Henry Ford - Quote: "History Is Bunk"It isn't an urban myth: Henry Ford really did say: "History is bunk."
It is somewhat ironic that Henry Ford's words - "history is bunk" - are now a part of the historic record. What is not clear from most writings about Henry Ford is the context in which he gave his views of history. I hope to remedy that defect somewhat.
"Understanding Henry Ford is more than a puzzle; it is a pursuit."
The Detroit Saturday Night, cited by -
Henry A. Wise Wood, The New York Times, May 17, 1916
Constitutional Football
I'm not particularly interested in football - aka soccer. Nor am I at all interested in what footballers get up to on or off the pitch. However, I am greatly interested in the scientific study of that most peculiar human system know as law.
Our modern legal systems - especially the common law systems - can be traced back at least as far as Ancient Greece. In a time when arguments in court were won by the best orators and when a finding of guilt or innocence had more to do with parentage and peer groups than scientific proofs, philosophers devised methods of logical argument as a counter to methods in rhetoric.
Grímsvötn Ash Plume
Grímsvötn, an ice-capped volcano in the south of Iceland is currently erupting. The ice cap is quite extensive and thick, so unless there are unknown sub-surface fissures, extensive local flooding is unlikely to result from the eruption.
The volcano is likely to melt only the ice immediately over and adjacent to the caldera. Melt water intrusion into magma can increase the production of tephra, as happened with last year's eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. However, the ice cap of Grímsvötn is so thick that the erupting volcano will probably do no more than melt a hole through the icecap.
Zombies Ate My Research AssistantNow it can be told: the hidden truth behind the climate change hoax. Global warming may not be real, but zombies are! If you don't believe me, go argue with America's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention:
Zombie apocalypse survival guide published by US government.
Arctic Ice May 2011 - Update #1Even if it leaves you too tired to come back and read my own humble offerings - but I hope you do come back - there are two very topical blog posts that I want to recommend to you:
Tell good stories that entertain and are relevant. It is so easy to say “use simple everyday life language”, but for a scientist who are trained to do the exact opposite it hurts. Almost physically.
Air India Flight 171 - Flawed EE Bay Water Ingress Theory
Air India Flight 171 Accident Summary - Key Findings
Air India Flight 171 - Ask The experts
Air India Flight 171 - The Vital Seconds
