gregladen | November 16, 2009Bergman gave the argument FOR Intelligent Design, and Myers gave the argument AGAINST.
I have never seen an argument against Intelligent design so well made. It would seem that Intelligent Design is a point of view rather than a coherent theory, one that emerges as a socio political side-effect of the struggle between atheism and religion, one that has many proponents but no valid scientific published research to support it. Intelligent design, according to what I saw argued, makes little internal coherent sense. It is based on a two step process of reasoning: Irreducible complexity, which…
gregladen | November 16, 2009Guy Jumps Off Pier To Save Dog
"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you're providing support for a lifetime."
Logical Fallacies and How to Spot Them
gregladen | November 16, 2009I believe they are trying to keep it secret, but that's Robert Luhn swinging around the big knife while raging about Ray Comfort:
The source of this video is the new NCSE Don't Dis Drwin site, HERE.
gregladen | November 16, 2009Tomorrow, the NCSE will release a response to Ray Comfort's tricked-out version of Darwin's Origin of Species.
I got a sneak preview of the web site and if you are good, I can let you see it too.
(a GLB exclusive!)
First, you need to go here and click around and get interested in dopplegangers. Then come right back.
...
OK, you're back, cool.
The new site addresses this gosh-awful rendition of the Origin of Species put out by the creationists that includes a creationist introduction and some pre-quote mined text. The NCSE has responded.
On November 19th, Los Angeles-based creationist…
gregladen | November 16, 2009The Blog Carnival Scientia Pro Publica # 16 is up and running here, at Sharp Brains.
Braaaains!!!! Braaaiins!!!
gregladen | November 16, 2009In Going Rogue: An American Life Sarah Palin make sthe claim that she does not believe in evolution. She has not been so straightfoward in the past on this topic, according to think progress.
...she talks about creationism, saying she "didn't believe in the theory that human beings -- thinking, loving beings -- originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea" or from "monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees."
This is a flip flop from what she said during the campaign. Sara Palin is a flip flopper. Spread it around.
gregladen | November 16, 2009MnCSE stands for Minnesota Citizens for Science Education.
If you are a Minnesotan, this will of course be of direct interest to you. If you are interested in science education issues (read: defending our children against the onslaught of the Creashunist Foes!!!1!!) then you will find it to be a model example of a state-wide non-profit.
There is also this cool thing on the right side bar that has a picture of something cool, and you click on it, and find out what it is.
The site is here.
And please, do have a look at this thing at Seed Magazine if you have not yet. Thanks.
gregladen | November 16, 2009The first is in virtual space, the second is in meat space. Both are cool.
In virtual space, Seed Magazine and Scienceblogs.com are doing the bloggy thing, and have a set of closely related interesting items for you to read. Honestly, I would really appreciate it if you would have a look at this stuff. It is hard to build an audience in new blog space, and this is good stuff and I don't want you to miss it.
Here is the list:
Into Uncanny Valley: New findings shed light on a century's worth of bizarre explanations for the eerie feeling we get around lifelike robots. An article in Seed…
gregladen | November 15, 2009I will tell you how to make excellent gravy with no stress and guaranteed success. Without lumps.
I don't do recipes. I do theory. But this theoretical approach will get you through. Its very simple.
You are going to need the following:
A stick of butter or two, and an equal volume of regular flour.
Several cups of a liquid such as stock.
Some spices. Which spices and how much depends on the stock.
Salt (this is separate from the spices)
1) Make the Roux.
This can be done ahead of time and reheated later.
Put all of the butter and all of the flower in a pan. Start heating the…
gregladen | November 15, 2009A controversial ministry that says it preaches Christian doctrine in public schools held a fundraiser in Bloomington Thursday night, drawing a crowd of about 400. At its "Appeal to Heaven" fundraiser, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International offered attendees a preview of its new documentary, a greeting by Rep. Michele Bachmann and a fiery sermon by founder Bradlee Dean, who called liberals "criminals" and urged attendees to fight a "war" for the faith against liberals.
The almost exclusively white crowd had assembled at the Sheraton ballroom in Bloomington to raise funds for the…
gregladen | November 15, 2009From Mn Progressive:
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) may have gotten herself into even more ethical trouble. In her efforts to promote her healthcare protest that occurred last week, she used her official House website to promote it.
Check out the details.
gregladen | November 15, 2009These are starlings:
Bonus Video:
I prefer the non-fiction birds.
Hat Tip: Analiese
gregladen | November 14, 2009Recent discussion of Canadian Naturopathy caused this old memory of mine to surface, regarding a friend who nearly died because he had a treatable illness but was attended to only by a Naturopath. A stupid, badly dressed Naturopath who couldn't drive for shit.
I won't say his real name, because he's reasonably well known, and I'm not sure how much he knows I know about this story. He was pretty private about it at the time, but when he was in the hospital still unconscious after the emergency surgery, his wife told me everything, much of which I already knew by observation, some I already…
gregladen | November 14, 2009Skloot on the Cover of Publishers Weekly & Advance Praise for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Did Low-Dose Desensitization to Allergens Make Me a SuperMan?
Mumps redux at White Coat Underground
gregladen | November 14, 2009I look around me and I don't see even one anarchist. Oh, wait, no, there might be an anarchist over there beyond the pillar...no, no, just another guy in a suit. Never mind.
Read all about it here.