I’m just sticking this up here for the sake of easy reference since today is the day I get to continue with conveying science.
Filed under: Astronomy/Cosmology/Physics | Tagged: Electromagnetic spectrum | 4 Comments »
Did someone die or something?
Posted on May 2, 2011 by Michael
First, I found out about bin Laden’s death via Facebook way before I saw a news article. Second,
Filed under: News | Tagged: Osama bin Laden, President Obama | Leave a comment »
President Obama mocks Trump
Posted on May 1, 2011 by Michael
Good:
President Barack Obama told jokes at the expense of real estate mogul Donald Trump Saturday night, mocking his possible presidential ambitions in remarks at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
With Trump in the hotel ballroom audience of celebrities, politicians and journalists, Obama zeroed in on talk fueled by Trump that the president was not U.S.-born…
“Donald Trump is here tonight. And I know that he’s taken some flak lately. But no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than ‘The Donald,'” Obama said, using Trump’s nickname.
“And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” Obama added, drawing laughs and applause.
Filed under: Humor | Tagged: Donald Trump, President Obama, The Donald, White House Correspondents' Association Dinner | 2 Comments »
A lowly challenge
Posted on May 1, 2011 by Michael
After proving to everyone that there really are misogynistic asshats out there who believe that women are morons, Terrance H. has challenged me to a shoot out:
I challenge the guy to a debate. We each make an opening statement and issue three replies. Our blog readers can determine the winner. I don’t normally do this, but I’ve taken an extreme dislike to the fellow. Not only that, but I wouldn’t mind rattling off like I used to in college. It should be fun.
This stems from the fact that I don’t think women are stupid, but he does:
…I don’t for a minute believe that most women realize the implication of their decision to abort. Not for a minute.
Women also don’t realize the implications when they decide not to put on make-up in the morning, amirite?
I can’t say I’m particularly interested in a formal debate. I find them to be stuffy and they tend to let a lot of incorrect statements slip through the cracks. What’s more, I don’t want to clutter up my blog with a series of posts that don’t particularly cater to my main audience. That said, I will accept a debate that takes place within the comment section of this post.
Of course, it will help if Terrance actually knows where I stand. He seems to prefer to pretend like he knows, reflecting his tendency to act like he understands other things, such as basic biology (he doesn’t). I mean, I’m willing to repeat my positions for this bag of piss-poor rhetoric, maybe teach him a little Bio 101, but it gets tedious. Regardless,
You shoot first, Terry.
Filed under: Politics and Social | Tagged: Abortion, Challenge Accepted, Terrance H | 32 Comments »
Thought of the day
Posted on April 30, 2011 by Michael
I learn more history from Pawn Stars than any of the History Channel’s other shows.
Also, I refuse to call it “History”. It’s the History Channel.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Pawn Stars, Thought of the day | 1 Comment »
Defunding health care for women
Posted on April 30, 2011 by Michael
I find myself more and more torn. On the one hand, it’s so hard to say Republicans are motivated by a hatred of women. There are legitimate arguments to be made in some of their actions. But on the other hand, the majority of their actions are asinine and condescending, backed by no grain of rationality or intelligence:
Last week, Indiana lawmakers voted to approve a measure that would defund the state chapter of Planned Parenthood by $2 million, the amount the group gets each year in federal dollars. The bill would also ban abortions following the 20th week of pregnancy unless a woman’s life is in jeopardy. The measure would also require abortion providers to tell women seeking abortions that life begins at conception, that the procedure is linked to infertility, and that fetuses can feel pain at 20 weeks or earlier…
The bill’s author, state Rep. Eric Turner (R), defended its passage, telling The Indianapolis Star Thursday that it means “pregnant ladies will have a better-informed decision to make.” Representative Turner also said, “The net result will be less abortions in Indiana, and I’m pleased about that.”
First, I’ve never had a problem with recognizing that Republicans are by-and-large anti-science. That’s a given, and this requirement to force doctors to make up stuff to tell pregnant women only confirms it. Second, women are NOT children and they are NOT making these decisions lightly, you condescending piece of shit, Eric Turner. Unfortunately, this douche isn’t alone in not getting that. Pick any random inbred state that’s been attempting to destroy individual autonomy and the idea that sexual maturity is a good thing: invariably there will be some ass who pretends that his motivation is to make sure women really know what’s going on. “Make them look at an ultrasound! Clearly women have no fucking clue what’s going on inside their bodies!”
No, you anti-abortionists, get it through your thick fucking skulls: People aren’t rejecting your shit arguments out of ignorance or a desire to murder babies. We aren’t rejecting it because we’re in the dark about all the emotionally manipulative (and emotionally false) images. We’re rejecting your horseshit because human beings – real live persons – are not defined by merely being cells. We’re rejecting it because consciousness matters, and making up that fetuses can feel and understand anything, including pain, is fundamentally dishonest. We’re rejecting it because it devalues human life to lie and claim a ball of developing cells is on the same playing field as someone who is 2 or 122 or anything between. Get better arguments.
The only glimmer of hope I can see in all this is that the Republicans, despite being the cause of much of our economic woes, were only elected to deal with the economy. Now that they’re showing their true colors, hopefully their human-hurting agendas will be rejected next time around.
Update: Oh, and a helpful reminder:
Filed under: News, Politics and Social | Tagged: Abortion, Condescension, Eric Turner, Republicans | 2 Comments »
Gov. Perry says President Obama is ignoring Texas
Posted on April 29, 2011 by Michael
“You have to ask, ‘Why are you taking care of Alabama and other states?’ I know our letter didn’t get lost in the mail,” Perry, a Republican and frequent critic of the federal government, said after addressing a Texas emergency management conference.
President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for Alabama, where storms — including a tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa on Wednesday — killed nearly 200 people this week.
Texas actually does get significant federal help in its fire fighting efforts, but I digress. The more interesting question here is, why is Perry only criticizing Obama for ignoring Texas? Shouldn’t he be criticizing God for not doing anything?
Filed under: News | Tagged: God, Perry, President Obama, Texas, Wildfires | 1 Comment »
Six little planets, all in a row
Posted on April 29, 2011 by Michael
For the last two months, almost all the planets have been hiding behind the sun, but this week they all emerge and are arrayed in a grand line above the rising sun. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter are visible, and you can add Uranus and Neptune to your count if you have binoculars or a small telescope.
This sky map of the six planets shows how they should appear at dawn to observers with clear weather and an unobstructed view.
Counting this morning, the moon will also be lined up for four mornings (sorry my fellow EST people for the post-dawn post).
Filed under: Astronomy/Cosmology/Physics | Tagged: Aligned planets | Leave a comment »
For the Sake of Science 
