It’s a minor deal, but amusing to me.
A blog called The Autopsy, which set out last year to deflate ‘that imposter’ Obama and expose the frauds in climate change science, appears to be dead.
Heck, even J. A. Davison called ’em out.
The author probably just lost interest. If only more people with bad information would lose interest, the world would be a better place.
I’m praying Don McLeroy will lose interest in stuff other than dentistry, quick.
1 Comment | 
Climate change, Global warming, History, Humor, Politics, President Obama | Tagged: Climate change, Dissent, Global warming, History, Humor, President Obama | 
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Posted by Ed Darrell
Uh-oh. Did P. Z. Myers see the name of the commanding officer of the space shuttle Atlantis on the current flight, STS-132?
Short press release from NASA:
Sun, 16 May 2010 06:48:08 -0500
Commander Ken Ham [emphasis added] and the crew of Atlantis performed the Terminal Initiation burn at 7:40 a.m. EDT, firing the left Orbital Maneuvering System engine for nine seconds to place the shuttle on the final path for its 10:27 a.m. docking to the International Space Station. When Atlantis is about 600 feet from the station, Ham will maneuver Atlantis through a backflip rotation to expose the heat shield to station crew members who will use digital cameras to photograph Atlantis’ upper and lower surfaces through windows of the Zvezda Service Module. Oleg Kotov will use a 400mm lens, and T.J. Creamer, Soichi Noguchi and Tracy Caldwell Dyson all will use 800mm lenses. The photos will be transmitted to Mission Control for evaluation by imagery experts and mission managers to determine whether the heat shield sustained any damaged during launch.
Not only is it not the same Ken Ham, I’ll wager they are completely unrelated, and that they’ve never met. I wonder how the astronaut lives with people confusing him with the Ken Ham of the creationism cult. Perhaps creationists stray into the real process of space exploration so rarely that no one has made the connection yet.
. . . this Ken Ham, who doesn't "believe" in much of the science that gets the other Ken Ham into orbit.
This Ken Ham, the astronaut (NASA photo), is not to be confused with . . .
1 Comment | Creationism, History, Humor, Science, Space exploration | Tagged: Atlantis, Creationism, History, Humor, Ken Ham, NASA, Science, Space exploration, Space Shuttle | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
A good sign of wildlife recovery. Photo by Amanda Holland, all rights reserved.
A cousin-in-law spends a few months working on condor recovery in California. We get photos from time to time.
This one isn’t particularly spectacular, but I love the irony, and the levels of meaning.
4 Comments | Biology, Bird Watching, Environmental protection, History, Humor, Natural history, Natural resources, Science, Signs, Wildlife | Tagged: Bird Watching, California Condor, Environmental protection, Humor, Natural resources, Science, Signs, Wildlife | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
No Marian-Madam-Librarian for these people.
The Hot Librarian had an adventure with a dancing banana. And Foxy Librarian gets the giggles from porn titles.
Just What IS It About Librarians?
Don’t even get me going about Judge a Book By Its Cover.
(Oh, and are you looking for a mnemonic on how to remember Van Buren as the 8th president?)
(Video clip from the movie “The Music Man,” Meredith Willson’s brilliant musical play.)
Leave a Comment » | Humor, Libraries, Life, Memory Tricks, Mnemonics, Presidents | Tagged: Dancing Bananas, Humor, Librarians, Libraries, Life, Porn Titles | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Leave a Comment » | Humor, Politics | Tagged: Humor, Politics | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
I’m stealing this one completely from P. Z. Myers’ Pharyngula. It’s just too good.
The daffodils are lovely — I recall when they’d bloom just about Easter in Utah, and Washington, D.C. Here in Dallas, our daffies depart before March 15, often not bothering to stick around until Easter.
But the real treat is the tree in the background. It’s just another tree early in the spring, not yet leafed out. But this one is special.
Caucasian Wingnut Tree (Pterocarya fraxinifolia ) and native daffodils in Warley place Nature reserve. © Copyright Glyn Baker and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Pterocarya fraxinifolia (tree in the background) – common name, “caucasian wingnut” – in the Warley Place Nature Preserve, in Essex, England. Photo by Glyn Baker.
Its common name is “caucasian wingnut.” You can’t make this stuff up. Reality is always much more entertaining than fiction.
Wikipedia’s entry is primed for comedy:
Species
There are six species of wingnut.
- Pterocarya fraxinifolia – Caucasian Wingnut. Caucasus and Elburz mountains in southwest Asia.
- Pterocarya hupehensis – Hubei Wingnut. Central China.
- Pterocarya macroptera – Large-winged Wingnut. West and southwest China.
- Pterocarya rhoifolia – Japanese Wingnut. Japan, eastern China (Shandong).
- Pterocarya stenoptera – Chinese Wingnut. China, widespread.
- Pterocarya tonkinensis – Tonkin Wingnut. Southernmost China (Yunnan), Indo-China.
Another species from China, the Wheel Wingnut with similar foliage but an unusual circular wing right round the nut (instead of two wings at the sides), previously listed as Pterocarya paliurus, has now been transferred to a new genus, as Cyclocarya paliurus.
Uses
Wingnuts are very attractive, large and fast-growing trees, occasionally planted in parks and large gardens. The most common in general cultivation outside Asia is P. fraxinifolia, but the most attractive is probably P. rhoifolia. The hybrid P. x rehderiana, a cross between P. fraxinifolia and P. stenoptera, is even faster-growing and has occasionally been planted for timber production. The wood is of good quality, similar to walnut, though not quite so dense and strong.
Japanese wingnuts? Chinese wingnuts? Tonkin wingnuts (for all you Vietnam war historians out there)?
Wow. Just wow.
More, if you care:
10 Comments | Biology, Botany, Humor, Science, trees | Tagged: Biology, Botany, Caucasian wingnut, Humor, Pterocarya fraxifolia, trees | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Oh, this will cause a lot of consternation in church offices across the world.
4 Comments | Humor, Life, Religion, Religious Freedom | Tagged: Baptism, Cannonball, Faith, Humor, Religion, Religious Freedom | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Social studies teacher Jeff Brazil gets his head shaved alongside Lars Schou on Thursday at Jackson Hole High School as part of St. Baldrick’s, a cancer awareness campaign and fundraiser - News&Guide Photo / Price Chambers/JACKSON HOLE DAILY
Leave a Comment » | Humor, Social Studies, Teachers | Tagged: Charities, Education, Humor, Jackson Hole, Social Studies, St. Baldrick's Day, Teachers, Wyoming | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Totally safe for work (in that way), but you may want to turn down your sound, unless you work with a lot of Hendrix fans.
Hey, I’ve used weird things for picks, too.
Tip of the old scrub brush to Happy Jihad’s House of Pancakes.
Leave a Comment » | Art, Humor, Music, Video and film | Tagged: Art, Guitars, Humor, Music, video, Zebra Finches | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Here in Texas we haven’t gotten over the loss of Charlie Wilson. Wilson’s exploits fairly told themselves — you didn’t even need Molly Ivins to write it up for you to make it clear just how funny it was. And patriotic.
Sarah Palin visited Florida recently, and to hear this account, she’s doing her best to make Alan Grayson, the genuinely-sometimes-rogue Democratic Member of Congress, a legend.
Whose side is she on, again?
Of course, according to this account in Buzz, the blog of the St. Petersburg Times and Miami Herald, the chief author of Grayson’s legend status is Grayson himself. Do you think Grayson actually wrote this? Can this account possibly be accurate?
March 14, 2010Ever outlandish, Alan Grayson tops himself with Sarah Palin rant
Actual campaign e-mail from U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando.
Subject: Palin Attacks Grayson; Grayson Applies Calamine Lotion to the Resulting Reddish Skin
On Friday night, Sarah Palin came to Orlando, and attacked Rep. Alan Grayson. This is what she said:
“I got to meet quite a few candidates who are lining up in a contested primary who want to take out Alan Grayson. And I think Alan Grayson — what can you say about Alan Grayson? Piper is with me tonight, so I won’t say anything about Alan Grayson that can’t be said around children. [Good one, Sarah!] But thank you, Florida, for allowing candidates in a contested primary to duke it out over ideas and principles and values, all with the same goal, and that is unseating those who have such a disconnect from the people of America. That’s what the goal is here in this race against Alan Grayson. Please fight hard, and do this for the rest of the country. Fight hard, and send a conservative to Washington, DC.”
Palin, the former half-term Governor, current-nothing and future-even-less, charmed the all-Republican audience with her folksy folksiness and her homespun homespunnery. Atypically, Palin was wearing clothes that she had paid for herself. At the end of the event, she shared her recipe for mooseface pie.In response to Palin’s attack on Rep Grayson, Grayson actually complimented Palin. Grayson praised Palin for having a hand large enough to fit Grayson’s entire name on it. He thanked Palin for alleviating the growing shortage of platitudes in Central Florida.
Grayson added that Palin deserved credit for getting through the entire hour-long program without quitting. Grayson also said that Palin really had mastered Palin’s imitation of Tina Fey imitating Palin. Grayson observed that Palin is the most-intelligent leader that the Republican Party has produced since George W. Bush.
When asked to comment about what effect Palin’s criticism might have, Grayson pointed out, “As the Knave’s horse says in Alice in Wonderland, ‘dogs will believe anything.'” Earlier, as the Orlando Sentinel reported, Grayson said, “I’m sure Palin knows all about politics in Central Florida, since from her porch she can see Winter Park,” which is part of Grayson’s district.
Grayson said that the Alaskan chillbilly was welcome to return to Central Florida anytime, as long as she brings lots of money with her, and spends it. “I look forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them,” Grayson added, alluding to Politifact’s “liar, liar, pants on fire” evaluation of much of what Palin has said.
Scientists are studying Sarah Palin’s travel between Alaska and Florida carefully. They hope to learn more about the flight patterns of that elusive migratory species, the wild Alaskan dingbat.
Posted by Alex Leary at 07:27:56 PM on March 14, 2010
Dick Tuck’s ghost rubs his hands with glee (and Tuck isn’t even dead yet). Thousands of Americans outside of Florida wish they could vote for him, or someone very much like him.
Tip of the old scrub brush to Sarah Ann Maxwell.
7 Comments | Accuracy, Humor, Politics | Tagged: Alan Grayson, Charlie Wilson, Dick Tuck, Humor, Politics, Sarah Palin | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Really?
Really sad thing: This photo’s comic explanation is deeper and more accurate than the average creationist or other denizen of the Discovery Institute.
Tip of the old scrub brush to 9Gag.com.
2 Comments | Evolution, Genetics, Humor, photography | Tagged: 9gag.com, Evolution, Genetics, Humor, photography | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
My Latin is not good. My high school didn’t offer it, and I couldn’t squeeze it in to college, either. Tom, one of my study group mates in law school, had four years of Latin with a Catholic priest who was a great and grave taskmaster. Tom could memorize the hell out of anything (obviously what the priest was trying to instill).
I’ve lost Tom’s address. I could use his translations now.
Remember the Lower Merion (Pennsylvania) School District? That’s the one that issued Mac laptops to all the high school kids, and then got embarrassed when it was discovered that the computers came equipped with cameras that take pictures of the kids in their homes, according to the allegations in the complaint that started the federal lawsuit.
Since the lawsuit was filed, the FBI opened an investigation, and the district itself backpedaled fast, claiming that no photos were ever taken except when laptops were reported stolen, and issuing statements that the district and its employees did nothing wrong. The district also says it has turned off the remote photo devices, and won’t turn them on without notifying parents.
Good. We’ll watch to see how it comes out.
So, while pondering whether to post a follow up, the logo of the school district caught my eye and my curiosity.
What does that Latin stuff translate to?
Okay. “VE RI TAS” is a very Harvard-like claim of truth. “Corpori,” obviously means body. “Menti,” obviously refers to the mind.
“Moribus?” Something to do with death.
“Body, Mind and Death?” What sort of a motto is that? I must have translated something wrong.
Here, I’ll use an on-line translator: “Fleshly mind to die.”
Fleshly mind to die. What? Brain rot? Does that slogan mean brain rot?
The Welsh Valley Middle School, part of the Lower Merion School District, says the motto means “Body, Mind and Spirit.” That’s better.
But, “moribus” means “to die, wither away” according to the dictionaries I find. I get the concept that a spirit remains after death — but is that what they actually say?
Back to the translator, if I ask it to translate “body, mind and spirit” into English, I get “Somes, mens quod phasmatis.” No moribus.
Back to the translator again. “Spirit” into Latin comes up phasmatis, phasma, spiritus, animus, animositas — nothing about death, no moribus.
Maybe some kid from a Latin class in the Lower Merion schools can tell me how they get “spirit” from “moribus,” or alternatively, just assure me that the motto isn’t supposed to mean “brain rot.”
Did somebody pull a quick one on the LMSD when they adopted their motto? Could there maybe be a better way to translate it?
7 Comments | Education, History, Humor, Linguistics | Tagged: Bad Translations, Humor, Latin, Lower Merion School District, Mottoes, Translations | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Frank Cornish has some thoughts about the issue:
Photo from The Guardian
If she [Sarah Palin] wants to be president, fine, it’s a Republic not a monarchy and anyone who wants to throw his or her hat in the ring is welcome to do so. They just need to raise money, get the supporters, convince the base of her party that if they nominate her then she will be able to push Obama out of the White House on a wave of popular support. But then, once she is in office she will actually need to do something constructive for the country. She will need to negotiate, and she will need to know what she is doing and what she is saying and she won’t be able to prepare for the negotiation session by putting a few phrases on her palm to remember that “Cutting taxes good.”
The President will not be able to sit at a table in Geneva, or a summit in Rejkjavik with the leader of a Muslim nation with crib notes that say “Islam is Terrorism.” The President will not be able to sit with the Secretary of Education and say “We need to teach more Bible in Science Class because” (reading palm) “Genesis is the literal word of God.”
Santayana’s Ghost shifts uneasily.
2 Comments | Education, Politics, Santayana's ghost | Tagged: Campaign, Education, Elections, Humor, Politics, Presidency, Santayana, Sarah Palin | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Poster at the recent Rick Perry for Governor Rally featuring Sarah Palin:
Image from HoustonPress.com
1 Comment | Education, Homeschooling, Humor, Politics | Tagged: Education, Homeschooling, Humor, Politics, Rick Perry, Sarah Paline | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
No kidding:
Good Day:
My name is Owen Clive and i will like to make an enquiry on some bath tubs, could you advise if you have or can get me the size below bath tub?
Acrylic Bath Tub with fiberglass reinforcement
6′ x 35-3/4″ x 19-3/4″
Thank you and i await your reply.
Best RegardsOwen Clive
2 Comments | Administrivia, Humor, Millard Fillmore | Tagged: E-mail, History, Hoaxes, Humor, Millard Fillmore's Bathtub | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Ed Darrell on Texas's Colorado River
Come on in, the water's fine. Come often: Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 