I don’t know about you, but I always wait until the last minute to get obligatory holiday gifts. And then I hate going to anything like a mall or shopping center. Praise be to Amazon.com and UPS. Continue reading Children’s Books for the Holiday Season
Daily Archives: December 8, 2007
Dinosaurs
With all the recent news about dinosaurs, I thought you’d like to see a video of actual dinosaurs:
Chanooka Dance
A Street Should be Named for Douglas Adams
The question is, which street? I mean, that is quite a difficult question.Which … street … should … be … named … for … Douglas … Adams.(That was me thinking very carefully.)What is the ANSWER to this most difficult and intriguing question…. Continue reading A Street Should be Named for Douglas Adams
Creationism Book on Display in US Gov. Agency Waiting Room
From this blog at harpers.org, yesterday:
I’m not sure if Secretary of the Commerce Carlos Gutierrez is cheap or cuckoo, but it comes as something of a shock to learn that the controversial book The Atlas of Creation is prominently displayed in the waiting room to his office. Written by the Turkish writer Adnan Oktar (under the pen name of Harun Yahya), the Atlas offers an Islamic version of creationism and blames Charles Darwin for modern terrorism-including the 9/11 attacks.
And today, from the same source:
Richard Mills, an agency spokesman, said in an email: “Apparently like thousands of others, the Department received an unsolicited gift, which was mistakenly displayed in a reception area. We regret this mistake occurred and have removed the book.”
Larry Brilliant: The case for informed optimism
Google.org director Larry Brilliant uses a clip from an old Frank Capra movie to show that we’ve known about global warming for 50 years — yet in half a century, we’ve done almost nothing to solve it. He explores this and other megatrends that could inspire pessimism. But, he says, there is a more powerful case for optimism.
Teen Sex Video: Why Fund Abstinence-Only Programs?
Coturnix points out that the following video of Dan Abrams speaking with two women about sex among teenagers is a good example of reporting about a scientific issue mired in a political quagmire.Keywords and phrases:Well, what that study actually reveals is…Well, in a number of cases….The study said it didn’t work. So we need to do more of it to make it work.I say, if the legislation doesn’t work, screw it.
How to Turn Linux Calendar Output Into a Blog Post
I know all my fellow bloggers are jealous about my Linux calendar posts (like this one) and normally I don’t reveal my secrets. But this is so cool I have to share it.The Linux calendar command (in the terminal window) puts out, by default, a listing of events, etc. from today and tomorrow. The listings come from “calendar” files that come with your Linux distribution (these are also on most Unix systems). You can also make your own calendar files. (I’m working on that now.)But how do you take the output from Linux Calendar and turn it into a blog post? Continue reading How to Turn Linux Calendar Output Into a Blog Post
Two Local Bits
Don’t Forget: The Listening Project, December 13, at the Oak Street Cinema!
The City of St Paul is a Free Speech Zone
Some inside info on the upcoming Republican National Convention from our own blogospheric correspondent on the East Side…
I have deep roots in the East Side of St. Paul. It is where I really started getting involved in politics through campaigns. I volunteer as treasurer for one of the legislators on the East Side, Tim Mahoney (DFL 67A.) So, I am happy to see that the cop in charge of security for the 2008 GOP convention is an East Sider.
Jesus Loves Darwin
The Rev. Michael Dowd is preaching a surprising message: Evolution is real and science points to the existence of God.
For the last five years, the author and former evangelical pastor has lived out of a van with his wife, crisscrossing the nation to deliver the good news.
His latest book, Thank God for Evolution, drew endorsements from five Nobel laureates and dozens of religious leaders. With the battle between science and religion at a fever pitch, it couldn’t come at a better time. Just last week Texas papers reported that a curriculum director had been fired in October for forwarding information about an evolution lecture to friends and colleagues.
wired
Look out, religion people, it could be a trick…
Rio Rancho Creationism Policy Overturned
The School Board for Rio Rancho, New Mexico has rescinded “Policy 401” which is said to have supported the teaching of creationism. Let’s have a look. Continue reading Rio Rancho Creationism Policy Overturned
Today’s Linux Calendar Output
- Dec 08
- Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) born in Venosa (Italy), 65BC
- Dec 08
- James (Grover) Thurber born in Columbus, Ohio, 1894
- Dec 08
- First Ph.D. awarded by Computer Science Dept, Univ. of Penna, 1965
- Dec 08
- Blessing of the Water in Uruguay
- Dec 08
- Mother’s Day in Panama
- Dec 08
- Our Lady of the Cacupe in Paraguay
- Dec 08
- Jim Morrison is born in Melbourne, Florida, 1943
- Dec 08
- John Lennon is shot and killed in New York City, 1980
- Dec 08
- Afflux (50th of the Season of The Aftermath)
- Dec 09
- Ball-bearing roller skates patented, 1884
- Dec 09
- Independence Day in Tanzania
- Dec 09
- The Who’s “Tommy” premieres in London, 1973
- Dec 09
- Aujourd’hui, c’est la St(e) Pierre.
- Dec 09
- 2. oder 3. Advent
Germany may illegalize a Religion
… or a cult…. But really, aren’t they all cults?
Germany’s federal and state interior ministers have declared the Church of Scientology unconstitutional, clearing the way for a possible ban.
The ministers have asked Germany’s domestic intelligence agency to examine whether the Church’s legal status as an association could be challenged.
Scientology is not recognised as a religion in Germany.
A Church of Scientology statement said the ministers were “completely out of step with the rest of the world”.
The attempted ban is “a blatant attempt at justifying the on-going and never-ending discrimination against the Church of Scientology and its members in Germany,” said the Church in a statement.
Critics accuse the organisation of cult-type practices and exploiting followers for financial gain.
Robots, Robots, more Robots
What is going on with this Robot thing. There are too many stories per day about new robots to keep track of. I’ve been trying to keep up, but it has been difficult.Here’s the latest. Continue reading Robots, Robots, more Robots
Happy Birthday Jim Morrison
