Malaysia. It's more exotic than Thailand and slightly more laid back i.e. no one hassles you. We passed through the boarder by minibus without any problems as there has been 'trouble at mill' of late in the provinces of southwest Thailand we drove through the south eastern part. It gave me the opportunity to take in the scenery which was more or less lush pine trees as far as the eye could see
Ciao from Roma
Hey EveryoneSo I decided to take the plunge and create a travel blog to document my Rome 2010 semester adventures After a long day of traveling our group of 34 ND students made it to Rome at about 7am here in Rome or 1am Eastern Standard Time.... needless to say we were all extremely tired and jet lagged but personally I was also pretty excited. Getting off the plane we went through all of the
Bananana boat
Me Rob Ryan and Natalie went on the banana boat today it was such fun That is until he span us round and we all fell off and Rob landed his hip on Ryan's head Boat driver was a little more careful with us from then on The view of the island from the boat was gorgeous. Ate at the Indian restaurant near the hostel tonight which was delicious and a bargain as we get 10 discount for staying at
"ACDC Shipping out to Ireland"
17th April lsquo09 The colour of onersquos deckchair is crucial it calls into question onersquos sexuality. The good news then is that my deckchair left in Zurich was not in fact ruined but rescued by another driver hawkeyed Ken. The bad news.. Erm there isnrsquot any bad news except that most of us could happily have remained at home for a bit longer. So no more pink deckchairs fo
Cheeky little monkeys
Got up late this morning seem to be getting into a late to bed late to rise regime We decided to go on the island hopping tour in the afternoon. Kat and Jim also booked onto it. We got into a crammed little van to go to the port which luckily was only 1km away. The boat we were on was really cool smacking off the waves and bobbing up and down spraying us all with water. We went first to swim i
Baoding
Baoding China
Google Response to Chinese Cyber-Attacks Appropriate
Freedom House commends Google's decision to contest internet censorship by the Chinese authorities, despite the distinct possibility that this action will result in the closure of its operations in China.
ILLINOIS: Libertarian backs moderate Republican Mark Kirk for US Senate as best hope for GOP pick-up
Mark Kirk is the Best Choice for the Republican Party
By Jeff Wartman • January 11, 2010
JeffWartman.com
Over the last two days, both the Daily Herald and Chicago Sun-Times have written important endorsements of Congressman Mark Kirk in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
From the Daily Herald:
Not only is Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park by far the most qualified in the GOP field, he would be the most formidable candidate Republicans could offer in the November general election. Put simply: Kirk could win; it is debatable whether any of the other five candidates could.
I don’t think it’s debatable at all – no other candidate in the Republican primary can win the general election. Period. The Herald continues…
He’s an intelligent, hardworking independent who strives to model bipartisan ethics in a system that is choking on its partisanship. In 10 years, he’s become a leader among Republican moderates in the House, chairing their Tuesday Group get-togethers. Morton Kondracke, executive editor of Roll Call, described him well as “one of Congress’ most effective moderates.”
He has been a leader on Capitol Hill in rejecting the outrageous congressional practice of earmark spending and has fought for fiscal sanity in government spending.
As a Naval Reserve intelligence officer, Kirk has keen insights into the stakes in Afghanistan and the war on terror and an ability to articulate them that few other politicians can match.
As for those political assailants who ignore the record and try to smear Kirk as a Democrat in Republican clothing, consider this: If that were true, why have Democratic national officials worked so hard to try time and again to unseat him in the 10th Congressional District?
Kirk is one of the few active duty Military personnel serving in Congress. From his website:
National Security: Mark Kirk, a Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer holding the rank of Commander, served during conflicts with Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, and Bosnia. In 1999, the U.S. Navy named Kirk ‘Intelligence Officer of the Year’ for his service over Kosovo.
Kirk is solid on the issues that matter most:
* Fiscal Responsibility: Mark Kirk opposed Speaker Pelosi’s trillion-dollar stimulus plan
* Agriculture is the backbone of the Illinois economy. As a Senator, Mark Kirk will fight for Illinois farmers and expand opportunities for our state’s agriculture industry. By upgrading our river, road and rail systems, promoting ethanol and biodiesel, expanding exports to growing markets and keeping taxes low, we can raise incomes and create new jobs for Illinois.
* Lower the cost of health care for all Americans without compromising the doctor-patient relationship and without raising taxes.
* Ethics and Reform: Illinois deserves an experienced legislator with a proven record of reform to fight for integrity in public office. During the past several years, our state was misrepresented by corrupt politicians who served themselves instead of the people of Illinois. It’s time to set a new course.
While it’s true that many social reactionary Republicans will oppose Congressman Kirk based on a small amount of fringe issues, the fact of the matter remains that Congresman Kirk has been helping to lead the fight to oppose the Democrats national takeover of health care, reduce the deficit, cut taxes, and keep our country safe.
The choice is simple: do we want to elect a legislator with proven results in Washington, or do we want to lose? Most of the other candidates for U.S. Senate here in Illinois are good people, and good Republicans. However, Mark Kirk is the only Republican in Illinois that can win. His Republican values will serve us well in the United States Senate.
Furthermore, there is another reason that the election of Mark Kirk to the U.S. Senate would be positive — it would push back on the Democrats national talking points. For the last decade, Democrats have been trying to portray the Republican Party as moving far to the extreme social conservative right wing. However, electing a responsible moderate Republican like Mark Kirk should prove to the media and the rest of the county that those of us active in the Republican Party believe in a big tent party and reject small minded purity tests.
Editor's Note - Jeff Wartman is a former Libertarian Party of Illinois Executive Committe member, and was active in the Bob Barr/Wayne Root Libertarian campaign for President in 2008. For the last year he's been an active libertarian within the IL GOP in the Chicago area. Wartman's personal endorsement of Kirk does not imply that other libertarian Republicans, including the IL RLC are also backing him.
Reid’s Nevada seat gets moved to "Lean GOP takeover"
LR FOLLOW-UP
From Eric Dondero:
Yesterday we reported that North Dakota Governor John Hoeven had declared for US Senate. Various horse race followers and pundits on the Left such as NPR, moved the Democrat-held seat to "Likely GOP pick-up."
Now, a mere day later, and another big Democrat seat has been moved to the Republican side.
Democrat Pollster Stu Rothenberg has officially moved Reid to the "Lean GOP takeover" category. Rothenberg states:
"It will be extremely difficult for him to pull out a win..."
Notably, in addition to ND, and now NV, Rothenberg lists Delaware as a "Lean GOP takeover." Republican Rep. Michael Castle is running for that seat.
No Republican seats are listed as "likely" or even "possible" take-overs.
Asteroid to pass Earth harmlessly Wednesday | Bad Astronomy
A small (10 meter wide) asteroid will pass by the Earth Wednesday, at 12:47 UT. This tiny rock, called 2010 AL30, will pass us at a safe distance of 130,000 km (80,000 miles). As cosmic encounters go, this is a hair’s breadth, but in human terms it’s a long way off; as this graphic makes clear. It’s about a third of the way to the Moon.
2010 AL30 was only discovered on Monday. It’s escaped our previous notice because it’s dinky. Even when it passes you’ll need a telescope to see it. There has been some speculation that this was a man-made object like a rocket booster, since it’s about the right size, and sometimes near-Earth objects turn out to be space junk. But in this case the orbit doesn’t really match any rocket trajectory, so it’s probably a natural rock.
And since I know someone would ask, if this were aimed at us, it would probably explode high up in the atmosphere and not hit the ground. It would be quite a show, but most likely wouldn’t do any damage on the ground (even if it were iron, at that size it’s unlikely it would make it to the ground, and instead would tear itself to pieces on the way in).
And one last thing: note what I titled this post. Now look around the web to see how other articles are titled. Just sayin’.
Tip o’ the Whipple Shield to Mike Murray for putting that graphic together and letting me know about it.
When Wind Turbines Over Rotate | The Intersection
Very rare, but fascinating.
Book Excerpt: The Left Hand of God
Michael Lerner on the joys and benefits of social responsibility.
NCBI ROFL: Asparagus, urine, farts, and Benjamin Franklin (Part II) | Discoblog
Identification of gases responsible for the odour of human flatus and evaluation of a device purported to reduce this odour.
“BACKGROUND/AIMS: While the social significance of flatus derives mainly from its odour, previous studies have focused on the non-odoriferous components of rectal gas. The aims of the present study were to determine the role of sulphur-containing gases in flatus odour and test the efficacy of a device purported to reduce this odour. METHODS: Flatus was quantitatively collected via rectal tube from 16 healthy subjects who ingested pinto beans and lactulose to enhance flatus output. The concentrations of sulphur-containing gases in each passage were correlated with odour intensity assessed by two judges. Odour intensity was also determined after treatment of flatus samples with zinc acetate, which binds sulphydryl compounds (hydrogen sulphide and methanethiol), or activated charcoal. Utilising gastight Mylar pantaloons, the ability of a charcoal lined cushion to adsorb sulphur-containing gases instilled at the anus of eight subjects was assessed. RESULTS: The main sulphur-containing flatus component was hydrogen sulphide (1.06 (0.2) mumol/l), followed by methanethiol (0.21 (0.04) mumol/l) and dimethyl sulphide (0.08 (0.01) mumol/l) (means (SEM)). Malodour significantly correlated with hydrogen sulphide concentration (p < or = 0.001). Zinc acetate reduced sulphur gas content but did not totally eliminate odour, while activated charcoal removed virtually all odour. The cushion absorbed more than 90% of the sulphur gases. CONCLUSION: Sulphur-containing gases are the major, but not the only, malodorous components of human flatus. The charcoal lined cushion effectively limits the escape of these sulphur-containing gases into the environment.”
We close with one more quote from To the Royal Academy of Farting:
What Comfort can the Vortices of Descartes give to a Man who has Whirlwinds in his Bowels! The Knowledge of Newton’s mutual Attraction of the Particles of Matter, can it afford Ease to him who is racked by their mutual Repulsion, and the cruel Distensions it occasions? The Pleasure arising to a few Philosophers, from seeing, a few Times in their Life, the Threads of Light untwisted, and separated by the Newtonian Prism into seven Colours, can it be compared with the Ease and Comfort every Man living might feel seven times a Day, by discharging freely the Wind from his Bowels? Especially if it be converted into a Perfume: For the Pleasures of one Sense being little inferior to those of another, instead of pleasing the Sight he might delight the Smell of those about him, & make Numbers happy, which to a benevolent Mind must afford infinite Satisfaction. The generous Soul, who now endeavours to find out whether the Friends he entertains like best Claret or Burgundy, Champagne or Madeira, would then enquire also whether they chose Musk or Lilly, Rose or Bergamot, and provide accordingly.
Thanks to Tusi for today’s ROFL!
Related content:
Discoblog: NCBI ROFL: Asparagus, urine, farts, and Benjamin Franklin (Part I)
Discoblog: NCBI ROFL: It’s like a Brita filter for your butt
Greg Laden on Unscientific America | The Intersection
It’s a really thoughtful (if not uncritical) review, and what stood out perhaps most is this great passage:
To combine my own personal view (which I have drifted into here, sorry…) with that of Unscientific America: Regular citizens and scientists are separated by a very narrow but very deep canyon, resting comfortably on either side of this canyon and vaguely aware of the others across the way. When science policy issues arise among the citizenry, the scientists don’t really play a role. When scientists lobby for their funding from the big agencies and other sources, they don’t really account for the people over on the other side of the canyon. This has been the case for years, and over this time, the social and cultural relevance of actual science has pretty much vanished among the [populace], and the ability to understand what motivates or interests the general public… or just even how to talk to them … has disappeared from the culture of science. Not that it was ever there. Looking back, it is clear that the bridges that did exist across this canyon were built by regular people inspired by the occasional super-communicator, such as Carl Sagan. Those bridges were not, in any systematic way, built by the scientists.
Thanks, Greg, for taking the time and giving the thought. Please read his full review here.
Garver To Speak at Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference
"NASA's Deputy Administrator, Lori Garver, will be the opening keynote speaker at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference on February 18-20, 2010, at which scientists, engineers, educators, and vehicle developers will gather to discuss the research and education benefits of new commercial suborbital spacecraft."
Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference Update, earlier post
Stadd In Court Part II
Ex-top NASA official charged in Mississippi, Houston Chronicle
"A former high-ranking NASA official pleaded not guilty Monday to nine federal charges accusing him of steering a $600,000 contract to Mississippi State University, a client of his consulting firm. Courtney A. Stadd had already been convicted of steering a different contract for almost $10 million to the university. Stadd was sentenced in November to three years probation."
LaRC Management Wants To Know Why People Show Up for Work
NASA LaRC Internal Memo: Let Your Voice Be Heard
"Over 500 of you responded to the Langley Story survey and we will shortly have some preliminary results. The next step is a series of focus groups to further define what kind of an organization we are and what prompts us to come to work each day."
Keith's note: One would assume that people are prompted to "come to work each day" because that is what you do when you have a "job" i.e. you go to work - each day.
The Moon rocks were not lost – we just could not find them
Moon rocks from first and last Apollo missions turn up in locked cabinet in Hawaii, AP
"Lenny Klompus, a spokesman for Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, says the rocks were never actually missing. He says state employees knew the rocks were in a secured cabinet, but they didn't know which cabinet."
Give me Sustainable Steam Heat
When one prominent US door and window manufacturing firm needed a new way to produce up to 100,000 lb/hr of steam, they turned to mechanical engineers to design and develop an environmentally friendly, energy efficient system. The resulting $22 million steam-generating facility allows the manufactu
Rapidly Recovering Radiance
Waste heat needn't be wasted. This engineered, industrial grade waste heat recovery boiler system retrieves the heat expelled from diesel motors, incinerators, and steam and hot water turbines. Complete electrical and/or pneumatically controlled system packages are available for on-site assembly i