gregladen | November 19, 2011This is a bit long but you will benefit from watching all of it. It gets extra hot at 31:30.
I love the look on that woman's face at 31:38 and again at 31:47. LOL.
This particular member of congress, Don Young from Alaska, needs to get unelected. Frank J. Vondersaar seems to be the guy running against him, and this seems to be his web site. You can donate money to help Frank's campaign here.
I was originally made aware of this testimony from a blog post at Get Energy Smart blog, HERE. Please go check that out.
gregladen | November 18, 2011Tradition. Not just a song from Fiddler on the Roof.
You know the refrain: "The Papa, the Papa! Tradition." It's a great play but it is firmly rooted in the patriarchy, as "tradition" often is.
There are many ways to define "tradition" and we can look it up somewhere and have a flameware over dictionary meanings if you want. But instead I'll tell you what I think the word means, roughly, generally, and subject to revision.
First, "tradition" is a feature of culture that simply refers to practices that are habitual. A subset of "traditions" are formalized or regularized, like holidays in…
gregladen | November 18, 2011If you really, really believe in this whole Einstein and Physics thing you're gonna say "Noez!!!! Nothing can go faster than the speed of light, c, see? So something is wrong with the NEW experiment replicating the results of the earlier experiment TOO. But maybe it is time to OVERTHROE the Physics Conspiracy and Expose the EINSTEINIANS for what they really are: HOAXES.
OK, but seriously ...
By now you've heard about the new experiment designed to re-test the speed of Neutrinos in Europe accounting for some of the things they think went wrong the first time.
One possible problem with the…
gregladen | November 17, 2011Teachers teach facts instead of concepts. Teachers teach from the textbooks and barely understand what is in the book anyway. There is not enough hands-on learning. All teachers really do anyway is to show videos most of the time. What should really happen is that a teacher should learn how to do science, intensively, with one project and that way, really understand how to teach it.
And so on and so forth.
If you find yourself agreeing with everything I just said, then I have one more thing to add: Get a brain, moran!
OK, maybe I'm being a little hard on you, but you were asking for it…
gregladen | November 17, 2011The Fukushima nuclear power plant was opened to journalists for the first time; See below for numerous links to related stories.
There appears to be very high levels of radiation at Fukushima plant reactor #3, and at either reactors 1 and 3, or both, nuclear fission may have been occurring in the melted down remains. Ideally, once a plant is turned off, i.e., control rods inserted etc. etc., the state of "criticality" is stopped and there is no more fission, or at least, only a small background level. But, if a nuclear power plant's core melts down, nuclear material can re-accumulate in…
gregladen | November 17, 2011Well, obviously it is going to be something about radiation.
Check out my latest post at 10,000 Birds.
gregladen | November 16, 2011Here's the press release:
Mann to receive Hans Oeschger Medal from European Geosciences Union
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Michael Mann, professor of meteorology and geosciences and director, Earth System Science Center, Penn State, was awarded the Hans Oeschger Medal of the European Geosciences Union.
The medal was established in 2001 in recognition of the scientific achievements of Hans Oeschger to honor outstanding scientists whose work is related to climate: past, present and future.
Mann's research involves the use of theoretical models and observational data to better understand Earth's…
gregladen | November 16, 2011In case you want to know more about my nephew, LeRoy Bell, who is a contestant in the Top Ten on the XFactor USA show, and who will be performing TONIGHT (and you can VOTE!!!), check out this really nice write up on The Root: 'X Factor' Crooner Is 'Livin' It Up' - LeRoy Bell, 60, who once hit it big with a disco favorite, has a second chance at fame.
It is a good article, but I want to correct one small item: TaRessa Stovall notes that LeRoy has an "advantage" on the talent show because of his professional background. That is true, but many of the "Over 30" singers on the show have…
gregladen | November 15, 2011Strapped to a jet-powered wing, Yves Rossy is the Jetman -- flying free, his body as the rudder, above the Swiss Alps and the Grand Canyon. After a powerful short film shows how it works, Rossy takes the TEDGlobal stage to share the experience and thrill of flying.
gregladen | November 15, 2011In what almost seems like a coordinated events, Occupy Wallstreet activites are being shut down across the country, with the big news being a rather violent raid on Zuccotti park this morning. This is promising to be an intense week for the Occupy movement, with Thursday having been slated as a day of major protest. Details of the NY raid here.
gregladen | November 14, 2011With the end of the 'Harry Potter' film franchise and 'The Stand' no longer on his plate, director David Yates has revealed that his next project is a full length feature film of the long running British show 'Doctor Who.'*
I would have thought there were already people on this, but I guess not.
So, here's the crucial question? Who? (Would play The Doctor?)
gregladen | November 14, 2011Hot off the presses (stolen summarily from Here). This land temperature anomoly video showing both the growth of the global dataset and global warming was shown by the BEST group to Congress just a few moments ago.
gregladen | November 14, 2011I have only one Salman Rushdie story, so I'll tell it quick then point you to something you've GOT to see.
I had a friend and office mate in graduate school who came in one day all gloating and stuff because she had copped tickets to at Susan Sontag talk to be held in few days at MIT. These were hard to get tickets but she had a friend who couldn't go or something. She gloated on and off for the next few days and finally there was the talk, and then there was the morning after the talk.
So that morning she comes into the lab and starts making her coffee.
"How was the talk," I inquired.…
gregladen | November 14, 2011A friend of mine who is an excellent writer and critic, fellow blogger and social scientist, is trying to make ends meet by enhancing sales at the family business. Distracted by other things, I didn't know about this until this morning.
Welcome to Howling Pig, the uncommon soap company for uncommon people.
Our soaps (and stuff) are for those who know that life is not just about getting by, soap is not just about getting clean, and smelling good is the best revenge.
Each of our scents is unique, evocative, and memorable, created with passion to engage your senses and inspire your soul.
We…
gregladen | November 14, 2011Bug Girl's Talk fresh off the conference circuit:
Context, comments, more, here.