1. Cain Preparing To Back Gingrich
If the New York Post is to be believed (and that is very much an open question), Herman Cain is preparing to throw his support behind Gingrich. This could put Gingrich either ahead of Romney or within striking distance on him in most major primary states. Though I’ve seen polls from Iowa and New Hampshire that show Paul in third place, though he trails both Gingrich and Romney by close to double digits. It’s worth hoping some of the Cain folks will disregard his advice and jump for Paul, but not likely.
2. Atheist Chaplains
It sounds like oxymoron, but the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers is pushing for the military to bring on thousands of atheist or humanist chaplains to counsel atheist and agnostic soldiers. If the military ultimately refuses this request in a post-DADT America, I’d regard it as more than a bit hypocritical, or at best selective. But as is usually the case, no one will shed a tear for the atheists given short shrift.
3. Return of the Megafauna
Scientists have been wanting to clone the woolly mammoth for some time now, but with the recovery of intact bone marrow preserved in permafront, they now have all the materials and technology they need to make it happen (in theory). I say go for it, clone the sh*t out of them. If only the giant sloth’s genetic material were so readily available…
4. Growing Organs
Progress marches on in the field of lab-grown human organs, with more and more encouraging results. I can only wonder how the world of a few centuries from now will deal with the reduction or elimination of consequences for hedonistic behavior. Taxing lab-grown organs or replacement surgeries? Legislating the standards applied to eligibility for the surgery (lifelong smokers are not eligible or pushed to the end of the waiting list)? Oh, and on an unrelated note, my new word of the day, thanks to this article, is “invaginate.”
5.12.11
2.12.11
Early Edition
1. Krauthammer on Mitt vs Newt
The always-insightful Krauthammer on what is likely to be the final GOP primary match-up: Romney vs Gingrich. He examines both of their serious flaws and strengths (though he sounds a bit more sympathetic to Romney), and ultimately concludes that we’d have been better off with Mitch Daniels, Paul Ryan or Chris Christie (and incidentally, I couldn’t agree more). Cue the trombone.
2. I Rarely Agree With David Brooks, But….
He actually gets it almost entirely right (except for his assertion that the American bank bailouts were necessary) on the global debt crisis and specfically the crumbling of the Eurozone. It’s Atlas Shrugged come to pass in Europe right now, with the irresponsible leaches demanding their bailouts from the industrious, financially responsible (comparatively speaking) Germans.
3. East Asia Gets Credit For Inventing Dogs
Genetic evidence concludes that dogs originated in eastern Asia, meaning that the indigenous cultures in the region south of the Yangtze River get the credit for being the first humans to successfully domesticate the grey wolf. So I guess chalk up one more awesome thing we owe to the Chinese…
4. New Study Challenges Apocalyptic Climate Change Scenarios
Regardless of whether this study’s assertion that the climate is far less sensitive than the IPCC says it is, I am always struck by what to me seems the futility of attempting to replicate all of the conditions contributing to the earth’s climate in these climate models. You read about these scientists jockeying the models until they spit out the results they would expect for certain climatic epochs like the last Glacial Maximum, then using that model to generate results for our modern climate. Perhaps I’m missing something but that seems incredibly sloppy and largely unreliable.
The always-insightful Krauthammer on what is likely to be the final GOP primary match-up: Romney vs Gingrich. He examines both of their serious flaws and strengths (though he sounds a bit more sympathetic to Romney), and ultimately concludes that we’d have been better off with Mitch Daniels, Paul Ryan or Chris Christie (and incidentally, I couldn’t agree more). Cue the trombone.
2. I Rarely Agree With David Brooks, But….
He actually gets it almost entirely right (except for his assertion that the American bank bailouts were necessary) on the global debt crisis and specfically the crumbling of the Eurozone. It’s Atlas Shrugged come to pass in Europe right now, with the irresponsible leaches demanding their bailouts from the industrious, financially responsible (comparatively speaking) Germans.
3. East Asia Gets Credit For Inventing Dogs
Genetic evidence concludes that dogs originated in eastern Asia, meaning that the indigenous cultures in the region south of the Yangtze River get the credit for being the first humans to successfully domesticate the grey wolf. So I guess chalk up one more awesome thing we owe to the Chinese…
4. New Study Challenges Apocalyptic Climate Change Scenarios
Regardless of whether this study’s assertion that the climate is far less sensitive than the IPCC says it is, I am always struck by what to me seems the futility of attempting to replicate all of the conditions contributing to the earth’s climate in these climate models. You read about these scientists jockeying the models until they spit out the results they would expect for certain climatic epochs like the last Glacial Maximum, then using that model to generate results for our modern climate. Perhaps I’m missing something but that seems incredibly sloppy and largely unreliable.
1.12.11
Early Edition
1. Early & Overwhelming Victory For Islamists In Egypt
After this week’s vote by a third of Egypt’s provinces for parliamentary seats, Islamists, composed primarily of the Muslim Brotherhood, currently claim a 65% share of the legislative body. More voting will take place up until January but, as this article reports, most of the more liberal provinces voted in this round, and future votes are expected to deliver even more seats to Islamist candidates. It will be interesting to see how the military “caretaker” government handles this, and how long this democratic system can last with all of the highly explosive elements at play.
2. Vote Deng Xiaoping In 2012 (Or Else!)
Another Friedman-esque lament that the United States languishes under the repressive yoke of representative, constitutional democracy and free markets while China basks in the liberating glow of central planning and flagrant violation of international law. What all of these clowns seem to disregard is that, as a developing nation, China’s current trajectory, while impressive now, is unsustainable in the long term and will eventually reach a state of inertia. The only caveat to that is if China can make a peaceful transition to a parliamentary or representative system with a coda of civil rights that are effectively enforced. If that should happen, the inevitable stagnation and subsequent social upheaval encountered by all central planning states when they grow too rapidly may be avoided.
3. Throwing Our Own Feces: The Key To Human Evolution?
Scientists studying chimpanzees hypothesize that an environment that selected for accurate throwing, a left-brain activity that requires relatively complicated cognition, may have paved the way for the development of speech in our ancestors. My favorite part of this article is the following quote from one of the scientists conducting the study: “Why did these chimps learn to throw in a captive context? I’ve never in my life seen a chimp be given a banana for throwing s–t at someone. The reward is not something food-based. The reward is that they can control a person’s behavior. They get a pile of something to throw, and usually the person tries to run. The chimp learns, ‘If I can do this, I can have some control over the world outside my cage.’”
4. Condescension Toward Customers May Drive Higher Profits
This study demonstrates how, when reminded of their lower social status or disadvantage, people tend to offer more money for a service or item than they normally would. The lesson for businesses? Belittle your target market and be a condescending douchebag toward your customers.
5. And Still We Move Inexorably Toward Cyberwar
This is the first I’ve heard that the Obama administration considered but ultimately rejected the idea of launching a cyberattack on Libya’s air defenses, which I think was a good decision. Still, other nations show far less restraint and prudence and are likely to be the ones who touch off a major war with a crippling initial cyberattack.
After this week’s vote by a third of Egypt’s provinces for parliamentary seats, Islamists, composed primarily of the Muslim Brotherhood, currently claim a 65% share of the legislative body. More voting will take place up until January but, as this article reports, most of the more liberal provinces voted in this round, and future votes are expected to deliver even more seats to Islamist candidates. It will be interesting to see how the military “caretaker” government handles this, and how long this democratic system can last with all of the highly explosive elements at play.
2. Vote Deng Xiaoping In 2012 (Or Else!)
Another Friedman-esque lament that the United States languishes under the repressive yoke of representative, constitutional democracy and free markets while China basks in the liberating glow of central planning and flagrant violation of international law. What all of these clowns seem to disregard is that, as a developing nation, China’s current trajectory, while impressive now, is unsustainable in the long term and will eventually reach a state of inertia. The only caveat to that is if China can make a peaceful transition to a parliamentary or representative system with a coda of civil rights that are effectively enforced. If that should happen, the inevitable stagnation and subsequent social upheaval encountered by all central planning states when they grow too rapidly may be avoided.
3. Throwing Our Own Feces: The Key To Human Evolution?
Scientists studying chimpanzees hypothesize that an environment that selected for accurate throwing, a left-brain activity that requires relatively complicated cognition, may have paved the way for the development of speech in our ancestors. My favorite part of this article is the following quote from one of the scientists conducting the study: “Why did these chimps learn to throw in a captive context? I’ve never in my life seen a chimp be given a banana for throwing s–t at someone. The reward is not something food-based. The reward is that they can control a person’s behavior. They get a pile of something to throw, and usually the person tries to run. The chimp learns, ‘If I can do this, I can have some control over the world outside my cage.’”
4. Condescension Toward Customers May Drive Higher Profits
This study demonstrates how, when reminded of their lower social status or disadvantage, people tend to offer more money for a service or item than they normally would. The lesson for businesses? Belittle your target market and be a condescending douchebag toward your customers.
5. And Still We Move Inexorably Toward Cyberwar
This is the first I’ve heard that the Obama administration considered but ultimately rejected the idea of launching a cyberattack on Libya’s air defenses, which I think was a good decision. Still, other nations show far less restraint and prudence and are likely to be the ones who touch off a major war with a crippling initial cyberattack.
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