A Tribute Worth Watching

The Corps got the loudest cheers.  It is a toss up as to whether the Air Force or the Navy got the better formation.

Carbon Dioxide May Not Have As Much Influence As Originally Thought

You don't say.

The climate may be less sensitive to carbon dioxide than we thought – and temperature rises this century could be smaller than expected. That's the surprise result of a new analysis of the last ice age. However, the finding comes from considering just one climate model, and unless it can be replicated using other models, researchers are dubious that it is genuine.

Folks, the science, she ain't settled. Ignore the charlatans masquerading as scientists that suggest otherwise.

The Museum That Belongs In A Museum

Just.....go read it.

It's easy to forget that ancient peoples also studied history - Babylonians who lived 2,500 years ago were able to look back on millennia of previous human experience. That's part of what makes the museum of Princess Ennigaldi so remarkable. Her collection contained wonders and artifacts as ancient to her as the fall of the Roman Empire is to us. But it's also a grim symbol of a dying civilization consumed by its own vast history.

Delusions

How can I possibly put a new idea into your heads, if I do not first remove your delusions?

- Lifeline, by Robert Heinlein

Popular Science Fiction & Fantasy

Some time ago, I posted something on Facebook about a then current poll being conducted by NPR to determine the 100 best books in the science fiction and fantasy genre.  I let the poll fall from my concerns and moved on.

It happens.

Serendipitously, I ran across the following graphic that presents the results of the poll.

Click the link and enjoy!

There is one deceptive aspect of the poll.  Some of the books listed are really series.  Some of the series are trilogies....or longer....rather than being discrete books.

One disappointing result is that the "Fire and Ice" series came it as high as it did.  I am currently working through that series.  Mostly, because I was able to purchase the first four books as a set for about one third of the cost of buying them separately.  It isn't a bad series.  It doesn't rate to be the fifth best book/series either.

In any case, the above chart provides a good starting point for those that have not delved too deeply into the realm of science fiction and fantasy.

Don't Step In The Marketeer* Droppings

Somewhere, somehow, there is a manager at J.C. Penney's that thought reinforcing an anti-intellectual image of girls was a good idea.  Specifically, "I'm too pretty to do homework so my brother has to do it for me."   Erg.

The good news is that J.C. Penney's is media savvy enough to understand the problem when it started.  They have pulled the t-shirt in question from their online store and are investigating the decision to add it to their product line.

Major league kudos to the horde of folks traveling the inter-tubes that spotted the shirt and began spreading the news.  Big companies are sometimes loath to make changes unless the perceive a significant downside to doing nothing.

Not only do we have a daughter, but the missus and I produced a geek daughter.  We are so proud.  Big things will happen for her soon enough.  There just simply isn't another option in her mind...or ours.

Messages that reinforce the anti-intellectual image for young women are not welcome here.

I came across this issue by reading John Scalzi's blog "Whatever".  He has a geek daughter, too.  I hope to write more about Mr. Scalzi.  In fact, the way I schedule my posts, you may have read it by now!

*The word "marketeer" was used on purpose.  It is a reference to that special little "wonderland" that many marketers inhabit that causes them to confuse using the word "quality" with actually producing products that actually have high quality, and to confuse my telephone, mailbox, and email inbox with public toilets.

Turn Left In 600 Centimeters!

Via John Scalzi...for similar reasons.