Life On Mars, Again

Thanks to a couple of people who have linked to the Life On Mars piece, now that it's been showing on BBC America: Tony Collett and Michael J. Norton. As a value-add, both of those guys mention this info on Bowie's title song.
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/31/2006 01:23:00 PM |

 
The Chinese Plan Ahead

The Chinese have built a scale model of a disputed part of their border with India. And by "scale model", I mean "about 150 thousand square kilometers".
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/23/2006 10:39:00 PM |

 
Hot Actresses Do Science and Math

Sci-Fi's "Eureka" premiered last night. From Aaron Barnhart:

There’s a touch of conspiracy and more than a hint of sensuality here. And some of both come wafting from the general direction of Debrah Farentino. The siren from “NYPD Blue,” “Hooperman” and “EZ Streets” (where she bared her breast on CBS when the FCC wasn't looking), [Barnhart omits "Earth 2", which she starred in and was sci-fi] Farentino plays Barlowe, a sexy shrink who also runs a bed-and-breakfast and knows secrets that you can’t learn even with military clearance.

At a press event last January, someone rudely asked (that’s what we do) Farentino if playing a really smart person was a stretch. Very sweetly, she began her reply, “These characters are brilliant, but I finished my last series five years ago and went back to school to get my degree in molecular biology …”

Wha-wha-what?

“Well, The last series I worked on was ‘Get Real,’ ” she explained, “and I found myself reading Scientific American and other scientific magazines (on the set) and thinking, ‘I know there’s something out there for me (that’s) different.’ ”

She could team up with Danica McKellar -- click "Mathematics" at that site to see why. They would, of course, solve crimes. (That joke's kind of dated now, but it'll do.)
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/19/2006 03:07:00 PM |

 
Volohkiana: Math and Science

Two non-legal rat's nests at the Volokh Conspiracy: First of all, a multi-hundred comment thread on a probability puzzle/paradox that's not the Monty Hall problem. Recommended for fans of avoiding work while thinking you know the answer -- I'm familiar with the problem but I found some new things to think about in the discussion.

Better, though, is the one on creationism, only because of this excellent comment from a creationist:

Don't think my attitude is [...] one of ignoring the challenges posed to the Bible, I entertain them, consider them, and reject them.

(The ellipsis is because the original had "not" in that slot, but based on the rest of passage I'm pretty sure that's an over-negation error.)
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/14/2006 10:34:00 PM |

 
A Flaw in the System

The Secret Service is an arm of the Treasury Department.

The Secret Service is in charge of of the security of the President and Vice-President.

The Secretary of the Treasury is 5th in line to the Presidency. (It goes VP, Speaker of the House, President pro tem of the Senate, Secretary of State, then Treasury.) Except when the Secretary of State is ineligible, as has happened twice in the last 35 years (Kissinger and Albright); then he's 4th.

I'd check out that Secretary of the Treasury pretty closely. Especially if it's Secretary of the Treasury Larry King!
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/11/2006 11:58:00 PM |

 
As Always, It's A Small World

NY building collapses after apparent suicide bid

Two connections: first of all, my mother and sister were heading to a building just one block away for an appointment only a couple of hours later. But they were able to park and everything -- I'm told only the one block was closed off.

Second:

"I saw a lot of smoke, people scurrying everywhere," CNN talk show host Larry King, who happened to be on the scene, told reporters.

Oh yeah...just happened to be there. I've never trusted that guy.
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/10/2006 05:55:00 PM |

 
Philosophy from the Slacktivist

Here is where illiberal folks like to chime in with something like, "You liberals can tolerate anything except for intolerance." This they seem to imagine is a witty rejoinder that exposes some contradiction in our thinking, as though proponents of tolerance had just proposed the existence of the barber who cuts the hair of all those, and only those, who do not cut their own hair. "Hah!" they cackle, triumphantly, "Then who cuts the barber's hair?" The proper response to such people is to crush them under a rock that is so big even God couldn't lift it.

- posted by Don Porges @ 7/06/2006 09:43:00 PM |

 
Bruce McCall's Dreams

Variously at Modern Mechanix -- note scary penis/cyclops car here, for instance. Via Boing Boing.

-- on further review, if you go the cover gallery, you'll see that almost all the covers from the magazine Modern Mechanix itself look alike.
- posted by Don Porges @ 7/04/2006 10:25:00 PM |