There's an interesting article in Japan Times talking about whaling history in Japan.
"The Cove", the critically successful documentary about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, gets a mention too.
One thing that interests me about this is the number of people who seem to never have heard of this event until now. The Japan Times article linked to above points out it has critically reported on this event many times over the years.
Indeed, this little blog first posted on the Japan Times articles it in August 2007, and linked to a Foreign Correspondent program on it which appeared in 2005!
Yet on ABC Radio, Phillip Adams on Late Night Live said he had never heard of it, and Fran Kelly on the breakfast show seemed to be just as surprised.
Hey, Radio National folk: read this blog, or even try watching your own current affairs programs. You might learn something.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Friday, September 04, 2009
Modern toilet trends
'Urinating' Queensland cop shocks onlookers
I meant to review that restaurant at the time, as the food was disappointing, the service inadequate, but the toilets were worth talking about.
Apart from the glowing translucent urinal, for the toilet stalls, there was a unisex area, and the door and wall to the toilet cubicle were clear glass until you went in and locked the door, whereupon it went (sort of) opaque. (I had read about this glass before. I think turning or off an electric current changes it from clear to opaque.)
But the problem was it wasn't completely opaque. Men or women sitting in this open area (I think there was a sort of lounge to sit on in the middle if all the stalls were full) could still make out the outline of a person sitting on a toilet through the magic glass.
This is clearly inadequate to anyone wanting complete privacy, and would be particularly inappropriate for any rugby league player who had just met some women he liked at the bar.
A QUEENSLAND police officer is being investigated after allegedly being caught urinating on a poker machine inside a Sunshine Coast nightclub last night.Well, I blame all those fancy-smancy urinal designs you get in modern clubs or restaurants now. No wonder a man gets confused when the real urinal might be a glowing, colour changing part of the wall, as it was in a restaurant I went to a few months ago.
I meant to review that restaurant at the time, as the food was disappointing, the service inadequate, but the toilets were worth talking about.
Apart from the glowing translucent urinal, for the toilet stalls, there was a unisex area, and the door and wall to the toilet cubicle were clear glass until you went in and locked the door, whereupon it went (sort of) opaque. (I had read about this glass before. I think turning or off an electric current changes it from clear to opaque.)
But the problem was it wasn't completely opaque. Men or women sitting in this open area (I think there was a sort of lounge to sit on in the middle if all the stalls were full) could still make out the outline of a person sitting on a toilet through the magic glass.
This is clearly inadequate to anyone wanting complete privacy, and would be particularly inappropriate for any rugby league player who had just met some women he liked at the bar.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
A long debate at The Economist
Europe and Islam: A treacherous path? | The Economist
Wow. After a somewhat favourable review for a book worrying that Islamic migration is changing Europe, there are 790 comments. No time to plough through them now, but might be worth a look.
Wow. After a somewhat favourable review for a book worrying that Islamic migration is changing Europe, there are 790 comments. No time to plough through them now, but might be worth a look.
Japanese solar
Solar power's bright future in Japan: Land of the rising subsidy | The Economist
The Economist reckons that the Japanese solar panel industry is well placed to weather the glut of solar power panels that is driving down the price. Good.
The Economist reckons that the Japanese solar panel industry is well placed to weather the glut of solar power panels that is driving down the price. Good.
Hamas and its little, tiny problem with history
Hamas Objects to Possible Lessons About Holocaust in U.N.-Run Schools in Gaza - washingtonpost.com
You have to laugh at the broad sweep of this statement, made in response to the suggestion by the UN that maybe they could talk about the Holocaust in the schools they run in Gaza:
You have to laugh at the broad sweep of this statement, made in response to the suggestion by the UN that maybe they could talk about the Holocaust in the schools they run in Gaza:
"Talk about the holocaust and the execution of the Jews contradicts and is against our culture, our principles, our traditions, values, heritage and religion," Jamila al-Shanti, a Hamas legislative official, said in a statement distributed Tuesday after a meeting among elected leaders of the radical Islamist group and the head of the Hamas-run Education Ministry in Gaza.Found via First Things.
Immunisation dills
There was a worrying story on last night's 7.30 Report on the very low immunisation rates for whooping cough (and other childhood diseases) in parts of Australia.
The anti-immunisation campaigner who was shown giving a talk inside a church (which, incidentally, should take more interest in the harm the use of their premises may be contributing to a healthy society) came across as real dill, dismissive of serious medical research and doctors generally. How's this for a self serving statement:
I had thought, obviously incorrectly, that government here had really forced the hand on immunisation by requiring it for child care benefits and other reasons. Obviously, however, it doesn't work well enough in some areas of Australia.
The anti-immunisation campaigner who was shown giving a talk inside a church (which, incidentally, should take more interest in the harm the use of their premises may be contributing to a healthy society) came across as real dill, dismissive of serious medical research and doctors generally. How's this for a self serving statement:
MERYL DOREY: Just because someone is a doctor doesn't necessarily mean they're an expert on every area of medicine, and unless they've actually done some independent research into vaccination they may not know more than the average parent who's read a few articles and a book or two about vaccinations.Yet I thought the response to her from the doctors was really too mild. I wanted them them to be far more incendiary in their attack on her organisation.
I had thought, obviously incorrectly, that government here had really forced the hand on immunisation by requiring it for child care benefits and other reasons. Obviously, however, it doesn't work well enough in some areas of Australia.
Quite right
Survival rests on social revolution | The Australian
Greg Sheridan's discussion of Japan's survival problem seems spot on.
Greg Sheridan's discussion of Japan's survival problem seems spot on.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
A stepping stone to the green cheese
SPACE.com -- Mouse Hotel Opens on Space Station
Hey, why isn't this getting more publicity? The current shuttle trip to the International Space Station has delivered a half dozen rodent residents who will stay there for 3 months:
NASA must have video of mice in space already:
We can only hope that one or more of them will escape during their sojourn on the ISS. That would gain a lot of publicity for NASA.
Hey, why isn't this getting more publicity? The current shuttle trip to the International Space Station has delivered a half dozen rodent residents who will stay there for 3 months:
The mice are living in a special experiment drawer delivered to the station late Sunday by astronauts aboard NASA's space shuttle Discovery. The drawer is split into partitions to give each mouse ample living room.It is hard to imagine how a little mouse brain reacts to permanent weightlessness. Do they just cling motionless to the screens for the first 48 hours thinking "what the hell?"
"Each mouse is in its own little compartment," Robinson told SPACE.com. "The compartments have screens around them so the mice can hold on with their feet so that they're in control of their environment...so they're not stressed out."
NASA must have video of mice in space already:
Mice have flown in space countless times before, even on space shuttles headed for the International Space Station. But the critters always stayed aboard those shuttles and returned home, said NASA's space station program scientist Julie Robinson. The longest any mouse has lived in space has been about 30 days, and that was while flying on an unmanned satellite, she added.However, the only video I could find on the 'net is from a 1950's science fiction film, where they view what appears to be real footage of mice having a parabolic ride on a missile. As expected, the mice looked somewhat alarmed.
We can only hope that one or more of them will escape during their sojourn on the ISS. That would gain a lot of publicity for NASA.
Philosopher gets comic treatment
Bertrand Russell: The thinking person's superhero - The Independent
Some amusing quotes from this favourable review of a comic book treatment of Bertrand Russell:
Some amusing quotes from this favourable review of a comic book treatment of Bertrand Russell:
His bitterly lonely childhood (he contemplated suicide) was enlivened, he said later, by thoughts of sex and glimpses of a totally logical world available through Euclidian mathematics. But even Euclid's maths rested on shaky assumptions and unproven "axioms", so how could it lead to certain knowledge of the world?
Through GE Moore at Cambridge, he discovered Leibniz and Boole, and became a logician. Through Alfred Whitehead's influence, he travelled to Europe and met Gottlob Frege, who believed in a wholly logical language (and was borderline insane) and Georg Cantor, the inventor of "set theory" (who was locked up in an asylum) and a mass of French and German mathematicians in varying stages of mental disarray. Back home he and Whitehead wrestled with their co-authored Principles of Mathematics for years, endlessly disputing the foundations of their every intellectual certainty, constantly harassed by Russell's brilliant pupil Wittgenstein. ...
Doxiadis and his team make us feel how cataclysmic was the moment when Kurt Godel, the mathematician, in a lecture, announced: "There will always be unanswerable questions," and proved that arithmetic is "of necessity incomplete" – pulling the rug from under the study of logic. ("It's all over," remarked Russell's friend Von Neumann at the conference, meaning the whole of philosophical reasoning.)
The sinking tax haven
Bankruptcy threat brings new concept to the Cayman Islands … taxes
Oh, forgot to collect taxes, diddums?
Oh, forgot to collect taxes, diddums?
A very peculiar suggestion
New Scientist has finally run an article talking about a recent proposal as to why the arrow of time always seems to move forward, rather than backwards as the laws of physics would allow.
The idea is that things do happen "backwards", it's just that in so doing, quantum mechanics if applied on a big enough scale means they leave no information behind that they have happened.
I keep trying to work out how this relates to the "tree falling in a wood with no one to hear it" question. Of course it still makes a sound; the lack of observation doesn't stop that. In the same way, I suppose, just because a "backwards" event can't be detected might not mean that it hasn't happened.
On the other hand, any scientist who believes this idea doesn't have much right to be a ridiculing atheist who criticises believers because they can't prove their God exists.
The Guardian's explanation of the idea, which apparently quotes the author of the paper directly, makes it sound a much more implausible idea, as it would appear to allow for memories to be created but subsequently erased:
The idea is that things do happen "backwards", it's just that in so doing, quantum mechanics if applied on a big enough scale means they leave no information behind that they have happened.
I keep trying to work out how this relates to the "tree falling in a wood with no one to hear it" question. Of course it still makes a sound; the lack of observation doesn't stop that. In the same way, I suppose, just because a "backwards" event can't be detected might not mean that it hasn't happened.
On the other hand, any scientist who believes this idea doesn't have much right to be a ridiculing atheist who criticises believers because they can't prove their God exists.
The Guardian's explanation of the idea, which apparently quotes the author of the paper directly, makes it sound a much more implausible idea, as it would appear to allow for memories to be created but subsequently erased:
Yes, the Guardian's headline for the report appears most apt then: "Is quantum mechanics messing with your memory?" But are they quoting him accurately?He argues that quantum mechanics dictates that if anyone does observe an entropy-decreasing event, their memories of the event "will have been erased by necessity".
Maccone doesn't mean that your memories will never form in the first place. "What I'm pointing out is that memories are formed and then are subsequently erased," he tells me.
When you observe any system, according to Maccone, you enter into a "quantum entanglement" with it. That is, you and the system are entangled and cannot properly be described separately.
The entanglement, Maccone says, is between your memory and the system. When you disentangle, "the disentangling operation will erase this entanglement, namely the observer's memory". His paper derives this conclusion mathematically.
Drunk hamsters
How Alcohol Blunts Ability Of Hamsters To 'Rise And Shine'
Big surprise! (That was sarcasm): the more hamsters drink, the more it disrupts their circadian cycle.
Hamsters like their alcohol:
Big surprise! (That was sarcasm): the more hamsters drink, the more it disrupts their circadian cycle.
Hamsters like their alcohol:
The animals were divided into three groups, differing only on what they drank. The control group received water only. A second group received water containing 10% alcohol and the third group received water containing 20% alcohol. Hamsters, when given a choice, prefer alcohol, which they metabolize quickly.I would kind of like to see how a drunk hamster acts, but the researchers aren't into such voyeurism. Anyway, there's a cute hamster photo at the link.
Hmm...
This will no doubt be an interesting trial as it progresses, as the claims being made sound, at least in part, a bit like the repressed memory ritual child abuse cases:
A sensible teacher who observed abuse is obviously important, but claims of hypnotism being used in any criminal endeavour tweak my scepticism antenna somewhat.A FORMER school teacher has emerged as a key witness to the alleged sexual assaults of students, amid allegations that paint a picture of ''rampant pedophilia'' at St Stanislaus College in Bathurst.
The allegations, including that students were forced to have group sex and were hypnotised to have sex with teachers, were heard during a bail review for Brian Joseph Spillane, a former chaplain at the school.
A problem long identified
Lay off the linguistics to address English lag | The Japan Times Online
Another suggestion is offered as to why Japanese language teaching is ineffective (teachers have to study linguistics, which is more about analysing a language rather than how to teach it.)
But really, this is just part of the basic problem that has long been identified: they have an obsession about teaching the technical rules of English rather than the its practical application.
Yet nothing much seems to change. Maybe a new government will actually let some fresh ideas blow into all corners, including this one?
Another suggestion is offered as to why Japanese language teaching is ineffective (teachers have to study linguistics, which is more about analysing a language rather than how to teach it.)
But really, this is just part of the basic problem that has long been identified: they have an obsession about teaching the technical rules of English rather than the its practical application.
Yet nothing much seems to change. Maybe a new government will actually let some fresh ideas blow into all corners, including this one?
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Trouble ahead
UK could face widespread seventies style blackouts - The Independent
Actually, in some recent stormy summers in Brisbane, we've had a lot more than an hour-long power cut in a year.The UK faces widespread power cuts for the first time since the 1970s, according to the Government's own predictions.
Demand for electricity from homes and businesses is set to exceed the available supply within eight years....
The latest figures cast doubt over the Government's pledge that renewable sources can make up for lower output from nuclear and coal.
They were slipped out in an appendix to the Low Carbon Transition Plan, which was launched in July. The main document set out a target for "clean" technology - such as wind, wave and solar - to supply 40% of the country's power by 2020.
But the extra section suggests that there will be a shortfall by 2017, when the "energy unserved" level is predicted to reach 3,000 megawatt hours per year...
By 2025 the situation is expected to worsen, with the shortfall hitting 7,000 megawatt hours per year.That would be equivalent to an hour-long power cut for half of Britain over the course of a year.
Yurts for all
Why a yurt is better than a country cottage - Times Online
Here's an article in the Times about a family that uses a yurt as its holiday home. The kids have to find firewood to boil the kettle, and there is no toilet, which is getting just a little too "back to Nature" for my taste.
Still, reading about yurts reminds me of my widely ignored thought that maybe the neverending problem with providing adequate housing for remote aboriginal communities is due to the inappropriateness of trying to provide permanent housing for remote aboriginal communities.
When I read about the current controversy over the cost of a current program to improve housing in the Northern Territory, I can't help but feel I was onto something with my half-baked idea. According to that last linked news report, some people think that it is going to end up costing $1 billion to provide 750 new houses, 230 "rebuilds" and refurbishment to 2,500 other existing houses.
Let's see: a company in Bangalow will sell a 10 metre diameter yurt with a heavy canvas cover for around $20,000.
Let's be generous, and allow another $20,000 for changes in design, some sort of decent flooring, etc. (A clan's bunch of yurts could share a central, simple ablutions block, but admittedly I have no idea how to estimate the cost of that.) Maybe $10,000 to get it there and put it up? Rough figure - $50,000 per yurt. Pretty expensive for a tent, but...
If you assume the 750 new houses will take 1/2 of the billion dollars that may be spent on the current program, you can get ten thousand $50,000 yurts for that price. Let's say that my back of the envelope figuring is way out - surely 5,000 is still in the ball park.
At that rate, it hardly matters if you have to replace them every five years.
Maybe I should start the Yurts for All Party as a way of publicising this idea.
Here's an article in the Times about a family that uses a yurt as its holiday home. The kids have to find firewood to boil the kettle, and there is no toilet, which is getting just a little too "back to Nature" for my taste.
Still, reading about yurts reminds me of my widely ignored thought that maybe the neverending problem with providing adequate housing for remote aboriginal communities is due to the inappropriateness of trying to provide permanent housing for remote aboriginal communities.
When I read about the current controversy over the cost of a current program to improve housing in the Northern Territory, I can't help but feel I was onto something with my half-baked idea. According to that last linked news report, some people think that it is going to end up costing $1 billion to provide 750 new houses, 230 "rebuilds" and refurbishment to 2,500 other existing houses.
Let's see: a company in Bangalow will sell a 10 metre diameter yurt with a heavy canvas cover for around $20,000.
Let's be generous, and allow another $20,000 for changes in design, some sort of decent flooring, etc. (A clan's bunch of yurts could share a central, simple ablutions block, but admittedly I have no idea how to estimate the cost of that.) Maybe $10,000 to get it there and put it up? Rough figure - $50,000 per yurt. Pretty expensive for a tent, but...
If you assume the 750 new houses will take 1/2 of the billion dollars that may be spent on the current program, you can get ten thousand $50,000 yurts for that price. Let's say that my back of the envelope figuring is way out - surely 5,000 is still in the ball park.
At that rate, it hardly matters if you have to replace them every five years.
Maybe I should start the Yurts for All Party as a way of publicising this idea.
Good TV
Last night's Australian Story was a nice one about competitive paper airplane throwing (and a brain tumour.) Happily, the subject recovered from the latter, and has many years of competitive paper plane folding and throwing ahead of him. (I did get the feeling, though, he would be a bit annoying to live near, as your yard or balcony would always be littered with paper planes.)
The episode can be watched here. (After this week it will be archived as "Fly with Me".)
Last Friday's documentary on the Last Day of World War One was also good. Michael Palin makes an good narrator of serious material, and he recounted many stories of soldiers who were, with great pointlessness, ordered on the battle field in the 6 hours or so between the announcement of the ceasefire agreement being signed, and the time it came into effect (at 11am on 11/11.)
It would seem that the full documentary can be viewed via the link here.
The episode can be watched here. (After this week it will be archived as "Fly with Me".)
Last Friday's documentary on the Last Day of World War One was also good. Michael Palin makes an good narrator of serious material, and he recounted many stories of soldiers who were, with great pointlessness, ordered on the battle field in the 6 hours or so between the announcement of the ceasefire agreement being signed, and the time it came into effect (at 11am on 11/11.)
It would seem that the full documentary can be viewed via the link here.
Another African problem?
Interesting claim made here that pornography is behind a lot of sexual violence (and lack of safe sex practices) in Africa.
Occasionally there is talk of the similar effect of pornography in remote aboriginal settlements, but the problem never seems to get detailed reportage.
Occasionally there is talk of the similar effect of pornography in remote aboriginal settlements, but the problem never seems to get detailed reportage.
More notes for future reference
Study debunks daily aspirin to guard heart | The Australian
I think I would average 5 to 7 standard drinks a week, so I trust I'm OK.The study on alcohol, carried out on 8830 people in Britain, Scandinavia and the US, found those who drank the equivalent of 10 standard drinks a week - about 15 units - had an 80 per cent higher risk of having an irregular heartbeat diagnosed within five years.
And the study of aspirin found that healthy adults who took a daily aspirin for up to eight years did not significantly reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke, but did increase their risk of stomach bleeding.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
At last
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | 'Major win' for Japan opposition
Can you imagine the same party governing Australia for nearly 54 years?
Can you imagine the same party governing Australia for nearly 54 years?
Visit to Narnia (South East Queensland version)
Of course, I had to make the trip to Cleveland Point to have a look at the full-scale Dawn Treader, built for the third Narnia movie. It turned out to be a very pleasant family afternoon out.
Cleveland and the southern bayside parts of Greater Brisbane are not areas I get to all that often, but it is a very pleasant area for a drive. Lunch was had at a much better-than-average quality fish and chip place at Raby Bay, which has a row of nice looking outdoor/indoor eateries overlooking the boat harbour. Most satisfactory.
Then it was onto Cleveland Point. You can get very close to the ship:
and there are a lot of people making the trip to have a look.
Filming has not yet started on the ship, so I don't know how close people will be allowed when that happens.
Here is a better side view of the ship, although there is a fair bit of machinery in the way (as always, click to enlarge):
As you can see from the men standing on the ground on the far side of it, it's really full scale. Compared to the various book cover illustrations over the years, it certainly lives up to expectations.
You can't see it so clearly in the photo, but there does appear to be a purple furled sail on board now.
They were apparently testing the rocking mechanism for the ship today, as you can see from the (rather poor quality Blogger-ified) video below:
All terribly interesting, at least for someone who holds the Narnia films in high regard.
Cleveland and the southern bayside parts of Greater Brisbane are not areas I get to all that often, but it is a very pleasant area for a drive. Lunch was had at a much better-than-average quality fish and chip place at Raby Bay, which has a row of nice looking outdoor/indoor eateries overlooking the boat harbour. Most satisfactory.
Then it was onto Cleveland Point. You can get very close to the ship:
and there are a lot of people making the trip to have a look.Filming has not yet started on the ship, so I don't know how close people will be allowed when that happens.
Here is a better side view of the ship, although there is a fair bit of machinery in the way (as always, click to enlarge):
As you can see from the men standing on the ground on the far side of it, it's really full scale. Compared to the various book cover illustrations over the years, it certainly lives up to expectations.
You can't see it so clearly in the photo, but there does appear to be a purple furled sail on board now.
They were apparently testing the rocking mechanism for the ship today, as you can see from the (rather poor quality Blogger-ified) video below:
All terribly interesting, at least for someone who holds the Narnia films in high regard.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Famous actor sees famous ghost?
Patrick Stewart saw ghost performing Waiting for Godot - Telegraph
Would be good to hear it in Stewart's own words, though.
Would be good to hear it in Stewart's own words, though.
Noted for future reference
Patient Money - Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction Go Beyond a Pill - NYTimes.com
An article all about alternatives to Viagra and similar drugs, which don't always work anyway:
An article all about alternatives to Viagra and similar drugs, which don't always work anyway:
Even among the name-brand drugs, which also include Cialis and Levitra, the medications do not work for about half of the men with E.D.Just getting healthier can help:
In a recent study of men with E.D., or at risk for developing it, researchers in Italy found that the men could improve their erections by losing weight, improving their diet and exercising more frequently. After two years of significant lifestyle changes, 58 percent of the men had normal erectile function, according to the study, which was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine in January.But if that still doesn't work, you can always go for the needle:
If the pills don’t work for you, you might want to try self-administered injections of alprostadil, a drug that helps blood vessels expand and facilitates erections. Granted, this may sound onerous, but the shot, which is sold under the brand names Edex and Caverject, is done with a fine needle, feels no worse than a pinprick and produces an erection that can last up to four hours, according to doctors who recommend it.Four hours? You would kind of start worrying at the 3 hour 45 minute mark, I reckon.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Fictional 1930's lawyer not modern enough
Atticus Finch and Southern liberalism : The New Yorker
As mentioned here before, I (like millions of other people) hold "To Kill a Mockingbird", both as a novel and movie, in very high regard. Thus, it is always interesting to read an article considering the work in a new way.
The above New Yorker piece starts well, explaining the nature of racial politics in the South in the 1950's.
But then it takes a strange turn when it starts noting, and seemingly agreeing with, criticism of the fictional Atticus Finch for not having the "top down" civil rights activist attitude that came into being in the 1960's. The article provides quotes from the novel that, quite accurately, show Finch as believing racism would be overcome by getting people to realise the error of not recognising the humanity of their black neighbours. As the articles says:
Besides which, how can you really object to the philosophy of Atticus Finch when it is, at its core, the true explanation of racism? The book is so appealing partly because of the truth people recognise in that.
The article ends on what I think is a very peculiar note. It criticises the way the novel ends with Atticus Finch agreeing to let the Sheriff lie to the town about how the villain died. (He will say that it was an accidental self-inflicted stab wound, whereas the reader knows the reculsive Boo Radley did it to save Scout.) Here's what the article says:
What the hell does this article's author want Atticus Finch to do - tell the Sheriff "No, no, that's not right. I want you to take Boo, the man who has been so cripplingly shy that he hasn't come out of his house in daylight for the last 20 years, but nonetheless just saved my daughter's life, down to your office in the morning for a good and thorough statement to be taken"? Yeah, like readers would think that makes emotional sense.
As mentioned here before, I (like millions of other people) hold "To Kill a Mockingbird", both as a novel and movie, in very high regard. Thus, it is always interesting to read an article considering the work in a new way.
The above New Yorker piece starts well, explaining the nature of racial politics in the South in the 1950's.
But then it takes a strange turn when it starts noting, and seemingly agreeing with, criticism of the fictional Atticus Finch for not having the "top down" civil rights activist attitude that came into being in the 1960's. The article provides quotes from the novel that, quite accurately, show Finch as believing racism would be overcome by getting people to realise the error of not recognising the humanity of their black neighbours. As the articles says:
[In relation to the guilty finding in the centrepiece trial in the story] If Finch were a civil-rights hero, he would be brimming with rage at the unjust verdict. But he isn’t. He’s not Thurgood Marshall looking for racial salvation through the law. He’s Jim Folsom, looking for racial salvation through hearts and minds...
Finch will stand up to racists. He’ll use his moral authority to shame them into silence. He will leave the judge standing on the sidewalk while he shakes hands with Negroes. What he will not do is look at the problem of racism outside the immediate context of Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Levy, and the island community of Maycomb, Alabama.How much sense does this make, though, when Mockingbird is set in the 1930's? The article mentions the period of the novel, but never seems to acknowledge that it may be quite unrealistic to have a small town lawyer sprouting a civil rights activist agenda in that setting.
Besides which, how can you really object to the philosophy of Atticus Finch when it is, at its core, the true explanation of racism? The book is so appealing partly because of the truth people recognise in that.
The article ends on what I think is a very peculiar note. It criticises the way the novel ends with Atticus Finch agreeing to let the Sheriff lie to the town about how the villain died. (He will say that it was an accidental self-inflicted stab wound, whereas the reader knows the reculsive Boo Radley did it to save Scout.) Here's what the article says:
“Scout,” Finch says to his daughter, after he and Sheriff Tate have cut their little side deal. “Mr. Ewell fell on his knife. Can you possibly understand?”This is just silly. Boo Radley is not your average citizen, for one thing, and the Sheriff's decision makes perfect sense, and is perfectly just, in terms of the story.
Understand what? That her father and the Sheriff have decided to obstruct justice in the name of saving their beloved neighbor the burden of angel-food cake? Atticus Finch is faced with jurors who have one set of standards for white people like the Ewells and another set for black folk like Tom Robinson. His response is to adopt one set of standards for respectable whites like Boo Radley and another for white trash like Bob Ewell. A book that we thought instructed us about the world tells us, instead, about the limitations of Jim Crow liberalism in Maycomb, Alabama.
What the hell does this article's author want Atticus Finch to do - tell the Sheriff "No, no, that's not right. I want you to take Boo, the man who has been so cripplingly shy that he hasn't come out of his house in daylight for the last 20 years, but nonetheless just saved my daughter's life, down to your office in the morning for a good and thorough statement to be taken"? Yeah, like readers would think that makes emotional sense.
Admission of a creepy practice
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | China admits death row organ use
According to the China Daily newspaper, executed prisoners currently provide two-thirds of all transplant organs.
The government is now launching a voluntary donation scheme, which it hopes will also curb the illegal trafficking in organs.
The truth behind Andrew's holiday
What's this? Andrew Bolt unexpectedly up and left for a month long holiday in Europe to (ostensibly) celebrate his 50th birthday.
Yet at the very same time:
Co-incidence? In my semi-comedic fantasies, Andrew mixes it up with a bunch of semi-feral climate change advocates, either as a convert or a spy.
Anyhow, his column on turning 50 contained a pleasing humility, I thought. The only odd thing is how it doesn't seem to extend to the prospect that his opinion on climate change might be wrong.
Yet at the very same time:
Britain's climate campers set up their annual protest camp yesterday on Blackheath, the historic London open space that was key in the peasants' revolt.
The 1,000-plus green activists are camped this morning on the fields where Wat Tyler's peasant army assembled for its assault on The City of London in June 1381. And they are planning their own assault – on what they see as the companies, institutions and government departments helping to cause global warming (or not doing enough to stop it).
Co-incidence? In my semi-comedic fantasies, Andrew mixes it up with a bunch of semi-feral climate change advocates, either as a convert or a spy.
Anyhow, his column on turning 50 contained a pleasing humility, I thought. The only odd thing is how it doesn't seem to extend to the prospect that his opinion on climate change might be wrong.
100% female domination
Ant has given up sex completely, researchers say
Add this to the list of things I didn't know:
Add this to the list of things I didn't know:
The complete asexuality of a widespread fungus-gardening ant, the only ant species in the world known to have dispensed with males entirely, has been confirmed by a team of Texas and Brazilian researchers.If I was in a wittier mood, I guess I could come up with some comment about what a completely female ant society must be like to live in. But I'm not.
Most social insects—the wasps, ants and bees—are relatively used to daily life without males. Their colonies are well run by swarms of sterile sisters lorded over by an egg-laying queen. But, eventually, all social insect species have the ability to produce a crop of males who go forth in the world to fertilize new queens and propagate.
Queens of the ant Mycocepurus smithii reproduce without fertilization and males appear to be completely absent, report Christian Rabeling, Ulrich Mueller and their Brazilian colleagues in PLoS ONE this week.
"Animals that are completely asexual are relatively rare, which makes this is a very interesting ant," says Rabeling, an ecology, evolution and behavior graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin. "Asexual species don't mix their genes through recombination, so you expect harmful mutations to accumulate over time and for the species to go extinct more quickly than others. They don't generally persist for very long over evolutionary time."
On Venezuela
Venezuela: The true cost of cheap gas | csmonitor.com
The Christian Science Monitor has a short item on the cost of gasoline in Venezuela:
A few weeks ago, there was a whole half hour about the country on Foreign Correspondent. I didn't see all, but it was very interesting. It certainly showed it as a dirt poor country.
The Christian Science Monitor has a short item on the cost of gasoline in Venezuela:
Gasoline doesn’t flow from fountains in Venezuela, but it might as well. At 4 cents a gallon, the country has the cheapest gas in the world: Bottled water is 67 times more expensive.Chavez may be left wing, but he obviously hasn't yet caught on with the idea that carbon should have a price..But cheap gas comes at a cost, mainly for the government. The Chávez government is believed to be subsidizing consumption to the tune of $8 billion a year.
A few weeks ago, there was a whole half hour about the country on Foreign Correspondent. I didn't see all, but it was very interesting. It certainly showed it as a dirt poor country.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
People need gravity to reproduce?
Egg tests find space may be tough place for humans to conceive babies | The Japan Times Online
It is a fascinating topic if you have an interest in the long term prospects for humanity to expand off-planet: how will low gravity affect reproduction.
If this Japanese mouse study is anything to go by, sex in zero-gee might be athletic fun, but it may be bad for fertile eggs:
It is a fascinating topic if you have an interest in the long term prospects for humanity to expand off-planet: how will low gravity affect reproduction.
If this Japanese mouse study is anything to go by, sex in zero-gee might be athletic fun, but it may be bad for fertile eggs:
What I'm most curious to know is whether mice (or humans) conceived and born on the Moon will look different and be capable of adapting to full Earth gravity. The suspicion could be that a low gravity human would grow tall and thin, but nature has a way of confounding such predictions, so maybe they would be small instead. As someone somewhere has suggested before, maybe grey aliens are the time travelling descendants of off-planet humanity......the group reported that the growth of fertile eggs slows in a near-zero-gravity environment, lowering the birthrate by half when the eggs are put back into the wombs of mice.
The eggs of humans, as a mammal, could face the same problem, the scientists said...
"If we find out how much gravity is needed for a (human) fertile egg to grow, we may be able to know if a baby can be born at a lunar base," said Teruhiko Wakayama of Riken Center for Developmental Biologyin Kobe, who headed the joint group with Hiroshima University.
Getting fat from fasting
Gulfnews: Warning against unhealthy eating habits after fasting
I think it has been reported often that the weird eating habits that the month of Ramadan fasting induces often leads to weight increase, which seems a little bit inconsistent with the point of the exercise. As the Gulf News article above notes:
But what about this new-age-ish claimed health benefit for Ramadan fasting:
Dr Prem Jagyasi, managing director of ExHealth, the organisers of the initiative, said Ramadan is a great opportunity to focus on bringing back a balanced and healthy lifestyle in people's lives who do not normally watch their eating habits. "Ramadan requires to give the stomach a break, and by doing so one will be able to break down and expel the collected toxins from body," he said, but notes that it is very important to understand the proper practice of eating healthy.
Is there any scientific justification at all for believing fasting eliminates "toxins" from the body? I would be surprised if there was.
I think it has been reported often that the weird eating habits that the month of Ramadan fasting induces often leads to weight increase, which seems a little bit inconsistent with the point of the exercise. As the Gulf News article above notes:
People tend to get more obese and diabetic due to irregular eating and overeating after ending the fast, a senior doctor from the Ministry of Health warned, advising people to eat healthy during the Holy Month.Quite.
Fasting during Ramadan can improve a person's health, but if the correct diet is not followed, can possibly worsen it, it warns. The deciding factor is not the fast itself, but rather what is consumed in the non-fasting hours, the Ministry said.
But what about this new-age-ish claimed health benefit for Ramadan fasting:
Dr Prem Jagyasi, managing director of ExHealth, the organisers of the initiative, said Ramadan is a great opportunity to focus on bringing back a balanced and healthy lifestyle in people's lives who do not normally watch their eating habits. "Ramadan requires to give the stomach a break, and by doing so one will be able to break down and expel the collected toxins from body," he said, but notes that it is very important to understand the proper practice of eating healthy.
Is there any scientific justification at all for believing fasting eliminates "toxins" from the body? I would be surprised if there was.
The unlikely economics of carbon capture
Carbon capture project in West Virginia illustrates obstacles to 'clean' coal -- latimes.com
I can't see it working.
AEP executives estimate that the cost of carbon capture for a modest-size coal plant of about 235 megawatts would start at $700 million. That works out to about $100 for a ton of carbon dioxide, far above the projections made by the Environmental Protection Agency about prices under a cap-and-trade scheme similar to one passed by the House in June. MIT put the cost of carbon capture and storage at $50 to $70 a ton. (The Waxman-Markey bill would give the first six gigawatts of plants -- equal to about seven average-size plants -- a $90-per-ton subsidy in the form of free allowances.)Obama is apparently being advised that "There is no credible pathway towards prudent greenhouse gas stabilization targets without CO2 emissions reduction from existing coal power plants."
Capture-and-storage devices also require large amounts of energy. The Alstom approach uses about 15% of the power plant's energy output; other processes use as much as 30%. That means the utility must buy other energy sources to cover the shortfall. (The energy lost is part of the $700-million cost, AEP executives said.)
I can't see it working.
Do not provoke the cows
Hoofed and dangerous: Britain's killer cows
Four people have been trampled to death by cows in just over eight weeks this summer, prompting British farmers and the Ramblers Association to warn yesterday of the potential dangers.
The spate of incidents is regarded as highly unusual; in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths in total caused by cattle of all kinds – including incidents involving bulls, which have always been known to present risks.
When chickens ruled the earth
Canadian scientist aims to turn chickens into dinosaurs
I can't imagine the likes of PETA being too impressed with this, if it will involve lots of deformed chicks being born.
I didn't think much was known about how to "flip" genetic levers, let alone specific ones.Hans Larsson, the Canada Research Chair in Macro Evolution at Montreal's McGill University, said he aims to develop dinosaur traits that disappeared millions of years ago in birds.
Larsson believes by flipping certain genetic levers during a chicken embryo's development, he can reproduce the dinosaur anatomy, he told AFP in an interview.
I can't imagine the likes of PETA being too impressed with this, if it will involve lots of deformed chicks being born.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
A quick quote
The 10 most historically inaccurate movies - Times Online
Mel Gibson movies keep featuring in this list, and I like this line from the article about The Patriot:
Mel Gibson movies keep featuring in this list, and I like this line from the article about The Patriot:
Gibson (rugby) tackles history again with his turn as an honest farmer drawn into the American Revolutionary War, which historian David Hackett Fischer claimed in the New York Times “is to history as Godzilla was to biology.”
Goldilocks revised
Anne Fine deplores 'gritty realism' of modern children's books - Times Online
So, one English writer of children's fiction says too much of it is too dark and depressing.
Another [Children's Laureate (!) Anthony Browne] disagrees, and tells us about his worryingly re-imagined Goldilocks:
And what is this about her running towards "something" that might be her mother? Does he intend the book to be some sort of psychological test where you can judge your child's outlook by what they think the ending means?
Sack him, whoever has the job of appointing Children's Laureate.
So, one English writer of children's fiction says too much of it is too dark and depressing.
Another [Children's Laureate (!) Anthony Browne] disagrees, and tells us about his worryingly re-imagined Goldilocks:
“There are both types of endings, happier and unhappier. I prefer open endings. I don’t think we are living in an age of depressing, dark endings. If you look at Jacqueline Wilson, she does deal in gritty realism, but her books don’t lack aspiration.”So, I suppose her impoverished background explains why she had to go into the bears' house in search of food? Here I thought kids liked to think she was just a naughty girl.He recently changed the ending to his forthcoming book — Me and You, a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in which Goldilocks comes from an impoverished background — so that the ending was less miserable. “My original version had Goldilocks being chased out of the bears’ house and her ending up on bleak, dark streets. I decided to give it a more ambiguous ending, so now she is running toward something that may or may not be her mother.”
And what is this about her running towards "something" that might be her mother? Does he intend the book to be some sort of psychological test where you can judge your child's outlook by what they think the ending means?
Sack him, whoever has the job of appointing Children's Laureate.
Khatastrophe
Is Yemen Chewing Itself to Death? - TIME
Well, I knew little of the habit of khat chewing until reading the above fascinating article. Apparently, Yemen is hooked on this legal-for-Muslims alcohol substitute:
Well, I knew little of the habit of khat chewing until reading the above fascinating article. Apparently, Yemen is hooked on this legal-for-Muslims alcohol substitute:
Khat is popular in many countries of the Arabian peninsula and the Horn of Africa, but in Yemen it's a full-blown national addiction. As much as 90% of men and 1 in 4 women in Yemen are estimated to chew the leaves, storing a wad in one cheek as the khat slowly breaks down into the saliva and enters the bloodstream. The newcomer to Yemen's ancient capital can't miss the spectacle of almost an entire adult population presenting cheeks bulging with cud, leaving behind green confetti of discarded leaves and branches. ...And there are other problems, like the water it diverts from useful things, such as growing food. What a problem.
At around $5 for a bag (the amount typically consumed by a single regular user in a day) it's an expensive habit in a country where about 45% of the population lives below the poverty line. (Most families spend more money on khat than on food, according to government figures.)...
"You sit up discussing all your problems and think you've solved everything, but in fact you haven't done anything in the last four hours, because you've just been chewing khat and all your problems actually got worse," says Adel al-Shujaa, a professor of political science at Sana'a University and the head of the Yemen Without Khat Association. Plus, he says, "all the decisions you've made are bad because you've made them while on khat."
RealClimate looks into Plimer's questions
RealClimate: Plimer’s homework assignment
A detailed examination here of Ian Plimer's questions to George Monbiot, for those who are following the story.
Andrew Bolt seems to be avoiding it, for one.
A detailed examination here of Ian Plimer's questions to George Monbiot, for those who are following the story.
Andrew Bolt seems to be avoiding it, for one.
Kennedy strikes a pose
St Mary's in Exile of the Trades and Labor Council has had a new website up for a few weeks now, but they seem very slow to post new videos of the weekly liturgies. It wouldn't be because, as far as I can guess from the last one I viewed, congregation numbers are dwindling somewhat?
Anyhow, for more amusement, have a look here to see Peter Kennedy in full Christ-like pose in a photographic work entered in the Blake prize for religious art. George Pell has noted "There is almost an element of kitsch about it", and he's not far wrong.
For more self-aggrandisement from the supposed leadership of the group, have a look at Terry Fitzpatrick's article in July Green Left Weekly:
With so much mistreatment, why did they ever want to stay?
Anyhow, for more amusement, have a look here to see Peter Kennedy in full Christ-like pose in a photographic work entered in the Blake prize for religious art. George Pell has noted "There is almost an element of kitsch about it", and he's not far wrong.
For more self-aggrandisement from the supposed leadership of the group, have a look at Terry Fitzpatrick's article in July Green Left Weekly:
On April 19, a huge mob of St Mary’s people made a pilgrimage out of a church and into the Trades and Labor Council (TLC) building, home of the Queensland Council of Unions.As for the Church they didn't want to be told they were no longer a part of:
They walked out of the church to the TLC, 200 metres down the road in silent vigil with candles and lanterns, banners and balloons - not unlike the Jews of the Old Testament escaping from the slavery of the Egyptians to the liberation of the Promised Land (minus the balloons).
We too feel liberated from the shackles of a failing institution caught up in dogmas and creeds that belong to another age. We felt it was time to take a stand from the constant bullying we have experienced for many years.He then goes on to list the things for which they have been "bullied": blessing gays and lesbian relationships, not using "sexist" language, signing a treaty with local aborigines.
With so much mistreatment, why did they ever want to stay?
Well deserved
Regular marijuana usage robs men of sexual highs - New Scientist
Stoners may be trading sexual highs for the chemical kind. Males who smoke marijuana daily are four times more likely to have trouble reaching orgasm than men who don't inhale, finds a new study of 8,656 Aussies...It's interesting to read the comments that follow the story, many of which are somewhat amusing:
Even though many male smokers experienced sexual problems, they reported more partners than non-smokers. Marijuana users were twice as likely to have had two or more sex partners in the previous year than men who didn't smoke pot.
Pitts' team found an even stronger trend for increased sexual activity among female smokers, who were also seven times more likely to have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the last year than non-smokers. However, female smokers had no more problems in the bedroom than abstainers, Pitts' team found.
Perhaps stoners are just twats and that is why these problems occur. Yeah - from those I've known that hypothesis fits the data pretty well. I never met a stoner who wasn't a total wanker. Someone needs to do the necessary research to confirm it.And:
Here are my (unscientific) theories
1) more partners
the stoners just can't be bothered to put up with each other's crap all the time and thus split more readily
2)trouble reaching orgasm
the stoner just can't stop thinking about that new cushion recently purchased, how do they make them that fluffy!?
Can't help myself
Look, I'll stop obsessing about the fact that Inglorious Basterds got good reviews and has opened strongly. Any day now, I promise.
But in the meantime, I have a few observations:
* The geography of critical reaction is puzzling. Reviews from the United States were good overall, with the notable exceptions of the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, the New Yorker and Slate.
Yet in England, it was hard to find a good review. The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, the Telegraph are all bad reviews. The Times, for example:
I thought the explanation may be that the closer you get geographically to the reality of the War, the more offensive the film may look. But in Germany, the reviews are apparently enthusiastic. Oh well, it's not as if German sensibilities were ever easy to comprehend. I suspect that giggling about the moustache alone would have prevented Hitler's rise to power in any other European country.
In Australia, it's all positive reviews as far as the eye can see. You would have thought, given our cultural position straddled somewhere between the United States and England, there would be some negative review somewhere, but there isn't, as far as I can tell. Odd.
* The fans are a worry: those sophisticates who aren't worried about the empty rattling sound made by the space in his head where Tarantino's maturity should reside should at least worry about the types of fanboy they are probably sitting next to in the cinema. I base this on the ridiculously aggressive response you see in comments whenever there is a bad Tarantino review. The worst ones I saw on Rottentomatoes, referring to a desire that the reviewer's wife be raped, have (I think) now been deleted. Let's face it, a lot of his fans get off on the violence.
Full marks to Kenneth Turan at LA Times who wrote:
* What is it with the Left and movie violence now? Back in the 1960's and 1970's, it seemed that it was primarily the Left that used to disdain unnecessarily graphic movie violence. Revenge and vigilante movies were (correctly I think) seen as an angry right wing phenomena, at a time in which there were still identifiable right wingers working in Hollywood.
Now, virtually all reviewers, and all of Hollywood, come across as Left wing, yet they have embraced a nerdy director with a revenge and violence obsession. They have also, more generally, made their peace with graphic violence and gore, no matter what the context or reason for for it. Even apart from Tarantino, think of the Saw movies and the other examples of an especially grotesque and sadistic slasher genre that has come into its own in the last 10 years.
Yet, as with the extensive amount of real sex in Shortbus, having seen something once or twice seems to mean critics - even those who presumably might be somewhat middle of the road in their politics - won't question the morality or wisdom of what's on the screen anymore. The only issue you will sometimes seen raised is the feminist aspect of a story. A movie perceived as anti-feminist will be still be in for an ideological hiding, but that's about the extent that lefties worry about movie morality now.
Well, that's just not right. Sure, some critics take Tarantino to task for his morally vacuous use of violence, but it's damn few, and to Lefty luvvies like David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz it doesn't matter a hoot.
Grow some moral testicles again, Lefties, and make a call on the morality or social effect of what you are watching on the screen for a change.
But in the meantime, I have a few observations:
* The geography of critical reaction is puzzling. Reviews from the United States were good overall, with the notable exceptions of the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, the New Yorker and Slate.
Yet in England, it was hard to find a good review. The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, the Telegraph are all bad reviews. The Times, for example:
"When we finally get to it (Tarantino has never been one to cut to the chase when he can masturbate through endless pages of smarty-pants dialogue) , the film’s climax proves to be its downfall."This surprises me, as I hate most other cultural movements in England at the moment, but at least their critics seem well and truly "over" Tarantino.
I thought the explanation may be that the closer you get geographically to the reality of the War, the more offensive the film may look. But in Germany, the reviews are apparently enthusiastic. Oh well, it's not as if German sensibilities were ever easy to comprehend. I suspect that giggling about the moustache alone would have prevented Hitler's rise to power in any other European country.
In Australia, it's all positive reviews as far as the eye can see. You would have thought, given our cultural position straddled somewhere between the United States and England, there would be some negative review somewhere, but there isn't, as far as I can tell. Odd.
* The fans are a worry: those sophisticates who aren't worried about the empty rattling sound made by the space in his head where Tarantino's maturity should reside should at least worry about the types of fanboy they are probably sitting next to in the cinema. I base this on the ridiculously aggressive response you see in comments whenever there is a bad Tarantino review. The worst ones I saw on Rottentomatoes, referring to a desire that the reviewer's wife be raped, have (I think) now been deleted. Let's face it, a lot of his fans get off on the violence.
Full marks to Kenneth Turan at LA Times who wrote:
"As it goes on and on, 'Inglorious Basterds' feels increasingly like the kind of hollow, fanboyish cinema that is all the rage these days.""Hollow" seems the perfect word when talking about Tarantino.
* What is it with the Left and movie violence now? Back in the 1960's and 1970's, it seemed that it was primarily the Left that used to disdain unnecessarily graphic movie violence. Revenge and vigilante movies were (correctly I think) seen as an angry right wing phenomena, at a time in which there were still identifiable right wingers working in Hollywood.
Now, virtually all reviewers, and all of Hollywood, come across as Left wing, yet they have embraced a nerdy director with a revenge and violence obsession. They have also, more generally, made their peace with graphic violence and gore, no matter what the context or reason for for it. Even apart from Tarantino, think of the Saw movies and the other examples of an especially grotesque and sadistic slasher genre that has come into its own in the last 10 years.
Yet, as with the extensive amount of real sex in Shortbus, having seen something once or twice seems to mean critics - even those who presumably might be somewhat middle of the road in their politics - won't question the morality or wisdom of what's on the screen anymore. The only issue you will sometimes seen raised is the feminist aspect of a story. A movie perceived as anti-feminist will be still be in for an ideological hiding, but that's about the extent that lefties worry about movie morality now.
Well, that's just not right. Sure, some critics take Tarantino to task for his morally vacuous use of violence, but it's damn few, and to Lefty luvvies like David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz it doesn't matter a hoot.
Grow some moral testicles again, Lefties, and make a call on the morality or social effect of what you are watching on the screen for a change.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Unpleasant household duties
Yes, that's how my Sunday morning was spent - in the roof space tracking down a dead animal which had chosen - with a sense of revenge, no doubt - to die directly above the linen cupboard. Hence, when getting new towels on Saturday night, we were greeted with a strong dose of dead animal smell. I don't think it has gotten into the sheets and blankets, but it's a little hard to tell.
At least this time the culprit was easily found: as expected it was a dead rat. They are frequent noisy visitors to the roof space during winter. Baits laid a couple of months ago evidently were still doing their job. It was full of maggots, so at least I got to it in time to avoid the mystery plague of flies getting through the exhaust fan into the house which we have had before.
On two previous occasions, dead smells from beyond the ceiling have been hard to find, mainly because there is fibreglass insulation up there. When you think about it, putting insulation in the ceiling, while no doubt sensible, must look to rats like a gigantic housing estate made especially for their benefit: rat-scale acres of nice, soft fluffy stuff under foot that's easy to tunnel through and make a nest out of.
Anyway, while I was up there I did move around more insulation, and found two other mummified rat bodies. If only they made roof cats....
Speaking of dead bodies, and apologies for making light of a human tragedy, didn't that American model who was (apparently) killed by her husband looked remarkably like an android kewpie doll, or something artificial, in the most common photo the media seems to be using.
At least this time the culprit was easily found: as expected it was a dead rat. They are frequent noisy visitors to the roof space during winter. Baits laid a couple of months ago evidently were still doing their job. It was full of maggots, so at least I got to it in time to avoid the mystery plague of flies getting through the exhaust fan into the house which we have had before.
On two previous occasions, dead smells from beyond the ceiling have been hard to find, mainly because there is fibreglass insulation up there. When you think about it, putting insulation in the ceiling, while no doubt sensible, must look to rats like a gigantic housing estate made especially for their benefit: rat-scale acres of nice, soft fluffy stuff under foot that's easy to tunnel through and make a nest out of.
Anyway, while I was up there I did move around more insulation, and found two other mummified rat bodies. If only they made roof cats....
Speaking of dead bodies, and apologies for making light of a human tragedy, didn't that American model who was (apparently) killed by her husband looked remarkably like an android kewpie doll, or something artificial, in the most common photo the media seems to be using.
Friday, August 21, 2009
A Tarantino antidote
The Dawn Treader – Now with Tail (Updated!) | Narnia Fans
While I continue to gnash my teeth over the fact that critical success presumably means Tarantino will get to make another film, I can take some solace from the fact that, not too far from my house, they have built a full scale Dawn Treader for the next Narnia movie.
Good pictures of it are at the link above.
They are also allowing people to visit and watch filming from 31 August.
Very cool.
UPDATE: this very Catholic blog, which you can get to via the above link, has many, many more photos. One thing I am curious about: as you can see from some of the photos, the tide goes out a fair way at this part of Moreton Bay, leaving an un-photogenic rock-and-mud flat behind. Even when the tide is in, the water is not particularly blue and clear close to shore. How do they get around that when filming? Special effect sparkling ocean inserted later?
While I continue to gnash my teeth over the fact that critical success presumably means Tarantino will get to make another film, I can take some solace from the fact that, not too far from my house, they have built a full scale Dawn Treader for the next Narnia movie.
Good pictures of it are at the link above.
They are also allowing people to visit and watch filming from 31 August.
Very cool.
UPDATE: this very Catholic blog, which you can get to via the above link, has many, many more photos. One thing I am curious about: as you can see from some of the photos, the tide goes out a fair way at this part of Moreton Bay, leaving an un-photogenic rock-and-mud flat behind. Even when the tide is in, the water is not particularly blue and clear close to shore. How do they get around that when filming? Special effect sparkling ocean inserted later?
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The strangest bridge
300kg man trapped in Brisbane apartment
What makes this story noteworthy is that it was not your normal "apartment" that this guy had to be rescued from - it was a residence inside Brisbane's Walter Taylor bridge.
I think nearly everyone in Brisbane knows that the towers at either end of the old bridge are rented out and occupied. (I once drove over it while people were at a party on a balcony on the inner side of the towers.) But for people not from Brisbane who are curious as to what it looks like, here's a good photo.
It really seems a quite unique place. The fact that a person weighing nearly 4 times me lives there just adds to the fascination.
What makes this story noteworthy is that it was not your normal "apartment" that this guy had to be rescued from - it was a residence inside Brisbane's Walter Taylor bridge.
I think nearly everyone in Brisbane knows that the towers at either end of the old bridge are rented out and occupied. (I once drove over it while people were at a party on a balcony on the inner side of the towers.) But for people not from Brisbane who are curious as to what it looks like, here's a good photo.
It really seems a quite unique place. The fact that a person weighing nearly 4 times me lives there just adds to the fascination.
The navel gazed
The male gaze: I see it at Larvatus Prodeo
Well, Larvatus Prodeo has a long thread about why there are few Australian women political bloggers.
It is, without doubt, one of the most tedious threads ever to appear on LP. (Even a Tim Train appearance makes no difference.)
I'm feeling cranky today, so may I suggest: maybe it's because the current limited number of Australian women bloggers with overtly political interests come across as humourless and dour commentators who (as a group) span the political and feminist ideological field all the way from A to B? What women would want to join in that jolly crowd?
Well, Larvatus Prodeo has a long thread about why there are few Australian women political bloggers.
It is, without doubt, one of the most tedious threads ever to appear on LP. (Even a Tim Train appearance makes no difference.)
I'm feeling cranky today, so may I suggest: maybe it's because the current limited number of Australian women bloggers with overtly political interests come across as humourless and dour commentators who (as a group) span the political and feminist ideological field all the way from A to B? What women would want to join in that jolly crowd?
Further proof of English madness
Outdoor kitchens - the next 'in' thing - Telegraph
Fancy-smanchy outdoor barbies for outdoor entertaining in England? For those two nights a year the evening weather is enticing, I suppose. What a waste.
Fancy-smanchy outdoor barbies for outdoor entertaining in England? For those two nights a year the evening weather is enticing, I suppose. What a waste.
Ha!
Microsoft asks court to hold off on Word ban
You know what really annoys me? I sometimes have young people in my office who have only ever used Word, and think it bizarre that I am a holdout for Wordperfect. (Mind you, every Word user who tries Wordperfect picks it up with no training and find it quite intuitive.) But when I have a formatting problem with Word that I can't work out, and go to these university graduates who have used Word all of their lives, 9 times out of 10 they can't work out the problem either. They can't identify why Word is doing it, and either give up or (at most) suggest a complicated and arcane work around.
The big defenders of the product rarely know how to get around a problem when using it.
There's no way in the world anyone is going to convince me that Word is a better program than Wordperfect.
Microsoft Corp. is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to allow it to keep selling Word software as it fights an unfavorable patent ruling.I still get the horrors when I have to work in Word, compared to using my beloved Wordperfect.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas found Microsoft infringed on a patent held by a Canadian company, i4i LLP. Last week, the judge ordered Microsoft to pay $290 million and to stop selling copies of its word processing program that use the patented technology within 60 days.
The patent relates to the way Word 2003 and 2007 let users customize document encoding.
You know what really annoys me? I sometimes have young people in my office who have only ever used Word, and think it bizarre that I am a holdout for Wordperfect. (Mind you, every Word user who tries Wordperfect picks it up with no training and find it quite intuitive.) But when I have a formatting problem with Word that I can't work out, and go to these university graduates who have used Word all of their lives, 9 times out of 10 they can't work out the problem either. They can't identify why Word is doing it, and either give up or (at most) suggest a complicated and arcane work around.
The big defenders of the product rarely know how to get around a problem when using it.
There's no way in the world anyone is going to convince me that Word is a better program than Wordperfect.
Just for the record
State of the Climate | Global Analysis | July 2009
I don't think I have seen any commentary about this from the AGW side of the street, but I assume it is coming.
The global ocean SST for July 2009 was the warmest on record for the second consecutive month, 0.59°C (1.06°F) above the 20th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F). This broke the previous July record set in 1998. Sea surface temperatures during July 2009 were warmer than average across much of the world's oceans, with the exception of cooler-than-average conditions across parts of the North Atlantic Ocean and the southern oceans. Sea surface temperature anomalies in all Niño regions continued to warm during July 2009, where the monthly temperatures were more than 0.5°C (0.9°F) above average. If El Niño conditions continue to mature as projected by NOAA, global temperatures are likely to continue to threaten previous record highs. Please see the July 2009 ENSO discussion for additional information.Mind you, there has been discussion in at least one skeptical blog about a new paper arguing that the net flow of heat in and out of the oceans switches around quickly, which (they say) is inconsistent with the proposition that the oceans contain heat that is "in the pipeline".
I don't think I have seen any commentary about this from the AGW side of the street, but I assume it is coming.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
When physics and philosophy collide
0901.4255v2.pdf (application/pdf Object)
The arXiv essay above is given the following abstract:
The arXiv essay above is given the following abstract:
The claim that the observation of a violation of a Bell inequality leads to an alleged alternative between nonlocality and non-realism is annoying because of the vagueness of the second term.Yes, this is one of the fun things about modern physics: they can't even decide what "real" means. Talk about going back to your basics.
For those with a spare $8 million
Third Most Complete T-Rex to Be Auctioned in Vegas
Of course, it could end up being bought by a museum, but not necessarily:
Of course, it could end up being bought by a museum, but not necessarily:
At least 20 institutions have shown interest, “but then there’s always the elite that have a lot of money and like unique and unusual items, especially the Hollywood types,” he said. “There are a couple of major actors that are collectors of dinosauria.”
The anaesthetisation of good taste continues
Inglourious Basterds Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes
Hey, what's this? Initial reviews from Cannes were very mixed, with quite a high degree of negativity in many. But now that more critics have seen it, the positive reviews are far outnumbering the negative. Yes, once again the director who is so easy to dislike both personally (have you seen him in interviews?) and aesthetically is still selling glossy trash and violence to the critics and they are still (by and large) lapping it up. (I'm not so sure it will be a huge hit at the box office, though.)
For me, the effect of his oeuvre is like a cultural anaesthetisation of good taste and decency in cinema. A movie can have tension, wit and excitement without being graphically violent and morally vacuous, but Quentin doesn't seem to know that.
Of course, there are some critics who have come to dislike him, and the best negative review so far is from David Denby in the New Yorker:
Goldberg seemingly enjoys the movie as showing Nazi revenge that he used to fantasise about, but later has reservations:
So I am sure there will be no need for me to reconsider the value of this latest movie. As for the rest of the world: I feel confident that the intrinsic low value of Tarantino's work will be fully appreciated in retrospect.
UPDATE: a Salon blog goes at length into the Goldberg article and the question of whether this movie is "good for Jews". Certainly the comments that follow indicate that a large number of the public hate Tarantino and see through him better than your average critic. It also links to an amusingly vicious take on Tarantino and Inglorious Basterds in particular.
Hey, what's this? Initial reviews from Cannes were very mixed, with quite a high degree of negativity in many. But now that more critics have seen it, the positive reviews are far outnumbering the negative. Yes, once again the director who is so easy to dislike both personally (have you seen him in interviews?) and aesthetically is still selling glossy trash and violence to the critics and they are still (by and large) lapping it up. (I'm not so sure it will be a huge hit at the box office, though.)
For me, the effect of his oeuvre is like a cultural anaesthetisation of good taste and decency in cinema. A movie can have tension, wit and excitement without being graphically violent and morally vacuous, but Quentin doesn't seem to know that.
Of course, there are some critics who have come to dislike him, and the best negative review so far is from David Denby in the New Yorker:
Like all the director’s work after “Jackie Brown,” the movie is pure sensation. It’s disconnected from feeling, and an eerie blankness—it’s too shallow to be called nihilism—undermines even the best scenes....I have never quite understood why the media gives such a juvenile director so much attention. For example, he gets a big spread by Jeffrey Goldberg in The Atlantic this month. (It's worth reading merely to confirm how immature Tarantino sounds.)
Moral callousness has been part of Tarantino’s style in the past. In “Pulp Fiction,” his merry roundelay set among Los Angeles lowlifes, the aggressive acts that the characters commit against one another are so abrupt and extreme that they become funny. The movie’s outrageous panache gave the audience license to enjoy the violence as lawless entertainment. But, in “Basterds,” Tarantino is mucking about with a tragic moment of history....
Tarantino’s hyper-violent narrative reveals merely that he still daydreams like a teen-ager....
The film is skillfully made, but it’s too silly to be enjoyed, even as a joke. Tarantino may think that he is doing Jews a favor by launching this revenge fantasy (in the burning theatre, working-class Jewish boys get to pump Hitler and Göring full of lead), but somehow I doubt that the gesture will be appreciated. Tarantino has become an embarrassment: his virtuosity as a maker of images has been overwhelmed by his inanity as an idiot de la cinémathèque.
Goldberg seemingly enjoys the movie as showing Nazi revenge that he used to fantasise about, but later has reservations:
When I came out of the screening room the night before our interview, I was so hopped up on righteous Jewish violence that I was almost ready to settle the West Bank—and possibly the East Bank. But when my blood cooled, I began to think about the morality of kosher porn in the context of current Middle East politics. Some of this was informed by my own experience in the Israeli army, in which I saw my fellow Jewish soldiers do moral things—such as risking their lives to prevent the murder of innocent Jews—as well as immoral things, like beating the hell out of Palestinians because they could.Well, revenge movies have never appealed to me. The only movie that I really liked that had a degree of a personal revenge as a theme was probably The Untouchables. (But even then, it was more a matter of spontaneous taking-justice-into-his-own-hands type of thing.) The whole vigilante/avenger thing with Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood never appealed.When Tarantino asked me how I thought his film would be received in Israel—he’s visiting for the first time this summer, to promote the film—I told him that Israelis, who have actual experience with physical power (in a way that most Jews over the course of the past 2,000 years did not), might not take to the film in the way that many of their American cousins might. Some Israeli liberals, including the country’s many filmmakers, might not like his movie very much at all.
So I am sure there will be no need for me to reconsider the value of this latest movie. As for the rest of the world: I feel confident that the intrinsic low value of Tarantino's work will be fully appreciated in retrospect.
UPDATE: a Salon blog goes at length into the Goldberg article and the question of whether this movie is "good for Jews". Certainly the comments that follow indicate that a large number of the public hate Tarantino and see through him better than your average critic. It also links to an amusingly vicious take on Tarantino and Inglorious Basterds in particular.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Thank you for not suggesting that
I like this bit from the MSNBC story on some more recently released British Defence UFO files:
The head of the ministry's UFO desk wrote briefing notes in 1993 reporting a spate of sightings in southwest England and speculating whether they might be connected to Aurora, a secret U.S. spy plane whose existence has never been officially admitted.
Atop one of his letters, someone scrawled: "Thank you. I suggest you now drop this subject."
G&T considered
Gin and tonic: the drink that puts the fizz into Britain - Telegraph
Yes, here at Opinion Dominion we have long considered the gin and tonic the perfect pre-dinner drink.
As someone in this article notes, lime is the better citrus to use, which basically means that, unless you are in a very upmarket bar, you will make a better one at home. (Unlike beer, where the quality runs in the opposite direction.)
In fact, it was just last weekend that I was using home grown lime in my G&T, and commented to my wife how good it was instead of lemon. Cheers.
Yes, here at Opinion Dominion we have long considered the gin and tonic the perfect pre-dinner drink.
As someone in this article notes, lime is the better citrus to use, which basically means that, unless you are in a very upmarket bar, you will make a better one at home. (Unlike beer, where the quality runs in the opposite direction.)
In fact, it was just last weekend that I was using home grown lime in my G&T, and commented to my wife how good it was instead of lemon. Cheers.
Mixed up man
Richard O’Brien: Rocky Horror? It was all about my mother - Times Online
The success of Rocky Horror, and its continual revival on stage, has always been a major puzzle to me. It has one catchy song, and is not very funny. Its point, or aim, is distinctly fuzzy. Why dedicated heterosexuals with no inclination to cross dress flock to it makes very little sense.
Last year (I think) it's writer, Englishman Richard O'Brien, appeared on ABC's amusing quiz show Spicks and Specks, and was as camp as could be. Well, I was hardly surprised.
Yet, as this interview in The Times above shows, he is even more confused and confounding than expected. (Has a son, even.)
I still don't forgive him for Rocky Horror, though, no matter how unpleasant his mother was.
The success of Rocky Horror, and its continual revival on stage, has always been a major puzzle to me. It has one catchy song, and is not very funny. Its point, or aim, is distinctly fuzzy. Why dedicated heterosexuals with no inclination to cross dress flock to it makes very little sense.
Last year (I think) it's writer, Englishman Richard O'Brien, appeared on ABC's amusing quiz show Spicks and Specks, and was as camp as could be. Well, I was hardly surprised.
Yet, as this interview in The Times above shows, he is even more confused and confounding than expected. (Has a son, even.)
I still don't forgive him for Rocky Horror, though, no matter how unpleasant his mother was.
Bad methane news
As Arctic Ocean warms, megatonnes of methane bubble up - Environment - New Scientist
Over 250 plumes of gas have been discovered bubbling up from the sea floor to the west of the Svalbard archipelago, which lies north of Norway. The bubbles are mostly methane, which is a greenhouse gas much more powerful than carbon dioxide.Interestingly, though, the methane in this particular area is not making to the top of the ocean. Instead, it dissolves and partly contributes to ocean acidification:
I wonder, though, whether this is something that might have been going on before the waters increased in temperature by 1 degree. Maybe just no one was looking before.None of the plumes the team saw reached the surface, so the methane was not escaping into the atmosphere and thus contributing to climate change – not in that area, at least. "Bigger bubbles of methane make it all the way to the top, but smaller ones dissolve," says Minshull.
Just because it fails to reach the surface doesn't mean the methane is harmless, though, as some of it gets converted to carbon dioxide. The CO2 then dissolves in seawater and makes the oceans more acidic
.
And it is possible that other, more vigorous plumes are releasing methane into the atmosphere. The team studied only one group of plumes, which were in a small area and were erratic.
"Almost none of the Arctic has been surveyed in a way that might detect a gas release like this," Minshull says.
Continuing the bird theme
Man v bird: the brush turkey battle
Brush turkeys are headed south, apparently. This article talks about how they live:
Brush turkeys are headed south, apparently. This article talks about how they live:
...with female brush turkeys laying 20 to 30 eggs a year, the population is sure to continue thriving, even though mysteriously, no-one looks after the chicks.We had a chick turn up in our yard earlier this year. Unfortunately, it became a victim of our dog, right in front of the kids too."These are very unusual animals. Basically, the eggs get laid into the bottom of a combust heap, they dig their way to the surface and simply no-one looks after them - absolutely no parental care," he said.
"There's no parents to teach them what a cat looks like or what food is, or anything.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Reviewing fun
The Time Traveler's Wife. - By Dana Stevens - Slate Magazine
Eric Bana's latest movie is receiving some pretty bad reviews in the States. This is not an entirely bad thing, as it allows critics to be pretty witty. This opening paragraph from Dana Stevens, for example:
Eric Bana's latest movie is receiving some pretty bad reviews in the States. This is not an entirely bad thing, as it allows critics to be pretty witty. This opening paragraph from Dana Stevens, for example:
Physicist Dave Goldberg has a fascinating Slate piece this week on how The Time Traveler's Wife stacks up against other movies with a time-travel theme. In a survey of physicists' speculations on the possibility of time travel, he mentions one theory involving "gargantuan cosmic strings […] of matter of almost unimaginable density and length." That about sums up The Time Traveler's Wife, adapted from Audrey Niffenegger's best-selling novel by Bruce Joel Rubin (who also wrote Ghost, another metaphysically inflected love story). I'll take Goldberg's word that the movie obeys the laws of Einsteinian physics (no alternate universes, you can't change history, etc.), but it's in flagrant violation of the rules of narrative logic, character development, or the most basic audience satisfaction.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Surprising bird news
BBC - Earth News - Blue tits embrace 'aromatherapy'
No, it's not from the files of Benny Hill, Naturalist; it's the story of research into why blue tits like to put nice smelling herbs in their nest:
I'm impressed.
We've had a bird bath in our back yard for about 6 months now; it's visible from the kitchen and dining room. Watching birds bathe is pleasing.
No, it's not from the files of Benny Hill, Naturalist; it's the story of research into why blue tits like to put nice smelling herbs in their nest:
In more local bird news, the Courier Mail last week ran this photo, apparently showing three pigeons co-operating to each get a drink and a bath.They found that aromatic plants, including lavender (Lavandula stoechas), apple mint (Mentha suaveolens), the curry plant (Helichrysum itlaicum) and Achillea ligustica significantly change the composition of bacterial communities living on blue tit nestlings.
"They reduce the number of different bacterial species, and the total number of bacteria, especially on chicks that are most vulnerable because they are both highly infested by blow fly larvae and carry great amounts of bacteria on their skin," says Mennarat.
I'm impressed.
We've had a bird bath in our back yard for about 6 months now; it's visible from the kitchen and dining room. Watching birds bathe is pleasing.
The coming disaster in Japan
Shaken and stirred in Tokyo's quakes
Here's an ABC journalist's first hand account of the recent, relatively mild, Japanese earthquakes. He notes:
It is, of course, a typically Japanese thing that when you go to the website of the Japanese Meteorological Agency page about the Earthquake Early Warning system, they have a cute little graphic for it:
If I am not mistaken, that would be based on the underground catfish that the Japanese folklore says causes earthquakes. Cute but deadly.
UPDATE: lots of information about the history of Japanese giant-earthquake-causing-catfish lore can be found in this essay.
Here's an ABC journalist's first hand account of the recent, relatively mild, Japanese earthquakes. He notes:
More about the coming Tokai Earthquake can be found here.But thankfully it was not the much-dreaded Great Tokai Earthquake. That is the big one, the terrible tremor which hits central Japan about every 130 years.
The problem is, it is overdue.
The last Great Tokai Earthquake was in 1854 when a massive magnitude 8.4 quake struck.
It is, of course, a typically Japanese thing that when you go to the website of the Japanese Meteorological Agency page about the Earthquake Early Warning system, they have a cute little graphic for it:
If I am not mistaken, that would be based on the underground catfish that the Japanese folklore says causes earthquakes. Cute but deadly.UPDATE: lots of information about the history of Japanese giant-earthquake-causing-catfish lore can be found in this essay.
The ugly tourist
In Philippine town, the U.S. airmen are long gone, but the tawdry streets remain
The LA Times has a story about the prostitution that continues near the former Clark Air Force base, even though the Americans left there in 1992.
The picture painted by this article is very ugly - quite literally in the sense that it seems most of the clientele are greying sex tourists from all over the world chasing extremely young girls.
There is also mention of an Australian buying some Viagra from a street vendor. Travelling to another country for exploitative sex, but even then having to use Viagra to achieve it with girls about whom he also says:
The LA Times has a story about the prostitution that continues near the former Clark Air Force base, even though the Americans left there in 1992.
The picture painted by this article is very ugly - quite literally in the sense that it seems most of the clientele are greying sex tourists from all over the world chasing extremely young girls.
There is also mention of an Australian buying some Viagra from a street vendor. Travelling to another country for exploitative sex, but even then having to use Viagra to achieve it with girls about whom he also says:
"You can get a young girl here to do anything if you promise to marry her"strikes me as a very special form of depravity.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Science fiction fodder
Here's a fun paper on arXiv: Are Black Hole Starships Possible? (Tentative answer: yes. However, the means of creating a useful sized black hole are somewhat far off into the future.)
Interestingly, the paper also notes that alien spaceships using such technology might be detectable by gamma ray telescope. (The suggestion is not new in regard to possible anti-matter powered ships.)
Interestingly, the paper also notes that alien spaceships using such technology might be detectable by gamma ray telescope. (The suggestion is not new in regard to possible anti-matter powered ships.)
Flying books
Eerie occurrences at naval museum attract ghost hunters - Enquirer.com
A brief report on poltergeist type phenomena going on in a US Museum.
Ghosts and hauntings interest me, but I have no interest whatseover in the "ghosthunter" style TV shows with their ridiculous bunch of mediums and "sensitives" walking around with night vision cameras following them.
Which reminds me - I think I saw an ad on ABC TV a few weeks ago for a one off show that (as far as I could make out) may have been about a stone throwing poltergeist story in outback Australia. I missed it, and now am having trouble googling any details about it.
I know there have been one or two real life stories in Australia, so I would have liked to have seen it.
Does any reader know anything about it?
A brief report on poltergeist type phenomena going on in a US Museum.
Ghosts and hauntings interest me, but I have no interest whatseover in the "ghosthunter" style TV shows with their ridiculous bunch of mediums and "sensitives" walking around with night vision cameras following them.
Which reminds me - I think I saw an ad on ABC TV a few weeks ago for a one off show that (as far as I could make out) may have been about a stone throwing poltergeist story in outback Australia. I missed it, and now am having trouble googling any details about it.
I know there have been one or two real life stories in Australia, so I would have liked to have seen it.
Does any reader know anything about it?
Mayhem in space planning
NASA should avoid a straight shot to Mars, panel says
There is plenty of speculation about how NASA should proceed from here: scrap Ares as a flawed design, not enough money to go to the Moon again, certainly not enough for Mars. Even "let's do other deep space stuff instead - how about an asteroid?"
But - I didn't realise this:
The only thing it seems to have achieved is giving astronauts experience at piecing together big things in space. I guess that's something of value in itself, but all those astronauts doing it are probably at the peak of their career anyway and won't be on the next wave of exploration.
NASA had better start publicising some science done on board if it wants to maintain some credibility for its planning.
And finally - readers know I am strongly of the view that going back to the Moon is a practical, achievable thing that is relatively low risk to astronauts (compared to all the radiation exposure they will have on a trip to Mars). It's rarely spoken about, but isn't there a partial science justification in terms of good astronomy to be done from there? Perhaps radio astronomy from the dark side, or your usual astronomy from anywhere.
Would be easier to do the type of sky surveys required to spot deadly (but relatively small) asteroids that were mentioned here recently from the Moon? You at least are assured of long, clear nights!
Update: a NASA page, containing some links, that talks about lunar astronomy as a possibility. People seem to like Hubble photographs so much, I suspect they would be impressed by similar quality photos from the Moon.
If it is a good place to search for earth approaching asteroids, even better: you can sell a return to the Moon as an insurance policy for the future of civilisation.
There is plenty of speculation about how NASA should proceed from here: scrap Ares as a flawed design, not enough money to go to the Moon again, certainly not enough for Mars. Even "let's do other deep space stuff instead - how about an asteroid?"
But - I didn't realise this:
The budget would delay the first Ares I flight until December 2018. That is almost three years after NASA currently plans to send the International Space Station careening towards Earth to burn up in the atmosphere and plunge into the ocean. The current budget projections have also not set aside money for the space station's end-of-life plans.Bloody hell. The thing seems barely to have been finished (in fact, is it really finished now, it's hard to keep track) and it is only supposed to last another 5 years?
The only thing it seems to have achieved is giving astronauts experience at piecing together big things in space. I guess that's something of value in itself, but all those astronauts doing it are probably at the peak of their career anyway and won't be on the next wave of exploration.
NASA had better start publicising some science done on board if it wants to maintain some credibility for its planning.
And finally - readers know I am strongly of the view that going back to the Moon is a practical, achievable thing that is relatively low risk to astronauts (compared to all the radiation exposure they will have on a trip to Mars). It's rarely spoken about, but isn't there a partial science justification in terms of good astronomy to be done from there? Perhaps radio astronomy from the dark side, or your usual astronomy from anywhere.
Would be easier to do the type of sky surveys required to spot deadly (but relatively small) asteroids that were mentioned here recently from the Moon? You at least are assured of long, clear nights!
Update: a NASA page, containing some links, that talks about lunar astronomy as a possibility. People seem to like Hubble photographs so much, I suspect they would be impressed by similar quality photos from the Moon.
If it is a good place to search for earth approaching asteroids, even better: you can sell a return to the Moon as an insurance policy for the future of civilisation.
Warning
Bird specimens stolen from national collection - Crime, UK - The Independent
It's also interesting to note this bit at the end about the extent of the collection:
Well, I suppose this means that the next time a stranger approaches you in the car park and offers a really cheap price on a rare 19th century stuffed spangled drongo from the back of his van, you should immediately call the police.Thieves have stolen a priceless collection of tropical birds from the Natural History Museum.
Curators said almost 300 brightly-coloured specimens were taken from a collection in Tring, Hertfordshire.
They said the birds, some of which are more than a century old, are a priceless part of the world's ornithological heritage.
It's also interesting to note this bit at the end about the extent of the collection:
750,000 stuffed birds?! Maybe a few more live ones would be around today if the collectors of the past were a little less enthusiastic.The Natural History Museum holds 70 million specimens brought together over 350 years. The majority are held at its South Kensington headquarters.
The ornithological collection in Tring is one of the world's largest and holds 750,000 birds representing 95% of known species.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Mocking chicken
Today's lunch comprised a fried egg, tomato and cheese sandwich.
It's a curious thing, isn't it, how the combination of egg and tomato seems to result in a completely new, distinctive, taste.
It put me in mind of a party dip from my childhood, "mock chicken", eaten on Jatz crackers, which I haven't seen for a very long time. Recipes for it are on the internet, although there are variations, and I am not sure which most accurately represents what was once common in 1960's Brisbane. I'm sure the essential components were egg and tomato, but whether it also had cheese and onion, I don't know.
Incidentally, I am drawn to any recipe with "mock" in the title. I recall years ago, when visiting somewhere historic in Australia, looking at a reproduction of an old, simple Australia cookbook, maybe dating from early last century or perhaps even colonial times. It had a recipe for mock duck, which, I swear, went like this: "Take large piece of beef steak. Tie in the shape of a duck. Bake." That was it.
While on the topic of food pretending to be something it isn't, I have a confession to make: I don't mind many of the vegetarian sausage products made by health food companies. They could fairly be called mock sausages, although the marketing departments prevent truth in advertising. We serve them to kids sometimes as a healthier version of a hot dog. With tomato sauce, they don't really seem to know if it is meatless or not, and I am happy to eat them too.
I even had a period in my life when I used to buy TVP, textured vegetable protein, and make a chilli con carne recipe which was on the side of the box. Buried in a chilli tomato sauce, I thought the cubed version of TVP did have a resemblance to meat. But the digestive consequences of beans, chilli tomato sauce and TVP in the once dish were, shall we say, nothing short of explosive. I didn't even like being around myself the next day, so, kind husband that I am, I haven't cooked it since I got married. I don't think you can even get the cubed version of TVP now, anyway.
I'm tempted to try making some mock chicken soon, but anyone who can remember their mother's version of it is welcome to comment.
It's a curious thing, isn't it, how the combination of egg and tomato seems to result in a completely new, distinctive, taste.
It put me in mind of a party dip from my childhood, "mock chicken", eaten on Jatz crackers, which I haven't seen for a very long time. Recipes for it are on the internet, although there are variations, and I am not sure which most accurately represents what was once common in 1960's Brisbane. I'm sure the essential components were egg and tomato, but whether it also had cheese and onion, I don't know.
Incidentally, I am drawn to any recipe with "mock" in the title. I recall years ago, when visiting somewhere historic in Australia, looking at a reproduction of an old, simple Australia cookbook, maybe dating from early last century or perhaps even colonial times. It had a recipe for mock duck, which, I swear, went like this: "Take large piece of beef steak. Tie in the shape of a duck. Bake." That was it.
While on the topic of food pretending to be something it isn't, I have a confession to make: I don't mind many of the vegetarian sausage products made by health food companies. They could fairly be called mock sausages, although the marketing departments prevent truth in advertising. We serve them to kids sometimes as a healthier version of a hot dog. With tomato sauce, they don't really seem to know if it is meatless or not, and I am happy to eat them too.
I even had a period in my life when I used to buy TVP, textured vegetable protein, and make a chilli con carne recipe which was on the side of the box. Buried in a chilli tomato sauce, I thought the cubed version of TVP did have a resemblance to meat. But the digestive consequences of beans, chilli tomato sauce and TVP in the once dish were, shall we say, nothing short of explosive. I didn't even like being around myself the next day, so, kind husband that I am, I haven't cooked it since I got married. I don't think you can even get the cubed version of TVP now, anyway.
I'm tempted to try making some mock chicken soon, but anyone who can remember their mother's version of it is welcome to comment.
Spotting the influence of aliens
Newfound planet orbits backward - Space.com- msnbc.com
This story reminds me of something I have been meaning to post about for a while.
Astronomers keep finding signs of planets around other stars. Yet they all seem to be pretty weird in one way or another, and don't resemble our solar system at all.
My question: has anyone seriously put their mind to the question of how odd a planetary orbit or solar system would have to look to be indicative of alien mega-engineering?
Presumably, thought has been given to what a Dyson sphere or "swarm" would look like (or a Niven "ringworld"), but isn't it possible for there to be other planetary engineering, on a less grand scale, that may be visible from Earth?
Would a weird enough orbit of something assumed to be a planet be enough?
Update: another "backwards planet" found.
By the way, just to be clear, I am not suggesting that a retrograde orbit alone is anything to be very suspicious of. Seeing we have a retrograde moon in our own solar system, it can just happen. Still, what would it take to assume alien engineering?
This story reminds me of something I have been meaning to post about for a while.
Astronomers keep finding signs of planets around other stars. Yet they all seem to be pretty weird in one way or another, and don't resemble our solar system at all.
My question: has anyone seriously put their mind to the question of how odd a planetary orbit or solar system would have to look to be indicative of alien mega-engineering?
Presumably, thought has been given to what a Dyson sphere or "swarm" would look like (or a Niven "ringworld"), but isn't it possible for there to be other planetary engineering, on a less grand scale, that may be visible from Earth?
Would a weird enough orbit of something assumed to be a planet be enough?
Update: another "backwards planet" found.
By the way, just to be clear, I am not suggesting that a retrograde orbit alone is anything to be very suspicious of. Seeing we have a retrograde moon in our own solar system, it can just happen. Still, what would it take to assume alien engineering?
Credibility own goal
Plimer resorts to attack as the best form of defence | Environment | guardian.co.uk
Ian Plimer agreed to be asked, in writing, a series of questions by George Monbiot about apparent errors and uncited claims in his book. Plimer has not yet responded, except to provide a list of convoluted questions back to Monbiot.
If Plimer merely does this, and does not answer Monbiot's direct questions, it will be pretty much impossible to read it other than having the subtext "hey, I am a Professor, I know so much more than you, mere journalist, that I don't have to provide citations for any claim, or explain any apparent error."
I hope Andrew Bolt is reading this exchange.
Update: this comment in the thread following Monbiot's post provides a good "translation" of what Plimer's questions mean.
Ian Plimer agreed to be asked, in writing, a series of questions by George Monbiot about apparent errors and uncited claims in his book. Plimer has not yet responded, except to provide a list of convoluted questions back to Monbiot.
If Plimer merely does this, and does not answer Monbiot's direct questions, it will be pretty much impossible to read it other than having the subtext "hey, I am a Professor, I know so much more than you, mere journalist, that I don't have to provide citations for any claim, or explain any apparent error."
I hope Andrew Bolt is reading this exchange.
Update: this comment in the thread following Monbiot's post provides a good "translation" of what Plimer's questions mean.
A peculiar case
Piracy fears off UK coast after cargo ship disappears in English Channel - Times Online
I have no comment: it's just a very strange case of a missing ship, possibly hijacked by somewhat mysterious parties.
I have no comment: it's just a very strange case of a missing ship, possibly hijacked by somewhat mysterious parties.
Why acupuncture seems to work
Chinese Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability To Regulate Pain, UM Study Shows
I find it remarkable that sticking fine needles into skin seems to genuinely help with various aches and pains. This study suggests the brain mechanism behind it, but I guess it still doesn't explain why the fine needles (which you can barely feel, from the one time I had some in me) in skin cause that reaction in the brain. (To be more specific, maybe it's not surprising they cause some reaction in the brain, but that it should be big enough to have effect of other aches and pain still seems very odd to me.)
I find it remarkable that sticking fine needles into skin seems to genuinely help with various aches and pains. This study suggests the brain mechanism behind it, but I guess it still doesn't explain why the fine needles (which you can barely feel, from the one time I had some in me) in skin cause that reaction in the brain. (To be more specific, maybe it's not surprising they cause some reaction in the brain, but that it should be big enough to have effect of other aches and pain still seems very odd to me.)
Discouraging news
Earth could be blindsided by asteroids, panel warns - space - 12 August 2009 - New Scientist
Existing sky surveys miss many asteroids smaller than 1 kilometre across, leaving the door open to damaging impacts on Earth with little or no warning, a panel of scientists reports. Doing better will require devoting more powerful telescopes to asteroid hunting, but no one has committed the funds needed to do so, it says.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Waiting for the return of a spouse
Modern Love - Those Aren’t Fighting Words, Dear
I found this via the Catholic blog "First Things". Although the writer's response to being told by her husband:
It is an interesting column, and has many comments following it, the great majority of which praise the writer for her simple "I'm not buying it" response. I am surprised that there has not been more of a liberal backlash against it.
I found this via the Catholic blog "First Things". Although the writer's response to being told by her husband:
“I don’t love you anymore. I’m not sure I ever did. I’m moving out. The kids will understand. They’ll want me to be happy”was not apparently motivated by faith, the idea of not immediately abandoning a relationship for that reason has obvious appeal to those who believe marriage is truly "til death do us part".
It is an interesting column, and has many comments following it, the great majority of which praise the writer for her simple "I'm not buying it" response. I am surprised that there has not been more of a liberal backlash against it.
What a country
Christians burned to death in Pakistan - Catholic Herald Online
Eight Pakistani Christians were killed, 50 homes destroyed and two churches burned when a rampaging mob of up to 3,000 Muslims tore through the town of Gojra, in eastern Pakistan, last Saturday.I missed a lot of media over the weekend, but I don't know that this got widely reported.
The victims, who included two young children, were either burned alive or shot. ...
The mob gathered after rumours had spread that children had cut up a schoolbook which included verses from the Koran. The children had supposedly been making confetti for a local wedding.
As well as those killed, more than 20 people were injured in the attack as the mob, carrying sticks, clubs and a small number of firearms, took to the streets last weekend.
The attacks came two days after a related incident in the nearby village of Korian where gangs set fire to more than 70 Christian homes and two small Protestant churches.
Make your own lunar air
Scientists Make Oxygen Out of Moon Rock
Presumably, find frozen water on the Moon would make oxygen production easier.
There was a lengthier version of this story on Nature News, but I think their stories still disappear behind a paywall after a short time.
Based on experiments with a simulated lunar rock developed by NASA, the researchers calculate that three one-meter-tall reactors could generate one tonne of oxygen per year on the Moon. Each tonne of oxygen would require three tonnes of rock to produce. Fray noted that three reactors would require about 4.5 kilowatts of power, which could be supplied by solar panels or possibly a small nuclear reactor on the Moon.I wonder, how long does a tonne of oxygen last for, say, a dozen people?
Presumably, find frozen water on the Moon would make oxygen production easier.
There was a lengthier version of this story on Nature News, but I think their stories still disappear behind a paywall after a short time.
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