Cool Links

Chris Evans As Captain America

Chris Evans As Captain America

Sep 28 2010 | comment(s)

Men, if you didn't already hate Chris Evans for his incredible physique and spot-on performance as the Human Torch in "Fantastic Four", see how he looks in "Captain America", which requires him to be a little bigger.

Well, he is bigger, but still looks limber enough to mix it up the way Captain America does.  

Is it a big role?  Sure.  "Thor" can be a flop and it won't impact "The Avengers" movie, just like "Hulk", but without a good Cap, there is little chance "Avengers" can work.
'Evidence-based politics' blogger criticizes science news sites

'Evidence-based politics' blogger criticizes science news sites

Sep 27 2010 | comment(s)

Martin Robbins either has never read the Guardian's science news - or he hates his employer.    In This is a news website article about a scientific paper he itemizes the cliche structure of science journalism but, since his bio lists him as "a Berkshire-based researcher and science writer" who "edits The Lay Scientist, a community blog about science, pseudoscience and evidence-based politics"(! what the hell is that?!) he is likely not a journalist and may not know that all journalism is structured in a fairly cliche way.
Segway company owner drives one off a cliff - not all publicity is good publicity

Segway company owner drives one off a cliff - not all publicity is good publicity

Sep 27 2010 | comment(s)

You've heard that classic public relations person rationalization that all publicity is good publicity.  I don't think so.   UN peacekeepers from Denmark trading food to kids for sex didn't do wonders for the credibility of peacekeeping operations by the European military, for example, and the owner of the Segway company driving one off a cliff won't do much for lifting restrictions that keep them off of sidewalks and bike lanes.   And instead on the private estates of kooks.
Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Fails - Republicans Blamed

Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Fails - Republicans Blamed

Sep 26 2010 | comment(s)

Maybe I am confused, but when you have a bulletproof Congressional majority, the kind Republicans have never had, you should be able to get things done - that's what 60 Senators mean.   But they squandered it on nonsense few wanted, and that will help far less than 10 million people, and now the blame falls solely on Republicans because the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy instituted by Clinton hasn't been repealed.
3 things to look for when choosing co-founders

3 things to look for when choosing co-founders

Sep 26 2010 | comment(s)

You didn't know this, but Science 2.0 as originally planned was going to be three people and almost was - a programmer, a graphics person and then a business guy.     But it didn't work out that way, for reasons that may seem obvious;  namely that 90% of people claim they would have joined Google for free when it had no revenue and 30 venture capitalists told them search engines were a dead area.    Yet 98% of those people wouldn't - they think they want to work in 'start ups' but they think that means making more than they make now and having no boss.   I live in an Intel town and the list of people I have met who claim they want to work at a company or start one is long.  They're mostly lying to themselves.
Katy Perry And Elmo - The Sesame Street Video Too Hot For TV!

Katy Perry And Elmo - The Sesame Street Video Too Hot For TV!

Sep 24 2010 | comment(s)

Katy Perry did a duet with Sesame Street character Elmo but you won't get to see it on television.   Too much cleavage, determined the folks at Sesame Workshop.   

Obviously, a company selling programming that cares about kids outside keeping them glued to television screens is refreshing and bordering on the miraculous, so kudos to them for that.   
What if you put your hand in the Large Hadron Collider?

What if you put your hand in the Large Hadron Collider?

Sep 22 2010 | comment(s)

What if you put your hand in the Large Hadron Collider?  It isn't the craziest question in the world, since birds are dropping bread in various parts and breaking things.   But the University of Nottingham, and their Sixty Symbols project, is on the case.  Sort of.  Turns out that even for LHC experts, the effects on human skin of 300,000,000,000,000 protons moving near the speed of light is unclear.
SciCafe at the American Museum of Natural History October 6th

SciCafe at the American Museum of Natural History October 6th

Sep 20 2010 | comment(s)

Are you a New York City Science 2.0 readers?    If so, join American Museum of Natural History Curator Mike Shara of the Department of Astrophysics as he jumps 50 years into the future to a world where suborbital tourism is a popular holiday option, a research colony exists on the Moon, we’ve surveyed and possibly even docked with an asteroid, and ships have landed on the moons of Mars in preparation for an actual Mars landing, to list just a few exciting and attainable targets.
World's Worst Hurricane Advice: 10 Dumbest Ways to Get Yourself Killed

World's Worst Hurricane Advice: 10 Dumbest Ways to Get Yourself Killed

Sep 20 2010 | comment(s)

In Newfoundland waiting for Hurrican Igor and need some quick hurricane self-defense?  

Go here for wise hurricane tips like (5) don't turn on the propane grill to cook because the electricity went out.   Or (7), take shelter in that mobile home nearby.
Thomas Friedman wishes America was more like communist dictatorships

Thomas Friedman wishes America was more like communist dictatorships

Sep 19 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

Sep 19 2010 | comment(s)

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

Does atheism poison everything? - Washington Times

Sep 19 2010 | comment(s)

Excerpt from Washington Times:

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


Women in chemistry blogging

Women in chemistry blogging

Sep 18 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

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

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

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

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

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

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

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

3OH!3: Cool choreography and no CGI needed

Sep 17 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

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

Out

Sep 16 2010 | comment(s)

Nature Network's Lee Turnpenny on leaving research:

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


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

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

Sep 16 2010 | comment(s)

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

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

Deep fried beer

Sep 16 2010 | comment(s)

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

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