Here is a post that I felt was somewhat atypical for this blog community. It deals with a subject that causes very strong, polarized reactions. That is to say it deals with the issue of Animal Welfare and Rights. This issue is one that I’ve spent countless hours in internal dialog/debate (read: ongoing mental struggle). I believe I can accurately comprehend the way the world works. And it is a violent, bloody, and short existance on this planet for most living things. However, I cannot shrug the concept that as sentient beings capable of empathy amongst ourselves, should we (as humans) not extend this to all living things? Obviously my conceptual question interweaves principles derived from a plethora of sources… religion(s), philosophy, neuroscience, sociology, anthropology, biology, etc.

Take a look at this site. The movie it touts is currently being considered for an Oscar. I find the subject matter a bit hard to stomach…but blunt reality is required to open minds to consider other possibilities. Upon viewing the trailer, attempt to resist the impulse to follow engrained cultural norms – really stop and think about our lifestyles and impact. Or, as my theory predicts, most of you will utter something under your breath, shrug this off, and stereotype the author of the post.

http://www.earthlings.com/
http://www.earthlings.com/blog/index.php

My next topic is more of an announcement about me taking a hiatus from writing and commenting. Related to this, my current thinking is that of permanently retiring this nom de plume. Never was it my intention via Caravaggio to bully or abuse others through the role of antagonist. Recently it became clear that the nuances of my approach might not have been as evident as I’d hoped. My focus over the past year and a half was to combat the utility of logophobia and not mindlessly troll for a reaction (although I bet Caravaggio came close to this on many occasions – and therefore an apology is most likely due — My apologies!). Logophobia (in its extended definition) is a doctrine about the utility of rationality that states logic cannot be an objective constraint on us… it is just whatever we make it, and how we make it depends on what we value. As I hope you have come to realize without any ambiguity that I find the use of logophobia inexcusable, utterly distasteful, and highly intriguing at the same time. Its utility on this weblog was as a flame in which the moth named Caravaggio could not resist. Caravaggio embraces logos! As I have witnessed, numerous threads veered wildly because of my comments being interpreted, not through the lens of philosophy, but rather as personal insult. Again, my apologies for being the genesis of “bad karma” for I truly meant no harm.

Therefore, fellow active authors, commentary participants, and even passive lurkers all, Caravaggio is no more – a victim of his own making. However, once my current work settles down a bit, I shall be back with a new name and a new doctrine to evangelize. I can actually envision the grimacing, wincing and flinching as I type this.

Peace to you and yours.

The article, “Gestural interfaces: a step backwards in usability?” illuminated that recent implementation of Gestural-driven UIs have ignored well-tested and proven standards of interaction design. It seems that Specialists at the NielsenNorman Group are rather disgusted by iPad design standards (or the lack thereof) and the present fad in site navigation, referencing (picking on) USA Today’s new section navigation. This is where I offer a philosophical point a la Caravaggio. When specialists begin screaming about widespread change disrupting the “norm” – the cited change is most likely necessary and illuminative of a new paradigm about to gain market traction. Ergo, I believe the development path is heading in a correct direction, counter to the negative waxing of the NielsenNorman people.

Physical interaction as an additional sensory attribute by which a digital interface can be navigated is here to stay. By Interaction I also mean interpretation (by user AND by machine) of a physical dimension, such as a micro-expression, which is necessary to close the inter-activity loop of the user to the application. Currently several disciplines are heading on a crash course in Human Computer Dialogue with Interpretation logically being a paramount focus. Studies on emotive robots, mind-control computer mouse (mice), and embedded responsive biotechnology are moving ahead steadily.

If we were to draw an evolution time-scale line from today outwards into the future, we would be remiss if we did not mark right now as the true genesis point of technology beginning its path towards sentience. Stated another way, we currently have the baseline advances supported by evermore powerful computing required of a machine to understand human communicative nuances to the degree necessary to hold a meaningful discussion. Alan Turing would be proud.

Ref: Nielsen, J., iPad Usability: First Findings From User Testing, Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, April 26, 2010
Ref: Norman, D. A., Natural User Interfaces Are Not Natural, Interactions, 17, No. 3 (May – June)
Picture Attribution: http://www.feelix-growing.org/

Paleontologist Manning of the University of Manchester has discovered a giant footprint likely left by a Tyrannosaur 65 million years ago. The print, which measures about 2.5 feet (74 centimeters) in length, was found in rocks within Montana’s Hell Creek Formation — a well-known site for Tyrannosaurus rex fossils. Dr. Phil Manning heads an extensive research and teaching program at the University of Manchester, is a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester Museum and Council Member of the Palaeontological Association (London). He has built up an international reputation for his work on dinosaur trackways. Phil has extensive field experience of Jurassic and Cretaceous dinosaur sites in North and South America and the British Isles. His research interests are broad.

The projects on which he is currently the lead researcher, include:
· Dromaeosaur limb mechanics and the functional morphology of pedal digit II. This work has been part-funded by the BBC. Co-workers on this project include: The Natural History Museum (London), Pennicott & Payne Ltd. (London) and The Peabody Museum (Yale University, New Haven, USA).
· Pathology of dinosaur bone: reviewing the pathologies from a Tenontosaurus tilletti specimen (Cloverly Formation, Montana). The specimen shows examples of infection and physical trauma (tendon avulsion). The use of this non-invasive, high resolution CT-imaging techniques is providing new information on the response of dinosaur bone to trauma. Working with Emma Schachner at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
· Dinosaur track formation, preservation and interpretation. This work is part of an ongoing study looking at the mechanical failure of sediments associated with the tracks of dinosaurs. The use of discrete element modelling is currently yielding useful data to be compared with laboratory simulated and fossil tracks. Co-workers on this project include: The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research (South Dakota, USA), The Pratt Museum at Amherst College (MA, USA), Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada) and Manchester Computing Centre (University of Manchester).
· Theropod dinosaur respiratory system: anatomy and functional morphology. Co-workers on this project include: Department of Vertebrate Palaeontology at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (USA) and the Faculty of Life Sciences (University of Manchester).
· Sediment geochemistry and taphonomic controls on dinosaur soft-tissue preservation. The project is looking at material from two sites in the Hell Creek Formation. The sites have T. rex (Montana) and a hadrosaur (North Dakota) with soft tissue preservation.
· The use of LIDAR, 3D digital mapping, of outcrops in the field. Current research collaboration include University of Barcelona, whom we are developing a 3D digital map of a large outcrop of dinosaur trackways (circa 3000+) in the Spanish Pyrenees. Fieldwork also includes LIDAR digital outcrop surveys of Lance and Hell Creek Formations in Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, working with the Black Hills Institute of Geologic Research, Hill City (South Dakota).
· Dinosaur gait modelling, in collaboration with Dr Bill Sellers (Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester) and Professor Kent Steven (University of Oregon, USA), we are developing a set of biorealistic reference gaits for dinosaurs representing optimising for efficiency and performance over a range of speeds that can be used to aid understanding of the musculoskeletal physiology of giant animals.
· The endocranial structure, morphology and geometry of a Macroplata longirostris using high-resolution X-Ray computer tomography. The project is applying high resolution x-ray computer tomography (CT) imaging to the braincase of a single Macroplata longirostris specimen held at the Manchester Museum (University of Manchester). This investigation will achieve a greater understanding of the endocranial geometry of this extinct marine reptile and review phylogenetic and palaeobiological implications. The Manchester Macroplata ‘near-brain’ project is now building a research link with researchers and additional fossil material at the University of Cambridge (Dr Leslie Noe).

Photo Attribution: Manning

So… is this a hoax or is this evidence of initial data that requires further filtering?

For your rumor-hungry minds, here is the leaked note:

Internal Note
Report number ATL-COM-PHYS-2011-415
Title Observation of a γγ resonance at a mass in the vicinity of 115 GeV/c2 at ATLAS and its Higgs interpretation
Author(s) Fang, Y (-) ; Flores Castillo, L R (-) ; Wang, H (-) ; Wu, S L (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Imprint 21 Apr 2011. – mult. p.
Subject category Detectors and Experimental Techniques
Accelerator/Facility, Experiment CERN LHC ; ATLAS
Free keywords Diphoton ; Resonance ; EWEAK ; HIGGS ; SUSY ; EXOTICS ; EGAMMA
Abstract Motivated by the result of the Higgs boson candidates at LEP with a mass of about 115~GeV/c2, the observation given in ATLAS note ATL-COM-PHYS-2010-935 (November 18, 2010) and the publication “Production of isolated Higgs particle at the Large Hadron Collider Physics” (Letters B 683 2010 354-357), we studied the γγ invariant mass distribution over the range of 80 to 150 GeV/c2. With 37.5~pb−1 data from 2010 and 26.0~pb−1 from 2011, we observe a γγ resonance around 115~GeV/c2 with a significance of 4σ. The event rate for this resonance is about thirty times larger than the expectation from Higgs to γγ in the standard model. This channel H→γγ is of great importance because the presence of new heavy particles can enhance strongly both the Higgs production cross section and the decay branching ratio. This large enhancement over the standard model rate implies that the present result is the first definitive observation of physics beyond the standard model. Exciting new physics, including new particles, may be expected to be found in the very near future.
See: http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1346326?

Recently, Nature Journal (The International Weekly Science Journal) interviewed 7 experts to get their thoughts on NASA’s future. The experts ranged from NASA Chief Scientist to Science Fiction Writer. In no certain order, here is the feedback harvested from the seven interviews:

1) Get Us to Mars! Currently there is no clear cut agenda for Mars exploration beyond a small handful of proposed rover missions. If we set our sights on Mars several things come into our grasp. The most powerful of them all is establishing a colony outside of Earth.
2) Build a Case for Humans in Space. NASA continues to muddle along. Over the past 20 years we’ve spent $20 billion on research and development for getting humans into space via alternative means (sans big rocket). None have made it to the final test flight phase.
3) Send More Robots! NASA can maintain self-sufficiency by building a significant unmanned space flight program to explore NEO (Near Earth Objects, such as the Moon), our Solar System, and near-by Galaxies.
4) Deflect Risky Asteroids. Simply put… prioritize defending Earth from direct threats such as Asteroid Impacts. We’ve enough geological and paleontological data to discern it happened before and it is definitely going to happen again.
5) Find a United Purpose. Imagine NASA focused and committed towards leading an international spaceflight endeavor to search for habitable worlds?! To extend humanity’s reach to Mars and well beyond.
6) Ditch the Rockets! This represents very old technology. The only manner in which to fundamentally change humanity’s relationship with outer space is to engage in developing radically new launch and exploration systems.
7) Revolutionize Research. A concurrent, highly-Darwinistic approach to developing multiple crucial technologies is required now. No more fruitless efforts undertaken without a clear objective or end game in mind.

The following should shock anyone with an IQ above ambient room temperature: A recent poll from the Public Religion Research Institute and Religion News Survey shows some support for his original sentiment: 16 percent of Americans agree that natural disasters are a sign from God, while 22 percent mostly agree. A slight majority — 51 percent — disagreed natural disasters are a sign from the Almighty. Yet a slightly larger majority, 56 percent, said they believe God is in control of everything that happens in the world.

Aha! Therefore, the statistical majority think (I am using the word “think” very loosely) that G-O-D is in control but natural catastrophes are not a sign. What? It was if a “father” decided to indiscriminately grab one of his numerous children who was simply walking-by and violently spanked said child while stating, “Dear Child, I don’t want you to consider this punishment for anything in particular… although I am in charge and can spank you anytime I want.”

In a way, the poll examined the age-old philosophical dilemma: “If God is good, why is there so much disaster, tragedy and pain in the world?” “On the one hand, people are confirming straightforward theological affirmations of a personal God that’s in control. But many won’t draw a straight line between what’s happening on the ground and that God,” said Dr. Robert P. Jones, chief executive officer of PRRI. Others had their own take on the poll’s results. “Increasingly, Americans want a God who loves and doesn’t judge,” said Rabbi Irwin Kula, author of Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life.

As usual, Americans do not want to have to extend themselves to any meaningful degree – even within the theological rule set, which can lead one to golden, cloud-floating afterlife. The current American culturally endorsed ethic can be described as: If the field goal distance is too far to kick through… use your wealth to have it moved closer to you regardless of the rules or spirit of the game.

Kula maintained traditional theology, “that natural disasters are punishment for sin, is rejected by God in the (Old Testament’s) book of Job, but it is a dominant strand in every tradition.” According to Kula, “tragedy has nothing to do with the victim’s behavior. It is simply the mystery and vastness of nature.”

For a slightly different stance, take Eric Metaxas, author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God, said that “according to the Bible, the world is NOT the way God wants it to be.” Metaxas said he believes God created “a perfect world that somehow — in the Garden of Eden — became broken. … The rest of the Bible is the story of God trying to restore what was broken.” Events like earthquakes and tsunamis, said Metaxas, are examples of that brokenness “that God is in the process of redeeming and (that) He is with us in the suffering.”

So according to Metaxas, God is omnipotent enough to create the world, but once humans f’d it up… suddenly (s)he is having struggles in repairing it? Maybe (s)he just needs a vitamin B shot? Or a red bull drink?

The poll results revealed differences of opinion on the subject among various Christian denominations. Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) of white Evangelicals said they believed natural disasters are a sign from God. HOLY SHIT that is scary! (Think: Sarah Palin). But a much smaller minority — just 31 percent of Catholics and 34 percent of non-evangelical Protestants — agreed. The perceived increase in the number and severity of natural disasters is evidence to 44 percent of Americans of what the Bible calls The End Times, prophesied in the Old Testament’s book of Daniel and the New Testament’s book of Revelation. Fifty-two percent disagreed, according to the poll.

Dr. John Rankin, president of the Theological Education Institute, cautioned against drawing conclusions from the number of earthquakes and global disasters. “People have tried to get a timetable on the End Times since A.D. 100. The book of Revelations does not give any time frame. It just gives us seven cycles repeating.” What it shows, said Rankin, is that “God is incredibly patient.” NICE! God is extremely patient when it comes to destroying you, your family, your friends, and your world. Thank God for God.

In summation, it really matters not what your personal interpretation on spiritual beliefs are. The exercise I have engaged in here is to question the logic being employed in reference to the topic at hand. Ishihara, Jones, Kula, Metaxas, and Rankin can each be argued as existing somewhere across a broad spectrum of definable insanity. Yet when the majority is of a similarly insane bent, you are no longer an outlier but smack dab in the middle of the bell curve.

Einstein said it best: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” How do we, as humans, even hope to evolve past the superstitions of our ancestors?

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/24/poll-nearly-4-10-americans-say-natural-disasters-sign-god/#ixzz1HcgZCpuh

I’ve found something better for an $8 annual subscription rate. A Journal that truly matches the focus and pulse of this blog. It is a Journal that is entirely devoted to the scrupulous collection and analysis of scientific anomalies in current premier scientific literature. Upon opening the envelope covering my first edition today (it actually had typewritten addresses on it) I smelled what can only be described from my memory as a “good and ancient smell.” This brought me instantly back to the top floor of the University of Georgia’s Document Archive where I dug through old journals for research or earlier memories of my Grandmother’s attic where I spent numerous late summer afternoons with my plastic army men locked in battle. Inside was a typewritten coversheet stating, “Your new subscription begins soon. Delay is due to personal injury and hospitalization. Apologies.”

I looked into the Publisher, Science Frontiers, and saw that a single gentleman had been producing this bimonthly digest since 1974. He has a very respectful following. The gentleman’s name is William R. Corliss. Wikipedia defines him as: “William Roger Corliss (born August 28, 1926 [Age: 85] in Stanford, Connecticut) is an American physicist and writer who has become known for his interest in collecting data regarding anomalous phenomena. Arthur C. Clarke has described him as “Fort’s latter-day – and much more scientific – successor.” Looking at his body of work, Corliss has produced articles and books for NASA, Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Science Foundation. Based on the information I’ve read in his Journal thus far, this guy must read and synthesize EVERYTHING at or approaching light speed. He makes my somewhat prodigious reading list look like that of an illiterate.

[Excerpt from Wikipedia] In his book Unexplained!, Jerome Clark describes Corliss as “essentially conservative in outlook”. He explains, “Corliss [is] more interested in unusual weather, ball lighting, geophysical oddities, extraordinary mirages, and the like — in short, anomalies that, while important in their own right, are far less likely to outrage mainstream scientists than those that delighted Fort, such as UFOs, monstrous creatures, or other sorts of extraordinary events and entities.” Arthur C. Clarke said: “Unlike Fort, Corliss selects his material almost exclusively from scientific journals like Nature and Science, not newspapers, so it has already been subjected to a filtering process which would have removed most hoaxes and reports from obvious cranks. Nevertheless, there is much that is quite baffling in some of these reports from highly reputable sources.”

I’ve just begun to dig fully into the envelop filled with back copies of his Journal. He obviously felt bad for being injured and starting my subscription late (I had no idea it was late!? Nor would have I cared knowing who this is published by now). All-in-all, his analysis is done in the classical way – extremely formal with absolutely no room for hubris or even colloquialisms. His critiques are delivered in a serious tone, yet presented in common language. I already consider this one of the coolest subscriptions I have – this guy is the definition of living history!

If you’re interested and have $8 to spare, I highly, highly recommend a subscription.

– http://www.science-frontiers.com/

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FACTS TO MAKE EVERY INDIAN PROUD

Who is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems? Vinod Khosla

Who is the creator of Pentium chip (needs no introduction as 90% of the today’s computers run on it)? Vinod Dahm

Who is the third richest man on the world?
A. According to the latest report on Fortune Magazine, it is AZIM PREMJI, who is the CEO of Wipro Industries. The Sultan of Brunei is at 6th position now.

Who is the founder and creator of Hotmail (Hotmail is world’s No.1 web based email program)? Sabeer Bhatia

Who is the president of AT & T-Bell Labs (AT & T-Bell Labs is the creator of program languages such as C, C++, Unix to name a few)? Arun Netravalli

Who is the GM of Hewlett Packard? Rajiv Gupta

Who is the new MTD (Microsoft Testing Director) of Windows 2000, responsible to iron out all initial problems? Sanjay Tejwrika

Who are the Chief Executives of CitiBank, Mckensey & Stanchart? Victor Menezes, Rajat Gupta, and Rana Talwar.

We Indians are the wealthiest among all ethnic groups in America, even faring better than the whites and the natives. There are 3.22 millions of Indians in USA (1.5% of population). YET,
38% of doctors in USA are Indians.
12% scientists in USA are Indians.
36% of NASA scientists are Indians.
34% of Microsoft employees are Indians.
28% of IBM employees are Indians.
17% of INTEL scientists are Indians.
13% of XEROX employees are Indians.

You may know some of the following facts. These facts were recently published in a German magazine, which deals with WORLD HISTORY FACTS ABOUT INDIA.

01. India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.

02. India invented the Number system. Aryabhatta invented ‘zero.’

03. The world’s first University was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

04. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.

05. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.

06. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty striken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was once the richest empire on earth.

07. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 5000 years ago. The very word “Navigation” is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH.

08. The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is now known as the Pythagorean Theorem. British scholars have last year (1999) officially published that Budhayan’s works dates to the 6th Century, which is long before the European mathematicians.

09. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India. Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11th Century; the largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Indians used numbers as big as 1053.

10. According to the Gemmological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.

11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.

12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.

13. Chess was invented in India.

14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient India.

15. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilisation).

16. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.

Quotes about India.

We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.
Albert Einstein.

India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand mother of tradition.
Mark Twain.

If there is one place on the face of earth where all dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.
French scholar Romain Rolland.

India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border. Hu Shih.
(Former Chinese ambassador to USA)

ALL OF THE ABOVE IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG, THE LIST COULD BE ENDLESS.

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We, as a race, will benefit to a higher degree if we can break-down the historical myopic paradigm inherent with our fascination with being a “Specialist”. Can you imagine a job interview where the HR rep asks “so I now know you understand database design… but what do you know about art and architecture? Do you play a musical instrument?” Art, Architecture… even Musical Theory offer a rich baseline in which to expand one’s knowledge of technological structure and design. This isn’t about being a generalist. This is about building a diverse foundation of knowledge from which to produce the necessary elements in which to optimally “think differently” about an esoteric or highly-specialized subject matter. To over-specialize without this foundation should be thought of as synonymous with “to maintain the conventional, to snuff-out change, and even to under-perform.” Broadening one’s array of interests should be considered in a similar fashion to how dissimilar foci was considered during the Renaissance – literally a standard for which all else depends. Some of my smartest friends display pure genius in highly-concentrated, very specialized areas. However to get to know them one would quickly understand that they pull from a diverse field of disparate interests (hobbies and even play [essential for creativity]) to stay fresh and relevant in their chosen path.

Without further ado…

Dinosaur Census Reveals Abundant Tyrannosaurus and Rare Ontogenetic Stages in the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation (Maastrichtian)

A recent study carried out by a seasoned paleo-group, two of whom unknowingly carry my “favorite person” designation, produced some groundbreaking evidence of certain bio-ecological niches during the Cretaceous period. Groundbreaking, not only from the presented results, but also by the sheer nature of these two cerebral rock stars working together. Paleo-High Priest John Horner (most likely known through his work as the “Jurassic Park” Movie Advisor) and Polymath Nathan Myhrvold (of Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures fame) engaged in building a dinosaur census via what they entitled, the Hell Creek Project (1999–2009). This study draws from multiple lines of evidence from geography, taphohistory, stratigraphy, phylogeny and ontogeny. The project set about to investigate the relative abundance of large dinosaurs preserved in the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of northeastern Montana, USA. Overall, the dinosaur skeletal assemblages in the Hell Creek Formation (excluding lag-influenced records) consist primarily of sub-adult or small adult size individuals. Small juveniles and large adults are both extremely rare, whereas sub-adult individuals are relatively common. The studies conclusion proposes that mature individuals (of at least some dinosaur taxa) either lived in a separate geographic locale analogous to younger individuals inhabiting an upland environment where sedimentation rates were relatively less, or these taxa experienced high mortality before reaching terminal size where late stage and often extreme cranial morphology is expressed.

The surprises remained tied to the relative abundance of Tyrannosaurus skeletons. They were cited as being as abundant as Edmontosaurus, an herbivore, in the upper Hell Creek Formation and nearly twice as common in the lower third of the formation. Note for non-paleo enthusiasts, this data triggered an excited response from anyone who considers himself or herself a Vert-Paleo specialized Bone Hunter. The smaller, predatory dinosaurs (e.g., Troodon and dromaeosaurids) are primarily represented by teeth found in micro-vertebrate localities and their skeletons or identifiable lag specimens were conspicuously absent. This relative abundance suggests Tyrannosaurus was not a typical predator and likely benefited from much wider food choice opportunities than exclusively live prey and/or specific taxa. Of importance, it was indicated that Tyrannosaurus adults may not have competed with Tyrannosaurus juveniles if the potential for selecting carrion increased with size during ontogeny.

In conclusion, the study further validated that Triceratops (my specialty) remain the most common dinosaur and isolated skulls contribute to a significant portion of this census. Associated specimens of Triceratops consisting of both cranial and postcranial elements remain relatively rare (and that which comprise a high proportion of my personal collection). This rarity may be explained by a historical collecting bias influenced by facies (in this case the mixing of Cretaceous and Paleocene taxa) and oft-related taphonomic factors (decomposition dynamics). The limited discovery of postcranial elements may also depend on how extensive a fossil quarry is expanded after a skull is collected. Taken together, the survey paints a fascinatingly broad picture of life in the Cretaceous period in what would eventually become modern-day North America. 

I do hope you’ve enjoyed my art. Good-bye, Lindsay, good-bye.

Cast your eyes upon a recent episode of Community for one of the funniest Dungeons-and-Dragons themed stories I’ve seen. Well-researched and written. Simply Hilarious. Pay particular attention to Rutalicus the Dark Elf. Also a highlight, Hector the Well-endowed’s slow-mo adventuring with the Elf princess played within the scenario of the Cavern of Draconus.

Outstanding. Don’t miss it.

“Who let you in here?” asked the surprised Schmidt.

“I just did,” the little man said, pointing to the door.

“But that’s my bathroom,” Schmidt said, rising from his chair.

“No matter,” said the little man. “In a moment, you won’t care. Because I am about to give you the most amazing thing you have ever seen in your life.”

He held out his hand, on which there sat a small blue sphere that seemed to shimmer. Schmidt was about to protest when the little man touched the sphere and pulled on it. It grew as it followed his gesture, until it was a large globe, the continents and oceans easily recognizable, clouds moving slowly across the surface. Schmidt stopped and stared. It was so lifelike. He could see three-dimensional details in the landscape, even birds and aeroplanes as the view got closer.

“We call this the Simulation,” the little man said. “It’s quite realistic. It uses inputs from satellites, of course, but also from all kinds of cameras all over the world, cell phones, traffic cameras, webcams, television. It’s quite up-to-date. You can zoom in on anything you like.”

He gestured again, and Schmidt felt a dizzy sensation as the view swooped down through clouds to view a city, and then farther down to view a street corner with busy traffic and pedestrians, all moving and in perfect 3D. He could move his head and see behind people and objects. He felt he could reach in and touch things.

“How do —?” Schmidt began.

“It’s a simulation,” the little man said. “There’s data input, but most of it is generated. Computers, you know.”

The view changed as the little man made subtle movements with his hands. Schmidt seemed to fly through walls, observing people in their homes and at work, going about their routines. A woman brushing her teeth in front of a mirror. A couple arguing at a table in a café. A seductive woman trolling a bar in Paris. A fisherman struggling with a line in Australia.

“It’s extremely popular where I come from,” said the little man. “People fly all around, spy on people, hang around women’s locker rooms, it’s highly addictive. Hardly anything else gets done. People stop talking to each other, stop going to work, they’re just fascinated.”

Schmidt himself was getting fascinated. It looked so real. He reached his hand out and the sphere responded, moving the scenes around as he gestured. He felt like he was flying, swooping between buildings and under bridges, peering into windows, moving through solid walls like a ghost. He peeked into corporate boardrooms and spied on meetings in the Kremlin.

“But that’s not all,” the little man said. “You can go in.” He zoomed in on a doorway, until the door was life-sized in front of them. “Any door you like, you just open it and walk in.”

He reached for the doorknob, and turned it, pushing the door open. Schmidt looked in, and saw himself in a room that looked just like his office, standing next to a little man with a doorknob in his hand. He swung around and looked at the door to his bathroom, which was now open, and he could see himself looking back.

“How —?” he started to ask.

“Cute trick, eh?” the little man said, closing the door. “You can forget your corporate jet. Anywhere you want to go, you just open the door. That’s how I got here, of course.”

“That can’t be real,” Schmidt said, shaking his head.

“No, it isn’t,” the little man replied. “Like I said, it’s a simulation. All done by computers. Collecting and organizing all the world’s information, and presenting it in a nice three-dimensional user interface, with natural intuitive gestural inputs. Anyone can learn to use it in seconds, it needs no user manual.”

“And you’re giving this to me?” Schmidt asked, his gaze still held by the device, his hands still moving to direct the view.

“Free of charge,” the little man said. “No catch, it’s all yours.”

“I can see why people get addicted to this,” Schmidt said.

“Yes, that was a problem. Economy went into the crapper, people stopped having kids, food became scarce, things were really going downhill until we came up with this solution.”

“What solution was that?” Schmidt asked absently, his attention still riveted on the device in his hands.

“A computer virus,” the little man said. “Ingenious, really. It’s called infinite recursion. Like putting two mirrors facing each other, so you get a hallway stretching on forever. We put a Simulator inside the Simulator, and the computers spend all their time simulating more simulations, until they don’t have any time to do anything else. Everything grinds to a halt after a little while. The toy isn’t fun anymore, and people get back to their lives.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” Schmidt said.

“Give it a minute or two,” the little man said. He gestured, and the view zoomed in on Schmidt’s office, showing the two men gazing at the sphere. Inside the sphere, two copies of the men were staring at another sphere. “It will come to you,” he said.

“Or maybe not.”

———
Attribution: Simon Quellen Field; Nature 468, 1138 (23 December 2010) doi:10.1038/4681138a

——————-

The Honorable Nick Marshall
Missouri House of Representatives
201 West Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Re:

I vote, I pay taxes, and I said Yes on Prop B

Dear Representative Marshall:
As a voter in Missouri, I am greatly concerned that legislators are attempting to repeal a measure on which a majority voted “Yes” in November. Enough Missourians voted to pass Proposition B to make some much-needed changes to the way dogs are treated in our state.

I’m asking you to strongly oppose any legislation that would repeal or partly repeal Proposition B. I feel that the basic humane requirements of more space, exercise and veterinary attention for dogs isn’t too much to ask; in fact, it was long overdue.

I am proud to live in a state that respects the power given to its citizens through ballot measures, and it saddens me that legislators would consider using their power to repeal these basic standards of care for man’s best friend. Opponents to Prop B have tried to make the case that this new law will affect—or even eliminate—livestock production in our state, but I’ve read the language and it clearly only applies to dogs. While I believe that some voters were misled to believe Prop B will affect chickens or pigs or cattle, I know you are aware that it will not.

Please don’t let us down. Keep Proposition B in effect, and honor the vote of the people last November.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my opinion on this matter.

Sincerely,
Caravaggio

P.s.; You have already proven yourself to be an Incompetent Government Stewart by not immediately standing-up to this mounting call for repeal. You honestly believe there is a conspiracy with the ASPCA to take-over Family Farms? Ridiculous. What a laugh! Get your private part out of that Cow and do as the voting populace has ordered you to do. The funniest thing here is that you call yourself a “Republican”. Where is your civic virtue? And tell your wife to stop calling me.

————-

OK… So I really left-off the postscript when I mailed it.

“The mainstream media is in a frenzy over a new ’study’ claiming that Andrew Wakefield’s 1998 Lancet paper was fraudulent. For years, the media has mischaracterized Wakefield’s work as implicating the MMR vaccine in the autism epidemic. This was never true.’
Jenny McCarthy in GenerationRescue, January 2011

Oh really?!?! The ignorance exposed in this flip-flop is mind-boggling. What micro-degree of credibility amongst the “concerned parents” out there should now be shredded. Suddenly it isn’t really about the “fact” that children’s vaccinations and autism are linked. Nope… what she said before doesn’t count now. It is really just Polio now. Naw… MMR only causes loose bowels. Let’s not look backward, shall we?

Hell, there are HOURS of video with her and her dumb-ass comedian boyfriend directly pronouncing the link between MMR and autism. No playing of semantics allowed where ignorance is actually HURTING kids.

Unfortunately a few of the participants of this very blog believed her (or, at least, her cause). The participants even cited bogus “foundations” as PROOF of this epidemic of harm being cast upon our innocent children. Upon critical examination of these foundations, it was discovered they were derived of board members and directors reflective of esteemed backgrounds such as, “Worried/Angry Father” and “Ph.D. in Hospital Management”… not a virologist, epidemiologist, physician, or micro-biologist to be found. Yet because this group called themselves “experts” and placed their pictures on a website with a focus upon the “Anti-Autism/Anti-Vaccination Cause” next to a title including the word, Foundation — otherwise intelligent people gave them a soapbox from which to be heard. And then these same individuals would engage in debates over the validity of the word “expert” as if on a some different plane of reality “Worried/Anger Father” was somehow on equal level with that of “Ph.D., Virology”. Or a Foundation run out of a strip-mall in Virginia by a “Concerned Parent” was just as valid a source of information as the CDC.

Pure Bunk.

So… some would believe that it takes a nice guy to NOT say “I told you so.” However, given the history of l-o-n-g debates taking place in BB around vaccines, autism, qualification of scientific standards, validity of “experts”, etc., etc., etc.
I TOLD YOU SO.

C’est la vie. Now that I’ve lived up to my self-appointed role of antagonist-asshole, please have a safe and happy Saturday evening – and for God’s sake stay away from the Polio vaccine. Did you see the website, “The Polio Shot is Dangerous” from that guy who cleans pools in San Diego? Holy cow, I’ll never subject my kids to this nasty conspiracy of the Big-Pharma! Evil Capitalists!