Greg Laden's Blog

Linux: Not for everyone.

Category: Linux

Before they know how pronounce the thing the story is about:

After they know how pronounce the thing the story is about:

Posted by Greg Laden at 6:25 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Morning Sickness is an Adaptation, not a ... Sickness

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The best of last June

There is new information from an older idea (from about 2000) by Paul Sherman and colleagues. The idea underlying this research is simple: Symptoms of illnesses may be adaptive. Indeed, this may be true to the extent that we should not call certain things illnesses. Like "morning sickness."

Broadly speaking, there are two different kinds of reasons that a woman may experience nausea in association with pregnancy. 1) This pregnancy thing is a complicated mess with all kinds of hormonal (and other) things going on, so you puke; or 2) a woman who is pregnant feels nauseous for good evolutionary reasons.

Read on »

Posted by Greg Laden at 4:06 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Amnesty International Report Rejected ...

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Nigeria's state oil company rejected criticism from a leading human rights group Wednesday, calling an Amnesty International report "inaccurate."

"We have issues with the report," said Levi Ajuonoma, a spokesman for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Amnesty said Tuesday that pollution and environmental impacts from the oil industry in the Niger Delta are creating a "human rights tragedy" in which local people suffer poor health and loss of livelihood.

Governments and oil companies are failing to be accountable for the problems, Amnesty said in its report, called "Petroleum, Pollution and Poverty in the Niger Delta."

But the state oil company said it was local communities who cause much of the environmental damage by vandalizing pipelines for monetary gain.

Source: Shell Oil

Posted by Greg Laden at 3:25 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Heard but not confirmed: Palin stepping down as Alaska gov?

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There's got to be a good explanation. Either way, somebody's gonna loose themselves a trailer ...

Posted by Greg Laden at 3:22 PM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Silence is the Enemy is Seeking Volunteers

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... to help with the twitter and facebook accounts and related issues. Please go here and read the details. Contact details are therein.

Posted by Greg Laden at 1:11 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Sean Hannity, Michele Bachmann, Fear Mongering on Census

Category: Michele Bachmann

The BS continues.

I'm very tied up today with some political issues, practicing my Klingon, and a writing project.

But I still have time to briefly point out what is going on with Bachmann.

Read on »

Posted by Greg Laden at 11:06 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Mail Order Russian Brides, Woovending, Shell Oil and Silence

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As I noted several days ago, a temporary change in policy has brought ads for "Mail Order Russian Brides" as well as a number of other ... interesting ... products to the ad spaces on Scienceblogs.com. Since I pointed this out, other Scienceblog bloggers have apparently noticed it as well and complaints now abound among the bloggers and commenters. I had not personally noticed it, but apparently these new ads also include woovending. And of course, the site is still sponsored in part by Shell, which from a human rights perspective may be far more significant than Mail Order Russian Brides (but how does one compare, really).

Read on »

Posted by Greg Laden at 2:58 AM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Greg is at Connie

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The con, as in this con. The convergence con (known as "connie") is a science fiction convention, and this is the first time I've ever been to one. It is just like such things are depicted in the movies and on TV with one minor exception: On TV and in the movies many of the actors playing Con visitors are dressed as Star Wars characters, and today I saw only one Star Wars character and it was R2D2

But I'm not here for the funny costumes, I'm here for the science.

And, I got to meet some of by blogospheric heros! The Skepchicks are here, and I'm at the conference as their guest (as organized primarily by Carr2d2). The Skepchicks are setting up Skepchickcon at Connie, and today they were rigging up the party room with black lights, astronomical displays, and by coating everything in plastic (just in case). Room 227 at The Con. Each night of the conference there will be different theme, but the same plastic coating.

Tonight's theme is space. Wear rubber gloves and goggles just in case.

Most of what I'm involved in will happen on Saturday where the Skepchickcon runs as a skeptics "track" addressing evolutionary biology, skeptical blogging, and so on.

I also had a very pleasurable dinner with Bug Girl, who is also a Skepchick and one of my hero bloggers. We ate at a small out of the way French Restaurant near the convention. The service, by the pastry chef herself, Nichole, was excellent, and the food quite well done with reasonable prices considering that it was Le Cuisine Francais, which tends to run a bit higher than yer average joint.

Tomorrow, there is a meet up in the evening that if you are going to Connie you should not miss.

See you at the party! Or, the panel (Atrium 7, Saturday).

Posted by Greg Laden at 10:24 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Internet Explorer 8: Puke Less

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This might be an actual Microsoft ad that was pulled after it upset people. Below the fold because it is .... well, it's below the fold.

Read on »

Posted by Greg Laden at 10:02 PM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks