Barach Obama could stumble in drunk and spend a half hour picking his nose and it would be better than what we are used to.
Continue reading The President’s Speech
Monthly Archives: September 2009
Cartoons of Muhammad: Yale steps in it.
There is a story written in ancient Chinese documents that goes something like this:
Continue reading Cartoons of Muhammad: Yale steps in it.
Bill Nye Hates God
Nye ran afoul of the faithful by remarking that it is not true that the moon generates its own light as opposed to reflecting light. This contradicted Genesis 1:16, which says quite clearly (if only Nye bothered to read it) that “God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.” Fortunately, there were educated people in the audience who proceeded to boo Nye and walk out. One woman with three children reportedly screamed “We believe in God!” while storming out.
Michele Bachmann on Psychotalk
Uffda
Fred is about to become a hurricane
Then it will probably veer north, spin down, and by the end of the weekend be a bit wet spot in the middle of nowhere.
But, I thought you’d enjoy a picture of this tropical storm itting rignt now closer to West Africa than any other continental region.
A question for my readers
Well, actually, a bunch of questions, and its about fund raising.
Continue reading A question for my readers
What is the Placebo Effect, and it it getting stronger?
I’m an anthropologist and a biologist, so really, I have no problem with the idea of a “placebo effect” in which people become convinced that they are being given an effective treatment and thus, because of that thought in their mind, improve.
Continue reading What is the Placebo Effect, and it it getting stronger?
Linux to get faster
The next version of the Linux Kernel will be very noticeably faster on computers with limited memory.
Continue reading Linux to get faster
The 103rd Story Blogging Carnival is …
Atheists as other: The most disdained group in America?
A three year old study has resurfaced on the blogosphere with this recent mention on the daily atheist. The study (cited below) is here, and the older commentary is here.
Since this is still utterly relevant, I thought I’d make it the subject of a post. I don’t think there is anything in it that is not absolutely current.
Continue reading Atheists as other: The most disdained group in America?
Claim: Placebos getting more effective
The claim was recently made that Placebos are getting more effective. That would be like water getting less wet. It makes no sense. White Coat Underground dismantled that claim (see that post for the original claim) but I mention it here because Slashdot has now picked up the story. So lookout. Oh, Slashdot, it was dumb to pick up this story.
Slashdot’s summary, wirtten by Scuttle Monkey:
Irish Astronomers: Help us explain the “sky explosion”
An Irish astronomy group is calling for help in tracing the origin of a huge explosion in the skies over the country on Thursday evening.
Astronomy Ireland said it was currently investigating the explosion, which occurred at 2100 BST.
A spokesman said the most likely explanation was a space rock or satellite crashing into the atmosphere.
My work here is done. Details at the BBC
PNG crater yields plethora of new species
In a remarkably rich haul from just five weeks of exploration, the biologists discovered 16 frogs which have never before been recorded by science, at least three new fish, a new bat and a giant rat, which may turn out to be the biggest in the world.
Hat tip: Ana
A woman in the Sudan has done the absolutely worst thing a woman can do.
Minneapolis B-Girl Be Block Party Coming Up
Don’t miss the B-Girl Be Block Party 2009, an all day festival at Intermedia Arts that brings international, national and local female hip-hop artists together in Minneapolis for music, dance, live mural painting, film and an art marketplace!