Archives for September, 2008
“Microsoft is not more expensive than Linux”
Posted by Greg Laden on September 25, 2008 … according to a recent study funded by … oh, never mind. Funded by Microsoft. OK, skip that, but there is some other interesting tech news.
LHC down for the winter
Posted by Greg Laden on September 25, 2008 This is the CERN press release regarding the status of the Large Hadron Collider. The bottom line: There was a release of helium leak inot sector 3-4 (which I’m pretty sure is next to sector 7g). They thik they know what caused the leak but they are not sure. In order to investigate, they have…
Astrobiology Rap Video
Posted by Greg Laden on September 25, 2008 The fact that this is an astrobiology rap is a good thing. Like the recently memed-out Large Hadron Collider Rap, the Astrobiology Rap places important and difficult to understand science on the pop cultural smorgasbord, and that is good. But this isn’t the Large Hadron Rap. It is simply, IMHO, not as good. Which reminds…
More Short Cut Keys: Linux only
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 Continuing with our shortcut key tips …. let’s look at some that you can only use if you are using Linux, but likely, if you are a New Linuxer (like, you just installed Ubuntu a couple of months ago) you wont’ know about these. Don’t press these buttons until you know what you are doing:
Must see
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 Save all important documents and bookmark essential web pages, because this might crash your computer. But don’t worry, a reboot will fix it. Go here, click “here” and then stay there for the whole thing. You will need about two minutes. Have duct tape (or as we call it in Minnesota, Duck Tape) handy.
Meet The Blog Monkey
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 I have received this message from the InterTubes: I am contacting you on behalf of the Blog Monkey Initiative. The Blog Monkey Initiative is an attempt to get to get a monkey species named after the blogosphere and at the same time help renowned biologist and … [so called] “Hero of the Planet” Marc van…
McCain Suspends Campaign, Debates
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 Is John McCain a Coward? John McCain has apparently suspended his presidential campaign, in an effort to either a) bring more focus to the impending collapse of the world’s economy which he helped cause problem or b) get out of Friday’s debate which could not possibly come at a worst time for him. See: “McCain…
Palin Poll
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 A Poll regarding Palin and Comments on said poll by PBS Hat tips to Ginny and Cortunix
“We believe in using science and reason to understand the world”
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 … say the athesists of Louisville, Kentucky. Since she was a teen, she had harbored growing doubts about the conservative Christian faith, “but I was so programmed against the word atheist,” she said. When she eventually decided she was one, a “feeling of almost euphoria” descended upon her, said Childers, now 28. “I no longer…
Today is National Punctuation Day in America
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 Punctuate Punctuation Man … explains that without punctuation you would not be able to express your feelings in writing not to mention know when to pause or stop or ask a question or yell at someone and without punctuation you would not be able to separate independent clauses and show an example of how a…
Happy Birthday Stephanie
Posted by Greg Laden on September 24, 2008 This happens to be the birthday of two Stephanies. One is my best friend who shall remain nameless because she is a bit shy and does not read blogs and would prefer not to be on The Internet (so a quite happy birthday to you, dear friend.) Unaltered photograph of Stephanie (who shall remain nameless)…
Clinton and Palin Phone Call Recorded
Posted by Greg Laden on September 23, 2008 Forget about hacked email accounts. Apparently, a phone call between Palin and Clinton was recently recorded and released on the internet. Here it is:
Yer Doin’ It Wrong!!!! Learn Life’s Short Cuts Now!
Posted by Greg Laden on September 23, 2008 If we replace every standard light bulb with an energy efficient light bulb, we’ll save enough electricity to go to the moon and back 11 times. Everybody knows that, of course. But what you may not realize is that if you use the commonly available shortcut keys that were designed into your computer, you would…
Science Standards With A Hole You Can Drive a Truck Through?
Posted by Greg Laden on September 23, 2008 We’re talking about the Minnesota Science Standards and we’re talking about nothing less than the Pope Mobile. Consider the following statement currently part of the proposed Minnesota Science Standards: The student will be able to explain how scientific and technological innovations as well as new evidence can challenge portions of or entire accepted theories and…
Once again, police almost stop school shooting. Nine dead.
Posted by Greg Laden on September 23, 2008 A vocational college student in Finland, named Matti Juhani Saari, has murdered nine people at the college he attends in Kauhajoki. He nearly botched his own suicide but is not dead in hospital. He was a licensed gun owner, who recently posted video of himself firing his gun on the internet. Police actually looked at…
Good morning!
Posted by Greg Laden on September 23, 2008 Good morning! I have important news, and COOKIES! First, the cookies: These are serious cookies. These are Ana cookies. If you want one, you better hurry, because they are NOT going to last long. Now on to the important news: Melanie Reap has dropped something in my inbox indicating that the Rochester meeting to discuss…
Benefit for Cuban Hurricane Victims
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 At 1st Ave. (Twin Cities Area) On September 23, First Avenue/7th Street Entry nightclub in Minneapolis will be the venue for a star-studded musical and dance benefit for Cuban hurricane relief. In the past weeks, Cuba has suffered tremendous damage from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Close to one million people were evacuated and more than…
Alaska Women Reject Palin
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 Check it out: I attended the Welcome Home rally for Sarah Palin this morning. … about a thousand (maybe) hard-core Palin supporters showed up … After shaking it off with a good double shot of espresso, and a brisk walk back to my car, it was time to head to the Alaska Women Reject Palin…
Google Chrome for Linux (and Mac)
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 Codeweavers has got a Linux ‘version’ of Chrome!!! (And a Mac version too.) Chromium is the new Google browser. It is good because it is open source. (Yes, Virginia, that is one criterion for being ‘good’). Also, it might be good for other reasons. My friend Gayle really likes it, for instance. I might especially…
Minnesota Secular Humanist Atheist Students, Where Are You?
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 I’m calling in from the Saint Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota, and we’re goin’ down. Mayday Mayday Mayday.
Minnesota Voters: Check out Norm Coleman. You won’t like what you see.
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 This is from Jeff Rosenberg: Norm Coleman has run a nasty campaign, full of personal attacks, half-truths, and ridiculous claims about Al Franken. Why would he do that? you may ask. The answer is simple: he knows that if this campaign comes down to issues, he’ll lose. He was never elected for sharing Minnesotans’ views…
PZ Myers vs. Chuck Norris
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 Inspired by this, I thought we would try this: You know the Chuck Norris Facts meme, right? With items such as: Jesus walked on water, but Chuck Norris swam through land or The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain. Well, an (all too quick, possibly) Google search has revealed that the Chuck Norris (oh,…
Minnesota Science Standards: Comment now or forever hold your peace!
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 Members of the Public: Now is your only chance to comment on Minnesota’s new Science Standards. My suggestions: Take out the woo, dampen down the special interests, and please, consider NOT removing biology from the High School standrds!!!!!
Ashwin Madia Needs To Go to Washington
Posted by Greg Laden on September 22, 2008 The following is an ad from the Democratic Congressional Cmpaing Committee talking about Erik Paulsen. Paulsen is Democrat Ashwin Madia’s opposition in the race to fill Republican Jim Ramsted’s seat in the Third US Congressional District in Minnesota. It is also about golfing.
Cobol Blue
Posted by Greg Laden on September 21, 2008 In July, citing a budget shortfall, the Governor of California ordered the salaries of 170,000 State employees to be cut to the Federal minimum wage. Not so fast, said the State Controller. Because California’s payroll systems are written in antiquated Cobol code, it would take six months to implement the change and nine months to…
The most offensive thing I’ve seen in days
Posted by Greg Laden on September 21, 2008 WTF is Microsoft trying to do here??? Can’t wait for the satires of this ad…. After you watch that, you may need to watch these to make you feel better.
This photograph needs a caption
Posted by Greg Laden on September 21, 2008 
, which is now available for the 
