don't be a dodo

So, Dr. Tron and I went with a few other astro geeks to go see a showing of Flock of Dodos. Apparently, Caroline was there too, but we didn't run into each other.

It was a good documentary, in that it treated the "debate" fairly even-handedly. I say fairly because the director was, before becoming a film-maker, an evolutionary biologist. He does give the ID'ers their fair due, and goes so far as to concede that most of them are not complete nut-jobs, and do believe that the earth is indeed 4 billion years old.

The main message of the movie is that the Scientific Community has done a crappy job of communicating with the public, while the ID movement has appealed more to the layperson. Because of this disconnect between scientists and the public, people are more prone to accept explainations aimed at their level.

The film is sprinkled throughout with various evolutionary scientists, and while they do make some very coherent arguments, they also come across as pompus and asinine. A perfect example is way some scientists have categorically refused to debate ID. While this gut-reaction feels rather satisfying for most scientists, to someone on the fence, it comes across as quite condescending. We scientists should never be afraid to discuss our science. In fact, if we never communicate our results with the general public, our pursuits become pointless and meaningless. By sharing our results with the world, in some small way, we hopefully will help contribuite to a more educated populace. There's no way in the world that can be a bad thing.

Outreach is quasi-important here in the Astronomy department. I say quasi-important, because we have quite a large outreach program (Stardate, for one), but it's almost an afterthought. People are so focused on the cutting edge, the general consensus is to look down upon people who spend part of their time doing outreach. Sort of a "those who can't do, teach" mentality. It shouldn't be that way.

Yellow Snapdragons: Olbermann on Habeus Corpus

This is a ominous clip... Big Brother seems to be doing a good job keeping us scared.

Yellow Snapdragons: Olbermann on Habeus Corpus

Bill Maher on Pluto

Bill Maher on Pluto and the republican attitude towards science...

It starts off talking about something else, but when he gets to it, it's glorious!

Gubenatorial Goodness

Stolen from some crazed astros fan's boyfriend:

We are less than a week away from the only televised debates of this gubernatorial election. That's right: the only chance you are going to get to see the people vying to lead Texas for the next four years going head-to-head will be this Friday night, before the UT-OU football game.

Democracy! The debate's going to be an hour long, without commercials, and will run from 7pm-8pm (central time). In addition to the statewide cable channel TXCN, the following stations will run the debate:

In Dallas WFAA
In Houston KHOU
In San Antonio KENS-TV
In Austin KVUE-TV

Here's my plug for Kinky: While he's not as polished as most of the candidates, he is the only candidate who comes right out and says exactly what he stands for: He's not going to run to the pollsters before deciding what bills to support. While I don't agree with everything he supports, at least I know what he stands for.

Everyone should at least watch the debates. With Kinky there, they should at least be entertaining.

We'll miss you, you tough old boot

From Wikiquote

Ann Richards on How to Be a Good Republican:

1. You have to believe that the nation's current 8-year prosperity was due to the work of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, but yesterday's gasoline prices are all Clinton's fault.


2. You have to believe that those privileged from birth achieve success all on their own.


3. You have to be against all government programs, but expect Social Security checks on time.


4. You have to believe that AIDS victims deserve their disease, but smokers with lung cancer and overweight individuals with heart disease don't deserve theirs.


5. You have to appreciate the power rush that comes with sporting a gun.


6. You have to believe...everything Rush Limbaugh says.


7. You have to believe that the agricultural, restaurant, housing and hotel industries can survive without immigrant labor.


8. You have to believe God hates homosexuality, but loves the death penalty.


9. You have to believe society is color-blind and growing up black in America doesn't diminish your opportunities, but you still won't vote for Alan Keyes.


10. You have to believe that pollution is OK as long as it makes a profit.


11. You have to believe in prayer in schools, as long as you don't pray to Allah or Buddha.


12. You have to believe Newt Gingrich and Henry Hyde were really faithful husbands.


13. You have to believe speaking a few Spanish phrases makes you instantly popular in the barrio.


14. You have to believe that only your own teenagers are still virgins.


15. You have to be against government interference in business, until your oil company, corporation or Savings and Loan is about to go broke and you beg for a government bail out.


16. You love Jesus and Jesus loves you and, by the way, Jesus shares your hatred for AIDS victims, homosexuals, and President Clinton.


17. You have to believe government has nothing to do with providing police protection, national defense, and building roads.


18. You have to believe a poor, minority student with a disciplinary history and failing grades will be admitted into an elite private school with a $1,000 voucher.

We'll miss you Ann... I remember being in 1st or 2nd grade when Ann Richards was running for Governor. I can't really remember who I was wanting to win, but all the other guys in my classes wanted Clayton Williams to win for no other reason than he was a guy and Ann Richards was a girl. So, being the little conformist that I was, I said I was pulling for Williams too, even though it didn't sit quite right with me. I remember Williams won the mock election we had in our elementary school by a pretty large magin...

I think we need more people like Ann Richards in politics... It keeps it interesting. Kinky anyone?