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Saturday Morning Conundrums on Support and Opposition for Autism Organizations

Saturday Morning Conundrums on Support and Opposition for Autism Organizations

Mar 24 2012 | comment(s)

The sounds of mowers (ours among the others) can be heard from where I sit inside in my recliner, hiding behind my laptop, trying to ignore the chaos that surrounds me. The kids have gone quiet in their rooms; I can no longer hear peals of laughter, squeals of delight and the rush of their running feet as they run from room to room, wrapped in their play. I've separated them each to their various rooms to clean, and doors have slammed shut, hiding any noise of electronics I failed to confiscate before demanding they de-tornado their rooms.
Paul Callaghan, top New Zealand scientist, dies at 64

Paul Callaghan, top New Zealand scientist, dies at 64

Mar 24 2012 | comment(s)

Paul Callaghan, a top New Zealand scientist who gained international recognition for his work in molecular physics, has died after a long battle with bowel cancer. He was 64.

In a time of increasing desire for nationalized funding of science, Callaghan, best known for his work with magnetic resonance, argued in favor of commercializing science. He was able to make science accessible to regular New Zealanders by explaining it in a straightforward and entertaining way, and that he was able to use radio, books and public lectures to promote his view that the country could use science to become a wealthier and better place.
Megalara Garuda: New King Of Wasps Discovered

Megalara Garuda: New King Of Wasps Discovered

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

An expedition to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has led to discovery of a new 'King of Wasps' - 80 years after it was first collected.

Megalara garuda is pitch-black, has an enormous body size, and its males have long, sickle-shaped jaws.  It is one the largest known members of the crabronid subfamily Larrinae. 
Requiem for Humanity — Economics

Requiem for Humanity — Economics

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

ECONOMICS
   Many observers of human history have recognized cycles of behavior. Most of them have attempted to quantify these wave patterns of behavior hoping to be able to use them to predict the future. A recent interpreter of these cycles is John Casti who goes so far as to advance the science of Socionomics. He theorizes that cycles in human affairs are influenced more by social mood than specific events. In his book Mood Matters – From Rising Skirt Lengths to the Collapse of World Powers, John Casti argues the following postulates:
   • The long-term global mood has shifted from positive to negative;
   • This will result in a massive change in every aspect of geopolitical, financial, and social life;
Double Precautionary Principle Danger: A Robot Built With Nanotubes

Double Precautionary Principle Danger: A Robot Built With Nanotubes

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

Here is a precautionary principle two-for-one special.  
How Do White Blood Cells Stay On Target?

How Do White Blood Cells Stay On Target?

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

Imagine, if you will, that your computer screen (or iThingie, or DroidDevice) were to suddenly explode, driving a shard of shrapnel deep into your shoulder.  Very quickly, your white blood cells would sense the intruder and rush to the site of the insult, hunt down invading bacteria, and just generally do what they do.  But if you think about it, these are single cells!  How does a single cell sense where to go, and then keep moving in that direction?
Why Aren't Humboldt Squid Giant?

Why Aren't Humboldt Squid Giant?

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

The world's biggest squids (accurately named "giant" and "colossal") have the world's biggest eyes, which may seem like a no-brainer until you consider that they are by no means the world's biggest animals. And yet, their eyes are more than twice the size of a blue whale's. Why?

A group of Swedish, American, and Israeli scientists (gotta love that multicultural research!) suggests that big squid need big eyes to see their big predators--sperm whales. Specifically, big eyes are great for spotting the luminous clouds kicked up by sperm whales as they jostle the bioluminescent plankton of the deep.
From The Minds Of Best Sellers: Mastery As A Process

From The Minds Of Best Sellers: Mastery As A Process

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

The Objective

The aim of this paper is to investigate the ways in which humans go about “mastering” a task. Mastery is characterized by comprehensive knowledge or skill in a subject. To be a master or specialist of a task demonstrates dedication, perseverance, and ability, and all these elements are sought after in individuals no matter the field. Thus, understanding how people develop mastery is important for discovering a path for success in any variant of the word. 

This paper synthesizes the works of bestselling authors and academics to demonstrate how the mastery process is not just a topic for academic offices, but mainstream as well.

Racing as a Mastery Process

The Plant “Brain” 2: Communication among Plants and with Other Species

The Plant “Brain” 2: Communication among Plants and with Other Species

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

Plants, while not generally thought of as being intelligent, do exhibit problem solving, planning, communication, and defensive behavior.  Plants actively search for nutrients and for sunlight. They move their leaves and stems in response to light and can change in which direction they grow in response to different available nutrients.  They can move toward prey and away from competition. 
The Say Of The Week - Higgs Properties

The Say Of The Week - Higgs Properties

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

After fixing the Higgs boson mass to the best fit value mh = 125 GeV, the SM does not have any free parameter left to vary. Therefore all the anomalies in the present data must be statistical fluctuations and disappear with more statistics. This interpretation is supported by the fact that the average of all data agrees with the SM prediction [...] and the global χ2 is good: 16 for 15 dof (we recall that with n>>1 degrees of freedom one expects χ2 = n+-sqrt(n) ).
Egyptians Rally Around Fighting Big Tobacco

Egyptians Rally Around Fighting Big Tobacco

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

You've heard of Egypt; they were in the news last year for riots and for making Twitter relevant. But dictatorships, oppression of women, sexual discrimination and religious intolerance are apparently not the most important cultural fight they face, in the eyes of ultra-conscious New Yorkers - getting people to smoke less is. 

From Russia with Colour – in 1912 !

From Russia with Colour – in 1912 !

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)



This is interesting, on the BBC website:

Why Principled Positions Matter: The Judge Rotenberg Center and Autism Organizations

Why Principled Positions Matter: The Judge Rotenberg Center and Autism Organizations

Mar 23 2012 | comment(s)

How a society treats the disabled, especially those in need of specialized care due to aggressive behaviors and self-injurious behaviors, says a lot about the morality and compassion of that society. Are they locked away out of sight, left to live in horrendous conditions, abandoned not only by society, but by family members as well? The United States does not have a good record when it comes to the care provided to the mentally and physically disabled. From lobotomies to forced sterilization, from electric shock therapy and restraint systems that resemble the horrors of a torturer’s chamber, we as a society have wreaked havoc on those unable to defend themselves.
Fungi: Weapons Of Biomass Destruction

Fungi: Weapons Of Biomass Destruction

Mar 22 2012 | comment(s)

Where would we be without fungi and microbes to break down dead trees and leaf litter in nature? Up to our eyeballs in arborial garbage, that's where.
Sediment Sleuth Tracks Radioactive Medicine Through Rivers

Sediment Sleuth Tracks Radioactive Medicine Through Rivers

Mar 22 2012 | comment(s)

Christopher Sommerfield, associate professor of oceanography at the University of Delaware, has found a new way to study local waterways: radioactive iodine.  

That's bad, right? Maybe not. Radioactive iodine is used in medical treatments and trace amounts are entering waterways via wastewater treatment systems. That means it provides a new way to track where and how substances travel through rivers to the ocean.
Dear Energy Secretary: If You've Lost Jimmy Fallon, You've Lost The Country

Dear Energy Secretary: If You've Lost Jimmy Fallon, You've Lost The Country

Mar 22 2012 | comment(s)

When Energy Secretary Steven Chu was appointed, it was a bit of a policy worry.  Yes, he has a Nobel prize in physics but being a scientist has never shown to be any great benefit for policy. Despite the myth that scientists are stoic and serious and unemotionally obeying the Scientific Method it isn't the case at all.  Like all other people, they have irrational fixations, and Chu's was a belief that CO2 was the only driver in climate change, which meant we might have a bunch of expensive solutions that actually solve nothing in climate change.
Some British Schools Ban Kids From Having Best Friends

Some British Schools Ban Kids From Having Best Friends

Mar 22 2012 | comment(s)

Some schools, and some psychologists, are concerned about the emotional trauma kids might endure if they have a falling out with a close friend. Solution: Ban kids from having best friends. Kids have to only play in groups.

Educational psychologist Gaynor Sbuttoni said the policy has been used at schools in Kingston, South West London, and Surrey. "They are doing it because they want to save the child the pain of splitting up from their best friend."
What's More Important; Sex, Money Or...Pet Education?

What's More Important; Sex, Money Or...Pet Education?

Mar 22 2012 | comment(s)

LONDON, March 22, 2012 - Two new surveys conducted among 2,500 adults and 400 teachers show what is really on the minds of those concerned about education; the need to teach about pets in schools.

89% of adults, 78% of primary teachers and 70% of secondary teachers believed it is important to teach responsibility using pets and most adults thought it was more important to teach younger children how to care for pets than it was to teach them about sex education or money management.  Isn't that going to cause a fight with the 'teach kids to have sex at younger ages' lobby, though? It's Big Pet versus Big Condom for the mindshare of 8-year-olds.

Let's Blame Fracking: Mystery Booms In Wisconsin

Let's Blame Fracking: Mystery Booms In Wisconsin

Mar 22 2012 | comment(s)

What trans fatty acids were to 2007 and global warming was to 2006 and cigarette smoking was to...well, every year since 1960...fracking was to 2011.  That is, to say, the blame-all for everything, even without any science basis. Third hand smoke causes cancer believers, I mean you.

Sure, there are lots of earthquakes in California, and it has no fracking, but that does not prevent anyone from contending earthquakes are caused by fracking, along with the poles flipping or any other nonsense related to fracking we all read last year.
Are Ringtones Musical Madeleines?

Are Ringtones Musical Madeleines?

Mar 21 2012 | comment(s)

“In this paper, we consider musical cell-phone ringtones as virtual, communicative and cultural performances.”
  - say the authors of a paper entitled ‘The Musical Madeleine: Communication, Performance, and Identity in Musical Ringtones’ - which is published in the journal Popular Music and Society, Volume 33, Issue 1 February 2010.