens of dollars, but yes
Toast171: yes
Thaurloteion: the show about the 50s? with diners and motorcycles?
Toast171: eerrrrr... yes.
Toast171: also the show that invented the term "jump the shark"
Thaurloteion: how do these two relate?
Toast171: The Fonz fought Mork in a battle of psychokinetic prowess
Toast171: and won
Toast171: we dont speak of it
Thaurloteion: theres a part of me that doesnt believe you, but its fighting with the part of me that believes if a show goes on long enough, things like that will happen
Toast171: oh yes, it's all so horribly true
Toast171: and then there was the Happy Days Cartoon
Toast171: with the time machine
Toast171: and the magic-using ditz blonde from the 23rd century
Toast171: and some kind of pet
Toast171: that was also somehow magical
Thaurloteion: yes Mr. Cool
Thaurloteion: the fonz's dog
Toast171: hmmm.. she wasn't blonde
Thaurloteion: really, how was mork and mindy a spinoff?
Thaurloteion: because i thought it was set in the 70s
Toast171: it was as I said, and yes it was set in the late 70s/early 80s
Toast171: and later sported Johnathon Winters as a baby who aged backwatds
Toast171: TV is much better today
Toast171: even Stargate
Thaurloteion: so this
Thaurloteion: The character of Mork was introduced in an episode of Happy Days titled "My Favourite Orkan". Richie tells everyone he has seen a flying saucer but no one else believes him. Fonzie tells him that people make up stories about UFOs because their lives are "humdrum". Then, while Richie's at home, Mork walks in. He freezes everyone with his finger except Richie and says he was sent to Earth to find a "humdrum" human to take back to Ork. Richie runs to Fonzie for help. When Mork catches up to him, he freezes everyone but finds himself unable to freeze Fonzie due to The Fonz's famous and powerful thumbs. Mork challenges Fonzie to a duel: Finger vs. Thumb. After their duel, The Fonz admits defeat. But Mork decides to take Fonzie back to Ork instead of Richie. Then, Richie wakes up and realizes he was dreaming. There is a knock on the door and much to Richie's dismay, it is a man who looks exactly like Mork except in regular clothes asking for directions. When production on Mork & Mindy began, an extra scene was filmed and added to this episode for subsequent reruns. Mork contacts Orson and explains that he decided to let Fonzie go, and was going to travel to the year 1978 to continue his mission.
Thaurloteion: is accurate?
Thaurloteion: "famous and powerful thumbs?"
Toast171: eech... yes, every word is true
Thaurloteion: and people complain about Simpsons plots
Toast171: no matter how low you fall in life son, shows like this prove there really is no bottom to society. These guys were *paid* to write this. Someone thought it was a *good* idea. Be afraid.
Thaurloteion: but did they only think it was a good idea because they sold their souls to the devil for some cocaine and millions of dollars?
Toast171: dozens of dollars, but yes
A Man in Search of an Argument
Darwin's worst nightmare. A single post and 850+ comments. I read a few.
Weird, but not uncommon. A guy starts a blog solely for the sake of arguing with the millions of folks who must obviously be waiting for him to show up, then seems disappointed when only his friends arrive. So he argues with them perpetuating a self-re-enforcing cycle of loneliness and isolation. I read into the first week or so and they seems, sort of sad.
I see this a lot and was worried for a while I was getting like this. All I can say is that I think folks like this must be very very lonely.
Weird, but not uncommon. A guy starts a blog solely for the sake of arguing with the millions of folks who must obviously be waiting for him to show up, then seems disappointed when only his friends arrive. So he argues with them perpetuating a self-re-enforcing cycle of loneliness and isolation. I read into the first week or so and they seems, sort of sad.
I see this a lot and was worried for a while I was getting like this. All I can say is that I think folks like this must be very very lonely.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Where to Shave
Go here
Click Main Menu
Click the "where to shave" option.
You can figure the rest out for yourself.
Smirk all day long as you think to yourself: "Roman Gladiator Mask"
Click Main Menu
Click the "where to shave" option.
You can figure the rest out for yourself.
Smirk all day long as you think to yourself: "Roman Gladiator Mask"
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Caption Contest
This seems to me to be a particularly fine idea:
As Field Correspondent, I have to admit that all the good stories are being reported. So, as any good journalist will do in tough times, I have decided to submit a manufactured item for your consideration:Based on the photo below, what would be the best caption? The first that comes to my mind is: "I have a WHAT on my WHERE??????" What do you think?
Friday, May 12, 2006
I feel the bony finger of Skeletor!
I was a little too old to really watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but my brother (who later became a wrestler) was a huge fan when he was about 6. I seem to remember Geoff watching this too, but I could easily have confabulated that memory.
It's a priceless take-down:
The best part about rewatching He-Man, after the initial nostalgia-burst, was tracking the show's hilarious accidental homo-eroticism—an aspect I missed completely as a first-grader. In the ever-growing lineup of "outed" classic superheroes, He-Man might be the easiest target of all. It's almost too easy: Prince Adam, He-Man's alter ego, is a ripped Nordic pageboy with blinding teeth and sharply waxed eyebrows who spends lazy afternoons pampering his timid pet cat; he wears lavender stretch pants, furry purple Ugg boots, and a sleeveless pink blouse that clings like saran wrap to his pecs. To become He-Man, Adam harnesses what he calls "fabulous secret powers": His clothes fall off, his voice drops a full octave, his skin turns from vanilla to nut brown, his giant sword starts gushing energy, and he adopts a name so absurdly masculine it's redundant. Next, he typically runs around seizing space-wands with glowing knobs and fabulously straddling giant rockets. He hangs out with people called Fisto and Ram Man, and they all exchange wink-wink nudge-nudge dialogue: "I'd like to hear more about this hooded seed-man of yours!" "I feel the bony finger of Skeletor!" "Your assistance is required on Snake Mountain!" Once you start thinking along these lines, it's impossible to stop. (Clearly, others have had the same idea.) It's a prime example of how easily an extreme fantasy of masculinity can circle back to become its opposite.
It's a priceless take-down:
The best part about rewatching He-Man, after the initial nostalgia-burst, was tracking the show's hilarious accidental homo-eroticism—an aspect I missed completely as a first-grader. In the ever-growing lineup of "outed" classic superheroes, He-Man might be the easiest target of all. It's almost too easy: Prince Adam, He-Man's alter ego, is a ripped Nordic pageboy with blinding teeth and sharply waxed eyebrows who spends lazy afternoons pampering his timid pet cat; he wears lavender stretch pants, furry purple Ugg boots, and a sleeveless pink blouse that clings like saran wrap to his pecs. To become He-Man, Adam harnesses what he calls "fabulous secret powers": His clothes fall off, his voice drops a full octave, his skin turns from vanilla to nut brown, his giant sword starts gushing energy, and he adopts a name so absurdly masculine it's redundant. Next, he typically runs around seizing space-wands with glowing knobs and fabulously straddling giant rockets. He hangs out with people called Fisto and Ram Man, and they all exchange wink-wink nudge-nudge dialogue: "I'd like to hear more about this hooded seed-man of yours!" "I feel the bony finger of Skeletor!" "Your assistance is required on Snake Mountain!" Once you start thinking along these lines, it's impossible to stop. (Clearly, others have had the same idea.) It's a prime example of how easily an extreme fantasy of masculinity can circle back to become its opposite.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Best Student Physics Paper this Year!
Beating hands-down, “Investigation into the Gravitational Hyperforce Actually Measures Number of Cars in Parking Lot on Weekends”, Answer 6”*
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~kovar/hall.html
*My Senior Undergraduate Thesis in Astronomy at Penn State
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~kovar/hall.html
*My Senior Undergraduate Thesis in Astronomy at Penn State
The Fifth World
What if, instead of forming an asteroid belt, the solar system had produced at planet between Mars and Jupiter? How would that have formed, and what would be different?
A new paper explores this hypothesis, Planet Artemis: the case for the formation and delayed destruction of a fifth Solar System terrestrial planet
We investigate the possibility that a fifth terrestrial planet (nicknamed “Artemis”) may have formed beyond Mars’ orbit, in what is now the asteroid belt. Artemis could have formed in a region that was stable before the giant planets’ shift, but unstable thereafter, probably between 1.8-2.2 AU. We simulate the giant planets’ orbital shift to explore Artemis’ demise, varying Artemis’ mass and starting location. In each simulation, the giant planets’ eccentricity jump causes a increase in the terrestrial planets’ eccentricities, sometimes causing their orbits to cross and collisions to occur. In simulations where Artemis is 1/3 Earth mass or larger, Mars is typically destroyed via ejection or a collision, and Mercury often falls into the Sun. In cases with a Mars-mass Artemis, either Mars or Artemis is ejected. However, the remnant terrestrial planets often have higher orbital eccentricities than observed today because of multiple close encounters. Rapid destruction of Artemis is needed to keep terrestrial eccentricities low.
I did something like this (but much scaled down with no simulation) in grad school for my planetary sciences class. I used the Virial Theorem to show that in most cases the binding energy for the solar system causes ejection of the protoplanet, but this anlysis is more subtle and shows cases where the planet either fails to form or is quickly destroyed.
Destroying a planet is no simple feat. The amount of energy required, for example, to destroy the current Earth would take approximately the *entire* output of the Sun for 3 weeks.
A new paper explores this hypothesis, Planet Artemis: the case for the formation and delayed destruction of a fifth Solar System terrestrial planet
We investigate the possibility that a fifth terrestrial planet (nicknamed “Artemis”) may have formed beyond Mars’ orbit, in what is now the asteroid belt. Artemis could have formed in a region that was stable before the giant planets’ shift, but unstable thereafter, probably between 1.8-2.2 AU. We simulate the giant planets’ orbital shift to explore Artemis’ demise, varying Artemis’ mass and starting location. In each simulation, the giant planets’ eccentricity jump causes a increase in the terrestrial planets’ eccentricities, sometimes causing their orbits to cross and collisions to occur. In simulations where Artemis is 1/3 Earth mass or larger, Mars is typically destroyed via ejection or a collision, and Mercury often falls into the Sun. In cases with a Mars-mass Artemis, either Mars or Artemis is ejected. However, the remnant terrestrial planets often have higher orbital eccentricities than observed today because of multiple close encounters. Rapid destruction of Artemis is needed to keep terrestrial eccentricities low.
I did something like this (but much scaled down with no simulation) in grad school for my planetary sciences class. I used the Virial Theorem to show that in most cases the binding energy for the solar system causes ejection of the protoplanet, but this anlysis is more subtle and shows cases where the planet either fails to form or is quickly destroyed.
Destroying a planet is no simple feat. The amount of energy required, for example, to destroy the current Earth would take approximately the *entire* output of the Sun for 3 weeks.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Darwin Awards
Here
My favorite so far is the Stubbed Out
DARWIN AWARD (17 April 2006, England) There's always someone who thinks that good advice doesn't apply to them. For example, if advised by a doctor that you are to be covered wtih a flammable material, and the one thing you must not do is go near a naked flame, most people would be able to take this advice onboard, and not strike a match until the flammable material smeared on your body had been taken off.
However, Phillip, 60, decided he knew better. He was in hospital for the treatment of a skin disease, which consisted of being covered with a paraffin-based cream. He was warned that the cream was flammable and that he definitely shouldn't smoke. But Phillip couldn't live without his cigarettes.
Smoking was not permitted in the ward, but Phillip took this setback in stride, and sneaked out onto a fire escape. Once he was in his little hiding place, he lit up... ahh. Everything went well as he got his nicotine fix; things went downhill only after he finished his cigarette, and ground out the butt with his heel.
Unfortunately, the paraffin skin cream had been absorbed by his clothing. As he stamped out the butt, it lit the fumes coming off his pyjamas. The resulting inferno treated his skin ailment, and left him with first-degree burns over 70% of his body. Despite excellent emergency treatment, he died in the intensive care unit.
Using the Darwin checklist:
1.Reproduction -- if he has children, he's not having any more.2.Excellence -- this is one that I'll remember.3.Self-Selection -- he was warned that paraffin and flames don't mix.4.Maturity -- At 60 I'd guess he was old enough to make his own decisions.5.Veracity -- All the major news carriers in the UK had the story.
This ticks all the boxes, and though I feel sorry for the family, I think that it acts as a warning that if a doctor tells you not to smoke, there's probably a very good reason.
There's always someone who thinks that advice doesn't apply to them.
For example, usually if a person was told by a doctor that they were going
to be covered in a flammable material and that the one thing they
shouldn't do is go near a naked flame, most people would be able to take
this advice on board and not set anything on fire until they were told that
the stuff smeared on their body had been taken off.
One man however, Phillip Hoe (60), decided that he knew better. He was in
hospital for treatment of a skin disease, the medication consisted of
covering him in a paraffin based cream. The gentleman was warned that the
cream was flammable and that he definitely shouldn't smoke, however he
decided that there was no way he could go without his cigarettes. There
was no smoking allowed inside the hospital, but Mr. Hoe took this minor
problem in his stride and managed to sneak out of the ward and find a fire
escape. Once this little hiding place had been discovered, he decided it
would be OK to light up. Everything went swimmingly well as he got his
nicotine hit, however things went a little awry when he finished his
cigarette. Mr Hoe decided to dispose of his cigarette in the time-honoured
fashion of dropping it onto the floor and then stamping on it.
Unfortunately for Mr. Hoe the paraffin applied to his body had been
absorbed by his pyjamas, and as he stamped out the cigarette it lit the
fumes coming off the paraffin. The injuries from the resulting inferno
(can't quite get that scene with the candle from Saw out of my head)
left Mr. Hoe with first degree burns over 70% of his body, he received
emergency treatment at an intensive care unit, but unfortunately died.
Using the Darwin checklist:
1.Reproduction -- Don't know if he's got children, but he's not having any more.
2.Excellence -- It's one that I'll remember.
3.Self-Selection -- He was warned that paraffin and flames were not a good combination.
4.Maturity -- At 60 I'd guess he was old enough to make his own decisions.
5.Veracity -- All the major news carriers in the UK had the story.
I think it ticks all the boxes, and though I feel sorry for the family, I
think that it acts as a warning that if someone tells you not to do
something, there's probably a very good reason.
My favorite so far is the Stubbed Out
DARWIN AWARD (17 April 2006, England) There's always someone who thinks that good advice doesn't apply to them. For example, if advised by a doctor that you are to be covered wtih a flammable material, and the one thing you must not do is go near a naked flame, most people would be able to take this advice onboard, and not strike a match until the flammable material smeared on your body had been taken off.
However, Phillip, 60, decided he knew better. He was in hospital for the treatment of a skin disease, which consisted of being covered with a paraffin-based cream. He was warned that the cream was flammable and that he definitely shouldn't smoke. But Phillip couldn't live without his cigarettes.
Smoking was not permitted in the ward, but Phillip took this setback in stride, and sneaked out onto a fire escape. Once he was in his little hiding place, he lit up... ahh. Everything went well as he got his nicotine fix; things went downhill only after he finished his cigarette, and ground out the butt with his heel.
Unfortunately, the paraffin skin cream had been absorbed by his clothing. As he stamped out the butt, it lit the fumes coming off his pyjamas. The resulting inferno treated his skin ailment, and left him with first-degree burns over 70% of his body. Despite excellent emergency treatment, he died in the intensive care unit.
Using the Darwin checklist:
1.Reproduction -- if he has children, he's not having any more.2.Excellence -- this is one that I'll remember.3.Self-Selection -- he was warned that paraffin and flames don't mix.4.Maturity -- At 60 I'd guess he was old enough to make his own decisions.5.Veracity -- All the major news carriers in the UK had the story.
This ticks all the boxes, and though I feel sorry for the family, I think that it acts as a warning that if a doctor tells you not to smoke, there's probably a very good reason.
There's always someone who thinks that advice doesn't apply to them.
For example, usually if a person was told by a doctor that they were going
to be covered in a flammable material and that the one thing they
shouldn't do is go near a naked flame, most people would be able to take
this advice on board and not set anything on fire until they were told that
the stuff smeared on their body had been taken off.
One man however, Phillip Hoe (60), decided that he knew better. He was in
hospital for treatment of a skin disease, the medication consisted of
covering him in a paraffin based cream. The gentleman was warned that the
cream was flammable and that he definitely shouldn't smoke, however he
decided that there was no way he could go without his cigarettes. There
was no smoking allowed inside the hospital, but Mr. Hoe took this minor
problem in his stride and managed to sneak out of the ward and find a fire
escape. Once this little hiding place had been discovered, he decided it
would be OK to light up. Everything went swimmingly well as he got his
nicotine hit, however things went a little awry when he finished his
cigarette. Mr Hoe decided to dispose of his cigarette in the time-honoured
fashion of dropping it onto the floor and then stamping on it.
Unfortunately for Mr. Hoe the paraffin applied to his body had been
absorbed by his pyjamas, and as he stamped out the cigarette it lit the
fumes coming off the paraffin. The injuries from the resulting inferno
(can't quite get that scene with the candle from Saw out of my head)
left Mr. Hoe with first degree burns over 70% of his body, he received
emergency treatment at an intensive care unit, but unfortunately died.
Using the Darwin checklist:
1.Reproduction -- Don't know if he's got children, but he's not having any more.
2.Excellence -- It's one that I'll remember.
3.Self-Selection -- He was warned that paraffin and flames were not a good combination.
4.Maturity -- At 60 I'd guess he was old enough to make his own decisions.
5.Veracity -- All the major news carriers in the UK had the story.
I think it ticks all the boxes, and though I feel sorry for the family, I
think that it acts as a warning that if someone tells you not to do
something, there's probably a very good reason.
Wrongness is a Fermionic Property
Ha!
An excellent takedown of a foolish, offhand comment from Instapundit. Don't get me wrong, I read Glenn and often think he has a point, but often it's just the usual non-stop blog narcisissm.
I love the idea of the fermionic properties of wrongness too.
An excellent takedown of a foolish, offhand comment from Instapundit. Don't get me wrong, I read Glenn and often think he has a point, but often it's just the usual non-stop blog narcisissm.
I love the idea of the fermionic properties of wrongness too.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Made Out of Meat
Thanks to PZ Meyers for pointing me to one of my favorite short stories from long ago.
The Skyway Arcology
The other interesting thing about Minneapolis was the Skyway system. A big chunk of downtown buildings are linked together by a walkway system, making it possible to walk dozens of blocks without ever going outside. Apartment buildings, stores and business skyscrapers are all linked together in a heated, well-secured fashion. An interesting adaption for a place which is cold and gets that much snow.
Also, while guns are *not* banned in the walkways, they are banned in every building (at least all the ones I saw).
map here
Also, while guns are *not* banned in the walkways, they are banned in every building (at least all the ones I saw).
map here
Interesting Free Market Solution
I just got back from a week in Minneapolis, which was kind of interesting. In true libertarian fashion, they have almost no gun control laws. You can take your gun with you to the grocery store, to the playground, to the hospital, to the ATM line or to the porta-potties at the county fair.
However.
Business owners are also free to ban guns from their stores. "No guns allowed on these premises", "ING bans guns in this building", etc. . I thought this was an interesting approach. Not necessarily one I agree with, but interesting. The message is very libertarian, "You can have your toys, just don't bring them in here if you want to do business with me"
In a week of looking, I was unsuccessful in finding a single business (including a gun store) that *did not* have as sign banning guns.
I now need to look at the homicide, manslaughter and accidental gun death statistics on Minnesota and think about this a little more.
However.
Business owners are also free to ban guns from their stores. "No guns allowed on these premises", "ING bans guns in this building", etc. . I thought this was an interesting approach. Not necessarily one I agree with, but interesting. The message is very libertarian, "You can have your toys, just don't bring them in here if you want to do business with me"
In a week of looking, I was unsuccessful in finding a single business (including a gun store) that *did not* have as sign banning guns.
I now need to look at the homicide, manslaughter and accidental gun death statistics on Minnesota and think about this a little more.
The Ardent Atheist
I took this test as suggested by PZ Meyers. I wasn't shocked to find I scored a little lower than he didwith my 70% (vs. his 76%). I thought I was a little soft in some of my answers actually and not all the strident.
Lesson: I'm more of a crank than I think I am.
The test asks for a lot of personal info at the end, so I don't recommend it. I have a special junkmail account I use for things like this.
Lesson: I'm more of a crank than I think I am.
The test asks for a lot of personal info at the end, so I don't recommend it. I have a special junkmail account I use for things like this.
| The Ardent Atheist The results are in, and it appears that you have scored 70%... |
| You are an atheist, pure and simple. You think God is just one big lie, and consider religious people to be both annoying and beneath you. Ardent atheists will argue tooth and claw for their position, and have no truck with people that won't listen. You think being an atheist is the only way to lead an honest life, and see no reason to accept the pleas of faith. Ardent atheists are the backbone of atheism. Be proud. |
 |
My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Atheist Test written by chi_the_cynic on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Comet!
Cool!
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is proving to be a far more interesting object than first anticipated. The comet is closing toward the Sun and will swing around it on June 7, passing the Earth along the way at a distance of 11.7 million kilometers. The fascination comes from watching its ongoing disintegration, which has broken the comet into more than 30 separate fragments.
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is proving to be a far more interesting object than first anticipated. The comet is closing toward the Sun and will swing around it on June 7, passing the Earth along the way at a distance of 11.7 million kilometers. The fascination comes from watching its ongoing disintegration, which has broken the comet into more than 30 separate fragments.
IFX
I'm off to Minneapolis for a week to attend the IFX Board Meeting.
Yawn.
If anyone has suggestions for things to do in the evening , please let me know!
Yawn.
If anyone has suggestions for things to do in the evening , please let me know!
What Should I Major In?
| Your Scholastic Strength Is Developing Ideas |
 You can take a spark of inspiration and turn it into a full fledged concept. You are talented at brainstorming, visualizing, organizing, and independent thinking. You should major in: Natural sciences Computer science Creative writing Math Architecture Journalism |
Friday, April 28, 2006
They Have Such Things?
Ok, Ok, I promised I wouldn't get political but I read this and was quite floored.
newly released portions of White House prayer logs show that Bush's praying has actually gone up in recent months
White House Prayer Logs!
(heh!)
newly released portions of White House prayer logs show that Bush's praying has actually gone up in recent months
White House Prayer Logs!
(heh!)
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