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Thomas Friedman wishes America was more like communist dictatorships

Thomas Friedman wishes America was more like communist dictatorships

Sep 19 2010 | comment(s)

Poor Thomas Friedman.  The NY Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner, who only knows the science that is framed for him through progressive politics and kooky economics, thinks the Chinese are onto something with climate change.  He fawns over:
“There is really no debate about climate change in China,” said Peggy Liu, chairwoman of the Joint U.S.-China Collaboration on Clean Energy, a nonprofit group working to accelerate the greening of China. “China’s leaders are mostly engineers and scientists, so they don’t waste time questioning scientific data.” 
Messy biology and the origins of evolutionary innovations - Nature Chemical Biology

Messy biology and the origins of evolutionary innovations - Nature Chemical Biology

Sep 19 2010 | comment(s)

Biological messiness relates to infidelity, heterogeneity, stochastic noise and variation—both genetic and phenotypic—at all levels, from single proteins to organisms. Messiness comes from the complexity and evolutionary history of biological systems and from the high cost of accuracy. For better or for worse, messiness is inherent to biology. It also provides the raw material for physiological and evolutionary adaptations to new challenges.
Does atheism poison everything? - Washington Times

Does atheism poison everything? - Washington Times

Sep 19 2010 | comment(s)

Excerpt from Washington Times:

On Sept. 7, David Berlinski and Christopher Hitchens met for a debate in Birmingham, Alabama. Hosted by the Fixed Point Foundation, the debate premise was "Atheism Poisons Everything," a spin off of the subtitle of Hitchens' book, "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything".


Women in chemistry blogging

Women in chemistry blogging

Sep 18 2010 | comment(s)

David Kroll at Terra Sigillata notes that CENtral Science has 9 women contributors and only 4 men, the opposite of the usual sausage-fest in science blogging at most sites and somewhere in the magical realm of social sciences in its overwhelming XX dominance.

It isn't that chemistry is more female friendly than something like biology, which has majority representation of female PhDs almost directly matching American society, it may be an example (at least in chemistry) that they do other things than research after they get a degree:
A long list of things I don't like about Mendeley - Alan Cann

A long list of things I don't like about Mendeley - Alan Cann

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

As I have said too many times in too many places to count, of the four pillars of Science 2.0 I originally envisioned - communication, collaboration, publication and participation - collaboration was always going to be the hardest.

Basically, it doesn't exist.   Here, an advocate outlines why he doesn't use one of the available tools, Mendeley, which is not so much science 2.0 as a reference organizer but perhaps has a kernel that could be used in the future.
Perfect casting:

Perfect casting: "Ali G" as Queen's Freddie Mercury - OMG

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

"Borat" star Sacha Baron Cohen is set to play flamboyant rocker Freddie Mercury in a dramatic feature focusing on his glory days as the frontman of Queen, its producers said on Thursday.

Aside from the fact that Cohen can pull off almost anything - well, that "Bruno" movie was crap but he set out to push some boundaries.  When he makes his "Ali G" movie it will be crazy successful.

Until then, take a look at them side-by-side.   I expect Cohen will nail it.
Is your child a

Is your child a "prehomosexual"? The latest on forecasting adult sexual orientation - Scientific American

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

Scientific American has basically fired all of its online columnists and seems to want to emulate Scienceblogs.com (without the pesky ethical angst - they are part of a multi-billion dollar company) so this sort of controversy-for-its-own sake is what their audience can look forward to - legitimizing superstitious, irrational nonsense and claiming it is a discussion point.   In reality, it is whoring-for-pageviews, though it will certainly work.

Does your son like musicals?   Daughter a tomboy?   
And, curiously enough, the age-old homophobic fears of parents seem to have some genuine predictive currency.
3OH!3: Cool choreography and no CGI needed

3OH!3: Cool choreography and no CGI needed

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

It used to be that CGI was cool, now it makes the accomplishments of creative people more special.   Tonya Kay is on my Tweetypages whatever thing because she does cool knife throwing and she was in "Secret Girlfriend", the funniest show that will never get renewed, and she recently posted this about a new video:
Check out my choreography and performance with fellow Lalas Burlesque dancer, Janelle Dote, in the new 3OH!3 "Double Vision" music video:

daft punk inspired choreography demands lots of body "make up"

all my choreography was done lying down to get the effect the director wished to achieve
Out

Out

Sep 16 2010 | comment(s)

Nature Network's Lee Turnpenny on leaving research:

Whole piece - 
But I don't blame anyone else for my ineptitude/erroneousness. If I was better at it, then I'd feel more secure - and would enjoy it more... and hence be better at it.Because I do love science. But it's not about me; it's about money; and science doesn't owe me a living.


IHOP (the pancake-maker) sues IHOP (the prayer center) over trademark

IHOP (the pancake-maker) sues IHOP (the prayer center) over trademark

Sep 16 2010 | comment(s)

Pancakes and prayers — have we reached a point where even those two can’t get along?

Frankly, yes. So praise the Lord and pass the syrup, the International House of Pancakes and International House of Prayer are fixing to throw down.
Deep fried beer

Deep fried beer

Sep 16 2010 | comment(s)

If this doesn't get a Nobel prize, you can bet there will be two letters to Congress.

Deep-fried beer invented in Texas - A chef in Texas has created what he claims is the world's first recipe for deep-fried beer.
The Bomb Chroniclers - NY Times

The Bomb Chroniclers - NY Times

Sep 14 2010 | comment(s)

While many of the scientists who made atom bombs during the cold war became famous, the men who filmed what happened when those bombs were detonated made up a secret corps.

The NY Times gets this one right.
Government health insurance mandate is constitutional, claims legal scholar

Government health insurance mandate is constitutional, claims legal scholar

Sep 14 2010 | comment(s)

Citing federal powers that apply to the health insurance mandate – the power to regulate interstate commerce and the power to tax – Gostin argues that the health insurance mandate is constitutional. Similar broad interpretations in the modern court have enabled virtually anything the federal government wants to do, from requiring preferred testing for minorities to drug laws - it's a guaranteed federal, private right of action as long as the Supreme Court continues to affirm it and ignores the 10th Amendment.
Women more likely than men to accept global warming

Women more likely than men to accept global warming

Sep 14 2010 | comment(s)

Women tend to accept the scientific consensus on global warming more than men, according to a study by a Michigan State University researcher. The findings ('The effects of gender on climate change knowledge and concern in the American public', Population&Environment, 2010, Volume 32, Number 1, Pages 66-87), challenge common perceptions that men are more scientifically literate, said sociologist Aaron M. McCright.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid arrives at Clean Energy Summit with a fleet of SUVs

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid arrives at Clean Energy Summit with a fleet of SUVs

Sep 14 2010 | comment(s)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of, you know, the party that cares more about the environment than Republicans, drove up to the Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada with a fleet of SUVs.

Now, we are going to hear the same excuses we heard when Al Gore arrived in Berkeley with a fleet of SUVs and pickups only to do his photo-op in a Prius a few years back - it's essential for security.    But to little people, that's how heads of government and CEOs who care about the environment refer to folks who work for a living, it just sounds like rules only apply to ... little people.
Steve Jobs can't even bring ninja stars on his private jet

Steve Jobs can't even bring ninja stars on his private jet

Sep 14 2010 | comment(s)

Apple CEO Steve Jobs got tagged by Kansai International Airport security when a scan revealed shuriken (throwing stars) in his carry-on luggage.

The funny thing; he was boarding his own private jet after a family vacation in Kyoto.  It wouldn't make sense for a person to try to hijack his own plane, said The Steve, but they took them from him anyway and he vowed never to return to Japan, according to reports.

So maybe he wouldn't hijack his own plane but he was clearly worried ninjas would and The Steve would need to rescue everyone.  I hope they at least let him keep the nunchaku.


Boxee on Amazon for pre-ordering

Boxee on Amazon for pre-ordering

Sep 13 2010 | comment(s)

Boxee, the television watching device that looks like someone broke a cube and left it on your table, is available for pre-order at Amazon.

Richard Dawkins lets Deepak Chopra take down himself

Richard Dawkins lets Deepak Chopra take down himself

Sep 13 2010 | comment(s)

Richard Dawkins has an irrational hatred of religion and zealotry is always creepy but when he remains rational, like in this talk with Deepak Chopra about Chopra's claims that quantum theory can heal people, there is no one better.

"It's a metaphor," Chopra says, before backtracking and speaking some mumbo jumbo about the observer effect and that physicists say it's possible to do ... well, I don't know what it will do.  And neither does he.


Stephen Hawking Gives Up On Physics, Endorses M-Theory

Stephen Hawking Gives Up On Physics, Endorses M-Theory

Sep 13 2010 | comment(s)

Peter Woit writes: Stephen Hawking has a new book out this week, called "The Grand Design" and written with Leonard Mlodinow, in which he effectively announces that he has given up on the traditional goals of fundamental physics in favor of anthropic arguments invoking a multiverse.

Instead, tired old M-theory is getting the nod.   But there is also the issue of the potential damage caused by this to the cause of science funding in Britain ...
Science of NFL Football: Projectile Motion & Parabolas

Science of NFL Football: Projectile Motion & Parabolas

Sep 13 2010 | comment(s)

Part of the NSF and NFL's 10-part "Science of NFL Football" series.   This one on projectile motion.  Lester Holt is clearly out of his skin doing this stuff but it's good NBC is - they can always get Garth Sundem or someone else from Science 2.0 to do the color commentary if this catches on.