2010 Status Update

The CSMonitor has their Top 5 overlooked stories of 2010

1. Stuxnet
2. TARP is cheaper than expected
3. Common school standards
4. Rise of natural gas
5. Twilight of the desktop

I agree with all of these; they nail it.

IBM has released their list of five innovations for the next five years: IBM Reveals Five Innovations That Will Change Our Lives in the Next Five Years

* You'll beam up your friends in 3-D
* Batteries will breathe air to power our devices
* You won't need to be a scientist to save the planet
* Your commute will be personalized
* Computers will help energize your city

These are so general and sound a lot like a 'Popular Science' magazine cover article from the 1960's. I have no idea what IBM is thinking here other than trying to get some attention via a press release.

In no order these are my musings for 2011:

• the decline of Microsoft will accelerate
• the popularity of Android devices will peak
• Facebook will attempt to replace the OS
• Apple will NOT release a television but will make apps available on AppleTV
• peak oil will be accepted as having happened and an oil production plateau will become conventional wisdom
• the future of energy research will be concentrated in bio-butanol, oil from algae, and technology that replicates photosynthesis by combing CO2 and sunlight to produce energy
• people will stop talking about ethanol and the hydrogen economy
• Ford's reputation will surpass Toyota's
• wok cooking will be the big food trend in 2011
• Verlander and Bonderman will have amazing years leading to a Tigers vs Phillies World Series
• cancellations of cable TV and landline telephone subscriptions will increase logarithmically; providers will lose money until the figure out it is a packet based world and customers will pay for those packets
• continuing research will indicate things thought to be good aren't necessarily always a good thing; things like marriage, mortgages, running shoes, pillows, drugs/vitamins, the suburbs, college
• the phrase "climate chaos" will replace "climate change"
• wingnuts will get even nuttier
• Twitter and the Tea Party will both be replaced by the "new thing" in communications and politics respectively, pleasing many people
• the economy will get stuck between oil prices and stock prices - as one goes up the other goes down leading to stagflation until a non-carbon based energy breakthrough is reached which will break the cycle
• there will NOT be an Arrested Development movie
• alien life will be acknowledged/discovered and the response will be the same as if someone told you Liberace was gay ("and so....??")
• political parties begin talking about an economics which includes social costs

So those last two are more about my wishes than actual predictions. Oh well.

Science!

Some recent science news of interest.

Wired: Dying Moon May Have Spawned Saturn’s Rings

SciAm: Blood from Stone: How Fossils Can Preserve Soft Tissue

TR: Spacecraft Saw ULF Radio Emissions over Haiti before January Quake

TR: Elegant New Theory Explains Origin Of Asteroid Belt

How Is This Not News? - Peak Production Was 70 Mb/d

From the IEA via TO: Projection: Peak Oil Happened in 2006

"Crude oil production will more or less stabilize around 68-69 Mb/d (millions of barrels per day) towards 2020, but will never return to the record level of 70Mb/d it achieved in 2006."

There Is No Such Thing As "Not A Dog Person"

What I mean by that is that humans and dogs have a fundamental connection, like England and America's special relationship, that has been forged over the past 100,000 years. It is in our genes to live with dogs and them with us. Anyone who says they don't like dogs is simply expressing a learned emotion based on a bad experience.

Here's my hypothesis: genetic evidence indicates dogs began separating from wolves at least 100,000 years ago. Human DNA studies indicate there was a "population bottleneck" 50,000 to 100,000 years ago most likely after the Mt. Toba eruption 70,000 years ago. Therefore, I hypothesize that when humanity was down to its last few thousand families dogs had to be there, and it was because of dogs that humans survived. But what was the relationship? That is the PhD candidate question.

And these are the other questions I have (at this time):
Did dogs begin their morphological changes at this time?
Did humanity survive because dogs were with them?
Did only humans who could bond with canines survive?

Not sure any of this will be known with any certainty unless time travel is invented, but my educated guess is that we all have bred into us a connection to dogs that comes from a time when they saved us and we saved them.

For further reading, PBS's Nova program last night got me thinking about the time line. See: Dogs Decoded

And for information on the human DNA studies see Wikipedia's entry on human population bottlenecks which includes a link to the "Toba catastrophe".

Rare John McPhee Interview

At Paris Review: John McPhee, The Art of Nonfiction No. 3 (long)

[Via MR]

Though like many writers, I find that Mr. McPhee has trouble ending his books. They are either annoyingly abrupt or come at you with a newly taken "I don't really like to but..." tone.

Evolutionary Psychology In The Bedroom

Fascinating experiment in Germany shows how we're all the same deep down. We're all scared of predators. See M2:Bedroom Layouts Reflect Ancestors’ Preferences

Liz Phair Is So Hot Right Now

And I mean that as in hottie.

Enough to make a 31 yr old Canadian woman write "I’m trying not to be distracted by how stunning she is". See WalrusMag: Still Standing 6’1″

Another interview in SPIN: Tough Questions for Liz Phair
The press materials for Funstyle refer to you as a MILF. Is that a badge of honor?
I would say, yeah.

CoS: Petite and astonishingly fresh-faced, Phair is a small, blonde package with a load of personality. She’s giggly, kind, inquisitive and unguarded. She’s the type of person to tap you lightly on the shoulder and really engage you with whatever insightful thing she’s going to tell you. A good trait to have in anyone, let alone a rock star who, at this point in their long career, reserves the right to be jaded and cynical.

And in a different take, NYMag gets her to talk about the new album: Liz Phair Explains Every Track on Her Contentious New Album

Did Corporations Conspire On The Latest Election?

I don't think too much should be taken from the election results other than old people voted and young people didn't. Unlike in 2008.

But there are three things that are bugging me.

1. Corporations have reported record profits. See: Profits have surged 62 percent from the start of 2009 to mid-2010 under Barack Obama

2. There was an alliance between businesses and Republicans to buy political advertisements. See: Spending blitz by outside groups helped secure big GOP wins

3. Some of these ads were based on Jedi mind tricks to get people to vote against their interests. See: How Neuromarketers Tapped the Vote Button in Your Brain to Help the GOP Win the House

So, the question is, normally businesses invest in new "things" with their profits, people, machinery, etc; but why did businesses refuse to hire new employees with their record profits and instead donate these to a political party? Why keep unemployment artificially high? What do corporations want in return?

Apocalypse Now?

Not referring to the election results, but this as reported by NPR: Britain and France Sign 50 Year Defense Pact

Next, cats and dogs living together.

Big Daddy Kane Is The Greatest Lyricist Of All Time

And not just because he used the phrase "party people" in almost every song, but mostly for his invention of the poly-syllabic rhyme phrases.

So says NYMag in a review of a rap lyrics anthology: Straight Outta Comp 101

If you're into poly-syllabic rhyming and verses based on the Fibonacci Sequence then check out MC Paul Barman.

If you want Rakim north pole edition then you need to listen to Shad.

If The Chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission, US Secretary of Defense, Director of Central Intelligence, and Secretary of Energy Spoke Of Peak Oil Would Anyone Listen?

Because it happened.

See TOD: Dr. James Schlesinger: "The Peak Oil Debate is Over" at ASPO-USA Conference
"the world ignores peak oil at its peril"

Rather, the political debate seems to be about comparing each other to Nazi's which is a little like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

What The Frak!?

Suddenly, Battlestar Galactica is getting mentioned in the blogosphere. Despite Caprica getting canceled.

Could be due to a new book and a new prequel.

Wired has the links:

SyFy Greenlights Battlestar Galactica Prequel With Young Bill Adama

Exclusive Excerpt: The Science of Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica’s Science Explained

And since it is election day, a re-post from The Onion: Obama Depressed, Distant Since 'Battlestar Galactica' Series Finale



So say we all.

Following Up On The Juan Williams Thing...

He was recently invited to the Diane Rehm show on NPR.

Neither I nor the listeners who called in thought he redeemed himself. On the other hand, what other news organization would allow their staff to openly question and discuss the firing of an employee? (though technically I understand Diane is employed by American University, but this topic has been discussed on NPR's news programming)

However, this has inspired a tumblr blog: Pictures of Muslims Wearing Things

Via LGM: How to Know “Muslim Garb” When You See It

Awesome stuff such as

On Juan Williams

I never found him to be an insightful commentator on NPR, and NPR was probably looking for a way to end his contract.

But it was handled in perhaps the worst possible way.

Two best things I have read on the incident:

1. James Fallows at The Atlantic: Why NPR Matters

2. Glenn Greenwald at Salon: The real danger from NPR's firing of Juan Williams

Stop Me If You've Heard This Old Chestnut

I've been making updates about the return of American Chestnuts since 2006.

The WaPo is getting in the act now: The mighty American chestnut tree, poised for a comeback

Liz Phair At 43

Matador is celebrating their 21 years. Liz Phair wrote for the Wall St Journal about it: Liz Phair on Nineties Nostalgia

Liz Phair might be getting a second wind at 43. She's going to release Girlysound with Funstyle beginning October 19th.

Her recent interviews shows she's just over the whole indie queen thing.

AmericanSongWriter: I’m Not Joaquin Phoenix: An Interview With Liz Phair

KEXP: Live Preview + Interview: Liz Phair

Liz recently performed at Matador 21. The songs are up at YouTube. Here's 'Divorce Song'

Someday We Will All Be Driving Locomotives

That is, the cars we drive will eventually be diesel-electric hybrids.

Ever since the Ford Reflex concept car I have written to Volvo, Ford, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, and other manufacturers to tell them my family would support any company that is the first to bring a diesel-hybrid station wagon to market. Finally, finally, a major news outlet is covering this topic and it seems we're about to get our wish.

See Newsweek: Not So Dirty

Alton Brown Is A 5 Tool Threat

Editor, director, producer, writer, star.

USAToday has an in-depth profile of AB who is doing a tour to promote his latest book: Alton Brown barely has time to enjoy his 'Good Eats' green

Related news: Good Eats hits Hulu (yeah!!!)

Government Working

Earlier this year Steven Chu told BP how to use gamma rays to image their broken well.

Now another example of American government scientists helping private industry solve a problem.

See TheAtlantic: How NASA Engineers Helped Rescue Trapped Chilean Miners

Something to remember when some argue that government can't accomplish anything, the private industry is always better, science is flawed, etc.

I Don't Think This Is A Good Thing

A large influx of freshwater into the ocean can turn off ocean currents which halts the transfer of heat from the equator to the poles. (See Shutdown of thermohaline circulation)

UCIrvine: 18 percent more water fed into the world’s oceans from rivers and melting polar ice sheets in 2006 than in 1994, with an average annual rise of 1.5 percent.

[Via Juan Cole]

Uncommon Wool

I love wool. Love it. Hydrophobic on the outside and hydrophilic in the inside makes it perfect for clothing.

It can also be used in construction.

As insulation. See FC: Bellwether Materials Turns Sheep's Wool Into High-Quality Insulation

And in bricks. See Inhabitat: Researchers Develop Eco Super Bricks Made of Wool

'Running Wilde' Is How Mitch Hurwitz Teaches Fox A Lesson

Via B&C: Is 'Running Wilde' 'Arrested's Heir Apparent?

No, but it is how the Arrested Development players get back at Fox.

" When asked by an audience member if viewers of Running Wilde could expect the same sort of foreshadowing they saw in Arrested, Hurwitz answered with a cryptic "If I say yes, wouldn't I be doing exactly what Fox told me not to do?"

"Arrested Development didn't work in the ratings because of its complexity, so we have to bury that," Hurwitz said."

My prediction is each episode will include a buried homage to AD.

So far we have:
-the "made a huge mistake" moment in the Pilot
-the treehouse in the last week's episode

Instead of AD's multi-variant story lines and triple entendre jokes, Mitch and crew have dumbed the new show down and focus on the one story line. Basically taking the GOB and George Bluth relationship storyline and turning it into a show. The Switch Hitter episode expanded for the masses in other words.

Did I Say 2020? I Meant 2010.

Don't listen to analysts; look at how people in the know are preparing.

TOD: The oil 'peak' has been reached



TOD: World Oil Capacity to Peak in 2010 Says Petrobras CEO

BNET: Richard Branson Gives Peak Oil Street Cred

NYT: U.S. Military Orders Less Dependence on Fossil Fuels

CSMonitor: Secret German strategy leaked: Plans for peak oil

...the report bluntly indicates there’s the distinct possibility that “every market-oriented national economy would collapse.”

Alton Brown Links

[this post has been sitting in Draft status for over a year, finally getting around to it]

MemphisFlyer: Alton Brown Fish Recipes

Gizmodo: Alton Brown: Safe and Scary Kitchen Hacks

FastCompany: Alton Brown's Essential Kitchen Gadgets

Eater: Alton Brown on Being a Vessel, Next Iron Chef, and His Faith

Zap2It: Alton Brown talks 'Good Eats 2' celebrity chefs

Rebel Girls

I loved, loved the Riot Grrrl movement. Now it is getting the reflection it deserves.

A history of Riot Grrrl has been written by Sara Marcus and it is called Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution (Amazon link)

The Faster Times has an interview: Rebel Girls: Asking Sara Marcus about Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution

This is a good enough of a reason to post Bikini Kill's 'New Radio'

Beer Styles

Fast Company offers an infographic of all the beer:


Hope there is room to add another one, the American-Style India Black Ale. See TheAtlantic: The American Beer Style You Haven't Heard Of

And this seems like a good enough of a reason to mention Audio Two's Many Styles

Survival Guides

Via NPR: How To Survive When Your Elevator Plunges [lay on your back]

Via Wired: Survive a Dog Attack [bop it in the snout]

Best Caption Ever

Drakozoon kalumon, the primordial blob reconstructed by scientists, looks almost nothing like this Xavier University sports mascot.

Via the CSMonitor: Scientists recreate ancient mysterious blob

Fuel Out Of CO2 - This Sounds Too Good To Be True

I want to believe it though.

The claim, sunlight + CO2 = fuel

See
NYT: Biotech Company to Patent Fuel-Secreting Bacterium
The organism can grow in bodies of water unfit for drinking or on land that is useless for farming, according to the company, Joule Unlimited

GCC: Joule Awarded Patent on Renewable Diesel Production Directly from Sunlight and CO2Joule’s microorganisms function as biocatalysts that use only sunlight, waste CO2 and non-fresh water to directly and continuously produce diesel-range hydrocarbons, which are chemically distinct from biodiesel and are compatible with existing infrastructure.

FC: Revealed: Bacteria That Turns Sunlight Into Fuel

"The Earth Isn't Fragile; We Are"

A couple of reminders of this fact:

Esquire: The Ocean Is Not in Trouble

NYT: Which Comes First – Peak Everything or Peak Us?

Sovereignty

I wonder what the Red Staters think about this?

Via DuluthNewsTrib: Red Lake Tribal Council declares lands ‘wolf sanctuary’

the Red Lake Tribal Council voted to adopt a management plan that designates more than 843,000 acres of tribal lands in eight Minnesota counties as a “wolf sanctuary.” The band Wednesday issued a news release saying tribal laws will supersede state laws.

Which reminds me of a tribe in South Dakota offering access to safe abortions in the event the state banned them.

The sovereignty of the tribal areas really isn't disputed from what I can tell; unlike the sovereignty of the States. Tea Partiers are of the opinion that the sovereignty of the States is being infringed and so the "real America" has the right to secede. Yet, when the states exercise their sovereignty in ways the Tea Partiers disagree with then they are for federal control. Two examples are Republicans being unhappy with state-level medical marijuana and domestic partnership laws.

Obama 1, Caterpillar 0 (or something like that)

Last year, as Obama was making a tour of the country to get support for the Stimulus, he visited Caterpillar's headquarters.

Wingnuts made a big kerfuffle of anti-stimulus comments from employees and the CEO.

Example via ABC: D'oh! Caterpillar CEO Contradicts President on Whether Stimulus Will Allow Him to Re-Hire Laid Off Workers

And they were right - the results of the Stimulus have been outrageous: Caterpillar dealer sales rise, aided by N America

The company, the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment, said dealer sales of its iconic yellow construction and mining machines rose 37 percent in the three months through the end of August, up from 32 percent in the three months ended in July and 22 percent in the period ended in June.

Omnibus

A week off from Google Reader and still not caught up. Some reads that I found interesting:

-Open Heat Map

-when people say "they want their country back" and mean how the USA was in the 1950's what they are unknowingly pining for is less income inequality.
Atl: The Rich Are Getting Much Richer, but Don't Blame Taxes


-Grist: Creating 625,000 jobs and saving $64 billion through energy efficiency

-FS: How increased immigration would help fix the economy

Statistical analysis of state-level data shows that immigrants expand the economy’s productive capacity by stimulating investment and promoting specialization. This produces efficiency gains and boosts income per worker

-FC: E.T. For Real: Cells From Red Rain Can Reproduce, May Be From "Out There"

-MSNBC: Greenspan, in switch, now favors higher taxes

-CSM: Glaciers, known for erosion, can help mountains grow

-3QD: Winner-Take-All Politics

"The Republicans, according to Hacker and Pierson, by marrying populist rhetoric to elite action, have been able to stitch together a constituency that includes moderate income supporters – Christian conservatives, tea partyers, and elite-wary blue-collar workers – while pursuing policies catering almost exclusively to business and moneyed elites."

-Never promise crazy a baby. NDTV: Mistresses, wives of trapped Chilean miners clash over cash

-PhysOrg: Egyptian papyrus found in ancient Irish bog

-TheWeek: 6 global warming skeptics who changed their minds [and me circa 2000]

It Pays To Keep Your Dogs Around

Via TheAtlantic: Having a Dog Around Makes You More Productive

Perhaps part of the underlying reason is related to why people with speech impediments don't stutter when talking to their dog? Our pets make us comfortable and this leads to confidence which leads to success.

Really Old School

Geologists think they have found pristine mantle up in Canada.

Via SciAm: Tricky Mantle: Intact Pocket of Ancient Earth May Have Escaped Mixing for 4.5 Billion Years

New research indicates that rocks from Baffin Island in Canada stem from a patch of Earth that dates back to the infancy of the planet but has somehow escaped geologic recycling and processing since that time.

Blueing Myself

An Arrested Development linkfest

DigitalSpyUK: Cera: 'Arrested Development film is scary'

"I feel scared by all the expectations on it at this point. People ask me about it a lot. And to make a movie that already has expectations built in before the script is even written seems intimidating."

[this sounds a lot like Liz Phair talking about how she felt after making 'Exile']

TheStar.com: Arrested Development, creator Mitch Hurwitz has told GQ magazine that a script is being written for the long-awaited Arrested Development movie. But first Hurwitz and co-executive producer Jim Vallely have to get Running Wilde up and, er, running. Then, when the script is finished, they’ll have to coordinate the schedules of all the TV show’s former stars to get it filmed. “It is our absolute next priority and we can't wait to do it,” Hurwitz said.

Reuters: "Arrested Development" movie script half done

"It's not going to be a big money maker," Hurwitz added. "It's going to be fun, like a family reunion.

Funstyle

Via LizPhair.com
How To Like It.

You were never supposed to hear these songs. These songs lost me my management, my record deal and a lot of nights of sleep.

Yes, I rapped one of them. Im as surprised as you are. But here is the thing you need to know about these songs and the ones coming next: These are all me. Love them, or hate them, but dont mistake them for anything other than an entirely personal, un-tethered-from-the-machine, free for all view of the world, refracted through my own crazy lens.

This is my journey. Ill keep sending you postcards.

Liz is talking about 'Funstyle' - her latest release which surprised everyone.

My personal thoughts are that 'Funstyle' is a funny album. I'm glad she did it. And as I have told people, this woman made 'Exile in Guyville' which gives her a free-pass for forever. But that can also be a trap as she discusses in an interview.

Which leads me to ponder talent versus skill.

There are some industries where it is expected that the workers will spend a long time honing their skills before they reach the full-fledged professional level. Baseball players have their minor leagues and chefs are expected to work their way up from being a line cook. These are skillful endeavors where the best in the business usually do not emerge until they are 30-somethings.

Artists, inventors, and entrepreneurs usually have their best output in their early 20's. These are lines of work that reward raw remarkable talent.

In music you usually see increbible first albums. In college 'Liz's Exile in Guyville' seemed to me to be like Fugazi's '13 Songs' and Green Day's '1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours'. Not only were these albums demonstrations of raw talent but it seemed that the artists, intent on creating something great and in their own vision, applied themselves in a way that a veteran would not and hence created some of the top albums of my lifetime.

Which makes someone like Neko Case so interesting. She clearly has talent, but in listening to her albums, from The Virgianin and Canadian Amp to Middle Cyclone you hear someone finding her voice and finding her confidence. Her rise to indie all-star is more like a baseball player working their way up the minor leagues than like an indie queen with a mythical demo tape who then gets signed for an album.

This difference makes it so that each Neko Case album is met with optimism that it will be better than the last one, and for Liz Phair and artists like her, their new releases are never able to escape the pessimism that critics and fans want every album to be that once a generation album.

If you find true love be happy. Enjoy it for what it is. Liz created a masterpiece. Appreciate it and move on. She has.

Interviews:

Liz Phair: 'I'm Not in Love. I'm Pretty Happy.'

And then it came time for me to write the next record, and I really couldn't. Because I was so crippled.

Liz Phair on How TV Scoring Saved Her Love of Music

Bear Attacks

[7-30-2010 Update]
Via UpNorthLive: Black Bear Sightings On The Rise

Perhaps Stephen Colbert is right about bears?

Or is this like a scenario from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or The Simpson's, but instead of dolphins it is bears who are tired of the humans?

Is it because we're killing all the plankton?

For some reason bears are on the rampage all of a sudden.

MSNBC: 1 dead, 2 injured in Montana bear attack

CSMonitor: Jack Hanna wards off grizzly bear with pepper spray

CSMonitor: New Hampshire bear break-in turns Goldilocks tale on its head

I don't think I'll chase them any more.

Planetary Defense

It is hard to believe that there is not an agency doing whatever it can to protect the planet from impacts. Because as geologists say, a cataclysmic event isn't a question of "if" but a question of "when".

Go NASA!

See CSMonitor: NASA should protect Earth from space rocks, panel finds

Now This Is A Tree House

Want.

Via TH: Almost Invisible Mirrored Tree House Built In Sweden

Drop The Running Shoes

22 July, 2010 Update
NPR: For Humans, Slow And Steady Running Won The Race

Update: NPR covers the new research too: Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot

This is another article about running similar to the earlier post: Run Like A Persistence Hunter

Via SciAm: Running Shoes Jog Joints

This is why I like running in plain "water shoes".

TC To The 'Boat

If I am ever missing look for me hiking somewhere between Traverse City and Steamboat Springs. The trails that connect these two are the North Country trail to the Lewis and Clark Trail to the Nez Prez to the Continental divide trail.

There is a great interactive map at The Partnership for the National Trails System.

Everyone Has To Get Their Monies

Via Collider: David Cross Says ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Film Will Not Happen

Fat

The headline from TH says it all: In 1991 The Fattest US States Were As Thin As The Leanest in 2009

This is especially noticeable when watching movies from the 1980's and earlier. Not just the stars, but all the extras are thin. This was the normal.

Wagon Fever

I have to give station wagons their own tag since I mention them so often.

And I do so because I love them. And my love affair started with the Swedish Utility Vehicle - the Volvo 240 wagon and we (me and wagons) have been going steady ever since.

Wired's writers have the fever too, and the only prescription is to make a list.

See: 12 Wonderful Wagons We Want

I agree with every wagon choice though my list would also include the Volvo XC, the Buick Roadmaster Estate family, and the 1992-1996 Toyota Camry wagon.

And Consumer Reports is in the process of testing the car I would drive if I was told you can only have one car for the next 15 years, the TDI SportWagen. See: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI

...the vast majority of SportWagens (over 75 percent) are sold with the TDI diesel engine...

Another Reason To Drive A Station Wagon

Bears won't eat them! Or something like that.

Via Barking Up The Wrong Tree: What kind of car is most likely to get broken into by a hungry bear?

From 2001 to 2007 bears broke into 908 vehicles at the following rates: minivan (26.0%), sport–utility vehicle (22.5%), small car (17.1%), sedan (13.7%), truck (11.9%), van (4.2%), sports car (1.7%), coupe (1.7%), and station wagon (1.4%).

Full study is in the Journal Of Mammalogy: Selective Foraging for Anthropogenic Resources by Black Bears: Minivans in Yosemite National Park
I saw something like this on television before. It was video of black bears prying open minivan windows in a matter of minutes and eating the seat cushions and trashing it. Perhaps an advantage of a station wagon is that it is too small for the bears to move around once inside.

Georgia To Morocco

You'd have to cross Canada to Greenland to Norway to the U.K. is all.

See NPR: Hiking The Appalachian Trail -- To Morocco

By The Time I Get To Arizona

I was recently shown a nasty Facebook thread that began with the status update of "hey Arizona - notice how every WWII movie begins with 'Show Me Your Papers'" and it quickly devolved from there with one side arguing that it is great to arrest people who are breaking the law and the other side arguing against profiling.

Neither side came together which is unfortunate.


Points Republicans should concede:
1. their argument against gun laws is that the existing laws need to be enforced first. If illegal immigration is by definition illegal, then like gun laws, don't we just need to better enforce the existing laws?

2. this is a role for the federal government

3. Arizona has a history of poor race relations and so the law is viewed skeptically by outsiders

4. economic studies clearly indicate immigrants (illegal or legal) improve the economy

5. This law has the potential to escalate violence at the border and at routine traffic stops, etc

Points Democrats should concede:
1. Arizona passed this law due to frustration with the federal government's efforts to halt illegal immigration

2. Arizonans in favor of this law don't care about the Constitutionality aspect and probably passed it to bait the federal government into acting.

And we can all agree that the current situation is not tenable but Arizona SB 1070 is not a tolerable solution.

It seems that John McCain's original plan was fairly balanced as it worked to secure the border and offer temporary work programs to undocumented workers. But he was forced to change his position to appeal to the pre-Tea Baggers. Too bad.

Iron Chef! Iron Chef!

Via Wired: Food: How Iron Chef America Engineers a Visual Feast

Nice Beaver

Via PhysOrg: World's biggest beaver dam discovered in northern Canada

"Several generations of beavers worked on it and it's still growing,"

Charcoal Versus Propane In Terms Of Fuel Costs

As I was grilling burgers last night I wondered if it really made sense for me to splurge for a Napoleon PT 450 RBI.



I could buy a lot of charcoal for the price of a new propane grill. I wondered though, over the long term, what is the price of a tank of propane versus a bag of charcoal?

Google found this: The Home Barbecue: Charcoal or Gas

A 5 gallon cylinder of propane costs anywhere from $15-$35 to fill (or swap) depending on the time of year and your location. You may get 12-20 meals out of a single tank depending on how big the meal and what you're cooking. That works out to an average of about $1.35 per meal. The 21-lbs bag of charcoal I just finished lasted about 12 meals at a cost of roughly $10, or $0.83 per meal. With the lighter fluid adding about $0.15 per meal. Monetarily, it is much cheaper to barbecue with charcoal.

So, it looks like there won't be a Canadian made Napoleon grill in my near-future.

Presented By The Law Of Uninteded Consequences

Via INFRASTRUCTURIST: Is the Low Gas Tax Costing You More Money on Car Repairs?

Here's the math from the link:
Car repair costs due to roads in poor condition = $300 - 400
Raising the gasoline tax to pay for road repair, cost to the average driver = $150

More About Honda

My family had 1987 and 1998 Accords and they were great cars. The 1998-2001 is probably the best general purpose used car you can find.

But as I hinted about with the Crosstour post - there's something up at Honda.

And here Edmunds summarizes it: What's Wrong At Honda? Maybe Everything

Another analyst said many recently launched Hondas are "sloppily designed, not very good to drive and even worse to look at."

2010 Sunscreen Safety

I wrote about sunscreens in 2009: Sunscreen Safety

The Environmental Working Group has released their 2010 Sunscreen Guide

They only recommend 39 out of 500 tested sunscreens. Those are:

All Terrain
Aquasport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
TerraSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
KidSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30

Badger
Sunscreen for Face and Body, Unscented, SPF 30
Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 30 Lightly Scented
Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 15 Lightly Scented

Beyond Coastal
Lip and Face Screen, SPF 30

California Baby
Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30+, Citronella
Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+

Caribbean Solutions
Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25
Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25

Desert Essence
Age Reversal SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen

Episencial
Sunny Sunscreen, SPF 35

Estion
Sunscreen with Zinc, SPF 38

Jason Natural Cosmetics
Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+
Sunbrellas: Chemical Free Sunblock, SPF 30+
Earth’s Best: Sunblock Mineral Based, SPF 30+

Kabana Skin Care
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 20
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen, SPF 22, Skin Tone Tinted

L’uvalla Certified Organic
SPF 20 Sunscreen Face/Body

La Roche-Posay
Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream

Little Forest
Sunscreen Lotion For Babies and Kids, SPF 30+

Loving Naturals
Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Miessence
Reflect Outdoor Balm, SPF 15
Purple Prairie Botanicals
SunStuff, SPF 30
Sun Stick, SPF 30
SunStuff, SPF 15

Soleo Organics
All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Soleo Organics/Wyland Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Soleo Organics/Atlantis Resort All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

thinkbaby and thinksport
Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Trukid
Sunny Days Face and Body Stick, SPF 30+

UV Natural
Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Sport, SPF 30+
Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Vanicream
Sunscreen Sport, SPF 35

Again?

More evidence of my hypothesis that we accuse in others what we fear most about ourselves.

(I'm simply going to keep updating this post)

8/12/2011 Update:
Via TheAtlantic: Indiana Anti-Gay Legislator Caught Cruising Craigslist

Phillip Hinkle, a Republican state representative, reportedly offered $80 to an 18-year-old man he met on Craigslist, "for a couple hours of your time," plus a tip "for a really good time."

5/19/2010 Update:
Via NPR: Indiana Congressman Quits Over Affair With Staffer

Did he really have to say this though?

"sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff."

Referring to your "staff time" is a well-trod trope. Didn't any of the Congressman's people watch The West Wing? "Ah, C.J., the President's going to take a little personal staff time right now."

Via CNN: Anti-gay rights activist resigns after trip with male escort

Via Jonathan Turley: Florida Senator Under Attack For Looking At Nude Pictures During Abortion Debate That's right - a republican was looking at topless women during a debate about abortion.

3/15/2010 Update:
Via NPR: Utah GOP Leader Quits After Hot-Tub Confession

The worst part is this:

Lawmakers responded with a standing ovation for his honesty and embraced him, a move some found offensive given the nature of what Garn was saying. In hindsight, the ovation may not have been the best move, but it shouldn't be misconstrued to indicate support for unethical behavior, Clark said Saturday.

Via NPR: Calif. State Senator Says He's Gay After DUI Arrest

The Republican, who consistently voted against gay rights measures during his 14 years in statewide office, came out in an interview with KERN radio in Bakersfield, the area he represents.

Via WaPo: Palin says her family went to Canada for health care when she was young

And so when Limbaugh accuses Pelosi of acting "like a mullah" it is clear that he is using his platform to cast the first stones and by doing so insulate himself from the truth that his listeners are the ones committing acts of violence. (What I mean by 'insulate' is no one will get into a "no I am not, you are" spat with the conservative media since it is so childish.)

The republicans are in desperate need of a reasonable elder statesman.

Elections Matter OR Evidence That Government Agencies Matter

Elections matter because of who the elected officials appoint. When those people are competent then government can be effective.

What is prompting this for me is how Energy Secretary Steven Chu told BP how to get images of their failed oil well. That's right - a government official helped a private company because the government knew more.

See TheAtlantic: How Steven Chu Used Gamma Rays to Save the Planet

An eternal fact of Washington is that government gets much more attention when it performs badly than when it performs well...


Now consider Chu, the Nobel Prize Winner who has been at BP headquarters in Houston with a team of government scientists trying to figure out how to stop the leak. According to a government official, BP initially "dismissed" Chu's gamma ray suggestion, but came back a week later and admitted "Chu's right."

Ha! And I believe this is an example of epistemic closure:

How Oil Spills And Dog Fur Are Like Chocolate And Peanut Butter

They go great together!

Matter of Trust will accept clean fur, wool, human hair, and nylons and use these resources to create effective oil mats. See: Hair Mats Information

I have a dog with a two layered coat and can brush out garbage bags full of fur from him. I've never known what to do with this hair, though I leave some on the ground for the birds and squirrels, this seems like a much more responsible option.

There's more on the story at the San Jose Merc News: Unusual weapon against oil spill: tons of hair and fur

Matter of Trust is collecting clippings from thousands of salons, barber shops, even pet groomers across the country, along with pantyhose and stockings — all to be used to help mop up the oil threatening wildlife and livelihoods in its path.

Hair booms (gobs of clean hair stuffed into panty hose) or hair mats (hair woven into 1-foot squares) can be dragged along the coast to sop up the oil, wrung out and used again.

Hair booms work because each strand has scales on it, and those scales attract oil molecules, said Ingrid Setzer, the Floridian leading the collection campaign. The oil sticks to the scales, Setzer said, and the water filters out.

Slick

In the past I have read about the idea of purposely releasing oil or other material onto the ocean's surface to abate approaching hurricanes.

Could the Gulf Of Mexico oil leak could protect the area from hurricanes this summer? If the slick gets dispersed far enough then it may be possible to snuff out Caribbean born hurricanes. Dr. Jeff Masters has more on the topic: How oil might affect a hurricane

Science Supports The New "Compassionate" Capitalism

Is this - More People Sounding Like Noreena Hertz -a growing trend?

Via NewSci: Ernst Fehr: How I found what's wrong with economics

Twenty years ago, Fehr had a seemingly sensible idea - that a deep-seated human preference for fairness might play an important role in economics. He thought it might explain why companies - even in countries without a minimum wage - don't offer jobs paying wages far below the standard, despite research showing plenty of unemployed people would willingly take the work. It doesn't happen, he suggested, because companies know that workers hired at a lower wage feel they are being cheated, causing them to grow disgruntled and work less hard.

"Yeah Capitalism!"

What Jesus And Ayn Rand Have In Common

If they showed up today and saw what was going on in their name they'd never stop throwing up.

Hannah And Her Sisters Scene

Chris Leonardi | MySpace Music Videos

I often wonder if the Tea Baggers realize that when they talk about "going Galt" do they also know that Ayn Rand was a pro-choice, fiercely anti-religion amphetamine addict who had no problem with government provided health care?

Likewise, Adam Smith recognized that capitalism needed a way to account for social costs and justice. See Esq: Adam Smith, Socialist

"When the regulation, therefore, is in favour of the workmen, it is always just and equitable; but it is sometimes otherwise when in favour of the masters."

The Fierceness Of The New Madrid Earthquake May Have Been Exaggerated

Via SciAm: New Madrid quake analysis rewrites history books

You Ain't Got No Alibi

Naturally this refers to the hideous looking Honda Crosstour.

In fact, all of the new Honda's are rather unfortunate looking. But earlier this week I looked in my rear-view mirror and was startled by the grotesqueness of what was there. It was something like this:



At that moment I knew I had to find out who Honda's chief designer was so that I could run far away from anything they were involved in. The NYT provided all that I needed to know. Would you rather buy something designed by a guy who looks like this:


(Dave Marek, chief designer and senior manager at Honda's American auto design studio)

or this?:


(Jonathan Ive Senior Vice President, Industrial Design Apple)

Come On!

Every Journey Begins With A Step. Or A Pedal

Via NPR: A National Network Of Bike Trails? It Could Happen

"We’ve put almost all of our resources into roads," LaHood says. "If the commitment when President Eisenhower signed the interstate bill had been to high-speed inner-city rail, we'd be in the same position Europe and Asia are in today."


LaHood is also floating the idea of a nationwide interstate biking system — the two-wheel equivalent of Eisenhower’s highway system.

In getting ready to post this I looked around and found that a group has been preparing for a nationwide bicycle route and even has a numbering system in place.

From the NYT: Highway Group Approves Basic Plan for a Network of Bicycling Routes

The group is the Adventure Cycling Associaton and they have frequent updates at their site for the U.S. Bicycle Route System

Here's a proposed map:

Via BikingBis: Uneven support for U.S. Bicycle Route System

Evidence That Republicans Have Lost Touch With Reality

There's been a meme on the interwebs recently called "epistemic closure" that was started by Julian Sanchez - basically saying that conservative republicans have so ensconced themselves in a self-selected world that they have lost touch with reality.

The news recently seems to support this contention.

-James Fallows comments on the similarities between Arizona and China: Yet Another Arizona-China Convergence

-The GOP in the south is warning people from supporting moderate Republican candidates based on a loyalty oath: 'Party Loyalty Oath' would prevent Republicans from backing Crist [Yet these same wingnuts went crazy over a satirical piece about an Obama loyalty oath.]

-Oklahoma passed an anti-abortion bill that puts the government in charge of a woman's reproductive health.

-And Utah, apparently not content with being anti-science and anti-education, will now execute a prisoner by firing squad.

Eating Non-Fat Is Nonsense

Or Atkins was right.

Via SciAm: Carbs against Cardio: More Evidence that Refined Carbohydrates, not Fats, Threaten the Heart

Seed Bombs For Sale

This must be what people mean by "Markets In Everything" - a seed bomb vending machine.

Via TH: Seed Bomb Vending Machine Dispenses Guerrilla Gardening Fun

Carbon Disclosure

Google Finance is now listing the 'Carbon Disclosure Rating' for participating companies in the Key Stats and Ratios window (lower right-hand side when looking at a stock)

Via 3P: I’d Like a Little CDP With My GDP: Google Adds Carbon Data To Finance

Three Species Of Orca

Not one.

See SciAm: Orcas are more than one species, gene study shows

This reminds me of something I saw on television recently that showed Orca's had somehow learned that if they could launch a surprise attack on a Great White Shark and then hold it upside down for 15 minutes then they could have their way with it. It was amazing.

See DailyMailUK: Pictured: The moment a whale delivers a deadly 'karate chop' blow to a killer shark

It Is Hard To Be Ironic When You Are Struggling

Or as this Slate headline says: Are There Really No Hipsters in China?

Irony-resisting Chinese bicyclists have skipped the fixed-gear trend that has swept the rest of the world.

Pat Buchanan Is All Kinds Of Crazy And Un-American

I don't subscribe to my town's newspaper, but my mom still likes to have it around and since she is babysitting for awhile there is always a copy in our house. Earlier this week I was flipping through the pages and saw an opinion column by Uncle Pat: New Tribe Rising?

In this piece he basically says the Tea Party is made up of white ethnonationalists and it is a good thing and everybody else better watch out because this kind of uprising has a long history (though Tecumseh, Hitler, and Milošević were unsuccessful, maybe it was because the right person has not tried it yet).

The conservative blog Little Green Footballs even thinks he's crazy: Pat Buchanan: Tea Parties Are a 'New Tribe Rising'

This kind of tribal thinking is essentially un-American. The promise of America, and what continues to be a goal for Americans, is the concept of the "melting pot" as cliched as that may be - but it is a cliche because it is true. Buchanan is arguing for fascism.

Not only is racial based tribal thinking antithetical to the ideals America represents, but it also makes for bad economics. See TheAtlantic: Why Nations Struggle or Thrive

It's also clear that the most troubled societies -- those with the highest reported levels of suffering -- also, generally speaking, face the highest levels of intolerance.

Hey Conservatives - Don't Let Facts Get In The Way Of Your Opinions

From the FourthBranch.com: Government Spending

This is a map showing which states paid more in taxes than they received back from the Federal government (red states were getters, blue states givers):


and this is from the last election:

There is a very strong correlation, then, between a state voting for Republicans and receiving more in federal spending than its residents pay to the federal government in taxes (the rust belt and Texas being notable exceptions). In essence, those in blue states are subsidizing those in red states. Both red and blue states appear to be acting politically in opposition to their economic interests. Blue states are voting for candidates who are likely to continue the policies of red state subsidization while red states are voting for candidates who profess a desire to reduce federal spending (and presumably red state subsidization).

All of this makes current Republican rhetoric frustrating, to say the least. Republicans tolerated spending under Republican presidents for 30 years, accounting for 59% of our total national debt, all the while benefiting from federal spending at the expense of their counterparts in blue states, only to then go bananas when a Democratic president and Congress spend money to rescue a floundering economy.

[Via Ezra]

An Easier Way To Pick Seafood

GOOD has a new transparency up: Which Fish to Eat?

The easiest thing to remember is first look for U.S. Farmed, then these species: Arctic Char, Barmundi, Catfish, Cobia, Tilapia, Rainbow Trout, Striped Bass (not ill tempered), Clams, Bay Scallops, Mussels, Oysters, and Spiny Lobsters.

They are not listed, but Crawfish are good and sustainable option too.

Slow Cookers Reviewed

Metaefficient picks their top slow cookers: The Best Slow Cookers

That's So Gay

Or as the linked article ends, "mating isn't only about multiplying".

There are more than 450 vertebrate species that get busy with the same gender. So not sure how homosexuality can be considered unnatural.

See the Frontal Cortex: Gay Animals

Life Was Made In Pinedale

Well, just a little bit, the sage grouse part.

See the Sublette Examiner: ‘Life’ filmed near Pinedale

Official site: Life at the Discovery Channel

Brilliant Politics

President Obama made a lot of noise by opening up some parts of the continental shelf to drilling, then a couple of days later the E.P.A. released new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks AND issued rules for how much CO2 cars can release.

Funny that the drilling got all the attention but the E.P.A. are what will really matter.

We are in the midst of a political magician.

See:
U.S. Issues Limits on Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Cars

Offshore Drilling's Payoff May Not Be Energy

VW's New Design Language And One Other Thing

Via FC: Volkswagen Unveils Its First Hybrid

Brandishing an iPhone, he added: "Otherwise, why would my friend Steve Jobs design this! Our design is about honesty and responsibility."

The other thing via GCC: Diesels Account for 85% of All Jetta SportWagens Sold in March

TDI killed the ethanol star.

Another Luxury Wagon

Like the Japanese companies, GM will be offering a Cadillac sport wagon to compete with the traditional European station wagons.

See USAToday: Cadillac CTS-V sport wagon bulks up on power

Not sure why anyone would buy a GM vehicle though. Listen to This American Life's podcast about the NUMMI plant if you are ever thinking about buying GM

I hope Ford is paying attention. Perhaps a Lincoln version of the UK's Modndeo wagon?

Teleprompt This

Via WaPo: Obama's 17-minute, 2,500-word response to woman's claim of being 'over-taxed'

Related, from Salon: Is right's obsession with Obama's teleprompter racist?

Mammals Don't Need Maps

And neither do people.

See:
NewSCi:Learning to use nature's GPS

Wired: Make Like a Dolphin: Learn Echolocation

I Have Always Admired Judge Posner

First in the 1990's when I first read his work. Now as an author for The Atlantic.

His writing is prolific yet clear.

He's also a realistic libertarian. And when the facts could not support his opinion he then changed his opinion. Which is difficult. I went through a similar transformation politically. But I am not as smart as Judge Posner so I cannot explain it as well.

See his interview at Harper's: Six Questions for Richard Posner on Capitalism and Crisis

Crash Course On Palestine

The Israel-Palestine conflict is not something I follow closely, but I think I understand it much better after reading Juan Cole's The Map: The Story of Palestinian Nationhood Thwarted After the League of Nations Recognized It

Bicyclist Have A Posse

It is the Federal Department of Transportation.

See FC: Transportation Secretary Announces "Sea-Change" for American Transport: Bikes!

LaHood's announcement... is backed by a set of eight guidelines, which will be sent to state DOT's and communities:

* Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.
* Ensure convenient access for people of all ages and abilities.
* Go beyond minimum design standards.
* Collect data on walking and biking trips.
* Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling.
* Protect sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are protected (for example, snow removal)
* Improve nonmotorized facilities during maintenance projects.

Which frankly all sounds rather dull, but here's the important thing: LaHood, as Transportation Secretary, is essentially saying, "If you want federal DOT dollars, you better think more seriously about adding bike paths to the projects you propose."

"Christians understand their faith only in privatized terms"

I have been wondering how conservative Christians in America can hold so many discordant views. Reading this helped me understand a little why they are so crazy but not the how.

See HuffPo: Why Conservative Christians So Often Fail the Common Good

Yak Wool

The claim is yak wool is warmer than merino and as soft as cashmere.

Via Metaefficient: Ultrafine Yak Wool Clothing

The company offering this clothing is Khunu.

Making The Plains Less Plain

The NYT Dot Earth blog: Can Wild Bison Repopulate the Plains?

Which reminded me of the idea from several years ago to re-wild the American plains with African wildlife as a replacement for the native American species that disappeared during the Pleistocene. See: Bring African wildlife to U.S., say ecologists

The Japanese Will Finally Get Some Wagon Wheels

Audi, Volvo, BMW, and MB are getting some competition in the luxury wagon category.

See the NYT: New York Auto Show Preview: Acura TSX Sport Wagon

and it looks much better than the Honda Crosstour (not that would be hard to do).

The Latest On The Original Dog

Via NPR: Dogs Likely Descended From Middle Eastern Wolf

...dog skeletons 12,000 or 13,000 years old have been found in what is now northern Israel. "They're found in burials with humans in a very clear human context."

Vermont Public Radio Interview With Neko Case

At VPR

Singer-songwriter Neko Case recently bought a farmhouse in the Northeast Kingdom. She joins VPR's Neal Charnoff to to talk about why she moved to Vermont, what her songs mean to her, and her upcoming benefit concert for Catamount Arts.

Out Of Nowhere, Some Liz Phair

She wrote a piece for The Atlantic: Exile in Greenville (includes some of the playlist she listened to while on the trip)

And a blogger posted his version of Phairities.

Google Maps Expands

Look what Google has done: Biking directions added to Google Maps

and as The Atlantic explains: Why Google Maps' New Biking Directions Could Be Huge

I tested it to see if it would put me on the Leelanau Trail for a trip from Traverse City to Suttons Bay:

Does Anyone In Utah Find This Ironic?

recently in the news, the state of Utah is considering less education:

Utah Eyes Cutting 12th Grade To Save $60M

and so it is not a surprise that this leads to wackiness:

House Resolution Passed in Utah: Climate Change a Conspiracy

Life Is Bigger

Some of the TED talks this year are about living a healthy life.

CNN: Uncovering secrets to a longer life

This talk is about "Blue Zones"

The premise of Blue Zones is: identify the optimal lifestyle of longevity and you have a de facto formula of longevity.

And via BB: "We can eat to starve cancer"

Some Future Materials That Appear Amazing

Via inhabitat: Space-age Aerogel Insulation Now Cheaper and Available in Sheets

Via PhysOrg: Spray-on liquid glass is about to revolutionize almost everything

Via 80beats: Engineered E. Coli Bacteria Produces Road-Ready Diesel

Can't Say These Stories Redeem WalMart

I still prefer quality over always low prices. But still, these make my head spin a little:

FC: Will Walmart's "Sustainability Index" Actually Work?

and 11 Ways That Walmart Is Changing Retail -- for Good

TheAtlantic: The Great Grocery Smackdown

Update - how could I forget the story of Snapper lawn mowers and WalMart. From 2006, see The Man Who Said No to Wal-Mart Stories like this are why the superstore cannot be redeemed anytime soon.

More People Sounding Like Noreena Hertz

Refreshing to hear leaders talk about a "third way" or what others have called compassionate capitalism; what Noreena calls Co-Op Capitalism.

Slate: The French president declares that capitalism can be made kinder and more humane. Good luck with that!

The Guardian: Business as usual will sink capitalism

More Seafood News

Following up to the the last post, The Latest From The Seafood Watch Program.

TheAtlantic: Save a Reef--Eat a Lionfish

FC: Target Steps Up for Sustainable Seafood

The Latest From The Seafood Watch Program

I always have the Seafood WATCH pocket guide in my wallet. Be sure to get the new 2010 version.

And now there's an iPhone app.

But the big news is reported by SciAm: Sea Change: Environmental Group Gives First-Time Nod to Sustainable Salmon-Farming Method

Jeff Varasano Is Serious About Homemade Pizza

All it takes is 16 easy steps, a coal or wood fired brick oven, and making your own cheese and sauce.

Yet I love the authenticity of web sites like this.

See: Jeff Varasano's Famous New York Pizza Recipe

Biofuel News

Some recent articles:

SciAm: Is Algae Worse than Corn for Biofuels?

RenewableEnergyWorld: Obama Unveils Plans To Boost Biofuel Market

MSNBC: Bacteria Rebuilt To Make Oil

Regarding the Algae biofuel story, the study does not appear to be very well done as it assumes algae would need to be fertilized from a non-renewable resource. However, most research with algae biofuels is in the area of using waste water and other manufacturing effluent such as carbon dioxide as the nutrient sources. In fact, the Algal Biomass Organization released a statement disputing the study. See GCC: Algal Biomass Organization Questions Findings of Recent Algae Life Cycle Study

I Want To Believe

That this picture is of alien technology (but it isn't).



See The Sun: Space UFO Baffles Boffins

Alton Brown Makes A List Of His Five Favorite Cookbooks

Via the WSJ: Best Cookbooks

His list is:

The Joy of Cooking

The Frugal Gourmet

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

Outlaw Cook

Ratio

The Miami Reputation Continues

Big Ben was last year's winning quarterback and for this year the winning team has connections back to the cradle of coaches.

See The Oxford Press: The Miami RedHawks’ Super Bowl

Even The Animals Are Moving To Colorado

The great state of Colorado is gaining population (which is the topic for another post).

Seems that the animals like the state too. See:

PhysOrg: Litter of lynx kittens heartens Colo. biologists

NYT: After 90 Years, the Wolverine (Just One) Returns to Colorado

AD Sure Is Popular For A Show That Was Cancelled

That Funke Arrested Development is some kind of something. Boy, this Funke Arrested Development is all anybody's ever talking about. So sick and tired of hearing about how brilliant that Funke Arrested Development is. Overrated

Movieline: Jessica Walter On Archer, Arrested Development, and the Lost Classic Dinosaurs

PopEater: Will Arnett Talks Baby Helmets, 'Arrested' Secrets and Loving Conan

[Update 2/9/2010]
Collider: Ron Howard Interview

Are you surprised at the passion people have for Arrested Development, so long after it went off the air?

Ron: I’m gratified by it. From the very first conversations with Mitch Hurwitz, I was passionate about it and always frustrated that the broad audiences weren’t there to really sustain it on network television. But, it’s been incredibly gratifying. You’re always a little surprised when something really takes off.

Ron Howard image (2).jpgWhat’s the status of the movie now?

Ron: Mitch Hurwitz is working on a story on script. He would direct it. Everyone is hoping. We’re not going to go through with anything we don’t think is up to the standards.

Everyone is chomping at the bit for it.

Ron: Me too. I’m chomping too.

Would it pick up where the show left off?

Ron: No clue. I have no clue as to who’s in it or what the storyline is, but every time I get together with Mitch, he gives me these fragments and they’re all hilarious.

Would you still narrate the film?

Ron: Oh, yeah. They couldn’t stop me. They couldn’t hold me back.

In Russia, Stray Dogs Get Statues

Via FT: Moscow’s stray dogs

Every so often, you would see one waiting on a metro platform. When the train pulled up, the dog would step in, scramble up to lie on a seat or sit on the floor if the carriage was crowded, and then exit a few stops later. There is even a website dedicated to the metro stray (www.metrodog.ru) on which passengers post photos and video clips taken with their mobile phones, documenting the ­savviest of the pack using the public transport system like any other Muscovite.

Why There Is An Internet - A Web Site For Shoelaces

I find this kind of site fascinating because it has passion and is authentic: Ian's Shoelace Site

This web site will show you how to tie your shoelaces with various knots. But it also offers knot variations, knot comparisons and ratings, technical analysis, and so much more. There's even an iPhone/Touch app.

GOBIAS Some Coffee

The Bluth boys are at it again. See FC: Online Buddy Comedy by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett Could Make You URL

The Year Of The Renewable Bike

I've posted links to wooden bike projects before, but 2010 may be the year for these bikes now that the topic is getting coverage in magazines like Der Spiegel: The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Ride

Why Scientists Refer To Climate Instability, Not Global Warming

A couple of examples. The U.K. has been covered in snow this month because the North Atlantic Current has shifted away from transporting heat from the equator to northern Europe. See: Freak Current Takes Gulf Stream to Greenland

Two, from GCC: Global Ice Age Climate Patterns Influenced by Bering Strait

I Will No Longer Stereotype Pre-Fabricated Homes As "Trailers"

Via TH: Small Second Home Design Adapts To Seasons



The Scandinavian countries sure know how to design (e.g., classic Volvos and Saabs, Ikea, the Draken).

TDI Killed The Hybrid Star

Via GCC: Audi, BMW and VW See Strong US Diesel Sales