April 2005 Archives
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April 30, 2005
Amazing - I'm a Little Bit Republican
I am:2%Republican."You're a complete liberal, utterly without a trace of Republicanism. Your strength is as the strength of ten because your heart is pure. (You hope.)"Are You A Republican? And how Republican are you? Give it a try. Via feministe...Read all of "Amazing - I'm a Little Bit Republican"
Posted by Duane Smith at 6:55 PM
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Rethinking Ward Churchill
Some time ago, I did a couple of posts on Ward Churchill. In one I report approvingly on an open letter to Churchill from a brother of someone killed in the destruction of the World Trade Center and in the...Read all of "Rethinking Ward Churchill"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:27 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 29, 2005
John Bolton, Neocon Action Hero
I haven't written about the current nominee for US Ambassador to the United Nations. I guess I thought it was a bad dream and I would wake up. Well, after hearing the President last night I have awakened. Here's want...Read all of "John Bolton, Neocon Action Hero"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:13 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
On the Means-test Proposal
Professor Bainbridge has a very likely take on President Bush's new means-test proposal for Social Security. If I'm right, the nice thing about Bush's plan is that it forces the Dems to make a tough choice: Do they publicly disavow...Read all of "On the Means-test Proposal"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:49 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
A Note on Marketing Science
Matthew Nisbet writes a useful article for the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal web site, "The Multiple Meanings of Public Understanding: Why Definitions Matter to the Communication of Science." I'll have more to say on...Read all of "A Note on Marketing Science"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:30 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 28, 2005
A Marketing Plan for Biology: Part 2 - the Market
If you want to read Part 1, follow this link. Before any marketing plan can be development, a little market research is in order. We need to know what we are up against and what are reasonable marketing goals. Normally...Read all of "A Marketing Plan for Biology: Part 2 - the Market"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:58 PM
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April 27, 2005
Intelligent Design Creationism Shows Off Its Marketing Skills Again
Afarensis and PZ Myers at Pharyngula explain the lack of science in Mark Hartwig's deeply flawed Op Ed piece, "Science by Design," in the York Daily Record. I want to look at Hartwig's piece from my own perspective: marketing. Let's...Read all of "Intelligent Design Creationism Shows Off Its Marketing Skills Again"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:51 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 26, 2005
Banned Books in Alabama? Not Yet
What do these authors have in common? Tennessee Williams Truman Capote Gore Vidal Alice Walker They were/are gay or they portrayed guy characters in their books and Republican Alabama State Representative Gerald Allen does not like that. This may be...Read all of "Banned Books in Alabama? Not Yet"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:33 PM
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April 25, 2005
A Marketing Plan for Biology: Part 1
For sometime, I've been thinking about what I would do if I awoke one morning to find out I was the Vice President of Marketing for biology. This is more of a nightmare than a sweet dream. Not only is...Read all of "A Marketing Plan for Biology: Part 1"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:38 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 24, 2005
What Does RLAN in the 5 GHz Band Have to do with Supporting Kerry?
I don't know. See if you can figure it out. Go read Kevin Drum at Political Animal. He refers to an article from Time Online Edition that begins, The Inter-American Telecommunication Commission meets three times a year in various cities...Read all of "What Does RLAN in the 5 GHz Band Have to do with Supporting Kerry?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:06 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 23, 2005
More on the Ancient Egyptian Ship
Last month I reported on the remains of an ancient Egyptian Ship that was found in caves by the Red Sea. A new article in the EurekAlert gives additional details of the discovery and the finds. Even more details will...Read all of "More on the Ancient Egyptian Ship"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:45 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 22, 2005
Quote of the Earth Day
"This is bulls-t." Reportedly said by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) with regard to President Bush’s plan to spend $2 billion developing hydrogen-fueled cars. Think Progressive has useful comments on the quote and hydrogen-fueled cars. A CNN reporter overheard the remark...Read all of "Quote of the Earth Day"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:24 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
On Damning Your Protector
The Los Angeles Times reports on want was said at a conference of evangelicals aimed at "reining in the courts." Here are a few samples from the article: An audio recording obtained by the Los Angeles Times features two of...Read all of "On Damning Your Protector"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:08 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 21, 2005
Threat of Legal Action Based on Errors in Biology and Law
Ed Brayton of Dispatches from the Cultural Wars calls our attention to the threat of a lawsuit against the Gull Lake Community Schools in Richland, Michigan. The suit is being threated by the Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) of Dover...Read all of "Threat of Legal Action Based on Errors in Biology and Law"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:04 PM
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April 20, 2005
Leveraging the New Pope to Advance Intelligent Design Creationism
Those you who read these rambles regularly know that I think PZ Myers at Pharyngula has about the best blog on the web. However, I think he may have gone a little beyond the evidence today. He has a very...Read all of "Leveraging the New Pope to Advance Intelligent Design Creationism"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:24 PM | TrackBack (1) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 19, 2005
Our Lady of the Underpass
Associated Press reports, A steady stream of the faithful and the curious, many carrying flowers and candles, have flocked to an expressway underpass for a view of a yellow and white stain on a concrete wall that some believe is...Read all of "Our Lady of the Underpass"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:38 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
Pope Benedict XVI
By now, everyone knows that Roman Catholic Christianity has a new leader. The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, leader of the Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was elected Pope today. He has taken...Read all of "Pope Benedict XVI"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:55 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 18, 2005
The Problem with Ballot Initiatives
After spelling out several serious problems with the ballot initiative called the California Live Within Our Means Act, sponsored Governor Schwarzenegger, today's Los Angeles Times lead editorial makes this observation. Little of this is likely to be debated rationally or...Read all of "The Problem with Ballot Initiatives"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:05 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 17, 2005
More Oxyrhynchus Papyri Read
Bartholomew's notes on religion reports exciting news for classical studies and possibly biblical studies also. Using multi-spectral imaging techniques Oxford University scholars have been able to read additional fragments from the vast and largely unread Oxyrhynchus Papyri. The Independent from...Read all of "More Oxyrhynchus Papyri Read"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:29 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 16, 2005
When is a Combination of 1.86% and 0.26% Better than 1.8%?
When President Bush says it is. The Los Angeles Times reports on Bush's "60 stops in 60 days" visit to Kirtland, Ohio, to pitch his yet to be defined plans for "saving" social security. Ohio has several optional investment oriented...Read all of "When is a Combination of 1.86% and 0.26% Better than 1.8%?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:39 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
The Trade Deficit: The Good, the Bad, the Confusing
Off and on over the last few months, my good friend Bill Mann and I have discussed the balance of trade. Neither one of us knows much about it. Nor are we particularly well trained or experienced to have very...Read all of "The Trade Deficit: The Good, the Bad, the Confusing"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:18 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 15, 2005
A Two Edged Sword for Women in Math and Science
Today the New York Times published an article by Sara Rimer entitled, For Women in Sciences, Slow Progress in Academia. The article quotes Michigan Professor of Mathematics Hochster: "I vastly underestimated the problem," Professor Hochster said."People tend to think that...Read all of "A Two Edged Sword for Women in Math and Science"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:01 PM
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April 14, 2005
Am I Missing Something? Over 10K Arrests for Publicity?
I read that the US Marshal's office has captured 10340 fugitives of which 1459 seem to be extremely dangerous people. 162 accused or convicted of murder 638 wanted for armed robbery 553 wanted for rape or sexual assault 106 unregistered...Read all of "Am I Missing Something? Over 10K Arrests for Publicity?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:12 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 13, 2005
A Short Lexicon of the Neo-con Language
I've been informally collecting code phrases and non-standard usages of the more extreme political right and the religious right for a while. This seems like as good a time as any to provide a short lexicon for those who may...Read all of "A Short Lexicon of the Neo-con Language"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:12 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
A Minor Milestone
Some time over night, the Site Meter counter near the bottom of the side bar on the right passed 1000 hits. That means that there have been over 1000 hits at Abnormal Interests since February 22 of this year. Over...Read all of "A Minor Milestone"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:12 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 12, 2005
Did Mark Twain Use Pot or Hash?
Just as the "reliability of the Bible" brouhaha on the Mark Twain Forum cooled down a new issue has began. This one is a little more scholarly than the last one. The question is, "Did Mark Twain ever use pot...Read all of "Did Mark Twain Use Pot or Hash?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:47 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 11, 2005
Attacking Relativity - Part of Marketing ID Creationism
Over the last few days, I've been watching the discussion of Jay Richards ' post at "Intelligent Design the Future" about Einstein and the theory of relativity. You can read about it here and here and here and here. Richards...Read all of "Attacking Relativity - Part of Marketing ID Creationism"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:26 PM | TrackBack (1) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 10, 2005
PZ Myer's Sunday Sermon, a Must Read
PZ Myers tells a story of life, of lives, of history, and of respect for life, lives and history. Go over to Pharyngula and shed a little tear for those who don't really get it. Or just shed a tear. Great stuff.Read all of "PZ Myer's Sunday Sermon, a Must Read"
Posted by Duane Smith at 6:31 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 9, 2005
Was James Too Poor for His Bones to Have Been in the "James Ossuary"?
I just received my Spring issue of the Journal of Biblical Literature and found a paper by Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill entitled Ossuaries and the Burial of Jesus and James. Sorry, this one...Read all of "Was James Too Poor for His Bones to Have Been in the "James Ossuary"?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:46 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 8, 2005
An Issue for the First Lady, Indeed
About a month ago, I wrote a post on the value and fate of local public libraries. The New York Times has finally caught up with me on this issue. In an editorial in this morning's paper, they say: The...Read all of "An Issue for the First Lady, Indeed"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:17 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 7, 2005
Shepherds and Sheep Dung
Steven A. Rosen and six co-authors have published Dung in the Desert: Preliminary Results of the Negev Holocene Ecology Project in the most recent issue of the journal Current Anthropology. Catchy title, but the subtitle needs a little work. The...Read all of "Shepherds and Sheep Dung"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:38 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 6, 2005
When is it a lie? Bush on Social Security Again
Buried inside the front section of today's Los Angeles Times is an article entitled President Casts Doubt on Trust Fund by Times staff writers, Warren Vieth, and Richard Simon. They report on remarks, concerning the Social Security Trust Fund, made by President Bush at West Virginia University at Parkersburg.Read all of "When is it a lie? Bush on Social Security Again"
Posted by Duane Smith at 4:20 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 5, 2005
Goodbye Saul Bellow
Saul Bellow died today. For the few that do not know of him, he was among the finest American writers of this or any generation; the 1976 Nobel laureate in literature, winner of a Pulitzer Prize, winner of three National...Read all of "Goodbye Saul Bellow"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:26 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
Liberals in the University
There has been much talk about recent studies of the relative rations of "liberals" to "conservatives" as university professors. Paul Krugman of the New York Times seems to have found the target on this issue. One answer is self-selection -...Read all of "Liberals in the University"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:10 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 4, 2005
Further Attacks on the Supreme Court
In the last week, I've had more on law and the judiciary than normal. However, I must approach the subject again. Today I was reminded of Senate Bill 520 and House Bill 1070 (I quote from the Senate version below)...Read all of "Further Attacks on the Supreme Court"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:52 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 3, 2005
Pope John Paul II
I want to express my most sincere condolences to all those who mourn the death of Pope John Paul II. While I do not share many of John Paul II's believes, I deep have understanding and empathy for many of...Read all of "Pope John Paul II"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:21 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 2, 2005
There Ought Not to be a Law
Call, write, or email your Senator and tell them to delete section 108 of S536 (Native American Omnibus Act of 2005).Read all of "There Ought Not to be a Law"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:00 PM | TrackBack (2) | Abnormal Archive Link |
Congratulations to Professor Jay D. Atlas
Pomona College has been holding a two day "JayFest" on the occasion of Jay David Atlas' 60th birthday. While I have been unable to attend the formal sessions yesterday or today, Shirley and I do plan to attend this evening's...Read all of "Congratulations to Professor Jay D. Atlas"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:12 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |
April 1, 2005
April 1, A Dangerous Day to Post
I was thinking of writing on one of the following topics today. Dead Sea Scroll Scholars Find First Century MSS of the Revelation of John Written in English Michael Shermer Advocates Teaching the Controversy Discovery Institute Drops Wedge Strategy as...Read all of "April 1, A Dangerous Day to Post"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:39 AM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |