Lack of blog

Oh dear

2008-03-18T21:57:25Z

Ben Stein fails, spectacularly:

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/resources_leaders.php

Conspiracy Theories

2007-05-07T06:14:36Z

I know most of my friends read this comic already, but this one's so true I want to post it. I'm also saving it for future reference just so I can save time and quote his speech whenever I encounter this phenomenon.

http://www.xkcd.com/c258.html

puppybane @ 2007-01-12T16:33:00

2007-01-12T22:33:40Z

Cornstarch is apparently awesome:

http://video.stumbleupon.com/?s=haolin4ert

Wow...

2006-12-23T08:00:29Z

You can read the transcript, or listen to the audio, but either way...wow. What went wrong with our education system?

http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/asinine/transcript-verizon-doesnt-know-how-to-count-220723.php

He makes a good point

2006-12-09T18:29:06Z

An excerpt from one or great American orators:

"On the issue of secret evidence... I am also troubled by the disturbing stories of how this policy is being implemented. More and more, new immigrants, often Arab or Muslim immigrants, face deportation or even imprisonment based on evidence they've never seen and never been able to dispute. That's not the American way."

George W Bush, raised the point during one of his debates with Al Gore, and then wrote the above in a written statement on his "Record of Inclusion"

He's lying! I did it!

2006-11-06T21:58:10Z

Oh, this is rich: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2006-11-06T131853Z_01_L06698651_RTRUKOC_0_US-SADDAM-GELLER.xml

First, Uri Geller really is desperate for attention.

Second, I want to make clear that *I* was the one who saw (with my powers) where Saddam Hussein was hiding. And then, I telepathically transmitted the data to the U.S. Government. That's right. The $25,000,000 reward should go to me. And you know I'm not lying, because it's a well-known fact that telepaths can't lie. It screws up our Chai....er...Chi.

Oh crap

2006-10-03T04:12:38Z

I was all set to not watch Heroes anymore. But the end of the second episode gave me something to look forward to, and now I'm going to have to watch.

puppybane @ 2006-09-03T02:18:00

2006-09-03T07:18:10Z

I've been doing a decent amount of reading lately. I've now read two of Richard Dawkins's books on Evolution, The Blind Watchmaker, and The Selfish Gene. The second one was really interesting. Especially the bits about the ants. I am now convinced that ants may be smarter than us. Or they will be. Things learned about ants:

1) There is a species of ants (and one of Termites) that farms fungus. The worker ants scour the country-side for leaves, chew them up, and then use the result for mulch. For the fungus they grow in their colonies. They even weed the "fields".

2) There is a species of ants that don't bother to create their own worker caste. Instead, they create nothing but soldiers. The soldiers invade other ant colonies, and steal their young. These foreign ants then grow up and do all the menial tasks, like raising the children of the militant ants.

3) Many ants "milk" aphids. The aphid is very good at eating sap, but not very good at using the energy from them, and secretes a substance which still has most of the nutrients of the sap. The ants eat this secretion, and to secure their supply, they defend the aphids, even keeping their eggs in the colony with the ant eggs until the newborn aphids are old enough to produce the precious aphid...stuff. At this point, the aphids are incapable of defending themselves.

4) There are several ant species that don't bother to start their own colonies. The queen invades another colony, instead. In one instance, the intruder seeks out the colony's queen, attaches herself, and decapitates the colony's queen. In another instance, the intruder just convinces (probably through a chemical secretion) the colony's ants to rise up against their own queen/mother, and kill her. In both cases, the death of the original queen passes control of the colony to the invading queen, and the colony's staff begins the work of helping the new queen raise *her* children, despite her not being remotely related to them.

So, to summarize:
1) Ants farm
2) Ants have slaves
3) Ants have domesticated animals
4) Ants are not above using chemical warfare and have mind control powers.

I only regret that we won't be around to see them eradicate the cockroaches (the only other surviving creatures) from the face of the earth. From the comfort of their lead-lined colonies.

puppybane @ 2006-08-23T22:29:00

2006-08-24T03:29:19Z

AUSTIN, TX October 30 Book People; 7PM

Save the date. For John Hodgman (yes THE John Hodgman) will be there: http://areasofmyexpertise.blogspot.com/2006/08/american-cities-i-have-always-wished.html

An example from his Q&A about the tour:

"Might I get in the Canadian line to push for a tour north of the border?

Hodg-man replied...
You prove yourself a fraud, sir.

Were you truly a Canadian, you would have said "queue" instead of "line" and "programme" instead of "tour" and "inviso-line" instead of "border" and "SOUTH" instead of "NORTH" because your WHOLE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN.

I have been to Vancouver, and I know it to be true."

puppybane @ 2006-08-20T13:33:00

2006-08-20T18:33:52Z

My online defensive driving course just informed me that I can use my sense of smell to detect dangers such as carbon monoxide. You know...the odorless gas.

puppybane @ 2006-08-17T22:39:00

2006-08-18T03:39:18Z

There is little that is more annoying than to have one of your poker opponents pegged as a loose player, call his crazy all-in bet several times, rejoice when you are well ahead of him, statistically, and then double him up. The fact that this guy beat me in the tournament (3rd to my 4th) is only slightly ameliorated by the fact that I got to watch him trounced when he made an all in bet with crap, and lost to the chip leader.

Man, I'm still annoyed at this guy!

puppybane @ 2006-07-21T10:23:00

2006-07-21T15:23:16Z

You are a dog

Or maybe you are a mosquito, you certainly can't be human.

The highest pitched ultrasonic mosquito ringtone that I can hear is 21.1kHz

Take the mosquito ringtones hearing test

puppybane @ 2006-07-01T11:43:00

2006-07-01T16:48:28Z

Here's one for britbrizat: http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/30/people.hasselhoff.ap/index.html

puppybane @ 2006-06-28T11:16:00

2006-06-28T16:16:58Z

Hee hee. This is funny: http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript

It should be the one with the liar and the truth-teller. If not, go back one.

puppybane @ 2006-06-13T15:54:00

2006-06-13T21:02:41Z

An Ode to Air Conditioning:

Cold Air, you fill my house,
and energize my weary cats.
I don't care what others espouse,
they clearly don't use thermostats.

When outside air is 100 or more,
the air inside is 85,
and inside there one smells cat-hair
and wishes one weren't alive.

No AC slows my electric meter,
but leaves me sweaty and smelly.
And while this rhyme doesn't subscribe to any well-defined meter,
My love for cold air I had to tell ye.

puppybane @ 2006-06-07T11:27:00

2006-06-07T16:30:10Z

I'm developing into a serious fan of John Hodgeman. Here's a link to a thing he did on "This American Life". His bit starts just after 14 minutes into the stream: http://audio.wbez.org/tal/305.m3u

You can also see him here: http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

And we should all buy his book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525949089/sr=8-1/qid=1149697780/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0863969-6128104?%5Fencoding=UTF8

And he has been known to contribute to the Daily Show.

puppybane @ 2006-06-06T08:58:00

2006-06-06T14:10:39Z

In a webcomic I read, one of the characters was trying to figure out whether it was OK for him to sell a song he wrote to Hummer for $30,000. He reasoned that it would be great to have the money, but that he hated SUVs, and all they stand for. The suggested compromise was that he sell the song, and give the money to charity.

That seems off to me. It seems to me that--leaving out, for a minute, the giving it to charity add-on--he had two choices:

1) Sell the song
2) Don't sell the song

The advantage of #1 is that he gets lots of money. The disadvantage is that he feels like he's supporting something he despises. The advantage of #2 is he gets to feel like he stayed true to himself, while the disadvantage is that he doesn't get the money.

The compromise solution has him supporting something he despises, while not getting the money in compensation. He would be opting for the disadvantage of both decisions. I suppose one could argue that the good done by contributing $30,000 to charity outweighs the shame of supporting SUVs (I don't necessarily feel that SUVs are evil, but he did), and therefore he ends up gaining, overall.

I suspect, though, that the comic is leaving out a 4th factor (first three are money, SUV evilness, charity goodness): artist poorness. Your typical indie songwriter isn't exactly rolling in dough. Giving up $30,000 probably halves his potential income for the year.

Oh well. Just a random rant.

puppybane @ 2006-05-17T18:12:00

2006-05-17T23:13:04Z

Ok, this is hilarious. Read the article, or at least the lead-in, and then watch the video:

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=386136&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=&ct=5

Update: I had difficulty loading the video, so here it is from google:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4483884504463267193&q=apple+cab

puppybane @ 2006-05-12T17:02:00

2006-05-12T22:23:25Z

Some Performance-based announcements:

1) The Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble (a sister group to the Austin Civic Chorus, in which I sing) has a concert tonight. The big thing about it is that they will be doing the drawing for the Mercedes I mentioned oh-so-long ago. So if you bought a ticket, you could go and find out if you won. And if you didn't, you could go and buy one there. It is too late to buy a ticket online, however. Also, no one should buy a ticket. I want my odds to stay good. ;)
Details at http://chorusaustin.org/
The concert is at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, 5226 W William Cannon Dr

2) The Austin Civic Chorus is performing Handel's Samson next Saturday (5/20) at 8:00 PM. The performance is at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, 7050 Village Center Drive. Tickets are $21.50 (there are student discounts).

The story is familiar to many, but Handel chose to start his rendition after Handel's fall (and before he destroyed the temple of Dagon with himself in it). Interestingly, Samson was blinded by his captors, and Handel was, at the time, mostly blind. Milton, who wrote the text on which this oratorio is mostly based, was also blind.

Anyway, come out and see us!

3) The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin is putting on HMS Pinafore. Performances are June 15-18, 22-25, 29-30, and July 1-2. Performances start at 8:00 and are $20 (there are student discounts). Thursday performances are only $15, Sunday performances are at 3:00. The performance on 6/16 is the "official" opening night, which means there will be food afterwards. The performance on 6/18 is the children's performance--there will be *many* children there.

Pinafore is one of G&S's most famous shows, with much maritime antics. Buy your tickets now! Or later! Or Else...not.

Rest assured, I will remind people of this later, when I actually have some idea what the staging looks like (we start next weekend).

puppybane @ 2006-04-29T12:55:00

2006-04-29T18:03:30Z

Three things:

1) Today is Eeyore's Birthday party! Anyone interested in going (assuming you're not already there)?

2) I signed up for Netflix a couple months ago, and this week's movie is Spellbound, a documentary about the Spelling Bee Championships. Anyone who would like to watch it with me is welcome. Time and date are uncertain at the moment, but tomorrow night seems likely. More details to come. Actually, this is going to become a semiregular thing. I will announce a day or two in advance that I'm watching a movie, and anyone who wants to will be welcome. Normally, I'll have a firmer start time/day.

3) I am having a party. Sometime. Soon. No, really, I swear! It's probably in two weeks. There will be an e-vite or something, but if you can read this, you are invited. Actually, that's only true if you know me, or someone who can give you my address. I won't be posting it here. :)

puppybane @ 2006-04-14T15:00:00

2006-04-14T20:04:38Z

Recalling a conversation with koyotesdaughter about whether I am technically qualified to be President, I looked into it a bit more. The consititution specifies:

"No Person except a natural born Citizen... shall be eligible to the Office of President"

There is apparently some debate as to what that means, but it looks like a bunch of people have tried to run, and not had that thrown in their face. The most recent being John McCain, who apparently was born in Panama.

So it looks like--barring my choosing to move to another country anytime soon, and thus violating the 14-year residency clause--I will be eligible to run on my 35th birthday. W00t!

Cuz, you know, it's nice to have options.

puppybane @ 2006-04-11T13:19:00

2006-04-11T18:20:15Z

This article starts out mildly amusing, and becomes hilarious. Make sure to read the footnotes.

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1411653

puppybane @ 2006-04-10T12:44:00

2006-04-10T17:58:04Z

People did quite well, but there were a few I expected people to get that they didn't. And a few I didn't expect that were...gotten.

Anyway, here's the list, with answers

1) Lift up your face. Wipe off that mascara!
--Suddenly Seymore, Little Shop of Horrors
2) beedly deedly dee! beedly deedly dee!
-- Two Ladies, Cabaret
3) Hello folks, we're into the Follies
-- Buddy's Blues, Follies
4) Three little Maids from school are we...
-- Three Little Maids, Mikado
5) Half a bee, philosophically, must, ipso-facto, half not "bee"
-- Eric the Half-a-bee song, Monty Python
6) на безводы, днём на сольнце
-- на безводы, днём на сольнце, Prince Igor
7) I like him, I really like him
-- I like him, Man of la Mancha
8) I am going to the Lordy, I am so glad
-- The Ballad of Guiteau, Assassins
9) I smell women, smell them in the air
-- Lovely Ladies, Les Miserables
10) Here's to the ladies who lunch--everybody laugh!
-- The Ladies Who Lunch, Company
11) And Israel saw that great work that the Lord did upon the Egyptians
-- And Israel saw that great work, Israel in Egypt
12) Please hello, America Back!
-- Please Hello, Pacific Overtures
13) At the end of the day, you're another day older
-- At the End of the Day, Les Miserables
14) Every time that I'm with you, girl, I can't believe you share my world (This one I got for signing up for the iTunes music store)
-- Every Time You Go Away, Brian McKnight
15) Frosty the supervisor lives by himself
-- Hearing Aid, TMBG
16) hi-ri, hi-ro, hi-ri
-- The Celts, Enya
17) Look at that flesh, pink and plump, hello, little girl
-- Hello Little Girl, Into the Woods
18) Go, go, go now. Out of the nest, it's time!
-- Mother, Tori Amos
19) 525,600 minutes
-- Seasons of Love, Rent
20) Then shall be brought to pass, the saying that is written
-- from Messiah
21) The name on everybody's lips is gonna be...
-- Roxie, Chicago
22) I've been having a bad, bad day
-- The Parking Ticket, Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Once More with Feeling
23) Blagoslovi, dushye moya ghospoda
-- by Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov
24) Kuda? Kuda? Kuda vi udalilis?
-- Lensky's Aria, Eugene Onegin
25) The Lord gave the word
-- from Israel in Egypt
26) To dream the impossible dream...
-- Impossible Dream, Man of la Mancha
27) I feel the deity within
-- from Judas Maccabaeus
28) I've never seen it yet to fail...
-- Stonecutters cut it on Stone, Carousel
29) Bang! the war commences! The enemy waits in quivering expectancy
-- Bang!, from Putting it Together
30) Step by step I feel closer to reaching the top
-- Climbing, No Doubt

puppybane @ 2006-04-06T21:35:00

2006-04-07T02:44:08Z

Anyone want a chance to win a Mercedes? And, in the process, support my choir?
Oh, and we throw in a free trip to Europe, too!

$100 gets you at least one chance in six hundred of winning.

Here's details:

http://www.chorusaustin.org/raffle/

If you don't want to buy online, you can also buy through me.

RNA Evolution

2006-04-06T17:46:02Z

I'm currently reading Richard Dawkins's The Blind Watchmaker. With the recent discovery of this fossil, I'm inspired to relate something I learned while reading this book.

There is a virus which attacks E-Coli bacteria, which has been called Q-Beta. The virus consists almost entirely of a strand of RNA. When the virus encounters an E-Coli cell, its RNA passes through the cell wall, and sets to work. A refresher for those who, like me, don't remember anything about cells: At a very high level, cells serve as chemical factories, making molecules based on their DNA's instructions. The DNA produces the instructions in the form of RNA copies of itself. The cell then reads the RNA blueprints, and creates the molecules.

Now RNA doesn't tend to reproduce itself. It's one of the reasons you may recall viruses are not counted as "life." However, there is a chemical (called RNA replicase) which will copy RNA. The Q-Beta RNA strand contains the blueprint to make that chemical, and when it encounters the chemical factories in the E-Coli cell, that chemical is produced.

Which then makes copies of the virus RNA.

Which then causes more replicase to be made.

And so on.

Eventually, the E-Coli cell will burst due to being full of Q-Beta viruses, and the viruses will spread to find new E-Coli cells to infect, and that cycle will continue.

So now you know how Q-Beta operates. Well scientists were able to extract just the RNA strand of Q-Beta (not that there's much more than that to a virus), and also reproduce the RNA replicase.

And then they did an experiment. They fill a series of test-tubes with water and RNA replicase. Then they put a drop of Q-Beta RNA in the first test tube, and allow it to replicate for a while. Then they take a drop of the solution in the first test tube, and transfer it to another test-tube which consists of water and RNA replicase. The repeat this process several times, and something interesting happens. You see, the replicase doesn't always copy the RNA just right. If it gets it really wrong, the RNA might not even replicate. But what happened was that, after several repetitions, the dominant strand of RNA was no longer the normal Q-Beta strand. It was a strand that had dropped the instructions for telling E-Coli to make RNA replicase. In other words, the RNA strand had adapted to the fact that RNA replicase was abundant in its environment. And because a smaller strand replicates faster, it became more common than the "parent" strand.

It's a spectacular vindication of the principle of natural selection, where the environment will encourage certain variations to thrive, and out-compete other variations. Obviously, if the new RNA strand were put in an environment without RNA replicase, but full of E-Coli, the strand would die out, and any "mutants" sitting around with that old data would suddenly thrive again.