The Awakening

Oh the horror!

from The Daily Show.

Les Paul Doodle

Heads up Waukesha - Today's Google Doodle is a tribute to to local legend Les Paul. The best parts is you can play it! (Not this image tho, go but go to Google.com and try it.)

This will appear on Google.com for the rest of the day, and starting tomorrow it should be archived at http://www.google.com/logos/ .

Here's a Forbes article with more details about this tribute to Les Paul, and another from Geek.com.

Wisconsin Suburban Coyote Scat

Caution: The topic of todays' post is entirely scatological. This is evidence of a coyote marking it's territory, with the territory in question being the sidewalk by my house. I knew there were coyotes nearby; I've seen the scats when out walking on some undeveloped land by a nearby quarry, and actually spotted a few roaming by the highway. However, this is the first evidence they are actually in my yard.

It should not be surprised, because the local rabbit population is absolutely exploding. I can't say I am unhappy either, because those rabbits have been doing terrible things to my strawberry patch. Now maybe they will get some natural population management. I scooped up the scat (now nicely dried) and moved it to a corner of my vegetable patch, where it may discourage rabbits from eating my newly planted squash.

On the down side, I will need to escort my little dog on her nighttime excursions. I don't want her getting on the wrong side of nature.

Musical Accompaniment for the End of the World

In the unlikely event that Harold Camping is correct, wouldn't it be nice to go out humming along with some appropriate music? The selections are presented here in alphabetical order by artist, because I think it especially silly to be highly organized in my response to the apocalypse.

Barry McGuire: Eve of Destruction
(does double duty as a protest song)

Billy Joel: We Didn't Start The Fire
(or maybe Only the Good?)

Blondie: Rapture
(sort of)

Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper

(And the MORE COWBELL! version, with Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell)

IT BOYS! End Of The World

Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around

(Good old Man-in-Black)

Kansas: Dust in the Wind

(or the studio version)

King Crimson: Epitaph
(a classic)

Metallica: The Four Horsemen
(It would really make me happy if I never have to listen to Metallica again)

Pink Floyd: Goodbye Blue Sky
and
Pink Floyd: Goodbye Cruel World/Is There Anybody Out There?

REM: It's The End Of The World
(This is a no-brainer)

Sawtell & Shefterr "Apocalypse Jazz - The last man on earth OST"

(Have you seen the movie?)

The Doors: The End
(really should have let this one go last)

2012 Movie Theme ( it aint the end of the world )

(original artist uncertain)

YES: Tempus Fugit
(maybe)


OK - that's enough from me, but please contribute your personal "end notes" if you like. - Happy last day on Earth everybody!


Hat-Tip(s):
 This IGN article was the idea source for some of these.
 NPR has some creative suggestions too, and there are over 3800 responses on Facebook.

Ogre versus Troll: Is Intelligent Design Anti-Evolution?

A blogging-friend, who goes by the name of Ogre MkV, is debating another blogger, JoeG, on the topic: Is Intelligent Design Anti-Evolution? Ogre's opening statement is up now at Cassandra's Tears:

Intelligent Design is Anti-evolution (Support Opening)

Having read that, I wanted to get some thoughts down before I read JoeG's response.

1) Ogre MKV makes a strong case that ID is anti-evolution by any reasonable definition. He builds a case that is it first necessary to define intelligent design and what it supports, and then goes on to cite conflicting definitions, all of which are anti-evolution.

2) Of the many people I have encountered via the internet, JoeG may well be the nastiest (thus the "Troll"). The more I think about it, the more I wonder what Ogre was thinking when he agreed to this debate. I will try to keep an open mind about what JoeG might say, but ... I've encountered him before at Uncommon Descent (where he is moderated) and his own blog (where he is vitriolic), and ... I expect more nastiness.

[ ... time passes ...]

And now I'm back from reading JoeG's opening statement, which was rather disappointing, but at least it maintained civility. The post consists primarily of long quotes of things other people (Wells, Behe, Dembski, etc.) say about ID, and winds up saying that ID has little to say about pretty much all aspects of evolutionary theory ... except the "blind watchmaker thesis". The blind watchmaker is a favorite topic that JoeG brings up often, and always as an argument against evolution. Maybe JoeG does not understand what "anti" means? (Ogre thought of that too).

Ogre MkV has cross-posted JoeG's opening statement. I can't actually recommend it, but there it is.

Heavy Hand of the Koch Brothers

Just this quick note for a BUSY election day. Cognitive Dissidence reports some excellent detective work on how the Koch brothers are operating behind the scenes in Wisconsin. Check it out, and go vote. Maybe not in that order.
*

Madison as Hell

"An activist judge stubbornly insists that Wisconsin's legal system must be obeyed, even if Republicans disagree with it."

Or see it at Colbert Nation.

Wisconsin's Tuesday non-partisan elections are turning out to be anything but. The intensity and nastiness of 3rd party television advertising cannot be understated. I'm getting really tired of one sided calling the other stupid, ignorant, dirty, rabid, wicked, sleezy, anti-American, Communist, [re]tards, {inset ad hominem here}, scum, more ad hominem, disgusting, cruel, thug*, brutes, etc. etc..** Opinions aside, this language is uncalled for in any civilized discussion. If you cannot be bothered to think of an opponent as a real, thinking person with honest opinions, then you may not be qualified to be part of a civilized discussion.

* There seems to be a particular agenda to push this word, because it is showing up everywhere. It ain't random!

** These words culled from the comments at a site with decidedly one-sided opinions, but I'm pretty sure there are people on both sides speaking of/to each other like this.