NASA's Computer Lab

Yesterday was the 25th anniversay of the first shuttle launch. This is a short video tour of some of the computing facilities NASA has. One machine, 10,000 CPUs, petabytes of storage.

Reality TV

I'll admit it, I watched Project Runway. A friend in the fashion industry said it was good, I tried it and it was. It had fashion designers in weekly competitions, that were actually making clothing. I thought this was much better than the Apprentice which I liked for a little bit but then got tired of people trying to be real estate executives being tested by grooming dogs in central park or selling some new fast food promotional item on the street. It seemed to unrelated. In Runway, they've had to make ice skating costumes, red carpet gowns and new post office uniforms. The judges are good and the contestants have had interesting personalities that weren't all about backstabbing and game strategies.

Today's Boston Globe had this article on the spinoff show
Top Chef. It's by the same Runway producers and is about chefs (who have guessed). The contests are in a kitchen, cooking food which is appropriate. I tried it a bit and didn't much care for it. To me it was a harder sell than Runway because in Runway, the viewer can see and judge the garment, but with Chef, the viewer can't taste the food created. The article doesn't mention this but does bring up the better point that the judges and host have no personality and the judging itself wasn't interesting (even in the Apprentice, the boardroom is the most interesting part). Iron Chef is a good show, and I can't taste the food for that (but you can go to the restaurants) but it works better because of the good commentary and detailed descriptions of the dishes. Top Chef needs some celebrity chef judge, and I guess Heidi Klum couldn't hurt either. :)

Irreducible Complexity Debunked

Irreducible Complexity is the main argument Intelligent Designers use against Evolution. It says that evolution can't explain how complex systems evolve since the intermediate steps wouldn't be useful to species. Well, according to Evolution Of Irreducible Complexity Explained, "Using new techniques for resurrecting ancient genes, scientists have for the first time reconstructed the Darwinian evolution of an apparently 'irreducibly complex' molecular system."

Of course they did this for how the hormone aldosterone work which isn't as readily understood by the layman as how flagella work, so I'm sure people will still cling to the pseudo-science.

"The stepwise process we were able to reconstruct is entirely consistent with Darwinian evolution," Thornton said. "So-called irreducible complexity was just a reflection of a limited ability to see how evolution works."

Rumsfeld on Iran vs Rumsfeld on Iraq

Think Progress has a couple of quotes up: Rumsfeld on Iran Today = Rumsfeld on Iraq in 2002. Oh what fun.

Rock Paper Scissors Championship

Yesterday was the USA Rock Paper Scissors Championship in Las Vegas. Yep, it's real, with a $50,000 grand prize. Apparently the party was so huge they didn't update the website with the results or even get out a press release.

The Real Leak Relevation

The International Herald Tribune puts the leak relevation in perspective in
Data from Cheney aide disputed before leak

"Fitzgerald, in his filing, said Libby had been authorized to tell Judith Miller, then a reporter for The New York Times, on July 8, 2003, that a key finding of the 2002 intelligence estimate on Iraq was that Baghdad had been vigorously seeking to acquire uranium from Africa.
But a week earlier, in an interview in his State Department office, Powell told three other reporters for The Times that intelligence agencies had essentially rejected that contention, and were 'no longer carrying it as a credible item' by early 2003, when he was preparing to make the case against Iraq at the United Nations."

The Washington Post as a similar story.

What the new information shows is that Bush was in fact manipulating intelligence and lying to the American people. That's got to be impeachable.

Wired News: Whistle-Blower Outs NSA Spy Room

Wired has an article Whistle-Blower Outs NSA Spy Room. "Mark Klein, a retired AT&T communications technician, submitted an affidavit in support of the EFF's lawsuit this week." He tells of how AT&T let NSA build a secret room adjacent to one of their facilities and then let all the traffic flow into that room. Big Brother.

Leak Cartoon

DoE Science Advisory Board Abolished

The New York Times reported: "Science Advisory Board is Abolished - Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman has decided to abolish his department's Science Advisory Board, a panel of experts that has served energy secretaries since the Carter administration. The board includes scientists, business leaders and former government officials who assign thorny technical questions from the secretary to subcommittees that respond with detailed reports. A spokesman for Mr. Bodman confirmed the decision, first reported in the journal Nature, and said Mr. Bodman, a former chemical engineer, judged the board to be unnecessary after President Bush set the department agenda in his State of the Union address." Just what do you think that last sentence really means?

Corps of Engineers, Not Katrina, to Blame

Harry Shearer (yes, that's Mr. Burns) has been one of the few public figures actually still following the New Orleans story. In the Huffington Post he wrote New Orleans. It's Official: Nobody Cares. Go read his post so his hit count increases and it looks like someone cares, but here's the bit you probably don't know.

On Wednesday in Senate testimony (under oath) the Army Corps of Engineers chief, Lieutenant General Carl A. Strock, admitted their design failures were responsible for the flooding in New Orleans. Harry Shearer calls New Orleans not a natural disaster but "the worst man-made disaster in American history". And he points out that this amazing relevation received no coverage from the media aside from this from the Times Picayune.

Apparently it's more than just the media that isn't writing about this. I tried to find the transcript of the testimony from the Senate but haven't had any luck. The Times Picayune story did't even say which sub-committee he testified to. I did find this fun fact on the Senate's web site It takes several months, or even years, for a hearing to be published. After digging a little I think he testified at the Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water on Wednesday, but I don't see a transcript.

Unofficially Official, But Officially Unofficial

Andrew Sullivan points out A Classic bit from the British comedy series "Yes, Minister" which seems to be where the White House got it's policy from.

Fred Flintstone's Dentist

The BBC is reporting that Stone age man used dentist drill. 9,000 year old teeth from a Pakistani graveyard show clear signs of drilling. "Analysis of the teeth shows prehistoric dentists had a go at curing toothache with drills made from flint heads." Apparently it was quite effective at remoting rotting dental tissue, enamel removal and cavity well carving. Apparently they did this for 1,500 years before stopping for some reason (no dental insurance?). As unpleasant as these procedures are now, I can't imagine undergoing them then.

3 Movie Reviews

V for Vendetta -Set in a future totalitarian London, we see Evey, a young woman out after curfew attacked by police forces. She's rescued by a vigilante wearing a Guy Fawlkes mask known only as V (Hugo Weaving). V begins a series of terrorist acts to overthrow the government and Evey learns more about herself in the process. It's based on a comic by Alan Moore from the early 80s, it was adapted by the Wachowski brothers (of Matrix fame) and updated with words like "rendition" and "avian flu". V's speeches are a little preachy at times and his tactics are clearly questionable, but the underlying message of being responsible for your government comes through strongly. "People shouldn't be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people." I liked it a lot even though I found a few points a bit slow.

The War Within - An independent film from 2005 about a Pakistani named Hassan who is in New York to perform a terrorist act. He's staying with old friends who don't know what he's here for. This is not a dumb action film with one dimensional villians and Bruce Willis saving the day. As Hassan spends more time with his friends he begins to question what he's doing. Through flashback we find out how he was recruited into this cell after he was mistakenly apprehended and tortured by the CIA. This doesn't glorify or justify terrorism but it does suggest that not all terrorists are unthinking religious fanatics. I got a lot out of it.

Fever Pitch - A romantic Comedy about successful business woman (Drew Barrymore) dating a rabid red sox fanatic (Jimmy Fallon). They meet during the off season and she doesn't realize the extent of his obsession, this has happened to him before. Once the season starts he's in conflict as he's never missed a game in 23 years. It's a Farrelly brothers film, but without the grossout scenes. The characters aren't idiots and the situations aren't forced and while there's not much depth, it was a lot of fun. I can't imagine anyone not liking this film.

Plame Scandal Takes Presidential Turn

Scooter Libby testified that Cheney told him Bush authorized the leak. Wow. If true it makes Bush's statement of we'll cooperate with the investigation and fire those responsible pretty damning. Or it could be Cheney lied to Scooter and we'll see what Bush does. Or Scooter could be lying now.

This is a case where the typically biased Daily Kos coverage can be short while getting the details right and showing some of the Bush hypocrisy. However the usually more objective Washington Post is longer because it has to describe the whole Plamegate affair and loses some of the impact on the Bush administration.

It's also a case where I want to link to the Washington Post coverage so my blog entry shows up on the "Who's Blogging" box. :)

World's Largest Magazine

If you fly to Las Vegas you might see a 75x100 foot Maxim magazine cover (featuring Eva Longoria). Publicity stunts, gotta love 'em.

The Architects Of War: Where Are They Now?

Think Progress has produced a report, The Architects Of War: Where Are They Now?. It reviews 15 members of the Bush administration responsible for the war in Iraq and tells what's happened to them. I disagree with their summation: "a review of the key planners of the conflict reveals that they have been rewarded". Certainly some have gotten promotions, some are still in the same position, several left office, and I still can't figure out if Wolfowitz moving to the World Bank was a promotion or merely getting him out of the DoD.

Touching Story

This is just an amazing story from Kevin Sites. "Married at the age of four, an Afghan girl was subjected to years of beatings and torture, finally escaping to discover that within all the world's cruelty, there is also some kindness." Given what the news reports typically are, I had to remind myself that this isn't common practice in Afghanistan. "I think that all people are good people," she says, "except for those that hurt me." It's amazing that she could have such an attitude.

John Dean on Bush (Worse than Nixon)

This is from December 30, 2005, but it's a good read on the domestic wiretapping issue. John Dean (yes that John Dean) claims George W. Bush as the New Richard M. Nixon

"There can be no serious question that warrantless wiretapping, in violation of the law, is impeachable. After all, Nixon was charged in Article II of his bill of impeachment with illegal wiretapping for what he, too, claimed were national security reasons."

"Indeed, here, Bush may have outdone Nixon: Nixon's illegal surveillance was limited; Bush's, it is developing, may be extraordinarily broad in scope...later reports have suggested that NSA is "data mining" literally millions of calls...In sum, this is big-time, Big Brother electronic surveillance."

Why DeLay Quit

This Washington Post article,
Federal Probe Has Edged Closer to Texan, gives the real reason DeLay dropped out (well ok, a theory). As of Feb 15, according to FEC filings, DeLay had $1.3 million in campaign funds.

"DeLay also is entitled under federal election rules to convert any or all of the remaining funds from his reelection campaign to his legal expenses, whether or not he resigns, is indicted or loses the election. Election lawyers say one advantage of bowing out of the election now is that the campaign cash can be converted to pay legal bills immediately, instead of being drained in the course of a bid to stay in office."

01:02:03 04/05/06

Today, at two minutes and three seconds after one pm (I missed the am one) the time and date will be: 01:02:03 04/05/06.

McCain is Now Useless

Ari Melber writes in the Huffington Post Will McCain Condemn Rev. Falwell's Bigotry? McCain used to be a Republican worth considering, someone with principles and a brain, not any longer, he's just one of the gang. Arianna Huffington has more.

Obama Rips Bush's Oil Policy

Think Progress reports on a Barack Obama (D-IL) speech to the AP. He called Bush's Oil Policy: It's Like Admitting Alcoholism and Then Skipping The 12-Step Program. "His funding for renewable fuels is at the same level it was the day he took office. He refuses to call for even a modest increase in fuel-efficiency standards for cars. And his latest budget funds less then half of the energy bill he himself signed into law - leaving hundreds of millions of dollars in under-funded energy proposals." About time a Democrat said something. The whole speech is actually pretty good.

Skyrest Travel Pillow

Gizmondo reports on the Skyrest Travel Pillow. Is it just me, or does this look like the most uncomfortable thing imaginable.

Record Companies Greedy

Record Industry Pushes Apple to Raise iTunes Prices: "Record labels make about 70 cents per download, and that's more profit than they make selling CDs, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. 'If they want to raise the prices, it just means they're getting a little greedy,' Jobs said at the Apple Expo in Paris in September."

Apple Envisioneering Group Director Richard Doherty said: "I would challenge the studios to open their balance sheets and show where they are losing money on this...If digital download costs are going up, the recording industry must be using a different Internet than the rest of us."

Democratic Cockroaches

According to the Discovery Channel Cockroaches Make Group Decisions and divide up their resources equally among the group. Seems the US political landscape could learn something from cockroaches.