February 2005 Archives
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February 28, 2005
The LA Mayoral Race and More Half Truths
Two weeks ago I wrote "Truth and Half Truth in Campaigning" about lies and near lies in and around the race for mayor of Los Angeles. Last night I saw, for the first time, a new TV campaign ad for...Read all of "The LA Mayoral Race and More Half Truths"
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February 25, 2005
Extreme Questions
This is a little belated, but last Sunday afternoon, Shirley and I went to Cal Tech to hear Dr. Michio Kaku speak to the monthly meeting of the Skeptics Society. Kaku gave a very lively talk on the points covered...Read all of "Extreme Questions"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:02 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
February 24, 2005
The Intrinsic-Aptitude Hypothesis vs. Old Fashioned Prejudices
Sean Carroll at Preposterous Universe has two great posts from yesterday that are well worth reading and pondering: "When do women leave physics?" and "The Scientific Method." They both address the question of social forces working to determine the percentage...Read all of "The Intrinsic-Aptitude Hypothesis vs. Old Fashioned Prejudices"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:03 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
February 23, 2005
No Unscripted Town Hall Meeting in Germany
The following is the opening paragraph in an article in Spiegel on Line, During his trip to Germany on Wednesday, the main highlight of George W. Bush's trip was meant to be a "town hall"-style meeting with average Germans. But...Read all of "No Unscripted Town Hall Meeting in Germany"
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February 22, 2005
And No One Laughed
I quote from the Washington Post but you can read it anywhere, "This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous," Bush said. "And having said that, all options are on the table." President...Read all of "And No One Laughed"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:42 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
Hillary Clinton vs. Condoleezza Rice in 2008?
A recent poll, reported in today's New Your Daily News, says 81% of the electorate would vote for a women president. The poll, conducted by the Siena College Research Institute and sponsored by the Hearst Newspapers, found that 81 percent...Read all of "Hillary Clinton vs. Condoleezza Rice in 2008?"
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February 21, 2005
Is the James Ossuary a Forgery? Does it Matter?
Archaeologica's News Page led me to an article in today's Washington Post on the so called James Ossuary. The recent forgery indictments by Israel against Oden Golan, the owner of the burial box, and others and the most recent publication...Read all of "Is the James Ossuary a Forgery? Does it Matter?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:04 PM
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February 20, 2005
Scientists Discover Frauds by Professor Reiner Protsch von Zieten
The main lesson of the news of these frauds is not that Professor Protsch perpetrated frauds or that he tried to sell his university's chimpanzee skull collection (likely to feed his own lavish lifestyle) or that Neanderthals may not have...Read all of "Scientists Discover Frauds by Professor Reiner Protsch von Zieten"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:14 AM
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February 19, 2005
Truth and Half Truth in Campaigning
The campaign for Mayor of the City of Los Angeles is on and weird things are following it. I don't live in Los Angeles but it is by far the largest nearby city. For that reason, I have an interest...Read all of "Truth and Half Truth in Campaigning"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:51 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
A Book in Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush
I found the suggestion below at Pharyugula and traced it back through the following string of links: ProfGrrrr! to The Chronicles of Dr. Crazy to Feministe to Feministblogs to PSoTD to Reed Turttle and finally back to Feministe again! I...Read all of "A Book in Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:11 AM
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February 18, 2005
On Ward Churchill
I have not written about Ward Churchill, the University of Colorado professor who compared the victims of 9/11 to little Eichmanns. I have been unable to formulate my view in exactly the correct way. Not surprisingly, someone else did it...Read all of "On Ward Churchill"
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February 17, 2005
John Negroponte - National Intelligence Director Nominee
John Negroponte is a career diplomat who now serves as Ambassador to Iraq. He was previously US Ambassador to the United Nations at a time when our government was deemphasizing the UN. Before that, he served as Ambassador to Honduras...Read all of "John Negroponte - National Intelligence Director Nominee"
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February 16, 2005
Gas Too High?
My old high school friend, George Thompson, sent me the information listed below. Like me, George does not feel that the cost of gas is that far out of line. After you read through the material below, you will likely...Posted by Duane Smith at 3:24 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
Just How Old Are We?
Nature reports that Ian McDougall, John Fleagle and others have rethought the date of the skull known as, Omo II. John Leakey found this skull in Ethiopia and dated to about 130,000 BP (before the present). McDougall and team now...Read all of "Just How Old Are We?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:19 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
February 15, 2005
No Neanderthal in Our Blood, But Did Our Ancestors Try?
John Noble Wilford has an enjoyable article in the New York Times on a very simple question. Did Neanderthals and Homo sapiens mate? There was an symposium on Neanderthals at New York University. Some of the big names in the...Read all of "No Neanderthal in Our Blood, But Did Our Ancestors Try?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:47 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
Torture of Men and the Law
The LA Times has a report on the government's efforts to prevent former American pilots, who were captured during the first Iraq war and tortured at Abu Ghraib, from receiving reparations. No irony there. It seems that a federal judge...Read all of "Torture of Men and the Law"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:53 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
February 14, 2005
What, me worry? Star Wars Fails Again and Again.
Well, here we go again! To no ones real surprise, "missile shield test fizzles out", to use the headline from MSNBC. The interceptor missile didn't launch. At least they were able to launch the target missile, that's the one that...Read all of "What, me worry? Star Wars Fails Again and Again."
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February 12, 2005
Stem Cell Research - Throw in a Theologian
The Washington Post has an article on the implementation of California's Stem Cell Research Initiative, Proposition 71. There have been some bumps in the road, but the most interesting bump has had to do with ethics or something that passes...Read all of "Stem Cell Research - Throw in a Theologian"
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A Strange Lawsuit - Cadwell vs. the Roseville School District
Joe McFaul, at Law Evolution Science and Junk Science, has an interesting report and analysis of a lawsuit filed by Larry Caldwell of Roseville California against the Roseville Joint Union High School District. Without getting into the gory details which...Read all of "A Strange Lawsuit - Cadwell vs. the Roseville School District"
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February 11, 2005
Be Careful Not to Say Too Much
Ed Brayton at Dispatches from the Cultural Wars has been carrying on a dialog with one Christopher L. Colegrove. In comments about Ed Brayton's latest thumping of the Worldnutdaily (aka. The World Net Daily), Mr. Colegrove has argued that the...Read all of "Be Careful Not to Say Too Much"
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February 10, 2005
Listen Up - There may be Convergent Evolution in the Ear.
News@Nature reports that the structure of the bones in the middle ear represent a newly discovered case of convergent evolution. There are many examples of convergent evolution know. For example, several different evolutionary paths have been followed that resulted in...Read all of "Listen Up - There may be Convergent Evolution in the Ear."
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February 9, 2005
The Drug Benefit - It was a little bit more than we figured
The following quotation is from a rather obscure story I found on the web. He smiled back. "I guess now is not a good time to tell you about the docking fee.." "The docking fee?" "Yeah, Lily said it was...Read all of "The Drug Benefit - It was a little bit more than we figured"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:24 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
February 8, 2005
An Investment Analyst on Privatizing Social Security
In a "Message to Members" Eric M. Kobren, Editor of Eric' Kobren's Fidelity Insight, cautions against privatizing Social Security. He makes the following observation; Most people lack the long-term investment discipline that’s needed to withstand market cycles that can devastate...Read all of "An Investment Analyst on Privatizing Social Security"
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February 7, 2005
Branding Intelligent Design Creationism
Michael Behe's op-ed piece in today's New York Times was completely discredited by Nick Matzke at Panda's Thumb and PZ Myers at Pharyngula. There is little that a amateur like me can add. I do think it is fun to...Read all of "Branding Intelligent Design Creationism"
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February 6, 2005
Thoughts on Homo floresiensis
Jim Foley at Fossil Hominids has an update on the hominid finds discovered in Liang Bua cave on Flores Island in Indonesia. Homo floresiensis, represented by a large portion of a single individual skeleton including a skull and fragments from...Read all of "Thoughts on Homo floresiensis"
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February 5, 2005
Why "Syro-Palestinian" and not "Biblical" Archaeology?
Why do I call the branch of archeology that most interest me "Syro-Palestinian archaeology" rather than "Biblical archaeology" on my About Me page? The short answer is, "Bill Dever, the Director of the Gezer excavation during my first two years...Read all of "Why "Syro-Palestinian" and not "Biblical" Archaeology?"
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February 4, 2005
Goodbye Ernst Mayr
Harvard's Web Site has a eulogy by Steve Bradt to Ernst Mayr who died yesterday at the age of 100. Ernst Mayr, the Harvard University evolutionary biologist who has been called "the Darwin of the 20th century," died yesterday morning...Read all of "Goodbye Ernst Mayr"
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The Oldest Alphabets
For my first note on Ugarit I wanted to write something very positive about this important Syrian archeological site. In preparation for that I decided to check out a few web sites and see what they had to offer and perhaps add them to my Blog list. For example, Wikipedia, though not a blog, has a fairly good article on Ugarit and its history. The same is true of the Institute For Ancient East Mediterranean Studies' Web Site and the Web Site of Ugarit-Forschungsstelle (be ready to read German). While there are Blogs like mine that mention Ugarit, I was unable to find a single one that was dedicated to Ugarit. If anyone knows of one, please tell me about it.Read all of "The Oldest Alphabets"
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February 3, 2005
Private Social Security Accounts
Michael Kinsley has written a compelling logical argument that Private Social Security Accounts will not work period. Check it out in the LA Times (Registration may be required). As he says, Discussion is pointless. By the way, if we want...Read all of "Private Social Security Accounts"
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February 2, 2005
The State of the Union - Want of it can be trusted?
This evening George W. Bush delivered one of his most polished speeches. It was articulate and energetic. As usual in State of the Union addresses, this speech contained much hyperbola and cheer leading but there was also considerable substance. But...Read all of "The State of the Union - Want of it can be trusted?"
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