Uncategorized

have decided not to extradite film director Roman Polanski to the US to face sentencing for a case dating back to 1977. from the BBC
We can't help but talk to ourselves. At any given moment, there's a running commentary unfolding in our stream of consciousness, an incessant soliloquy of observations, questions and opinions. But what's the best way to structure all this introspective chatter? What kind of words should we whisper to ourselves? And does all this self-talk even matter? These are the fascinating questions asked in a new paper led by Ibrahim Senay and Dolores Albarracin, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and published in Psychological Science. The experiment was straightforward. Fifty three…
I've just been forwarded an email that was originally sent to the National Society of Genetic Counsellors email list on behalf of a reporter with the Washington Post: Dear NSGC Members, Washington Post reporter Rob Stein has interviewed NSGC President Liz Kearney on the subject of regulation of genetic testing. Rob would also like to interview patients who have experienced DTC testing. Rob is particularly interested in speaking with patients in the D.C. area who have had a bad experience with DTC testing or who sought the help of a genetic counselor to order the correct test and/or…
I realize that I haven't been posting much here. We had some plans to use the Applied Statistics blog for other purposes but it didn't really work out, so from now on you can go to my main blog for your statistical entertainment.
Sixty-four people were killed by two bombs set off at World Cup related events. Roughly the same number again were injured. The Somali group al-Shabab is suspected. One American is among the dead, and three American missionaries were wounded. The BBC has details.
Apparently, it's all about creating memories.
In which I suggest a way that Pepsigate could have been different. I think PepsiCo's research scientists have something to say that I want to listen to. So do the scientists at Coke. And Cargill. The reason I think this is that some of my own research involves diet and nutrition, and I assume that the bench scientists working in the food industry are busy figuring stuff out at the molecular and biochemical level that I would not mind knowing. Strike that: I know they are figuring stuff out. A few years back I had the honor and pleasure of being asked to give the keynote speech at a…
Dorothea has written a typically good post challenging the role of RDF in the linked data web, and in particular, its necessity as a common data format. I was struck by how many of her analyses were spot on, though my conclusions are different from hers. But she nails it when she says: First, HTML was hardly the only part of the web stack necessary to its explosion. TCP/IP, anyone? I'm on about this all the time. The idea that we are in web-1995-land for data astounds me. I'd be happy if I were to be proven wrong - trust me, thrilled - but I don't see the core base of infrastructure for a…
ScienceBlogs.com Deals With Community Backlash Over PepsiCo Column
When I injured my knee last February, it became apparent that I would not be able to fly to my BIL's wedding in DC. So..... ... we called Delta Airline and asked if it was possible to get the ticket refunded or something. This was many weeks before the wedding itself. A Delta employee, over the phone, assured us that there would be no problem at all. Just get one of those "you can't fly" notes from the doctor, and bring it to the terminal on the day of the flight. A voucher would be issued. So I got the note from the doctor, and Amanda brought it to the terminal on the day of the flight.…
We took a walk today along the east side of the Mississippi River just down stream from Coon Rapids Dam. The park here invested about ten years ago in a major prairie restoration project which has been paying off big time in recent years. The following is a sampling of the scenery, mainly focusing on flowering plants in the prairie areas, but there are a couple of woodland plants and a few other items of interest as well. I've numbered the photos so you can provide suggested identifications of any items you recognize. For some photos, you can click to get a larger image. Most larger…
There were two of them, flying together, and they seemed to be going fast.
One of those good grazing spots, attracting white rhino, various antelopes, wart hogs, and birds.
Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est (And thus knowledge itself is power) -- Sir Francis Bacon. Well, after the big explosion over ethics at ScienceBlogs, it's been a rather exciting week, hasn't it? Too exciting, if you ask me, especially since the most recent edition of Scientia Pro Publica (Science for the People) -- "Scientia Pro Publica 34" -- has been mostly overlooked. But nonetheless, it was published by Denis at This View Of Earth. To share yours, or others', writing, either use this automated submission form or use the cute little widget on the right (be aware that widget doesn'…
Bwahahahah!!! The true purpose of blogging? No... from Ed, a compilation of the best/worst movie insults evah!
The trial started on July 10th, 1925. It ended on July 21st of the same year. Evolution lost. That time. Subsequently, Evolution won most of the trials.
When and where will the next manhole explosion be? Bonus question: Why are manholes (or is that menhole?) round? Why is a Black hole emitting a giant gas bubble 1000 light-years wide? Bonus question: How can anything in a vacuum be called a "bubble"?
Basks in wadi, Augrabies National Park, South Africa. Warning, image (below the fold) is a bit large.
I'm ready for Friday. Maybe I'll relaxed with a nice, cold...set of links! Science: The short life expectancy of longevity genes (?) Cups, Buckets, Pools, and Puddles: When the Flood of Papers Won't Abate, Which Do You Choose? 10 Crazy-Looking New Deep-Sea Creatures Serious flaws revealed in "longevity genes" study Other: Saving the system to what end? Freelance Photographer: 'I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police' This is how a village dies The terrible politics of deficit reduction: Obama is helping the GOP by rolling over on unemployment benefits and talking tough…