tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62253232011-07-08T05:16:46.933-06:00mousey musingsJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comBlogger4731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-36472318079615408052009-09-25T02:28:00.005-06:002011-07-06T00:38:15.352-06:00Missing friendsThis is a publicly searchable index of friends I've lost contact with over the years. Perhaps one of them will remember Jeff Dixon or Jeffrey Dixon and do a search, or perhaps a Google of themselves will bring them here. I am on Facebook and I'd love to hear from:
Primary school
Barbara the kid next door at PMQ 145 at Bagotville late 1970s
Partrick Ryal Ray, my best friend at the same time
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-51481593740272569082008-11-21T04:49:00.000-06:002008-11-21T04:49:32.384-06:00Challenged ballots: You be the judgeThis is what challenges look like. Some of them are silly, but many are legitimate. How do you determine a voter's intent? This interactive exercise lets you judge contested ballots in the Minnesota Senate race. I wish I had a tool like this back in October, when I was teaching Elections.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-66436480988320177182008-10-07T01:13:00.000-06:002008-10-07T01:13:35.476-06:00Don't Drown Your FoodMy favorite PSA from when I was a kid -- next to Schoolhouse Rock, of course.
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-81645452841548284422008-09-23T14:20:00.000-06:002008-09-23T14:20:32.726-06:00How can anyone live like this? (pics)This is disgusting, even by my slovenly standards. Oddly, I found myself hungry for Whataburger after seeing the last picture.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-84565803465567560392008-08-28T23:51:00.010-06:002008-08-29T00:19:05.915-06:00Meme of the Moment -- Omnivore's 1001) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-67536731129784865582008-08-17T03:17:00.000-06:002008-08-17T03:18:20.474-06:00Being PoorBeing Poor is a useful reminder of class privilege. It's also depressing as hell, but then again so is poverty.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-91136468222934248662008-08-15T03:24:00.002-06:002008-08-15T04:32:52.863-06:00XKCD Takes on DieboldI've grown to love this comic.
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-78770090876414644812008-08-15T03:24:00.000-06:002008-08-15T03:25:25.355-06:00Race and Passion in College DebateAt the 2008 CEDA National Tournament, Bill Shanahan's teams struck a judge because she had previously given them low speaker points. Well, apparently judge and coach Shanara Reid-Brinkley took it personally and politically as an attack on African-American women in general. In a quarterfinal round at the tournament, the team debating against Fort Hays used the strike as evidence that their Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-50295636767012706002008-08-07T23:34:00.002-06:002008-08-15T04:34:23.114-06:00Cute comic about how life really worksThings They Don't Tell You (But Should) is a webcomic that reveals the horrible truths of life with other people (example: "tall people only date other tall people, so if you turn out to be short, don't bother looking up").Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-7651897960281362042008-08-07T23:34:00.000-06:002008-08-07T23:36:33.454-06:0020 things I’ve stolenWhat is theft? I view it as depriving someone of a thing which is rightfully theirs. I do not, however, believe that creating something gives one a right to compensation when someone else copies the creation. The alternative is the idea that everytime someone generates something of value, he or she is entitled to be compensated by those who would enjoy that value. Therefore, we are stealing Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-81520859823334389302008-07-11T23:11:00.000-06:002008-07-11T23:11:50.889-06:00Whole Foods Store Forced to Close.Sorry -- my badJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-20994986607887574312008-07-09T17:39:00.000-06:002008-07-09T17:39:02.753-06:00Why facts won’t demolish the conspiracy theoriesThis column argues that conspiracy theories are drivn by a "crisis of causality." While I agree that mistrust contributes to conspiracy theories, I think the author underplays the normal human desire to ascribe great causes to great events. We don't like to think of the processes that govern our lives as being stochastic. It is not so much a distrust of causality but a desperate attempt to Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-30322577047372290332008-07-07T13:20:00.000-06:002008-07-07T13:20:33.891-06:00Flying With a Young Child This Summer? Here’s a Book To Buy.I'd add it to my wishlist if it was real.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-37422173516194463982008-07-07T01:08:00.000-06:002008-07-07T01:08:43.520-06:00b i t t e r s w e e t s [dot] o r gOne of my favorite sites of the late 1990s has been archived and reposted to the web. It's cheesy, of course, but I always liked it. It was so sweet and noncommercial; of course it couldn't last.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-47807816242834945192008-07-06T20:07:00.000-06:002008-07-06T20:07:40.412-06:00#82 Hating CorporationsStuff White People Like is a well-known piece of satire. I really like this one, especially: "When engaging in a conversation about corporate evils it is important to NEVER, EVER mention Apple Computers, Target or Ikea in the same breath as the companies mentioned earlier. White people prefer to hate corporations that don’t make stuff that they like." True of so many people I know...Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-2622872925587915322008-07-04T12:43:00.000-06:002008-07-04T12:43:34.224-06:00“Metropolis": Key scenes from the famous movie rediscoveredThis is wonderful news. I hope somone goes to work restoring these scenes (a full one fourth of the film was thought to be lost forever) and incorporating them into a new edition of the film.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-13520493157111448022008-06-30T07:45:00.000-06:002008-06-30T07:45:42.013-06:00Remember Emo Philips?"When I was a kid, I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then I realised, the Lord doesn't work that way. So I just stole one and asked Him to forgive me ... and I got it!" The seldom-funny comedian has a few chuckle-worthy jokes in this column.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-40062044613413758162008-06-29T05:17:00.000-06:002008-06-29T05:17:12.172-06:00Stuffed rodent of the dayWe Make Money Not Art has a report on an art exhibit with stuffed, mounted mousey heads. The horror!Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-39523131972572793902008-06-29T03:32:00.000-06:002008-06-29T03:32:17.280-06:00Twenty-five Signs You Have Grown UpSad but true. I guess I'm older than dirt now.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-91931328962593401992008-06-28T14:22:00.004-06:002008-06-28T14:35:05.440-06:00Mice and Me
So what is it about me and mice?
In order to answer this question, I need to explain the concept of a totem. A totem represents your essential self. With what other living things do you most readily identify? A totem is not about physical resemblance -- instead, it is a useful metaphor for aspects of your personality. Are you a small-group or a large-group animal? What are your parental Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-10608502115625290392008-06-25T22:49:00.000-06:002008-06-25T22:49:53.587-06:00Annals of Medicine: The ItchThis essay at the New Yorker makes me itch. But I'd better not scratch too hard: "Only in the Emergency Department at Massachusetts General Hospital, after the doctors started swarming, and one told her she needed surgery now, did M. learn what had happened. She had scratched through her skull during the night—and all the way into her brain."Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-51030789679309397992008-06-24T09:20:00.000-06:002008-06-24T09:20:01.582-06:00Soviet Winnie the Pooh cartoonThis post on the always-interesting Boing Boing includes an episode of Winnie the Pooh from the Soviet Union. The animation is crude, but the figures are really cute. Actually, I like their version of the character Pooh better than Disney's. If you remember Pooh's quest to scam the bees out of their "hunny" you'll be amused. It's a testament to the charm of the underlying story that it's Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-51569356527926596012008-06-24T09:13:00.000-06:002008-06-24T09:13:03.394-06:00It's Hard Out There for a Bus SpotterThis guy takes pictures of buses -- 30,000 of them: "I can deal with the fact someone might think I'm a terrorist, but when they start saying you're a paedophile it really hurts."Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-86709801988522258392008-06-24T09:05:00.000-06:002008-06-24T09:05:33.930-06:00Neave Television ...telly without contextSeriously surreal video clips. This is worth the 10 minutes of your time that it takes to watch them all. It is very, very strange. I love it.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-63783089460597868742008-06-22T22:41:00.000-06:002008-06-22T22:41:05.765-06:00Pity the poor supremacistsThis hilarious post at Edge of the American West reveals the travails of single Nazis looking for their white supremacist soul mates. It has all the awkwardness of regular dating plus the occasional breakup because your beloved bought Hebrew National hot dogs. No, really.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-19065827364174273532008-06-19T15:57:00.000-06:002008-06-19T15:57:30.425-06:00The flying car dream, circa 1930Will Autogiro Banish Present Plane?: "The windmill overhead slowed down. The rotor tachometer hand touched ninety, then sixty, then forty. As they lost speed, the tips of the vanes began to drop. Finally, with the blades held up by the droop wires, the windmill came to a stop. I pulled back the rotor brake lever, locking it in place, and looked over at Ray. He grinned broadly and said: “Well, nowJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-2273179330043515082008-06-17T14:08:00.000-06:002008-06-17T14:08:23.550-06:00Slow Motion Baby LaughThis is just disturbing but somehow I can't look away.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-48004418555269050632008-06-17T05:03:00.000-06:002008-06-17T05:03:15.922-06:00Teach the ControversyTeach the Controversy sells funny shirts. My favorite is the "controversy" over the Periodic Table of Elements. Their shirt demands that we give equal time to a somewhat simpler table -- Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and (for giggles) Aether. Other themes include the "controversies" over UFOs, Atlantis, geocentrism, and a flat earth (carried by elephants on a giant tortoise, no less).Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-14708560798802444042008-06-06T09:33:00.000-06:002008-06-06T09:33:44.834-06:00The Origins of Republicans' Race Strategy in 1966The Meaning of Box 722 is a well-sourced essay examining the rise of racial fear among Northern blue-collar workers. It was this fear that was exploited by the Republican Party from 1968 (Nixon's "Southern Strategy") until the present (although most of the hot-button issues declined in importance during the 1990s).Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-84390171047621789572008-05-31T06:22:00.000-06:002008-05-31T06:22:12.350-06:00Another great canned meat product!Now, in addition to SPAM, SPAM with bacon, and albacore tuna, there is another acceptable canned meat product. Introducing...canned bacon! Each can has 40-50 pre-cooked slices, ready to eat. If it was cheaper -- or even if it was sold in stores -- I'd definitely try it out. But alas! The minimum order is a case (that's 480-600 slices) for more than $100 plus shipping. Perhaps I could take upJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-51285082396690926632008-04-09T03:34:00.000-06:002008-04-09T03:34:23.310-06:00Carl Zimmer's Science Tattoo EmporiumI don't generally like tatoos, but I admit that these ones make me reconsider my opposition.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-90348351532843964742008-03-19T20:53:00.000-06:002008-03-19T20:53:19.608-06:00R.I.P. Arthur C. ClarkeHere's the NYT Obituary. He was my favorite science fiction writer. Perhaps I'll have to go read Childhood's End or The City and the Stars once more, for old times' sake. I'm grateful for what he gave me in his works.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-48954654556573058092008-03-17T07:54:00.000-06:002008-03-17T07:54:53.002-06:00ABBA drummer dies in apparent accidentABBA drummer dies in apparent accident -- I've been an ABBA fan for most of my life, but I've never heard of this guy. I suppose ABBA wasn't exactly about drum solos. I wonder how long it will be until we lose one of the main four.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-45368961937875931972008-03-16T08:46:00.000-06:002008-03-16T08:46:19.350-06:00Opus and ABBAVery cute.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-67833839669689227152008-02-27T07:26:00.000-06:002008-02-27T07:26:34.095-06:00Garfield Minus GarfieldSimply Brilliant.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-64982151304193221862008-02-15T23:20:00.000-06:002008-02-15T23:20:51.814-06:00Lionel Richie on heliumLionel Richie on helium -- Seriously.
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-82502051719071100372008-02-09T14:04:00.000-06:002008-02-09T14:04:39.721-06:00Obama: Actually, I Think We CanThis detailed endorsement of Obama does a good job of providing the substantive reasons to support his candidacy -- all without bashing Hillary Clinton (or even the Republican Party, for the most part). I'll be OK with either nominee, but I really prefer Obama's consistency on the issues of the day (torture, spying, and Iraq). I hope he becomes our next President.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-61474282479155720912008-01-31T03:22:00.000-06:002008-01-31T03:22:43.672-06:00Food FightThis is funny and disturbing. It actually made me hungry, but I suspect most people will be nauseated.
AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy CentralJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-43888882139547751082008-01-31T02:52:00.000-06:002008-01-31T02:52:24.805-06:00PrawfsBlawg: Science Ruins Everything*Double-dipping as a health risk. Also discusses a study on the five-second rule.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-5282417710926998732008-01-18T18:13:00.000-06:002008-01-18T18:13:34.036-06:00The American Civil War in Four MinutesThis video is amazing. I always try to visualize animations like this when I read military history. This will be a must-show clip for my civil wars class. Note how the death toll spikes after major battles.
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-90512367359202340432008-01-18T14:33:00.000-06:002008-01-18T18:14:30.765-06:00North Dakota, The Emptied PrairieThis is how I think of North Dakota. It was a cold, dreary, depressing place to live -- and we were living in an honest-to-goodness city. Rural North Dakota is an unspeakably drab and lonely place. The essay captures it perfectly. Don't miss the companion photo slide show.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-11949211151460644492008-01-07T07:55:00.000-06:002008-01-07T07:55:31.443-06:00Another Day, Another Appalling Case of DiscriminationCan Atheists Be Parents? is the Paleolithic title of a TIME story recounting discrimination against atheists in New Jersey.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-55617405048341797122008-01-05T11:32:00.000-06:002008-01-05T11:32:04.725-06:00Think the "Christmas resolution" was bad? Check Out H. Res. 888This post explains a few of the errors in Christian historians' views of the Founding Era.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-2269040219032611452007-11-04T05:35:00.000-06:002007-11-04T05:35:07.097-06:00Which parts of the human body could you design better?A story on the denialism blog asks which parts of the body could be designed better. In a narrow sense, this is a response to intelligent design nonsense (or at least evidence that the intelligent designer wasn't particularly concerned with us). It's also a fascinating way to think about the future of surgery and medicine -- if we actually could refashion the body's organs at will, what might Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-15225855873926959982007-10-05T09:50:00.000-06:002007-10-05T09:50:16.253-06:00Surprising Poll on American Football FansI started following football a few years ago, and didn't call myself a fan until quite recently. I assumed that having a PhD and being a Packers fan was a rare combination. Apparently not:: "The more education one has, the more likely one follows professional football. While three in five (60%) of those with a post grad degree follow football, 45 percent of those with a high school degree or Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-51684597100938174902007-08-20T12:24:00.000-06:002007-08-20T12:24:35.421-06:00Photo-Auto Maps (1907)This approach to navigation before there were highways or even regular paved roads anticipates Google Street View -- in 1907.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-16237683627641675892007-08-17T23:43:00.000-06:002007-08-17T23:43:36.924-06:00Salad (H.R. Giger's Alien made out of veggies)This is pretty much how I think of veggies.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-23692555535994724342007-08-13T07:10:00.000-06:002007-08-13T07:10:49.911-06:00Dick Cheney '94: Invading Baghdad Would Create QuagmireI usually don't bother to post videos that prove politicians lie. After all, it's like shooting dead fish in a barrel. But this particular clip is remarkable for the detailed arguments that Cheney uses to support the Bush I decision not to march to Baghdad. This sounds like a spot-on criticism of the build-up to war from a Democrat in 2003, not the Dick Cheney we all know and love. Worth Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-45407212946021541462007-08-13T02:06:00.000-06:002007-10-05T09:52:22.006-06:00Bizarre racist reporting resurfacesUndercover Black Man is running a story about an early 20th-century trend in news reports. It's easy to focus on the appalling way that African-Americans are depicted in today's media, but we should keep in mind that things have certainly improved over time. These headlines from long ago make African-Americans sound like an entirely different species.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-5385976047500683062007-07-19T01:47:00.000-06:002007-07-19T01:47:39.670-06:00Entertainment from Junk ChartsThis is a ghastly chart, indeed -- Where does one start? The line doesn't represent a statistical function that I've ever seen. There's no obvious, non-ideological reason to use a curvilinear shape rather than a linear one (Occam's Razor, anyone?). The dependent variable is all wrong (Laffer curves are supposed to be about the abolute amount of revenue collected, not the share of taxes as a Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-33333150301696677822007-07-15T10:35:00.000-06:002007-07-15T10:35:52.070-06:00Suicide FoodSuicide Food is a blog devoted to pictures of animals that want to be eaten. Stop by for your fix of pigs happily opening up their chest cavities and removing their ribs for you, cows barbecuing their family members, and other surreal food advertisements. What makes this blog special is that all of its images are found in the wild -- that is, these are real ads meant to make you want to eat Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-92218940778266863572007-07-15T10:31:00.000-06:002007-07-15T10:31:57.079-06:00Man Accused Of Abusing Girl, Slapping Deputy How not to make your case to nice Mr. Officer -- "After being read his Miranda rights, Wofford demonstrated slapping the girl and struck Roman’s face with an open hand, the deputy wrote." Well, at least he's consistent...Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-70643892560010167182007-05-29T22:11:00.000-06:002007-05-29T22:13:04.800-06:00High School Student Whines His Way To 4.0 GPAI have to deal with these people once they get to college. It's not a pretty picture.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-8978604386801236142007-05-16T13:50:00.000-06:002007-05-16T13:50:28.205-06:00Dallas police nab alleged Skittles thiefI don't condone grand theft, but I understand this one. Mmmm, a quarter-million dollars of Skittles....Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-75603295996296864322007-05-10T06:49:00.001-06:002007-05-10T06:49:34.177-06:00TestingJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-50359246122640599842007-05-07T07:58:00.000-06:002007-05-07T07:58:00.139-06:00Is this my future?My mother is insane -- A huge photo-essay about one woman's pack-rat tendencies. I'm not this bad, but I can see myself going there with a little push.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-4178420196458537862007-05-04T12:26:00.000-06:002007-05-04T12:26:19.707-06:00Distinguishing Science and PseudoscienceThis article details some hallmarks of pseudo-science. The one that really sticks out at me is the difference in process -- whereas true results tend to get more and more true the more we look at them, people aren't able to replicate untrue results. Science proceeds to increase our knowledge over time, whereas pseudo-science is trapped in a cycle of trying to "rescue" what it "knew" before the Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-81370706753036765372007-05-04T10:56:00.000-06:002007-05-04T10:56:46.200-06:00The tragedy of loveless George the tortoisePoor George indeed. Imagine being the last of your kind, doomed to extinction. Even the prospect of a tortoise orgy wouldn't be enough to make me a happy reptile.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-24804273221187132872007-04-30T21:27:00.000-06:002007-04-30T21:27:52.157-06:00My alma Mater Gets a Litte Less BoringLake Wobegon to Murky Pond: a Skinny-Dipping Trajectory -- This news summary at the Chronicle of Higher Education describes something uncharacteristically fun happening at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. The students went skinny-dipping in the campus pond (memorable cheifly for its thick coating of algae -- but perhaps it's been cleaned up). In Concordia's version of a campus riot, the Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-27062255533667545382007-04-29T03:49:00.000-06:002007-04-29T03:49:59.789-06:00What not to say at your Dissertation Defense What not to say at your Dissertation Defense Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-90492467021844954682007-04-25T00:10:00.000-06:002007-04-25T00:10:51.027-06:00You are what you growThis New York Times article helps explain why Twinkies with dozens of ingredients costs less than simple, fresh carrots. It all comes down to politics. Perhaps we need a "food politics" subfield in political science, just as the history of food has become a thriving niche in history.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-35876466714335393912007-03-28T03:03:00.000-06:002007-03-28T03:03:50.520-06:00Stories from Rent-to-OwnTwo "goons" (forum participants) at Something Awful posted this entertaining screed about working at a Rent-to-Own company. Apparently, repo is the "normal" way for a Rent-to-Own agreement to end. What made this even more amusing to me is that the action occurred a few miles from my old home in Dayton, Ohio. Heck, I've been to some of the areas they're describing, and doubtless had some of Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-10318697383972730202007-03-28T01:07:00.000-06:002007-03-28T01:07:29.700-06:00Hand-pulled noodles and atomic physicsThis Slashfood post includes a video clip of very tasty-looking hand-pulled noodles. As it turns out, the noodles are a prop for a documentary on atoms. The only thing I didn't understand was just how the noodles split in half each time the chef dredged them in flour. Whatever the secret of their production is, I'll have to look for a source for some yummy dragon's beard noodles.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-17858118913438867792007-03-23T04:44:00.000-06:002007-03-23T04:44:22.352-06:00Top 10 Worst April Fool's Day Hoaxes EverThis compilation of truly tasteless and unfunny "jokes" reminded me of why I've never much cared for this holiday.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-69630560609921820562007-03-23T00:43:00.000-06:002007-03-23T00:44:18.855-06:00This Visual DNA widget is actually pretty interesting Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-23071380821088906582007-03-21T02:44:00.000-06:002007-03-21T02:44:14.382-06:00The Wisdom of ChildrenThe New Yorker has a column by Simon Rich on adult conversations as interpreted by children. The first one is just about perfect.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-85492128968020776062007-03-21T02:08:00.000-06:002007-03-21T02:08:25.330-06:00The Giant Crystal Caves of NaicaRock geek alert: Spluch has a fascinating set of pictures of the largest crystals in the world. I would love an opportunity to descend in the bowels fo the earth to photograph these for myself. Simply beautiful.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-39895293270200111462007-03-19T04:21:00.000-06:002007-03-19T04:21:12.992-06:00An interesting suicide in IraqMilitary ethicist indicted Gen. Petraeus in suicide note -- I'm particularly interested in the practices of mercenaries in Iraq, and it appears that their quasi-governmental mission is tarnishing the professional soldiers in the field. Of course, soldiers do bad things too, but we can hold them accountable (and prepare them for service) in ways that are difficult to envision with the mercs.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-2670067208007990802007-03-08T05:16:00.000-06:002007-03-08T05:16:44.222-06:00An adventure in relative time-keeping -- Coolest. Dad. Ever.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-35410392813281449552007-03-06T02:21:00.000-06:002007-03-06T02:23:39.639-06:00You just might be an "altie" if... (2007 edition) -- This stinging indictment of "woo" (the pseudo-science that New-Agers, Christian Scientists, and other people with squishy, ill-defined views of the empirical world spout whenever they see a new fad to endorse or a scientific conclusion which threatens their ideologies) has a little too much truth to be very funny.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1171790747851632752007-02-18T03:25:00.000-06:002007-02-18T03:25:48.013-06:00A visual comparison of Science and Faith -- As the diagram shows, science is best for empirical predictions while faith is best when we need to feel secure about something. I choose science but often envy those whose faith comforts them.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1171272027913635172007-02-12T03:20:00.000-06:002007-02-12T03:20:28.050-06:00We're fighting four different wars in Iraq. How many of them can we win? -- This brief column really helped me systematize the information about Iraq that I read each day. It's a great summary of the current ststus of the wars there. I would classify al Qaeda as an intervenor in the Sunni-Shiite conflict, eliminating one of the four wars. I would also describe insurgency as an anti-US struggleJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1169823184902415332007-01-26T08:53:00.001-06:002007-01-26T08:53:05.010-06:00We the Living Dead -- Libertarian zine Reason has an interesting overview of the politics and culture of zombie films. I'm not a big fan of Reason, but the essay does move beyond the obvious (Dawn of the Dead as a critique of consumer capitalism) to the less-obvious political and cultural dimensions of zombie films. Alas, my favorite (Peter Jackson's Dead Alive) is nowhere to be seen in the Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1169823184598191322007-01-26T08:53:00.000-06:002007-01-26T08:53:05.000-06:00We the Living Dead -- Libertarian zine Reason has an interesting overview of the politics and culture of zombie films. I'm not a big fan of Reason, but the essay does move beyond the obvious (Dawn of the Dead as a critique of consumer capitalism) to the less-obvious political and cultural dimensions of zombie films. Alas, my favorite (Peter Jackson's Dead Alive) is nowhere to be seen in the Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1169591410730308372007-01-23T16:30:00.000-06:002007-01-23T16:30:11.236-06:00A New Sith, or Revenge of the Hope -- This entertaining (if ultimately unconvincing) read tries to smoot over the gaping plot holes in the original Star Wars films that opened up as a result of the prequels (an incredible number of coincidences, characters who should know each ohter but don't, etc). Yeah, it's geeky and so am I.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1169586660564257612007-01-23T15:11:00.000-06:002007-01-23T15:11:00.723-06:00..:Things My Boyfriend Says:.. -- I'm not sure if this site is for real, but I'm OK with it anyway. After all, even if it's fictional, it's still really cute.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168942615144319852007-01-16T04:16:00.000-06:002007-01-16T04:16:55.146-06:00Two-person teledildonic rig -- Boing Boing has an interesting write-up on a "teledildonics" system you can purchase for several hundred dollars. Apparently it uses sensors and motors to mimic the "feel" of a particular person for either a male or a female. You can even link the male/female devices together over an internet connection to have pseudo-sex. If this sounds confusing, you'll just Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168942182064878892007-01-16T04:09:00.000-06:002007-01-16T04:09:42.150-06:00The Mystery of Picasso -- This Google video is the "money shot" of the famed documentary that filmed Picasso creating paintings. The clip is a time-lapse of one entire work from start to finish; it is interesteing to see that realistic drawings early in the process are then twisted and partially obscured to create the abstract, skewed-perspective images characteristic of his work.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168941188594767302007-01-16T03:53:00.000-06:002007-01-16T03:53:09.230-06:00People in my town are idiots -- Money quote from the local paper: "Many people don't always realize this, but just because the sun is out and shining doesn't mean ice will melt. As long as temperatures stay below freezing, the roads will remain hazardous." Um, yeah. I guess that's useful advice in a town where people don't recognize a correlation between temperature and the whole "freezing" Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168847845171530212007-01-15T01:57:00.000-06:002007-01-15T01:57:25.690-06:00Cats vs. Mice -- I couldn't resist this Photoshop contest at Worth 1000.com. Their contests always seem to attract the best Photoshoppers out there. This one has plenty of images of mice getting their revenge on nasty kitties.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168587867208583922007-01-12T01:44:00.000-06:002007-01-12T01:44:27.336-06:00Pork-flavored postage stamp -- You know, there really is a distinct shortage of meat-flavored shipping supplies. Hopefully, this small step will lead to an explosion of effort in the food-postage market, satiating the demand of those who have waited their whole lives to savor the sweet combination of pork and glue.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168494444822234662007-01-10T23:47:00.000-06:002007-01-10T23:47:25.286-06:00The whole story about that toxic spill and the Clear Channel "monopoly." Subtitled, "What Really Happened in Minot?", this article caught my eye. Not only is the topic of media consolidation an important one, but I hadn't even heard of the spill. I did six years as a teenager on Minot Air Force Base; while I don't exactly have fond memories of the town, I wouldn't wish a toxic waste spill on itJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168325771584938722007-01-09T00:56:00.000-06:002007-01-09T00:56:11.836-06:00YouTube - Silent Star Wars -- This is an amazing recut of the original trilogy as a 75-second silent film.
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168247635064790362007-01-08T03:13:00.000-06:002007-01-08T03:13:55.063-06:00Dubai is nuts! -- I noticed many of these projects in the press, but I had forgotten that all of them were in the same place, being built within a few years of each other. The level of waste is simply mind-boggling, but it's rather entertaining to watch as an outsider. I hope they're able to make a return on these investments, for the sake of their people.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168247355145784672007-01-08T03:09:00.000-06:002007-01-08T03:09:15.170-06:00Too common. -- This gem from indexed (one of my new favorite sites) encapsulates my feelings on the issue perfectly. People often complement my daughter on her behavior (if they only knew...) but I susupect many of these same people would pronounce it impossible to raise a decent person without hitting them.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168245281258749912007-01-08T02:34:00.000-06:002007-01-08T02:34:41.273-06:00History of Religion -- I love maps, especially cool animated ones showing the grand sweep of history. This 90-second Flash animation shows the spread of different religions over time. I noticed that it seems to focus on political dominance rather than percentage of believers per se; it also takes religions' founding myths at face value, more or less (Krishna and Abraham are both treated as realJeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168243674831879292007-01-08T02:07:00.000-06:002007-01-08T02:07:54.833-06:00Top 25 Worst Album Covers of 2006 -- This feature from Pitchfork includes a few covers I actually like, but most of them are truly hideous. At least these ones stand out -- I hate boring album art that scream out "I had to fulfill my contract."Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1168243469538848482007-01-08T02:04:00.000-06:002007-01-08T02:04:29.656-06:00Food Porn: Avocado, Grapefruit, and Pomegranate Salad - Slashfood -- This looks absolutely luscious. Creamy avocado, sharp grapefruit, and tangy-crunchy pomegranate seeds. What a perfect salad!Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1167198155364395842006-12-26T23:42:00.000-06:002006-12-26T23:42:35.520-06:00Convicted Lawmaker Wants Felons to Vote -- Great bill, terrible proponent. If only it was a convicted Republican, then maybe this bill would have a snowball's chance in hell of passing through the Florida legislature. Depriving felons of the right to vote is a thinly-veiled mechanism for keeping down the African-American vote (indeed, most felony disenfranchisement laws were explicitly passed Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1166554921619311912006-12-19T13:02:00.000-06:002006-12-19T13:02:01.743-06:00Ask a Paedophile -- The article is a bit on the short side, but still fascinating. It's not every day that you see someone actually answering tough questions (albeit, flippantly answering self-selected questions) on a subject like this (except those interviews with criminals where their primary motive is to gain sympathy or avoid a long sentence). The anonymous person clearly has a certain Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1166144205147332952006-12-14T18:56:00.000-06:002006-12-14T18:56:45.276-06:00An upcoming trend for next summer's county fairs? -- I'm still nauseous from a bout with a stomach virus, but even in my present state I think this is a capital idea that I must try someday. Mmmm deep-fried breaded bacon in gravy....Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1165778311175633152006-12-10T13:18:00.000-06:002006-12-10T13:18:44.026-06:00Dick Cheney's Google Searches -- Something actually funny from Vanity Fair.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1165664464547400452006-12-09T05:41:00.000-06:002006-12-09T05:41:04.583-06:00Babylon 5 Returns! (Sort Of) -- I only hope my expectations don't rise to impossible levels. I remember that the original show had plenty of flaws, but it remains my favorite TV series and I can't wait to see new material.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1165662322818770512006-12-09T05:05:00.000-06:002006-12-09T05:05:22.913-06:00
This remixed trailer for Mary Poppins is awesome. It reminds me of the Sleepless in Seattle and Shining remixes from a year or so ago. Good work.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1164700903953006992006-11-28T02:01:00.000-06:002006-11-28T02:01:44.103-06:00How cocaine is made -- Too bad there isn't a better explanation of the chemistry involved. I'd love to know what role the cement and gasoline play.Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1164606883200645142006-11-26T23:54:00.000-06:002006-11-26T23:54:43.320-06:00Police blotter: Child porn in Web cache OK -- This is an interesting case, because the law in question required the suspect to "knowingly" possess child pornography. The suspect viewed it over his web browser, but was unaware that the browser cached the images. Since he was not aware of possession, his conviction was overturned despite the fact that he sought out and viewed the contraband Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1164192465735608902006-11-22T04:47:00.000-06:002006-11-22T04:47:45.916-06:00Iraqi Kid Runs for Water. "Why do they hate us?" Gee, I wonder. Occupation brings out the worst in occupiers (see Burmese Days by George Orwell). Poor kids.
Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1163760873354677522006-11-17T04:54:00.000-06:002006-11-17T04:54:33.486-06:00Against Compassion -- This thoughtful post by a former professor of mine (Jim Johnson) reviews a series of paintings inspired by Abu Ghraib. I find the paintings compelling because they enable us in the West to identify with the suffering that was inflicted upon these prisoners by our soldiers. I don't understand why the paintings work so much better than the actual photos, but they do. Dr. Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1163328981875538752006-11-12T04:56:00.000-06:002006-11-12T04:56:22.320-06:00Test your musical skills in 6 minutes! -- This Flash-based test is fascinating. My score was just above 80%, or slightly above average. Actually, I was a bit surprised I wasn't higher, since even minor differences in performances are usually glaringly obvious to me. I guess I should feel lucky that I didn't fall into the tone deaf category...Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6225323.post-1162866672775111902006-11-06T20:31:00.000-06:002006-11-06T20:31:12.893-06:00Hotline On Call: A Republican's Take -- This Republican pollster's election predictions come very close to my own. I had my students predict the election two weeks ago using the best available mathematical models, polling, and their own opinions as citizens. The results: A Democratic House by 223 to 212 and a Republican Senate by 52 or 53 to 47 or 48 (the prediction was 52.5 Republicans). My Jeffreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00843233315470641371noreply@blogger.com