gregladen | May 30, 2009The Source is a novel by James A. Michener. It is actually a fun novel to read if you have any interest in the history of the middle east.
One of the themes in the novel is the relationship between god and humans. In the earlier part of the history described in this book, god has an intimate relationship with humans, and often manifests as a burning bush in order to speak with specific humans that god might be interested in. But over time the humans get less interesting and god gets into other things, and the whole burning bush thing becomes less and less frequent and eventually, there…
gregladen | May 30, 2009Randy Olson is a film maker and marine biologist who has focused in recent years on the critique of science communication. You may know him from his documentary work on the sexual practices of barnacles, the evolution-creation debate, or global warming.
Randy is coming out with a new book, Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style. It will be available sometimes in August.
Here is a synopsis of the book:
"Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style" has been 30 years in the making. It draws on Randy Olson's 15 years as a scientist (Ph.D. Harvard…
gregladen | May 29, 2009This is a repost of a review that is timely, given this week's focus on setting up your Linux server and changing all your computers over to Linux and so on.
I started this discussion a while back, and now it is time to continue it.
The Bourne Again Shell, bash, is the default command-line shell in Ubuntu and many *nix (Unix, Linux, etc.) systems. You can think of the shell as the most direct way to get into your operating system, and you can think of shell scripts ('programs' in essence) as macros that can automate computerized tasks.
For the present purposes, I'm discussing the book…
gregladen | May 29, 2009From the BBC:
Genetically modified primates that glow green and pass the trait on to their offspring could aid the fight against human disease.
They will also be easier to find when they escape.
Though primates that make a glowing protein have been created before, these are the first to keep the change in their bloodlines.
Future modifications could lead to treatments for a range of diseases.
The "transgenic" marmosets, created by a Japanese team, have been described in the journal Nature.
This means the every generation, scientists can change the monkey more and more until they get ....…
gregladen | May 29, 2009Danny Hauser, 13 year old shaman with cancer, recently returned from foray from the courts with his mother, now in treatment, had a web site dedicated to raising money for his 'treatment' (seemingly for the CAM part of his treatment ... he is otherwise covered by insurance). That site was taken down early today or late yesterday, with the comment from the Hauser's lawyer that it would stay down until certain "ramifications" were explored.
So, I was poking around this afternoon looking for ramifications and stuff, and instead found that the site is back up.
Since the last site disappeared…
gregladen | May 29, 2009Following on this earlier post, here are links to on line resources that would aid in building, configuring, and using a Linux based computer.
Hardware:
The 800 dollar killer PC. This is a "gaming" PC, but this set of guidelines is more broadly useful than just for games. Just don't forget to substitute Linux for Windows.
Linux-Friendly Hardware
More on Linux Friendly Hardware
Systems and related information:
The Windows to Linux Roadmap
Ubuntu
Xubuntu
Guide to Debian Linux
Open Source Resources Page
Just for fun: Linux from Scratch
Shell Scripting:
Linux Shortcuts and Commands…
gregladen | May 29, 2009Diversity and Conflict
We don't like conflict. We try to avoid it instead of learning how to engage in it appropriately and productively, and the end result of our incompetence is horrendous enough to fully reinforce our avoidance.
Read it here.
gregladen | May 29, 2009Winged kitty cats are not unheard of in China, but a new alate feline is always news.
The winged cats can not fly, of course, or you would have heard about them before. They would be like these flying killer sharks.
Scientists have narrowed down the explanation for the growth of these wings as environmental, or genetic, or developmental.
...scientists believe the appendages developed due to grooming habits, a genetic defect or a hereditary skin condition.
.... keep us posted on that, scientists.
Source is MSNBC, hat tip to Rebecca Skloot.
gregladen | May 29, 2009... or so it would seem.... UPDATE: Or, this could be a fake. See comments.
The Asus PC Eee PC was designed specifically to run LInux. The idea is in part to make a very inexpensive globally (more or less) accessable open source system so all the poor children around the world who happen to have a hundred bucks could have a PC just like you do.
Now, Microsoft and Asus have teamed up to produce an ad campaing providing what amounts to a series of lies about the hardware/software combo, claiming that "Windows is Better" on this PC (better than Linux, that is).
Is it Ethical? No doubt.…
gregladen | May 29, 2009The I and the Bird Carnival is now soaring at Living the Scientific Life. Please visit I and the Bird, 101th
The Carnival of Space 104.5 has launched at the Bat Page.
gregladen | May 28, 2009NASA researchers is now reporting in the May 21st issue of Nature that water could remain liquid at sub-freezing temperatures if made stable against freezing by containing dissolved minerals. From the abstract:
Many features of the Martian landscape are thought to have been formed by liquid water flow, and water-related mineralogies on the surface of Mars are widespread and abundant. Several lines of evidence, however, suggest that Mars has been cold with mean global temperatures well below the freezing point of pure water. Martian climate modellers, considering a combination of greenhouse…
gregladen | May 28, 2009... At our co-opted thread, here. Please join us if you are in the Twin Cities.
gregladen | May 28, 2009Rhoda nearly dropped out from school in 2005 as her friends used to laugh at her in class due to her poor performance. Most of the days, Rhoda could not do her home work because she had no time, as she spent most of her afternoons helping her mother fetch water.
"Now that there is a borehole in my community, the scarce potable water has become easily accessible; the distance to the water source has been much reduced; and this rainy season I have not suffered from diarrhea. I now spend less time collecting water than before and have more time to do my homework and concentrate in school. My…
gregladen | May 28, 2009Last time I looked here, there was a content, but small and thinly scattered group of chimpanzees. Then there was a big noise last night and this morning an entirely new troop has arrived at this location on the internet and taken over! On further inspection, it turns out to be Doc Bushwell, Jim and Kevin Beck.
I think they ate the chimps that were here before.
gregladen | May 28, 2009This is a repost of a review that is timely, given this week's focus on setting up your Linux server and changing all your computers over to Linux and so on.
For the most part, computer operating systems all have a "shell." When people talk about the "command line" ... they are talking about the prompt in a shell. The concept of a shell, and the way we think of a shell today mostly stems from its implementation on Unix systems. A shell is a computer program that has a human interface and a number of built in or accessible functions (mostly other programs) that humans can invoke to make the…
gregladen | May 28, 2009How to knock out your children: Use PediSedate.
PediSedate is a medical device consisting of a colorful, toy-like headset that connects to a game component such as the Nintendo Game Boy system or a portable CD player. Once the child places it on his or her head and swings the snorkel down from its resting place atop the head, PediSedate transparently monitors respiratory function and distributes nitrous oxide, an anesthetic gas. The child comfortably becomes sedated while playing with a Nintendo Game Boy system or listening to music. This dramatically improves the hospital or dental…
gregladen | May 28, 2009Diarrhea: The Unfashionable Disease
Ever hear about the World Concert for Diarrhea? Or the Celebrity Chefs Fundraiser for Diarrhea? Diarrhea just isn't a disease that gets rallied for. It's hard to understand that diarrhea can kill you. In the USA, it is an inconvenience. In developing countries, it is a killer. Why?
There are more than 100 microbugs that can cause diarrhea. A child who lives in village that has a bad water supply, limited water for hand washing, and no toilets, is likely to pick up one or more of these bugs at any time. These children can get one case of diarrhea after…
gregladen | May 28, 2009"When I first looked at it I wasn't sure, but when I moved it away from me it started coming out. I thought Christ, yeah, she's right - that's the image of Jesus.
"The kids are still eating it, but we kept the lid."
source
hat tip: Iain Davidson
gregladen | May 28, 2009Catholics are trained to steal away into closets or back rooms with any babies that happen to be left around, so they can be secretly baptized. You did know this, right? It is true. If you take your baby to a day care provider, check on this first. If you suspect there are Catholics working there, just tell them your baby is named Mark or Mary and mention some funny story about the Baptism and that should do it.
You probably knew all that, but what you probably didn't know is that Atheists are trained to do this: CLICK HERE.
OK, now click here.
OK, now click here.
OK, that is all…