jlynch
Posts by this author
October 14, 2006
As usual, GrrlScientist made me do it. I agree with her in that the questions are a little too simplistic.
You Are 16% Capitalist, 84% Socialist
You see a lot of injustice in the world, and you'd like to see it fixed. As far as you're concerned, all the wrong people have the power. You're…
October 13, 2006
Our Lady PeaceMark Van Doren, 1943
How far is it to peace, the piper sighed,The solitary, sweating as he paused.Asphalt the noon; the ravens, terrified,Fled carrion thunder that percussion caused.
The envelope of earth was powder loud;The taut wings shivered, driven at the sun.The piper put his…
October 13, 2006
From the American Family Association:
Amnesty for 12,000,000 illegal immigrants.
A push to make homosexual marriage and polygamy legal in all 50 states.
Only liberal judges will be appointed. They will create laws to implement the social agenda liberals cannot get passed through the legislative…
October 13, 2006
By now, many of you will have heard of the recent Lancet study which claims that over 650,000 Iraqis have died due to the actions of the Bush administration. The paper is available online as a pdf. I haven't as yet had a chance to read the paper (still grading), but will just note that even if the…
October 12, 2006
While I'm at it, here's another new species. In this case, it is a catfish from Mexico, Lacantunia enigmatica, which has a number of distinguishing characteristics. As the abstract to the description [pdf] states:
A new family (Lacantuniidae), genus and species of catfish, Lacantunia enigmatica,…
October 12, 2006
Another new species has been discovered. This one is a little special as it's the first new terrestrial mammal to be discovered in Europe in quite a while. It is Mus cypriacus, the Cypriot mouse. Thomas Cucchi, the discoverer, states:
"All other endemic mammals of Mediterranean islands died out…
October 11, 2006
Imagine that.
More than five years after President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, [David Kuo] the former second-in-command of that office is going public with an insider's tell-all account that portrays an office used almost exclusively to win political points with both…
October 11, 2006
So said Eeyore. But equally, it could describe this - Dembski has noticed the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Society, and so wants to be like Dawkins:
Anybody who is willing and able to upgrade the look, feel, and functionality of this site (Uncommon Descent) to match that of the Dawkins…
October 9, 2006
The endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) is making a partial comeback in the Southwest. As this article notes, sightings have become more frequent over the past decade as males are crossing over from Mexico. Needless to say, conservationists are worried about the effect of the 700 mile Bush's Border…
October 9, 2006
Yariguies brush-finch
Atlapetes latinuchus yariguierum
New species described in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club (Vol. 126: June 2006).
The new bird is named for the Yariguies indigenous people who formerly inhabited the mountain range where the bird was found. The new bird is a…
October 7, 2006
This is just sweet. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has snapped a picture of Victoria Crater and has captured the Mars rover Opportunity.
(HT to Bad Astronomy Blog)
October 7, 2006
ASU have the day off, but Saturday wouldn't be the same without me grousing about a team choking at football, so I present to you the Republic of Ireland soccer team (different "football" I know, but at least this one involves feet).
The qualifying rounds for Euro 2008 began last month and Ireland…
October 6, 2006
You've got to love this quote: "Today is day 960 of Opportunity's 90-day mission to Mars" (Steve Squyres, Cornell).
October 6, 2006
Seen for the first time, October 7th, 1959.
"there is no dark side of the Moon really... matter of fact it's all dark"
October 6, 2006
A trip through the wires tubes that are the Internets:
Olberman on Presidential Lying: "No critic, no commentator, no reluctant Republican in the Senate, has ever said anything that any responsible person could even have exaggerated into the slander you spoke in Nevada on Monday night, nor the…
October 6, 2006
so I have no idea of the significance of this. GrrlScientist made me do it.
You Belong in Soho
Although you may not be a professional artist, you do dabble in one form of art or another.And you indie culture of all kinds - from little botiques to art house films.
Where Should Your Inner…
October 6, 2006
A Prayer for My Daughter
William Butler Yeats, 1919
Once more the storm is howling, and half hid Under this cradle-hood and coverlid My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle But Gregory's wood and one bare hill Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind, Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed; And…
October 3, 2006
Sagan said it best:
That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every…
October 3, 2006
I've been kinda quiet the past few days as I have been part of a team hosting Bernie Lightman (a noted historian of Victorian science) here at ASU. This has involved dinners, talks, trips to Arizona sites, etc. Hopefully I can get posting again soon, despite receiving papers to grade yesterday.
September 30, 2006
Sullivan on the MCA bill:
Whatever else this is, it is not a constitutional democracy. It is a thinly-veiled military dictatorship, subject to only one control: the will of the Great Decider. And the war that justifies this astonishing attack on American liberty is permanent, without end. ... All I…
September 30, 2006
Unranked ASU is playing #14 Oregon. I was supposed to be at the game, but had to attend to family business instead.
At the half it is 24-3 for the Ducks, despite ASU having nearly five minutes extra possession, less penalties, and less turnovers. We don't have a quarterback (Carpenter is 5 for 14,…
September 30, 2006
Dembski breathlessly announces the latest front in the ID war on science - they've been unable to convince any relevent scientists, so they go straight to the children:
The Darwinists have had your young people long enough to shape, subvert, and corrupt. Send them to www.overwhelmingevidence.com…
September 29, 2006
Does any reader have a scan of this picture of William Butler Yeats? I've seen it on some versions of the complete works of Yeats, but the only version I can find online via GIS is 404ing and is small (~300x300). Also, does anyone know the providence of the photo? Email me at john dot lynch at…
September 29, 2006
As Jack Cafferty notes, the MCA 2006 bill passed by the Senate yesterday snuck in a clause that absolves the Bush administration of any potential war crimes that may have occurred since 11th September 2001. Handy.
It is also revealling to look at the ammendments that were voted down:
One that…
September 28, 2006
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the death of one of the great musical artists of the 20th century, Miles Davis.
September 28, 2006
for the government to torture and indefinitely detain individuals without criminal charge. HR 6166 ("the Military Commissions Act of 2006") passed 65 to 34 in the Senate, with 12 Democrats (including, surprise, surprise, Lieberman - but neither of the AZ Democrats) voting with the Republicans (only…