Carnivalia, and an open thread

I just peeked at the PZ calendar, and I see the Jawaahir dance company is performing on Saturday. They look like one damn fine company. I hope we'll get pictures and a review. Encourage them to tour, would you?

This is a little off-topic..But I recetly took the GED exam because I want to get into college (just need to score 650/800).. The reason why I 'needed' to take it essentially because I didn't have the "opportunity" to go to an American high school (there is a long story but I'll spare that).

Should I try to avoid mentioning that I took a GED, as much as possible? Especially in science blogs?

The Secular Coalition for America "Find an Atheist, Humanist, Freethinker Elected Official" Contest

The Secular Coalition for America (SCA) will award one thousand dollars ($1,000) to the person who identifies the highest level atheist, humanist, freethinker or other nontheist currently holding elected public office in the United States of America.* The SCA is an advocacy organization representing the interests of nontheists in the nation's capital.
...
Help the Secular Coalition for America find the secular public servants courageous enough to acknowledge they are nontheistic.

In case that isn't clear enough, they are not trying to "out" secret atheists. They are trying to reward officeholders who are brave enough to already be "out".

Should I try to avoid mentioning that I took a GED, as much as possible? Especially in science blogs?

Too late.

Bacteria Use Radioactive Uranium To Convert Water Molecules To Useable Energy

Researchers from Indiana University Bloomington and eight collaborating institutions report in this week's Science a self-sustaining community of bacteria that live in rocks 2.8 kilometers below Earth's surface. Think that's weird? The bacteria rely on radioactive uranium to convert water molecules to useable energy.
...

Something to frustrate or amuse; I'm not sure which. It tells an alternate history (something that I've always found interesting as both an SF fan and an informal student of world events), a tale of the way things might have been had Bush been a man of principle rather than politics.

Every time I read the bloody thing I get depressed all over again, and I wrote it.

Why isn't DAN BERN a huge star?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rfdA1-xb7Xk

Play "Suicide Room" as loud as you can.

http://www.charliewagner.com/suicide.mp3

Translation-the Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers' Club version

I was looking for a movie of translation for class, and ran across this gem. he intro is a bit dry (from
Nobel prize-winner Paul Berg), but there are no words to describe the rest. I'm speechless.....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2657697036715872139&q=translat…

Just wondering ... since you hate X-Men's "evolution" so much, do you plan on taking on "Heroes" any time?

Has anyone else seen the latest GOP ad?

http://www.rnc.org/

Amazing. We now know pretty much for a fact that the suitcase bomb threat was faked, but people get their science from James Bond movies these days, so what do they know? So there's one point.

They base an ad on fake macho statements, just to mobilize folks. Well, guess what? I already voted.

Just watch the ad. It's appalling.

I haven't seen "Heroes" yet!

Is it blogwhoring to brag that I got my very own* ID troll in the comment string as a birthday present?

*not to imply exclusive ownership, ohpleaseno

Those who pine for the glory that was MST3K may be interested in Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=53B9BD4783911936

Over at Stranger Fruit, John Lynch blogs a piece by Kevin Tillman. It's powerful stuff.