I’m going to have to remember this word. It’s kind of perfect for all of those out there who dabble in pseudoscience.
perpilocutionist
n. one who expounds on a subject of which he has little knowledge
(via futility closet)
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January 4, 2012
None of my Science Piñatas are Appropriate for Children.
By DAVID NG
(I always thought that this piece would have been great as a pictorial. First published at McSweeney’s)
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1.
Hydrochloric-Acid-Filled Piñatas
Good: Have the sturdy construction required to ensure no unintended leakage of contents.
Bad: Possible severe burning. Brings the party down.
2.
Endangered-Animal Piñatas
Good: Kids love animals. High potential for very cute-looking piñatas, like baby seals, for instance.
Bad: Beating with a stick sort of sends the wrong message.
3.
Particle-Accelerator Piñatas
Good: Built full-scale and often several miles in dimension. Therefore, young children find them easy to hit.
Bad: Each one worth several billion dollars. Parents generally not keen on damaging them.
4.
Smallpox (Variola major) Piñatas
Good: Cool virus shape.
Bad: Highly contagious and high mortality rate. Would also bring party down—as well as everyone else within a 100-mile radius.
5.
Infinity-Symbol Piñatas
Good: Possibly a way to address the often reported decline of mathematics education.
Bad: Thinking about infinity makes my head hurt. Now imagine having to explain it to a child over and over again.
6.
Piñatas in the Shape of the USA and Filled
With the Greenhouse Gas Carbon Dioxide
Good: Sort of works as a metaphor for the United States’ role in the global-warming crisis.
Bad: Unfortunately, the irony would be totally wasted on a 5-year-old.
January 4, 2012
Happy New Year and sorry for the radio silence these past few weeks. Usual “Moves” now in progress. #song4mixtape
This was a strange (and sad) Christmas break, but still looking forward to what 2012 will bring. For now, this song should work as a good pick me up.
December 15, 2011
This Y Chromosome was published in Science so it MUST be real.
This figure was published a while back in Science, so it must be real.
(Jane Gitschier, University of California, San Francisco. Science, 1990)
December 15, 2011
Cummingtonite. #geology #chemistry #notwhatyoumightthinkitis
Yup. I did a double take too. Here is the wiki entry for this mineral.
December 15, 2011
God, seriously. Stop with the triangle jokes.
Via somuchpun.com.
December 12, 2011
How a statistician views the world.
From the always great Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
December 12, 2011
Rosalind Franklin in comic form: pretty much perfectly describes the scientific facepalm
“The trouble with reading about a given woman’s history who was born before your mom is that sometimes, they were hilarious, powerful, tough, loud, et cetera et cetera all good comic making material! But then sometimes, man, the main thing about them is that they just got screwed, big time. I think when I read about Rosalind Franklin, or Mary Anning, or whoever, of just how shitty stealing someone else’s ideas really is. If I opened a newspaper and saw my comic in it signed by some random dude who was getting paid for it, I’d lose my cool! Dear readers, I would have an undignified tantrum. Wouldn’t you?” Kate Beaton
By the awesome Kate Beaton.
December 12, 2011
The Newton Digital Library: His “Waste Book.”
I love the back story to this:
“Much of Newton’s important work on calculus is developed in this large notebook, which he began using in 1664 when he was away from Cambridge due to the plague. Newton inherited the book from his stepfather, Rev Barnabas Smith, who used it from about 1612 to record his own theological notes (see, for example, his notes on adultery, in Latin). Newton was not interested in his stepfather’s jottings: its value to him was the large number of blank pages, which he began filling with his mathematical and optical calculations. Although the bulk of his work in this manuscript dates from the mid-1660s, Newton continued to use into the 1680s and possibly even the 1690s.” (link)
More of Newton’s papers at the Cambridge Digital Library
December 10, 2011
The “My Five Favourite Christmas Songs” Meme. #5songxmasmix
It’s time to finally start thinking about being Christmas-y!
And of course, a big part of that involves firing up the old christmas tune mixes. Of course, herein lies the challenge: there’s so much holiday music out there, that it can get a little overwhelming at times, which is why I thought a meme of some sort might be in order. Hopefully, we can revisit some old favourites, or maybe just as important, discover some new gems (or at least new to the reader).
Anyway, without further ado, here are my top five (in no particular order):
1. Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Louis Jordon and Ella Fitzgerald.
In general, I’m a sucker for the oldies and this song in particular is one of my favourites. There’s quite a few versions of this song out there (perhaps of recent note is the one you hear in the movie “Elf” by Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel), but this one with Louis Jordon and Ella Fitzgerald is as close to perfection as you can get. Probably doesn’t hurt that Hannah, my daughter, and I also do a mean version of this song (that is when I don’t screw up the piano bit).
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2. O Tannenbaum – Vince Guaraldi Trio.
Do I really have to defend why I chose this song? I mean… it is the (almost) devine trifecta of a traditional carol, translated with the piano sensibilities of the almighty Vince Guaraldi, and with that warm fuzzy spiritual feeling you get when you watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” As close to miraculous as you can get in my opinion.
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3. Fairytale Of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty McColl
Too often, Christmas songs are said to have too little heart. Sure, they can make you feel Christmasy, but there’s something to be said for a song that can make you feel Christmasy as well as a little something more real. Chalk it up to the Pogues (with the always slurring Shane MacGowan) and Kristy McColl to do yuletide with a sad narrative and a bit of edge (I mean who else can get away with the many harsh words in the song?) And what about that brilliant swell of a melody?
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4. Winter Wonderland – Ray Charles
I happen to be one of those people who think that Ray Charles could of done anything, and it would still sound better than 99.999% of everything else out there. I was lucky enough to catch him live in concert, and even though he was pushing 70, it was incredible. My favourite part was actually where, all of sudden, in the middle of a song, someone handed him a saxophone, and he got up and just started wailing on that thing. Very cool – but not as cool as this song.
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5. Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid
I’m going to guess that I might get a little flack for choosing this song. It’s not quite as stately as the other ones I’ve chosen, but hey, I grew up in the 80’s and what can I say? To be honest, I still get tingles when I hear Sting sing the part where he says the word “sting” (I use to be a huge Police fan). Plus, look at the hair! Bonus points if you can identify everyone.
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Anyway, there you have it: my top 5. I’m sure I’ve missed many others in my rush to get this post out, but if you’ve got a top 5 of your own, I would love to read about it.
December 9, 2011
Is it really so difficult to believe we came out from the sea millions and millions of years ago?
“With all the recent, fiery controversy between evolution, creationism, intelligent design, science, religion, the political left, right, etc., I thought it might be provocative to throw my visual two-cents into the ring. The images beg the question, is it really so difficult to believe we came out from the sea millions and millions of years ago?”
By Ted Sabarese, via behance.net.
December 8, 2011
BBC’s David Attenborough does a lovely rendition of “What a Wonderful World.” #inspiring #mustsee
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This video is amazing… Come on people, do the right thing…
December 8, 2011
Caused by glaciers, earthquake, wind dynamics, pooling rain water, or very very busy gophers?
This mystery might be cool to use in a class about hypotheses generation.
(Click on image for full size).
Specifically: “Mima mounds ( /ˈmaɪmə/) is a term used for low, flattened, circular to oval, domelike, natural mounds found in the northwestern United States, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, that are composed of loose, unstratified, often gravelly sediment that is an overthickened A Horizon. These mounds range in diameter from 3 to more than 50 m; in height 30 cm to greater than 2 m; and in density from several to greater than 50 mounds per hectare. Within the northwestern United States, they are typically part of what is commonly known as hog-wallow landscape.” (wiki)
See all the hypotheses here. (Admittedly, I’m partial to the thought of busy gophers moving tons and tons of soil!)
December 8, 2011
Nothing exists except for atoms and space: Everything else is opinion.
Cool poster design using quote from Democritus (Greek philosopher, 460-370bc)
By Ger Heffernan, via typographyserved.com.
December 7, 2011
If Disney had made Jaws. #awesome #funny (via @DrMRFrancis)
Shark Song by Whitehouse Content, via @DrMRFrancis.
popperfont.net 