Virtuoso Pamelia Kurstin plays and discusses her theremin, the not-just-for-sci-fi electronic instrument that is played without being touched. Songs include the classic “Autumn Leaves,” Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” and a composition by David Mash, “Listen: the Words Are Gone.” Piano: Makoto Ozone. Continue reading Pamelia Kurstin: Theremin, the untouchable music
Monthly Archives: February 2008
In Linux, you can…
Run Internet Explorer. Why would you want to do this? Well, normally, you would not, but there are some enterprise applications that stubbornly, and stupidly, insist on running in IE. I avoid such circumstances, and I lobby to undo such decisions when I can. But if you need to run IE, well, it’s like having diarrhea and really having to go … you gotta do it. Continue reading In Linux, you can…
Michael Pollan: The omnivore’s next dilemma
What if human consciousness isn’t the end-all and be-all of Darwinism? What if we are all just pawns in corn’s clever strategy game, the ultimate prize of which is world domination? Author Michael Pollan asks us to see things from a plant’s-eye view — to consider the possibility that nature isn’t opposed to culture, that biochemistry rivals intellect as a survival tool. By merely shifting our perspective, he argues, we can heal the Earth. Who’s the more sophisticated species now? Continue reading Michael Pollan: The omnivore’s next dilemma
George Dyson: Let’s take a nuclear-powered rocket to Saturn
George Dyson tells the amazing story of Project Orion, a massive, nuclear-powered spacecraft that could have taken us to Saturn in five years. With a priceless insider’s perspective and a cache of documents, photos and film, Dyson brings this dusty Atomic Age dream to vivid life. Continue reading George Dyson: Let’s take a nuclear-powered rocket to Saturn
Evolution: The Mind’s Big Bang
Evolution: The Mind’s Big BangI’ve known Shea for years … since before grad school. Going out drinking with this guy was a little dangerous. Almost as dangerous as going out drinking with me.
Artificial and Natural Selection in Cosmos
A classic:
In Linux, you can…
Choose from a very wide range of software in certain application areas. For instance, the range of text editors and HTML editors is larger than in other systems. I’m comparing the free Linux applications to the non-free Windows applications. If you count only free applications on both systems, the difference is even greater. Continue reading In Linux, you can…
Florida Poll: Only 22 percent say teach evolution only
A survey conducted by the St. Petersburg Times shows that half of the respondents want “only faith-based theories such as creationism or intelligent design” taught in public school classrooms, and only 22 percent want evolution-only life science curriculum.
Continue reading Florida Poll: Only 22 percent say teach evolution only
Charles Darwin – Notebooks
Darwin published hundreds of pages of text, but he also kept notebooks many of which come down to us today. They can be roughly divided into two aspects, the Beagle field notebooks of 1831 – 1836, and his later notes. Sometimes these notes are found in a single book, and one way they are told apart (when otherwise undated) is by the orientation of the notes themselves. Darwin wrote “portrait” style in the field, but “landscape” style in the lab. Continue reading Charles Darwin – Notebooks
A critique of home schooling
Katie Criss has a post critiquing home schooling.
When I asked myself the question, How do you feel about home schooling? I first thought “Why would anyone do that” So I researched exactly that, What are the reasons that people give of why they choose to homeschool and how valid are they.
Link died, has been removed.
Navy Will Shoot Down Satellite
Some time in the next few days the US navy will fire a rocket in order to shoot down a satellite carrying 454 kilograms of the very poisonous substance hydrazine. By blowing the satellite up, the hydrazine tank will explode dispersing the gas to a low concentration level If the tank is not blown up, it would likely survive re-entry. If it burst on contact with the earth, several city blocks could be covered with deadly gas. Continue reading Navy Will Shoot Down Satellite
The Human Animal: The Biology of Love
Contains brief nudity and sexually suggestive material. Continue reading The Human Animal: The Biology of Love
Four Stone Hearth Blog Carnival
Four Stone Hearth Blog Carnival Number 34 is here, at Our Cultural World. It’s a good one.
Firefox 3 Beta 3 now available for download
Beta. So, don’t download this unless you want to play. Details here.Here’s the skinny: Continue reading Firefox 3 Beta 3 now available for download
In LInux, you can…
Choose among a wide range of cool desktops. These are not “skins” or mods like in Windows. These are entirely different desktop systems that each have their unique characteristics. Continue reading In LInux, you can…