UFO widely seen in Middle East skies, linked to Russian missile test has an update from James Oberg, explaining that the spiral does not indicate a failed launch, but is a deliberate feature needed for the trajectory the Russians wanted.
Five Titanic myths spread by films, from
Skepchick
Contrary to the popular interpretation the White Star Line never made any substantive claims that the Titanic was unsinkable – and nobody really talked about the ship’s unsinkability until after the event….
Convergence 2011
We just got back from Convergence,
the biggest of the local SF cons. We have been going there for some years,
including 2010,
2009 , 2008,
2007 and
2006
We actually did the full four days of the Con, staying over Thursday night as well as Friday and Saturday.
We need to be training for Worldcon in Chicago next year :-)> It was a good time for us. carpe_noctum_93
was able to join us Friday and Saturday in the early evening. Our son J was sick Thursday, but joined us on
Friday.
We can argue endlessly, and do, about people who refuse vaccination for themselves or their children. Under law, they have the right to take that risk. But what this Arizona outbreak makes clear is how many more people are forced to assume that risk without being consulted: not only the infants, elderly and immune-compromised among those 8,321 people exposed in this outbreak, but the hospital shareholders and taxpayers who paid the bill for it to be contained. Until we start counting up those costs as well, we won’t achieve an honest accounting of vaccine refusal’s true price.
From the Skeptical Teacher.
Now, if you are confronted by a birther and there is no way to avoid the conversation with them, how should you engage them? I have one piece of advice on this, and — thus far — it has never failed me. Tell them that in order for them to have a valid opinion on the issue of President Obama’s citizenship, they must first prove, using their own standards of evidence, their own status as a natural born U.S. citizen. In short, they must provide to you the following:
- Their original birth certificate.
- A newspaper clipping that highlights their birth.
- Records proving that their mother was present in America at the time of birth.
- Investigations from multiple fact-checking organizations that have held the documents with their own hands to verify that the documents from #1-3 exist and are authentic.
- A press release by at least two officials within the state of birth, verifying that these records are on file.
After the birther has provided said evidence, which seems to sum up the current standard of evidence which they demand that President Obama provide, then tell them they can go on and spin their claims all they want.
From Hilbert Space to Dilbert Space, and beyond 