The Mississippi Based anti-gay hate group “American Family Association” was founded (under a different name) by the well known anti-Semite Reverend Donald Wildmon to battle pornographic television shows such as “Three’s Company” and “Dallas.” About two years ago, the AFA initiated a boycott against Ford Motor Company to attempt to force Ford to change certain practices. The following Crimes Against the Family were cited by the Christian based conservative Republican wingnut AFA: Continue reading The AFA Boycott Of Ford: Christian Antigay Group Caves, Claims Victory
Monthly Archives: May 2008
Leech Lake Water Spout
The Young Birder’s Guide: A Bird Book for the Middle Schooler
A birder since childhood, Thompson says he would have loved a book like this one when he was just getting interested in birds. Now a father of two, he spent many hours over a two-year period with his now eleven-year-old daughter’s class getting their advice on what to include in the book.Bill Thompson III is the editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest, a bimonthly magazine with 70,000 subscribers and the author of Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges. He lives with his wife, author and illustrator Julie Zickefoose and their two children on eighty birdy acres in Ohio.
Continue reading The Young Birder’s Guide: A Bird Book for the Middle Schooler
Hillary Does Have More Experience
Is this funny, or is it sexist? Probably depends on who you plan to vote for…[Hat tip: GrrlScientist]
Words with consequences
I’m very disappointed to hear that Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is near death because of a brain tumor. I always hoped Senator Kennedy would live long enough to be assassinated.
… and thus, got his own ugly ass fired. [source]
suggested last week that the devastating May 12 earthquake in China could have been the result of bad karma over the government’s treatment of Tibet…”I’m not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don’t think anyone should be unkind to anyone else,” Stone said Thursday during a Cannes Film Festival red-carpet interview with Hong Kong’s Cable Entertainment News. “And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you’re not nice that the bad things happen to you?”[source]
This caused Christian Dior to drop Stone from its Chinese ads. Sharon, who is a close personal friend*, says that is deeply sorry.Here’s a video of Stone discussing this: Continue reading Words with consequences
Carnival
I and the Bird # 76 is up at Wanderin’ Weeta (with Waterfowl and Weeds)
“US government gene guru to resign”
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is losing its gene guru: Dr. Francis Collins, who helped lead the breakthrough unraveling of the human genetic code — and found common ground between the belief in God and science — is resigning.Collins, arguably the nation’s most influential geneticist, announced Wednesday that he will leave the National Institutes of Health this summer, to write a book and explore other opportunities.The folksy geneticist helped translate the complexities of DNA into everyday vernacular. Collins led the Human Genome Project that, along with a competing private company, mapped the genetic code — or “the book of human life,” as he famously called it…..
Read the rest here.Here is part of an email from Collins: Continue reading “US government gene guru to resign”
Ghostly Ring Found in Outer Space
This just in from NASA:
This image shows a ghostly ring extending seven light-years across around the corpse of a massive star. The collapsed star, called a magnetar, is located at the exact center of this image. NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope imaged the mysterious ring around magnetar SGR 1900+14 in infrared light. The magnetar itself is not visible in this image, as it has not been detected at infrared wavelengths (it has been seen in X-ray light).
Personally, I think what we’ve got here is one of these: Continue reading Ghostly Ring Found in Outer Space
Bell Museum Happenings – June 2008
Special Events; Summer Camps; Exhibits’ Field Trips; Nature Play; Nature TotsRead all about it: Continue reading Bell Museum Happenings – June 2008
NASA is Twittering Phoenix
Every few minutes I get an email from NASA telling me which button they’ve pressed on the Phoenix Robot, recently landed on Mars. And I’m only slightly exaggerating. OK, I’m exaggerating a lot.The latest: Phoenix has been commanded to move its arm: Continue reading NASA is Twittering Phoenix
The Earth Is Being Eaten By Bacteria!
… But don’t panic. Apparently, this is normal.It turns out that bacteria living at the bottom of the sea are far more abundant and diverse than scientists had previously thought. These bacteria appear to be consuming the planet’s oceanic crust. This raises several interesting questions regarding the interaction and co evolution of life on Earth and the Earth itself.[UPDATED] Continue reading The Earth Is Being Eaten By Bacteria!
Carnivals
Early Exposure To Lead May Be a Factor in Adulthood Criminal Arrest Rates
Phoenix landing photo
This:
Is a picture of Phoenix landing on Mars, taken from above.One always wonders where the camera operator is during these things…. Continue reading Phoenix landing photo
Reconsidering the Reconstruction of the Pterosaur
Azhdarchids lack the many cranial specialisations exhibited by extant skim-feeding birds, most notably the laterally compressed lower jaw and shock absorbing apparatus required for this feeding style. … Taphonomic data indicates that azhdarchids predominately inhabited inland settings … We argue that azhdarchids were stork- or ground hornbill-like generalists, foraging in diverse environments for small animals and carrion. Proficient terrestrial abilities and a relatively inflexible neck are in agreement with this interpretation.
Continue reading Reconsidering the Reconstruction of the Pterosaur