cultural observation
grrlscientist | July 24, 2009tags: Dan Gilbert, happiness, TEDTalks, cultural observation, streaming video
Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, challenges the idea that we'll be miserable if we don't get what we want. Our "psychological immune system" lets us feel truly happy even when things don't go as planned. I am not convinced -- are you? [22:02]
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.
grrlscientist | July 23, 2009tags: Gordon Brown, world wide web, WWW, social injustice, poverty, security, climate change, economy, ethics, streaming video
We're at a unique moment in history, argues UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown: we can use today's interconnectedness to develop our shared global ethic -- and work together to confront the challenges of poverty, security, climate change and the economy [16:43]
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.
grrlscientist | July 21, 2009tags: TEDTalks, Diet Pepsi, Aspartame, artificial sweeteners, diversity, choice, happiness, psychology, Malcolm Gladwell, streaming video
Tipping Point [Amazon: $8.54] author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry's pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce -- and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness [18:16]
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.
grrlscientist | July 19, 2009tags: religion, afterlife, humor, satire, Edward Current, streaming video
In this video, Edward Current shares his thoughts on god and the afterlife. He writes, "Frankly, one reason I've remained a die-hard Christian is to cover my behind in the afterlife. But I recently realized I need to worship ALL gods that might possibly exist." [3:26]
grrlscientist | July 17, 2009tags: TEDTalks, skin color, skin pigmentation, melanin, folate, humans, UV radiation, Vitamin D, evolution, streaming video
Nina Jablonski says that differing skin colors are simply our bodies' adaptation to varied climates and levels of UV exposure. Charles Darwin disagreed with this theory, but she explains, that's because he did not have access to NASA. [14:48]
grrlscientist | July 13, 2009tags: new rules, social commentary, humor, funny, Bill Maher, streaming video
In this video we learn, among other things, how to properly greet the first African-American POTUS and the identity of the REAL Islamic bomb [6:17]
grrlscientist | July 9, 2009tags: Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Campephilus principalis, grail bird, bird watching, conservation, documentary, streaming video
No, I do not believe that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker lives, but this trailer makes the documentary film look interesting anyway, mostly because it focuses on the people; the residents of the town nearest the "rediscovery site", the scientists, the politics and the media frenzy surrounding this "Grail Bird" [3:29]
Here's a somewhat rambling interview with the film's director, Scott Crocker, who is articulate (and very fun to look at) [9:37];
I would like to point…
grrlscientist | July 4, 2009tags: Britney Spears Parody, comedy, humor, funny, streaming video
This video reveals my perfect man: "He's got me rocking like Stephen Hawking .. Check out his hard drive, sets me to Warp Five .. I dream of him hooking up my ethernet cable and whispering in my ear about the Periodic Table .. Don't need a jock, I want a Spock!" (And he doesn't even need to know Russian!) [2:46]
H/T: Arikia.
grrlscientist | June 19, 2009tags: The Constitution of the United States of America, DNA Evidence, criminal trials, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr, Supreme Court, William G. Osborne, justice, ethics
Some days, I am ashamed to be an American. These past two days, I've been astonished and outraged -- and ashamed -- by yesterday's 5-4 Supreme Court decision that prisoners have no constitutional right to DNA testing that might prove their innocence. This decision was inspired by Alaska prison inmate William G. Osborne's petition to be allowed to undergo DNA testing -- at his own expense -- to establish whether he is…
grrlscientist | June 10, 2009tags: agribusiness, agriculture, dairy farm, cows, industrial dairy farm, milk, dairy products, streaming video
This is interesting video sums up my view of America perfectly .. After visiting a Denny's Restaurant, President Obama was visibly shaken and disillusioned; and plans to abandon complex policies on emissions, clean coal and refocus on achievable goals like applying deodorant daily, and learning what to say when you burp [2:46]
Of course, I want to point out that Denny's looks upper middle class when compared to the McDonald's in my 'hood. Just sayin'.
The Onion News Network is an…
grrlscientist | June 6, 2009tags: child stars, Disney, geneticists, satire, humor, funny, social commentary, streaming video
In this amazing news report, Disney claims its latest batch of child stars is so lifelike, you'll barely be able to tell they have no souls [2:40]
grrlscientist | June 2, 2009tags: Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Adaptation disorder, stress reaction, Adjustment disorder, Negative life events, psychology, behavior, psychiatry, peer-reviewed paper
[larger view]
In this economy, nearly everyone has experienced unemployment, bankruptcy, foreclosure, divorce, or some combination thereof. But roughly 1-2% of these people become so stressed out by these losses that "they can barely function other than to ruminate about their circumstances," according to Dr. Michael Linden, the German psychiatrist who described and named Post-…
grrlscientist | May 30, 2009tags: religion, atheism, godlessness, god is nonexistent, humor, funny, satire, edward current, streaming video
This video talks about how Our Lord goes to extraordinary lengths to create the illusion that he does nothing. Why? Because he can do anything! [4:20]
grrlscientist | May 28, 2009tags: TEDTalks, virology, epidemiology, Nathan Wolfe, SARS, Influenza, streaming video
I am very lucky to be attending a New York Academy of Science (NYAS) conference about H1N1 Influenza today, so I thought I'd share this TEDTalk video about viral outbreaks, a talk presented by virus hunter Nathan Wolfe. His goal? Outwitting the next pandemic by staying two steps ahead: discovering new, deadly viruses where they first emerge -- passing from animals to humans among poor subsistence hunters in Africa -- and stopping them before they claim millions of lives. [13:05]
grrlscientist | May 26, 2009tags: duckling rescue, birds, cute, streaming video
Bankers have a bad (although, deserved) rap these days, don't they? This BBC video shows banker Joel Armstrong of Spokane, Washington, who was nice enough to initiate an intensive bailout (eviction?) of his neighbors, who could no longer stay in their home. His neighbors: a family of mallards [1:10]
Yes, he did the same thing last year, so the video and the story, which is fresh, might look familiar.
grrlscientist | May 25, 2009tags: religion, prayer in schools, godlessness, atheism, streaming video
This video discusses using religion, particularly school prayer, as a mechanism for alienating children who are different. [6:34]
grrlscientist | May 20, 2009tags: religion, morality, godlessness, atheism, occam's razor, aesop's fables, streaming video
This video is an interesting testament to why one man is an atheist, and what forms the root of human morals. My opinion? Let's just say that I prefer Aesop's fables to the bible [7:06]
Most christians know less about morality than Stephen Hawking knows about ballroom dancing!
grrlscientist | May 17, 2009tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries
If you are broke and unemployed in any city of this nation, including NYC, you would have very few free public resources at your disposal to help you find work because of the massive budget cuts that have been made to this nation's public libraries. I find this situation outrageous.
I have a special request to make of you: if you read this blog, consider the fact that all my wireless access is provided by the NYPL, and wireless access is one service that will be cut or discontinued. If Mayor Bloomberg, the eighth…
grrlscientist | May 16, 2009tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries
Let's face it, if you are broke and unemployed in NYC today, you would have nothing constructive to do if Mayor Mike Bloomsberg's proposed budget cuts to the Public library system is enacted. (Although, I suppose you could commit a few crimes, since the police force has also been cut back).
Mayor Bloomberg, the eighth richest person in America, is proposing a 22% funding cut to all three New York City public library systems (NYPL, Brooklyn and Queens). These cuts would eliminate 943 employees, end all weekend…
grrlscientist | May 15, 2009tags: movies, film, Star Trek prequel, satire, humor, funny, The Onion, streaming video
I'm not sure I want to see the new Star Trek film. Based on this video report, long time fans of the Star Trek franchise say JJ Abrams' enjoyable, engaging prequal betrays what Star Trek is all about. [2:22]