Lies, Damned Lies, and ... some more lies after that.

I just had this great idea for a blog titled "Lies, Damned Lies, and ____". So here is the main idea: a blog where every post is a lie. That's it. Very easy to write because I could just make it all up. No research needed! The inspiration for this was my discovery of the Sarah Palin page on Facebook. Aai-yai-yai, that could be a source of endless lampooning for the rest of my days. If that well runs dry, there is always Fox News.

Fortunately, I am time constrained by the projects I already have. Therefore I'll leave the idea open for any interested party.

[Update 9/06/2009]
It looks like someone may have taken me up on this. More likely they beat me to the punch. From Sun Dappled Forest:

That’s right. It is not just crazed flatulant loonies anymore. Even the right-wing is addressing the stories that are out there. It is being said that Glenn Beck raped and murdered a young girl in 1990.

Should I applaud, or cry?

[with a HatTip to Pull My Finger]

Monster of the Milky Way

Home for dinner, and Black Holes are on the menu. Time to try a little live blogging with NOVA on PBS.

David Brin describes black holes.

Space moving faster than light? I'm not familiar with that analogy. Space literally getting sucked up? Could they mean that space gets stretched or inflated instead?

Birth of a black hole.

Gregory Benford: "We think of black holes as God's dumpster, but they really are actors on the galactic stage."


Colliding galaxies, great fun.


More pretty pictures.



All in all, this program was big on pretty pictures and low on technical content, but then it appears to be intended for a younger audience, so maybe that is OK.

We still don't know what happens inside the black hole though, where the laws of physics break down. Mysteries await us.

Also ran: Reality

From The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life:

When asked what they would do if scientists were to disprove a particular religious belief, nearly two-thirds (64%) of people say they would continue to hold to what their religion teaches rather than accept the contrary scientific finding, according to the results of an October 2006 Time magazine poll. Indeed, in a May 2007 Gallup poll, only 14% of those who say they do not believe in evolution cite lack of evidence as the main reason underpinning their views; more people cite their belief in Jesus (19%), God (16%) or religion generally (16%) as their reason for rejecting Darwin's theory.

Not so surprising really, people are generally afraid of change, of things they do not understand, and of letting go of the familiar. I might have to count myself in that group too.
[Hat Tip Improbable Research]

Death Panels Deflated

John Stewart's interview with Betsy McCaughey last week was eye opening, but I didn't really understand just what I was seeing until I watched the entire extended interview. In other words, "A lie can travel half way around the world in the time it takes truth to ties its shoes."

Most people don't have time to pay attention to the full story on anything - I surely don't, but if you are so inclined you can find links to all four parts of the interview below. If you are like most people and are in a hurry, maybe just skip to the last part about how Betsy McCaughey no longer has a job.

Betsy McCaughey on The Daily Show
Interview part 1 [With a Hat Tip to Greg Laden]
Interview part 2
Extended Interview part 1
Extended Interview part 2
... and the next day ...
Death panel originator Betsy McCaughey resigns in disgrace
[Image FreakingNews]

Mark CC is the Anti-Christ!

Another excellent critique from Mark CC The AntiChrist at Good Math, Bad Math.

Why The Public Option Sucks

[Via The Far Left Side, where you will find much more]

I Won! I Won!!

Such a contest it was too, since I floated the idea (see first comment) with the intent that creating something like this would be fun. My entry won out among the thousands of submissions and ... well ... maybe it was hundreds ... or at least a dozen ... ok ok, it was just me as far as I know, but I still had fun with it.

From misc

So perhaps I should explain what the heck I'm talking about? I should, but I'm really tired and have to get up very early in the morning, it is going to be short and abrupt:

A new blog - The Thomas Society - by Presbyterian minister Jonathan Weyer and friends, discuss rationality and religion, or maybe religious rationality, something like that (REALLY TIRED), needed an avatar for his blog award, "The Attie".

I'm very happy that Jonathan liked my image. I am happier still to read his blog, because it seems to provide the kind of rational discussion of religion I had given up on ever finding. Jonathan wins too, he's the latest addition to my Scientia Causidicus.