Monthly Archives: May 2009

Genie Scott, Two-Three Other Guys, Honored by Scientific American

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Scientific American names the 10 most important leaders in science and technology

… a press release from the National Center for Science Education

OAKLAND, CA May 18, 2009

Barack Obama and Bill Gates are in good company. The NCSE’s Dr. Eugenie C. Scott joins Obama and Gates as members of the Scientific American 10 honor roll. This honor roll pays tribute to the ten people in the last year who have “demonstrated exceptional leadership and accomplishment in guaranteeing that future technologies will be applied to the benefit of humanity”.

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Suburbs, Jesus and Teh Gay: Unliving the American Dream

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Every place is different, and some places are more different than others.

… So we’re channel surfing and working at the same time … Amanda is working on her Transitive Phosphorescent Anisotopy or whatever the heck it is she’s working on, and I’m messing around with making networks work, and Super Nanny comes on. They’re in Boston and they’re bowling, and Amanda looks up and goes “What the f*ck kind of bowling is that?”

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China Sex Theme Park

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Sexual topics are largely taboo in China, so as a result, many people walk around not knowing what they really need to know about this important topic. Recognizing this problem, the Chinese Government has decided to build a huge, totally OTT sex theme park. Presumably all Chinese citizens will be required to go and enjoy this park.

China is building what is billed as its first sex theme park, aimed at improving both the sex education and the sex life of its visitors.

Due to open in Chongqing in October, Love Land will include displays of giant genitalia, naked bodies and an exhibition on the history of sex.

The park will also offer sex technique workshops and safe-sex methods.

details

Liquid Wrench: Profanity in a Bottle

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It was May, 1992, and I was in a stupor of post thesis-completion cortisol letdown and alcohol-induced lethargy, and Mark Pagel was talking to me as I slouched in a large comfortable chair in the Peabody Museum’s smoking lounge.

“It’s obvious what they need to do,” he was saying, and I could tell from the look on his face, even in my foggy state of mind, that a morsel of wisdom marinated in humor was about to be served up.
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The Monty Hall Problem by Jason Rosenhouse

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Jason Rosenhouse, of the Evolution Blog, has written a book and it is now seemingly available for pre-order. It is The Monty Hall Problem: The Remarkable Story of Math’s Most Contentious Brain Teaser. The book was recently reviewed very favorably, and you can learn more about that here.

I’ve not gotten a review copy, so I can’t personally tell you anything about this book, but I’m aware of Jason’s command of this particular topic, so I’m sure it’s fantastic. It has even been suggested that it could be used as a supplementary course text, so stats and probability instructors, take note!

Congratulations, Jason, nice job.

Happy Birthday Maria Reiche

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Maria Reiche was an archaeologist and mathematician who worked on the Nazca lines in Peru. Originally, she worked with Paul Kosok, who discovered the remarkable drawings, and starting in the mid 1940s, Reiche mapped in the drawings. She believed that the lines represented a calendar and a sort of observatory. She is probably single handedly responsible for the preservation of these important archaeological features.

She died in Lima in 1998.

Several crackpots have suggested that the Nazca lines, since they can only be taken in visually from a height achievable only with flying machines such as airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons or … whatever … must have been drawn for the benefit of aliens in their UFOs.