Tfoui – Page 46 – The Fount of Useless Information

CNN

I used to consider CNN a useful place to get (mostly) objective reporting. That was 10+ years ago and I have sort of watched it since then out of habit (not that there really is any place better, broadcast media …

Being smarter than yourself

Preferences
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/preferences/

I strive mightily to be smarter than myself, but, sadly, tend to fail a large proportion of the time. For instance, last weekend during our pool/greenhouse construction, I was ‘persuading’ a spacer in between two rafters with a …

Global cooling?

Night-Shining Clouds Get Glow from Meteor Smoke
A key ingredient in noctilucent clouds appears to be “smoke” from meteors as they burn up.
http://news.discovery.com/space/noctilucent-clouds-meteor-strike-120904.html

This article motivated me to write on a subject I have been thinking on a while …

The beginning of the end for Java?

Beware Fake Microsoft And Amazon Emails Exploiting Java Security Vulnerability
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/09/04/beware-fake-microsoft-and-amazon-emails-exploiting-java-security-vulnerability/

I almost blogged on this last week when I heard that Oracle had taken so long to put out a fix. Now, it seems, even the fix is a …

The Politics of the Empty Chair

Politics of Clint Eastwood’s empty chair
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/03/opinion/avlon-politics-empty-chair/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7

I didn’t watch any of the RNC (and have no intention of watching any bit of the DNC either), but did see and read lots of stuff on Eastwood’s ‘performance’. I don’t feel …

What do you think…

Study: Divided classes promote stereotypes
A new report from the ACLU confirms what feminists have long suspected: Single-sex classrooms don’t help kids learn
http://www.salon.com/2012/09/02/study_divided_classes_promote_stereotypes/

Based on what I have read, it is not so clear cut as this article makes …

A product that could be immensely valuable

Unmixing oil and water
A new filter that separates the two substances only using gravity could help clean oil spills
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/343319/title/Unmixing_oil_and_water

In my research (mostly literature at this point) regarding biofuels, separating oil from water is a significant element. Though …

Promiscuous proteins

Big jobs go to loyal proteins
Cells offload nonessential work on multitasking enzymes
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/343412/title/Big_jobs_go_to_loyal_proteins

This is an interesting idea to me. I have been steeped in the paradigm of one enzyme – one substrate for a very long time. The …

Did you know the word ‘gullible’ isn’t in the dictionary?

I first read this post by Scott Adams:

Quantifying Gullibility
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/quantifying_gullibility/

Which lead me to read the article he referenced:

Research Pinpoints Brain’s ‘Gullibility’ Center
Changes in this region could explain why seniors, children are less doubting
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/08/24/research-pinpoints-brains-gullibility-center

I admit …

Cynic is as cynic does

Correspondence and collusion between the New York Times and the CIA
Mark Mazzetti’s emails with the CIA expose the degradation of journalism that has lost the imperative to be a check to power
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/29/correspondence-collusion-new-york-times-cia

This an interesting article, as most …