My old friend Neil has something to say about NASA and inspiration.
I wonder how often he reads my blog? More likely, he and I just strongly agree on this topic. He is a very smart guy, after all.
Toshiba Regza Z1 LED TVs Can Record Over LAN [TVs]
Toshiba introduced a whole mess of new Regza LED LCD TVs today over in Japan, but it's the Z1 series that grabbed our attention: 37- to 55-inch edge-lit LEDs with USB and LAN recording functionality. Gimme! More »
Vodafone Will Sell iPad 3G In UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and Australia [Ipad]
The iPad may have been delayed by a further month for non-US countries, but Vodafone intends on announcing pricing details at the end of May for Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, where they will sell it. It's not known if Vodafone will be the exclusive carrier for these countries. More »
Hundreds Die in Remote China Quakes
From The Washington Post:
A series of strong earthquakes killed hundreds of people in western China on Wednesday, badly damaging at least two schools, shattering homes and spreading fire through a remote town high on the Tibetan plateau. The early morning quakes hit China's Qing
Aussies Develop Robots on Segways for Firing Practice
From Newlaunches.com:
The armed forces are more into the future than we thought. Well, if that doesn't sound convincing enough then how about the presence of Segways moving around the streets, disguised as normal people. This was done by Australian based company, Marathon Robotics.
Snow Mad Max [Vehicles]
When Santa is off season, he makes and races amazing snowmobiles from scrap in the Russian steppes, while his little slaves build toys during the day and get drunk at night. And yes, Santa's beard is fake. [English Russia] More »
Choosing the Right Cutting Method
Metal fabricators and steel service centers need to make smart choices to ensure the continued success of their business. This entry explores three of the most common processes: laser, Oxyfuel, and plasma. First, let's start with a very brief explanation of the three processes.
NASA Begins Science Flights with Robotic Jet
From Yahoo! News: Science News:
One of NASA's newest research jets soared high over the Pacific Ocean Tuesday on a 24-hour mission to study Earth's atmosphere. Its pilot remained seated in an office chair in a windowless room in the Mojave Desert, monitoring the autonomous fligh
Stand Alone Unit Control Panel (UCP) Location
Where I should locate Stand alone Unit Control Panel (UCP) with its own operator interface.?
Shall it be in local (i.e field) near the package it controls or it shall be installed in the central control room or maybe controlled and monitor at the field and another parallel monitor only in t
Control Valve
What causes control valve to cycle?
Sony Builds Its Own RED Camera [Photography]
I can't imagine a more exciting time to be an independent filmmaker. This week, even Sony—yes, Sony—showed off a prototype "entry level 35mm" camcorder. In other words, their $100,000+ CineAltas could price compete with RED...or even lower? More »
Electropolishing
Hi all.
I Hope you are well .
Can someboby talk me about electropolishing for stainless steel ?
Right voltage , acids to be used and the proportional mix for it .
Thanks in advance all
Apple Delays International iPad Launch by One Month [Apple]
Laptop Wireless Improvement
I have a home/office network using a Belkin wireless N router and a Sitecom wireless G repeater with a high-gain external antenna. My Acer TravelMate 4230 has wireless G, and an internal antenna with no provision for connecting an external one.
The laptop can connect fine anywhere in the ho
Scientists as “spiritual atheists” | Gene Expression
Are Top Scientists Really So Atheistic? Look at the Data asks Chris Mooney. He’s referring to a new book, Science vs Religion: What Scientists Really Think by Elaine Howard Ecklund. Here’s the Amazon description:
… In Science vs Religion, Elaine Howard Ecklund investigates this unexamined assumption in the first systematic study of what scientists actually think and feel about religion. Ecklund surveyed nearly 1700 scientists, interviewed 275 of them, and centers the book around vivid portraits of 10 representative men and women working in the physical and social sciences at top American research universities. She finds that most of what we believe about the faith lives of elite scientists is wrong. Nearly 50 percent of them are religious. Many others are what she calls “spiritual entrepreneurs,” seeking creative ways to work with the tensions between science and faith outside the constraints of traditional religion. Her respondents run the gamut from Margaret, a chemist who teaches a Sunday-school class, to Arik, a physicist who chose not to believe in God well before he decided to become a scientist. Only a small minority are actively hostile to religion….
Some of Chris’ readers are rather agitated about this all, and he suggests that perhaps they should read the book to answer their questions. I haven’t read the book, but you can read much of it on Google Books or Amazon’s text search feature. Skimming a bit I encountered the term “spiritual atheist,” which many might find an oxymoron. Rather than present her interpretation, let me post some of the tables which have data in them.
In reply to Chris’ question posed, my own interpretation is that yes, scientists are that atheistic! The reference point is the general population. In fact, 72% of scientists hold to a non-theistic position. On the other hand, most are not militant atheists in the mould of Richard Dawkins or Peter Atkins. Interestingly, if you assume that all of those with no religion are in the non-theist category (I think this is unlikely, but probably sufficient as a first approximation) then 40% of those who claim a religious affiliation among these scientists are non-theists. Also, I believe that Sam Harris, with his interest in meditation and Eastern mysticism more generally, would probably class as a spiritual atheist, so the categories New Atheist and spiritual atheist are not necessarily exclusive.
I find table 3.1 intriguing. I suspect here scientists and the general public may be speaking somewhat about different truths, or more specifically, scientists are thinking of a narrower subset. For the general public religious truths are both descriptive and prescriptive. That is, they describe the world’s past, and its present, as a factual matter, and, they prescribe a set of actions and norms. I think most scientists are thinking in prescriptive terms here, not descriptive. In other words, the religions of the world have integrated within their belief systems basic core human morality and ethics. Fundamental moral truths. I would myself agree that there are basic truths in many religions.
Note: I’ve seen most of this data in Ecklund’s papers, so I’m not spilling treasured secrets by presenting the tables.
All tables from Science vs Religion: What Scientists Really Think
A Brief History of Automata, An Illustrated Lecture and Demonstration by Mike Zohn, Obscura Antiques and Oddities, TONIGHT! Coney Island Museum
Tonight is night three of the Congress for Curious People! To celebrate, come to the Coney Island Museum at 7:00 PM to see Mike Zohn--of the inimitable Obscura Antiques and Oddities-- as he demonstrates and explains the workings of his 19th Century bird-taxidermy automaton, which aficionados might remember from last Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest; (see bottom image to jog your memory).
To accompany the demonstration, Mike will give an illustrated lecture about the fascinating, surprising, and sometimes nefarious history of automata. And--added bonus--there will also be half-price drinks at the bar till 7! Full details follow; hope to see you there!
A Brief History of Automata
An Illustrated Lecture and Demonstration by Mike Zohn, Obscura Antiques and Oddities
Date: Wednesday, April 14th (Tonight!)
Time: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: The Coney Island Museum
In this illustrated lecture, Obscura Antique and Oddities‘ Mike Zohn will demonstrate his 19th Century taxidermy automata, as featured in last year’s Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest. He will explain its curious mechanisms, and, in an illustrated lecture, will introduce us to the history of these fascinating uncanny machines, tracing their trajectory from tools of religious coercion to prince’s plaything to Disney’s imagineering experiments.Mike Zohn is co-proprietor of Obscura Antique and Oddities. He fixes automata in his spare time.
For information about the Coney Island Museum--including address and directions--click here. For more about the Congress for Curious People--under whose auspices this event is included--click here. To find out more about the larger Congress of Curious Peoples click here. Click here to download a hi-res copy of the broadside invitation.
Bottom image: Mike Zohn with his Bird Automaton at the Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest; from the Flickr page of tenebrouskate; click here to see more.
Japanese AffectPhone Concept Conveys Emotions Through Heat [Concepts]
Temperature-sensing accelerometer are possible, but Japanese researchers at the Rekimoto Lab have taken it a step further with their AffectPhone project, which monitors Galvanic Skin Response for conveying emotions through an iPhone. More »
Raytheon Joins the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that Raytheon Company has joined the Federation as an Associate Member, having received unanimous approval by the Board of Directors.
“We are pleased and excited to become one of the newest members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation,” said Garnett R. Stowe, Vice President of National Intelligence Programs and Space for Raytheon. “Commercial spaceflight is a growth area for the space sector and Raytheon is proud to offer our support. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and its member companies.”
Mark Sirangelo, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems Chairman, commented, “The member companies of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation are proud to welcome Raytheon as a new Associate Member. As we look ahead to the future of spaceflight, we are excited to begin working with Raytheon to further the Federation’s goals of promoting the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursuing ever higher levels of safety, and sharing best practices and expertise throughout the industry.”
Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, added, “These next few months and years will be especially critical for the growth of the commercial spaceflight industry. As a provider of proven space-qualified systems and components, Raytheon has been involved in every orbital human spaceflight vehicle developed by the United States since the Mercury capsule. We are excited that Raytheon will be bringing its expertise to the Federation and our members.”
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
About Raytheon Company
Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide. For more information please visit http://www.raytheon.com or contact Donald Blick, Senior Manager for Civil Space, at donald_blick@raytheon.com or at 703.284.4479.
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Electrical Wiring
how battery get dicharged and wat is der in battery and also why do we use grd in simple wiring system wat is key role of grd in wiring
Original Xbox Live Dead From Today [Gaming]
Don't tell me you're still using that clunky old Xbox? And actually using Live on it? From today, old-console-clingers will be cut off their online supply by Microsoft. More »
