Hush. Daddy's here.

"The Bible never says anything about dinosaurs. You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. Someone actually saw Adam and Eve. No one ever saw a Tyrannosaurus rex."

Fossils = Satan's bag o trickz

Note: this post exists because I - being a n00b bl0gg3rz - can't make links, and the comment section cut off my link.
Alyssa, your entire argument is refuted by the beliefs of the new prophet: Carl Everett.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/cover/news/2000/07/19/everett_flashback/
Picture of the New Lord:
http://imagesource.allposters.com/images/pic/PHO/AAGP113~Carl-Everett-2005-Studio-Plus-Posters.jpg

Freedom of Hurricanes

I was thinking, in between my bouts of obsessive hurricane viewing and trawling conservapedia for gems of 'wisdom'¹, about freedom.

Now we all know that America loves freedom. And we know that nasty people with beards don't love freedom. Neither do people who blow up aeroplanes, or say that global warming is happening, or suggest that science alone be taught in science lessons. Richard Dawkins almost definitely hates freedom, and so does Gillian McKeith².

The problem is this. And don't go expecting me to come up with any kind of argument or conclusion here because I'm just spouting crap to avoid having to go and write my hurricane essay.

Throughout time, there have been a lot of people who were not very intelligent, or easily misguided. The saving grace of the situation was the few such people (village idiots, that kind of thing) whos views were actually dangerous³ tended not to be born very often, and rarely get together to have a big think about the meaning of things. The views of the public and the views of the media moderated each other, with a good help of Government policy, finished with a hint of Patriotic bias. Then along came the internet.

It is a great thing, I believe, that through the internet information has become more readily available. The problem being that it is entirely unmoderated, and anyone can use it as a platform for their views. The climate of misinformation is merely a product of the climate of information freedom, and I for one do not believe it to be something that can be stopped.

I just wish they'd come up with something better than the Hurricane Katrina entry in Conservapedia.

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1. And in one extreme case, typing in "hurricane" to conservapedia to see what came up. Unfortunately, all I got was Katrina. Conservapedia has a little way to go before people actually start to use it as a source for reference in my opinion.
2. Freedom hates Gillian McKeith.
3. Of course, this is entirely subjective. I think someone who thinks relativity has 'nothing to do with physics' is a hopeless, dribbling moron of epic proportions, but they are of little danger to me because if they ever come near me, I'll hit them with an SR textbook. However, if I told them that I do not believe that fossils are put there to fool unbelievers, to them I am the antichrist.

Hurricanes

This is all I think about at the moment. I eat, sleep and dream hurricanes. In all fairness, it's pretty cool.

I've started to quantify everyday things in terms of classification of hurricanes. For example, if something is good then it's a factor 5.

622 days and counting...

OK, I was thinking about this during the last week (trying to avoid the broohaha about Anna Nicole Smith {did you know that CNN had an hour and a half of uninterrupted coverage when they discovered it? As The Daily Show pointed out, that makes it more important than a State of the Union, but less than 9/11}), and I was looking through the list of Presidential Candidates (announced and tipped) and compiled reasons why I won't be voting for them.

Mitt Romney; He's pandering to the Republican base on abortion and gay marriage (and quite possibly stem cell research, but he hasn't flipped his stance on this one, so you never know...). This turns me off. A lot. I don't like panderers. And I won't vote for someone who changes their convictions based on the base. Damn populists.

John Edwards, Hillary Clinton; They're pandering to the base on the war in Iraq. I'm not liking this either. I know that some of you (read all of you) will have a different opinion to the war than me, but I don't like it when people pull their support when it becomes unpopular (unlike Obama, who I respect and admire for opposing the war). Also I don't feel that we should just let a civil war happen and huge Iraqi casualties. An American life is not worth more than an Iraqi one. We just need a new President. And Vice President.

Barack Obama; I just don't like his views on a lot of issues. Like his voting record to make pharmacists supply the morning after pill. Or Catholic doctors perform abortion. I respect him, and think he's Presidential material, but I don't like his policies. Sorry. And it's not like he'd lose Illinois, anyway.

Sam Brownback; As Julian Mansfield put it, the Christian Coalition likes him. I don't. One Evangelical in the White House this century was enough.

Newt Gingrich Ha!

Tom Vilsack; He quit today, just two months after entering, and 11 months before the first caucus (in his own state). Wow, that's fast.

People who I'd consider voting for, conditionally;

John McCain; Stop pandering to the religious right. Stop it, or you lose my vote. And don't authorize torture. DON'T.

Rudy Guiliani; I like your federalist views, especially on gay marriage and abortion. But I don't like your civil rights history. Convince me I'm wrong.

Al Gore; I'm liking you more and more, especially on the environment. Persuade me.

Bill Richardson, Mike Huckabee; I don't know enough about these guys, but what I've heard I like. And they were governors.

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And for you out there who don't get a vote in the election, a nice fact about the biases of America. As far as I can tell, the homosexual and the Atheist are the only two not running for President. But it looks good for me, if I were to run.

I have nothing bad to say about February

With St. Valentine's Day as the only exception (I realize that it is a contentious subject for some people), isn't February a great month? You've got all the perks of winter - snow, pleasantly chilly weather, sliding around on solid ground, and wearing long sleeve shirts under short sleeve shirts - without the brutal cold of January, the hectic Christmas season, the rain of spring, or the foul humidity of summer. And my thesis isn't due for another month and a half. I love you, February.

February brought me something else: The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. When this appeared on the reading list for one of my courses, I cringed in horror - 600 page books about ancient Greece? Does anyone like this besides Trevor the Plutocrat? But after reading the first two books, I realized my mistake. This is a must-read for anyone that enjoys epic, glory-obsessed military/political history. One of Pericles' speeches (intended to rally the Athenians) gave me the elusive non-sexual tingly-feeling - more than 2000 years later. The democratic prewar deliberations on both sides and the events leading up to the ultimate conflict are incredibly interesting.

I'm writing this from a weightroom in a sophomore dormitory - my other job. If I make the horrible mistake of not blasting music when people come in, they immediately turn on the radio. Today was CLASSIC ROCK RADIO, one of my least favorite things. When I was in middle school, I thought that classic rock was great...before I realized that classic rock stations played THE SAME SONGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. NO MORE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN l;aksdjf alw;erja;lksdfjal;skjliawejflkasdjflawerhfiasdjglaksjsgl;waieejtlasngljjsdnfa.

The Reformation was stupid anyhow

One of the things I like about living inthe Old World is the opportunity to chance of seeing archaic language on the front page of my newspapers. Case in point: "schism".

I kind of hope this schism does happen, though mostly because I'm curious. After you've separated from the fundamentalists and Anglo-Catholics from the Church of England, what will be left?

Scrying

In any debate about how internet has affected society from now on, I'm going to use this example.

Google Maps is Wonder On Tap.

Dumb People. And I miss Gumby.

You lucky people (the few of you who actually read this) get this amazing post because my vanity couldn't stand to be pushed off the bottom of the page by any new posts⁰.

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You know what I hate? People. That's right. People. Not any person individually, just as a function of society.

Firstly, as you are probably aware, the most tragic event in the world, with earth-shattering consquences happened! The most amazing actress (Naked Gun 33 ¹/₃, Hudsucker Proxy and Veronica's Closet)¹, the most beautiful playmate, the most interesting person in the world, has left us.

Ok, I can deal with this. Breathe. Breathe deep. The world just seems like it's over. That's what I assume from the news coverage that's been playing on least 2 of the 24 hour news channels since her death (which, to be honest, was untimely, tragic and unfortunate). Stop it people! They're only doing this because you watch it! Stop watching it, and maybe they'll report something good²! Stop watching infotainment!!!

Also, I watched Babel today. And, you know what, it gets a little bit preachy (as with most best picture nominated films), but that doesn't make it less true. What drives me crazy is people's arrogance and pride and stupidity when they interact with others. Just let insults go, people! Don't make a commotion, or start a fight, or start a feud over something that doesn't matter. Just sit down and shut up. I want to say more, but the more I type, the more I get a headache.

Humility. Emotion. Discussion. Politeness. Sense. Intelligence. Thinking. What's wrong with people that they don't willingly foster these "virtues", instead idolizing the Secretive, Stalwart, Proud, Rude, Irrational, Prejudicial ones?

Bad World! Bad! No cookie for you!

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⁰Gumby has nothing to do with this, but I saw a reference to the amazing stretchy thing and remembered the good ol' days of yore.
¹I'm proud of the way I did a third with a superscript and a subscript. One of the many simple things that made me smile today. Mind of a child, me.
²By good, I mean something that changes our lives, like this³, not necessarily something good.
³I really like Specter. He's one of the good Republicans that I'd keep if I had to reappoint the Senate. Him, Collins, Snowe, Graham, McCain. I would have kept DeWine, Chaffee and Allen, but they got booted out. That's a pipe dream...
⁴I know there's not a 4, but why is the number 3 so big? It almost looks like a normal sized number in either super- or subscript. So does 4, for that matter.

Snow joke

Punters everywhere (and I use the generic term for Sun readers as liberally as possible) were outraged today by this news article.

I was also a bit shocked by it. 4ft? Ours was much bigger!

My roommate is watching a Chinese movie with more child abuse/rape than anything I have ever seen. No really.

Another thing: can we have a little picture come up in the bookmarks section? Right now, it's a boring blank page. Google has the big blue G, Overheard in NY has the ear, and Facebook has a little man; I want something too. I want the world. I want the WHOLE WORLD (Veruca Salt = Adolf Hitler?).

On an unrelated note...

I'm really hating the current trend in D-list celebrities for using states of being as continous verbs.

viz: "I'm really loving Big Brother at the moment".

Also, it's infiltrating other levels of society because my brother just told me he's really liking Black Books at the moment. Repent, Limeys¹. The invasion is imminent.

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1. This link is here not because I don't think you know, but because I found it so obnoxious.

The Long Distance Valentine, or "What could possibly say I love you better than a bear clutching a little red heart", or the shameless parody.

I'm sorry, Sufjan. I really am.

Valentine's day is fast approaching, and being in a long-distance relationship I am in a bit of a quandry as to what I should do to celebrate. I've split the different options (and how they would portray me) into a list. I'm currently in 2a), tending towards 1).

1. The realist sends a small-ish card, by second class post. It may have a note inside it saying how they'd love to spend the day together, but can't. In addition, they'll have a long phonecall and tell eachother they love eachother more often than usual.

2. The post-modern ironic smartass is the guy that refuses to send anything because Valentine's Day is commercialist bullshit. Not only this - he insists on telling everyone he meets for a fortnight beforehand that Valentine's presents is commercial bullshit. He may also use words like "hyper-consumerism", "corporate conspiracy" and "the MAN" .
2a). The secure relationship refuses to send anything because there are more ways of saying 'I love you' and there's no need to prove it with tacky tat just for one day of the year.

3. The no-hoper sends an e-card, possibly even an animated one, with the text to the effect of "I luv u!!" either because he forgot to buy one or he genuinely thinks e-cards are a good thing.
The no-hoper is usually single by Feb. 15th unless the act is construed as being so ridiculous that he is in fact mistaken for 2), in which case he gets bonus points for being witty, funny or soooo ironic.

4. The Sentimentalist sends a careful, thoughtful card with perhaps a poem inside that has been composed for the occasion. Phrases like "Roses are red, violets are blue" are avoided at all costs. They may also have flowers delivered, and spend hours on the day looking at photos of the couple together. They will then cry themself to sleep. People like this suck.

5. Anyone who sends a stuffed toy - be it elephant, monkey holding humerous banana or indeed teddy bear with a little red heart - will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.

Holla at da physicists

http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/physicists-find-way-to-see-extra-dimensions-12520.html
Also, how do I make fancy little blue links? I was only visited by the Ghost of Internet Past.

Sima's Folly?

Would anyone like to meet me in Alaska this summer?
http://www.alaska.com/places/parks/kefj/story/4481433p-4460422c.html

I'm pretty bent on going on some kind of a trip. Yes, I realize that no one has any money. But we will be camping - our only expense is getting there. Think of the sea otters, whales, and extremely hungry black bears.

In other news, the Superbowl, America's largest spectacle short of the presidential election, went down today in Miami. While I lived on Regent Street, my only access to football was staying up until 6 am on Sunday nights (for some reason, they aired Sunday night football but not Monday night football; in the US, Monday is the big night), watching disinterested British commentators talk about cricket. My other option was bribing pubs to put the games on (too expensive). Therefore, this year was a glorious return to obsession. The best part about the National Football League is that if you saw ANY player (ok, not kickers) walking down the street, you would immediately think, "This is not a human being - it is a terrifying war machine." With the exception of Sumo Wrestlers (obesity is scary in a different way) and basketball players (when's the last time you saw five 7-foot tall people together at the same time), football players are the most nightmarish men on Earth. And the terrorists.

Harry Potter

This is disturbing. On so many levels. But you know what I find disturbing the most? That you can go and watch Daniel Radcliffe (which, due to my time in Oxford, I was able to spell perfectly, which pleases me to no end) naked and simulating sex scenes, but you can't have pictures of him (technically, that'd be underage photography, so you'd be liable to arrested). What logic is that? You can have sex, but not be photographed? Too many thoughts are clogging up my mind thinking about it.

And, to my surprising pleasure, the final book will be coming out July 21st. That means, when I'm in the UK at the end of July, I can pick up a copy and complete my collection of British versions of Harry Potter. Lucky me!

Actually, the real reason to write this post is so that I could link to this. I still love it.

In the immortal words of Sisqo

Here's another tidbit from the life of a paper boy who, in a few months time, will begin work on yield projections for wind power at domestic scales, thank you.

Britain seems to be almost unique in having newspapers that are sorted by audience to the extent that even someone like me who almost never buys one can still describe their socio-political-economic status by the newspaper they would, theoretically, buy. Personally I'm an Independant reader, though most of my friends are Guardian types. My parents get the local paper.

Obviously, different markets implies a different focus. The Telegraph loves it whenever Gordon Brown wakes up suddenly and someone gets a photo of him looking kind of dopy- I mean, that's front-page material. Similarly, the Mail makes it a point of pride to give you all the facts and figures about exactly how many foreigners are creepin' round your back stair.

Nonetheless, some days the news is so important, so grandiose that it shows up on the sweep of human history. On those days, all you can do is apply the house style and know that you've taken part in the grand story.

Times: Yeah, we can't really ignore this anymore.
Guardian: Climate change worse than we thought.
Independant: Humanity royallyboned.
Express: Taxes suck, especially ones aimed at rich white people.