By any objective measure, the evolution of species ranks among the most successful scientific theories ever. So why is the message not getting through

Skeptical Inquirer March/April 2005

Tags: evolution

THE GREATEST THINKER IN THE WORLD EVER - DAVID HUME

  Although he lacked the soundbites
  of Marx and the attitude of Sartre,
  David Hume should be recognised as
  the finest philosopher of all time - Sunday Herald.

  Tags: philosophy

United States Radar Loop

Intellicast

Prophet of the Decline of Eurabia

"Oriana Fallaci, one of the most renowned journalists of the modern era, has been indicted by a judge in her native Italy under provisions of the Italian Penal Code which proscribe the "vilipendio," or "vilification," of "any religion admitted by the state." In her case, the religion deemed vilified is Islam, and the vilification was perpetrated, apparently, in a book she wrote last year--and which has sold many more than a million copies all over Europe--called "The Force of Reason." Its astringent thesis is that the Old Continent is on the verge of becoming a dominion of Islam, and that the people of the West have surrendered themselves fecklessly to the "sons of Allah." - OpinionJournal - Citizen of the World

Solar Power & WiFi - Now we're getting somewhere.

  Be Your Own Hotspot - Popular Science

Bullseye: Deep Impact Slams Into Comet

SPACE.com

More Deep Impact

  At least some part of the government
  is useful (besides the military)
  NASA - Deep Impact Images.
  I want to be an astronaut when I grow up.

The 4th

Check out some great 4th of July links over at the Chronicles of Tobermory.



The Grand Union Flag - America's first national flag.

Design Awards - This stuff is great.

IDEA 2005 Gallery

Free Conference Calls. Could be useful.

Gizmo – A free phone for your computer

Without caffiene, life itself would not be feasible.

  A review of a new book on
  the importance of coffee
  to human advance -
  "Brain Brew" by Brendan I. Koerner.
  The information from the book is interesting,
  the review itself, not so much.

This is well worth the price of admission:

Boing Boing: Group proposes to build hotel on Justice Souter's house property

Exactly what led to Tobermory's Stalin reading list.

They've got used to freedom, so why do Russians still hunger for the USSR? - Telegraph | Opinion

Catching up with the Supreme Court

SCOTUSblog

Historians will know.

Not many people know who Gen. Bernard Schriever was - Architect of Air Force space and missile programs dies. A tribute by the current Commander of Air Force Space Command says that without Schriever, "technologically, it's accurate to say, we would be decades behind where we are now." Here is a bio at The New Mexico Museum of Space History International Space Hall of Fame -
Bernard A. Schriever.

I'm stunned by this. Is there still a Fifth Amendment?

Supreme Court Rules Cities May Seize Homes - Forbes.com.
- (from Paul and Ferlie).

More: Neal Boortz is livid and spells out the problem with this decision.

Secondhand info on Smoking Junkscience

The power of gross statistical fraud from JunkScience by way of the Chronicles of Tobermory.

Okay. This could be important.

Common virus kills cancer, study finds - Yahoo! News

One year ago today - SpaceShipOne.

You know we're space junkies around here. I can't believe it's already been a year since the first civilian space flight - SpaceShipOne. Things never go perfectly, & despite the failure of the solar sail launch (I wouldn't trust a Soviet ICBM with my spaceship), there is good space news from the Mojave - Rutan's White Knight Carries X-37 Space Plane Aloft. Data on the X-37 and a photoblog of this morning's activities.

Alternate Shuttle Aces Early Test

This a new idea for launching rockets into space at high altitude. The rocket is released from the plane and falls into a vertical position before firing. Eliminating the need for wings (which are apparently more unstable), and the danger to the carrier plane that released the rocket. The SpaceShipOne guys are involved. You guys know this is one of our obsessions. The photo is a composite, showing how the rocket falls into takeoff position - Wired News.

Close friends make longer life more likely

New Scientist Breaking News

Use del.icio.us

By the way, if your not using del.icio.us to keep up with bookmarks & tag them by subject, you should look into it. It plays into my collecting & organizing of info mania. Here are my links. Here's a great way to see what's new & what's popular there - Del.icio.us popular sites.

Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town

Cory Doctorow is an interesting character. I first learned of him while reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Science Fiction. (Yes PC, a book about writing a book.) He'd published a few stories by then, but now he has several stories & three novels published. My favorite story is 0wnz0red. He works for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He is one of the members of the net's most popular blog - BoingBoing. His novels are made freely available under the Creative Commons Liscence and his really anti-DRM, anti-restrictions on tech advances for fear of copyright violation. I exchanged e-mails with him last summer when I told him I thought that bb was too pro-Democrat instead of pro-libertarian. I was impressed that he replied. His latest book comes out today & it's more odd than usual - Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town. There was a lot of action on it over at del.icio.us, which brought it to my attention.

Sometimes the NBA can be a little interesting.

I'm not a big basketball fan. I love the NCAA Tournament for the brackets. I cheer for Alabama until we get put out. I have a soft spot for the Celtics, because of Havlicek and Larry Byrd. I pull for the Mavericks, because I find Mark Cuban entertaining. And I really like Tim Duncan. He went to school all four years. He's a good guy. He's well-spoken. He's won championships. He may actually be a role model. So I pull for him. I also always look out for Robert Horry. He was at Alabama when I was finishing there the first time and we had great teams, and probably should have gone farther. He's won two champoionships with the Houston Rockets & Hakeem, during the Jordan Interegnum and he also was on the three Shaq-Kobe championship teams, making some important shots along the way. Now he's with Tim Duncan and just pulled the Spurs out of the fire in Game 5. It's great to see an old Bama guy still knocking 'em down - Horry never ceases to amaze & Big Shot Bob bags another one.

How did I not know this existed?

The Internet Speculative Fiction Database

Consumer Vertigo

Reason: A new wave of social critics claim that freedom is just another word for way too much to choose. Here's why they're wrong by Virginia Postrel.

A little private space action using converted Russkie ICBM & Solar sails. I approve.

Solar sail launch set for June solstice - MSNBC.com

This will be very useful for filling tiny brains

Our Documents - 100 Milestone Documents

Neal Stephenson on Star Wars

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out - New York Times

Rule #1: People are stupid.

Banterist - Grammar Cop: Coney Island Crime Spree

'Ice-pick that killed Trotsky' found in Mexico

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian |

We knew Curt Schilling played Evercrack, but man he's 'beyond my comprehension'.

Everquest 2 WarCry

dooce

dooce - there is some hilarious 'parenting humor' at this website that several of my procreating friends will enjoy (it's one of the top linked blogs on the internet) - and you must read this, which I got from her - I just have to figure out how he printed this.
update:main link went dead

Picasso, I'm not.

Off to paint my classroom (school provides the paint, we provide the labor).

Christopher Hitchens is the most erudite ex-leftist alive.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - Plus, Amnesty's amnesia By Christopher Hitchens. from Chronicles of Tobermory - which is outstanding today.

And this:

All 10 boats that made it into a race did actually float - despite being built with only cardboard, glue, tape and paint.

And this:

Engineers Build Flying Car That Works

This is what makes America great

Ingenuity and 30 dollars American & you get: Homebrew Air Conditioning.

Unmanned aircraft getting the job done remotely.

Wired 13.06: Attack of the Drones

Getting Things Done.

I'm implementing a personal organization system
based on the book Getting Thing Done by David Allen.
I read the book & have begun to apply the concepts to my personal stuff, house stuff, and school stuff. Now that I'll be taking classes as well I'll integrate that into the system.
I'm also making a wiki, Next Action, to examine & present the material in the book in summary form, mainly for my self, but for anyone else as well (using a cool new free webtool pbWiki). I'm half way through skimming the book a second time & highlighting the pertinent lists & ideas. We'll see how it goes.

I'm a grad student again.

To those of you who were crossing fingers for me: I used my bureaucratic fast-talk skill (actually e-mail) and resolved everything to get enrolled at The University of West Alabama to start taking online classes towards a teaching MA to add to my other MA and then I'll move on to various other educational certifications. Back in the saddle.

Tenure

In case I hadn't told everyone - I got tenured. So I'll be dug in like a tick now.

Oh Please, Oh Please.

Will Decatur get another major shopping center?: City Council set to make decision on incentives for site at Alabama 67 and U.S. 31

Will have to tell Tobermory about this one:

High Tension - MPAA RATING R, for graphic bloody killings, terror, sexual content and language.

This explains how Shades Valley High School was No. 1:

Advanced Placement for All - Yahoo! News

Imagine that...

Low-glycemic may be better than low-fat diet - Yahoo! News

The Singularity approaches...

Replicating Rapid-Prototyper Project and an article at CNN.

Read this, it will make your day.

VDH's Private Papers :: Western liberalism is the only idea left standing (from CoT).

The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The information about the makeup of the electorate was good reading (& frustrating that Libertarians are not even part of the typology) - Link.

Penn Jillette names daughter Moxie CrimeFighter

St. Petersburg Times: Entertainment news and features

From CoT: VDH rips the hypocrisy of privileged Anti-Westerners

VDH's Private Papers:Our Spoiled and Unhappy Global Elites

Sith has a shot at overtaking Titanic

I always get diverted by looking at All-Time Box Office totals. As a recovering baseball stat geek, I require that my numbers be examined in context, which is why I love the All-time Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation list.

High noon for high news - Victor Davis Hanson

The Washington Times: Commentary - May 28, 2005

Top 10 Ways to Destroy Earth

Live Science

A Day at the Brain Spa: Coming soon to a mall near you

Reason

PJ O'Rourke in the Weekly Standard

Here's a Tax We Can All Agree On

The Riots of the Faithful

Orson Scott Card observations on Newsweek & Muslim extremism - The Ornery American.

Not only does Diet 7 UP have Splenda:

You Could Win the First Free Ticket to Space

To prevent IQ leakage - read this:

New Scientist - 11 steps to a better brain

Too much Star Trek fun

Memory Alpha is a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek. The database is organized in a WikiWiki structure, which allows an incredible level of interconnectedness and expansion.

Chess & the Cold War

Prospect

All is forgiven George. Welcome back.

Revenge of the Sith is simply outstanding. I've been waiting for this movie my entire adult life. Star Wars has permeated everything. It is our mythology. After reading Kevin Smith's review a few weeks ago I started to get excited again. The critics have been incredibly positive, and they usually don't get science fiction. I skipped school (easier when you're the teacher) & we went to the noon showing. It was well worth it. I haven't stopped smiling all day.

Will have to get this book

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen Dubner

On an almost daily basis, the most intelligent commentary available

Victor Davis Hanson - VDH's Private Papers.

Great PDF explaining the Base Closure/Realignment/Gains Plan

Base Realignment and Closure 2005 - U.S. Department of Defense

The Age of Machines will soon be upon us...

Cornell CCSL: Self replication

A fine list indeed...

Right Wing News (Conservative News and Views): "If I Could Only Read 20 Political Websites For The Next Year..."

Google ticks off the French. I'm in favor.

Wired News

Senate approves electronic ID card bill

CNET News.com

THE SCIENCE OF GENDER AND SCIENCE

Edge

Free Online Graph Paper / Grid Paper PDFs

This is geek nirvana here, just need slide rules - www.incompetech.com

NASA Developing Robots with Human Traits

Pretty much says it all NASA .

Court Nixes 'Broadcast Flag'

Wired News

Charter Schools Offer Incentives To Lure Students From Public Schools

TheDenverChannel.com - News

E=mc2 centenary survey

spiked-science

Who wouldn't want to take this class?

College course teaches students to brew medieval beer and make their own chain mail - The Johnsonian - History professor gets medival with hobby.

Solar cell implant may restore some sight for the blind

Surgeons implanted Artificial Silicon Retina (ASR) microchips in the eyes of five patients to treat vision loss caused by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) - link.

SPIDEY, CAP & THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

NEWSARAMA

Crippled by Their Culture

Race doesn't hold back America's "black rednecks." Nor does racism.

From CoT - This is incredible

Palmtop Nuclear Fusion Device Invented

George Lucas on what he really wanted to do with his life

Makes me want to get up & get to work - Wired 13.05: Life After Darth.

Print your own star charts - this rules

Free Mag 7 Star Charts

Putin bemoans collapse of Soviet empire

What's sad is that this is no surprise - USATODAY.com.

A site with great Frank Lloyd Wright info & links

Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright

Star Wars Fans Amass in Indy

Wired News

EQ gods decide - If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Sony will create their own market for in-game goods - Wired News: Sony Gets Real on Virtual Goods.

The Number Of F--ks In Deadwood

An impressive work of cultural significance - counting the number of f-bombs on one of the best shows on TV - West Virginia Surf Report.

Using satellite imaging tecniques to read Ancient Greek trash

The Light Of Reason : explains about "Oxyrhynchus Papyri" & how our knowledge of the Classical World may greatly increase,

South Park Conservatives: Snapshot of the Culture Wars

TCS: Tech Central Station
The book - Amazon.com: Books: South Park Conservatives : The Revolt Against Liberal Media Bias

Wired News: Surprises Lurk in Satellite Snaps

Wired News: Surprises Lurk in Satellite Snaps

What did I say? Guess it's a badge of honor.

From my friend J.M., who teaches/coaches in Tennessee:
"http://mikeray.blogspot.com/ has been identified as inappropriate and blocked by your Tennessee Department of Education Internet Usage Policy. Access to web sites that have been identified as providing inappropriate content will be blocked. This determination is based upon various content categories. Content identified as inappropriate includes:
adult-oriented material, extremist-militant material, racist or hate-oriented material, and incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority (seditious material)." Could there be a more pro-American, pro-individual rights, historian in Alabama? Must be the sex toys...

An anti-communist reading list

An outstanding list from Mike S. Adams at Townhall.com (by way of CoT).

Okay, we win, commies lose...again.

Indy French filmmaker has to pay rights fee for a character whistling the 'The Internationale' Yahoo News.

Yes, Evolution is a Theory.

It's Religion and Politics that are the Problems - LiveScience.

Space Shuttle Moved to Launch Pad

Getting ready for a May 6 launch - Yahoo! News.

Shark!!

Picture taken at Miami Beach - note the three swimmers - Article

Google Feature Incorporates Satellite Maps

This is too cool - with jealousy from - Yahoo! News.

Warden's Wife: Killer Held Me Captive 10 Years

I remember when this happened. I'm not buying this one.

If you want to get away, you get away, period - FOXNews.com .

Partial Solar Eclipse: April 8, 2005

NASA goodness

Stop the Madness!

Daylight Savings Time on National Review Online