Archives for October 20, 2009
Stuff you should read about Novel A/H1N1 not-seasonal “Swine” (nee Mexican) flu of 2009/2010
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 Pseudoscience, quackery, and the swine flu. An Epidemic of Fear: How Panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers Us All
The Bible says “If ye take a man’s rifle and beat him to death with it, ye shall be put to death” … in Texas.
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 Back in the 1990s, Khristian Oliver (that’s an interesting name) was robbing a man’s home. That man had a rifle to defend his home from robbers, but Khristian took the rifle from him, shot him in the face, and then used the rifle to beat him to death. In this way, the murdered man became…
Dispatches from the International Robotic Explorers League
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 Consisting of the many and varied robotic spacecraft exploring our Solar System and parts beyond, the IREL soldiers on tirelessly, often in obscurity and in conditions that would make even the most hardy of human beings question their resolve, all to provide us with the data necessary to enhance our understanding of the Universe. They…
If the Mormons did it like this ….
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 … I’d still slam the door on their faces. Hat tip: Atheist Media Blog
Threats Against Obama
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 Continuing on with our theme of anti-Obama wackaloonery, including the inherent racism involved in that, there is not additional evidence that there are indeed more death threats against our President than usual. From the Boston Globe:
Mr. Deity Episode 7: Mr. Deity and the Tour de Hell
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 It was YOU who hired Nietzsche to kill me????
Minneapolis Skeptics: Upcoming Talk
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 How the Perception of an Intact Body Can Go Awry Twin Cities Skeptics and Minneapolis Skeptics present: “Phantom limbs, alien hand syndrome, the rubber hand illusion…How the Perception of an Intact Body Can Go Awry…” Details here.
Explicit Pictures of Adam and Eve Humping!
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 A sexually explicit illustrated Book of Genesis by controversial artist Robert Crumb, which features Bible characters having intercourse, has been condemned by religious groups.
Bees Make Elephants Beat It
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 I took this photograph not using a telephoto lens, and not using angry bees for protection. But there was a 5 meter high electrified concrete and steel fence. But for how long? Consider this report on PhysOrg: Elephants? fear of angry bees could help to protect them from PhysOrg.com At a time when encroaching human…
How Young is the Grand Canyon?
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 To answer that question briefly, it is really really old if you mean “how old are the oldest rocks that are exposed by the Grand Canyon,” and it is probably just a few million years old (5 or 6 by some estimates) if you mean “how long did the canyon itself take to form.” An…
Does freezing a non-responsive disk drive ever work?
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 I’ve heard it does. I just put Lizzie‘s disk drive in my freezer. What is going to happen next?
Happy National Day on Writing Day
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 Here is the web site. OK, I’m going to go write something.
What are they teaching your kids about sex?
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 Read this essay by Mike, and watch the following video. There will be a quiz.
32 new planets discovered!
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 32 previously unknown exoplanets have been discovered with a high-precision instrument hooked up to a Chilean telescope…
Sorry, no Pumpkin Pies this year.
Posted by Greg Laden on October 20, 2009 I do make the absolute best pumpkin pie, which I am reminded of because of this recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie. There is a very large extended family with whom we have had Thanksgiving for the last few years and they have come to rely on my pies. But since Offspring is expected to…
, which is now available for the 
