Youtube have lost the plot

This is almost impossible to believe. YouTube have suspended the account of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), one of our planet's foremost organisations dedicated to the promotion of scepticism, rationality and the debunking of pseudoscientific bullshit. No reasons have been given yet and it's idle to speculate. JREF President Phil Plait asks for patience while they work on a resolution with YouTube. He also thanks people for their support - so here is my bit. Pass on this video and, if you feel so inclined, complain at the address below.

Youtube have lost the plot - JREF account suspended

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From dprjones:

To complain to youtube follow this link;
http://www.google.com/support/youtube...

Scroll to the very bottom and click on "new issue"

Select "suspended account" from the options and express your opinion.

The mediafire link is;
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=4d...

Thank you

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And I've just heard that the Rational Response Squad have been suspended too.


Don't know any details yet, but this has happened to them before. What is the world coming to? Grow into these trousers... >>

Sheep art

I just had to pass this on:

Extreme Sheep LED Art

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Thanks to GrrlScientist <<<< great blog - go look! Grow into these trousers... >>

Red Dwarf: Series 4 -Episode 5

Arnold Rimmer - what a guy!

Red Dwarf ~ Dimension Jump ~ Part 1 of 3


Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.

Red Dwarf ~ Dimension Jump ~ Part 2 of 3


Red Dwarf ~ Dimension Jump ~ Part 3 of 3
Grow into these trousers... >>

A limit to scientific knowledge?

I just paid a visit to The Random Fish and found a link to a BBC news article that's well worth a read.

What do you get if you divide science by God?

It's an interesting article about the 2009 winner of the Templeton Prize, Bernard d’Espagnat. The prize is awarded to honour:

"a living person who has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works."

From the article at Templeton:

"...d’Espagnat has written and lectured extensively on the philosophical significance of the universal truths of quantum mechanics. He notes, however, that quantum physics merely predicts observational results. As far as describing reality, it suggests that not only our plain, everyday concepts of objects but also our scientific concepts refer only to phenomena – that is, to mere appearances common to all.

Still, d’Espagnat warns, experiments often falsify theories and so there must exist, beyond mere appearances, something that resists us and lies beyond the phenomena, a “veiled reality” that science does not describe but only glimpses uncertainly. In turn, contrary to those who claim that matter is the only reality, the possibility that other means, including spirituality, may also provide a window on ultimate reality cannot be ruled out, d’Espagnat insists, by cogent scientific arguments. Although he concedes the theological implications of the term “veiled reality,” he guards against using it as justification for specific religious doctrines which can be falsified by reason and fact."

My feelings are more in line with Steven Weinberg and Martin Rees in the BBC report above. Physics can seem 'chillingly impersonal' (so can biology, just watch a wildlife documentary). Does it matter if we can't conceptualise where quantum theory is leading? I think not. The theory works exquisitely. Scientific hypothesis and experiment can still continue even if no one currently understands the contortions and ramifications of, say, a super-dimensional space (though they try). So long as there is a chain of logic to be followed then holding a mental picture, as of a 3d object, is not important. An underlying 'veiled reality', as d’Espagnat postulates, could be shattered tomorrow by one person's insight. Or the universe might get more interesting by becoming even less intuitive. Who knows? It's still today. Science offers hope; 'veiled reality', like religion, is a closing door to inquiry.

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Bonus thought for a Sunday:

"The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand."

Frank Herbert (1920 – 1986)

and a previous TFAS:

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not Eureka! (I found it!) but rather, 'hmm.... that's funny...'.

Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992) Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826) Grow into these trousers... >>

Music continues

I do enjoy hearing a well structured song. One where the backing complements an insightful lyric line and which has the light and shade to be truly memorable. Here's an example, and the deep growling saxophone is ace.

Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - The Tears Of A Clown
Grow into these trousers... >>

It's a musical time

For a change.

Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony


4th movement


For anyone searching, the 1973 Hovis advert is below the belt...

2nd movement Part 1


Hovis 'Bike' advert 1973 (Britain's favourite TV ad)
Grow into these trousers... >>

Ping

Read on at Abstruse Goose. Grow into these trousers... >>

Women, politics and religion

I took a taxi home a few nights* ago. I knew the driver (I know many of the local taxi drivers :) and during the short journey we usually enjoy a serious but light hearted conversation, if that makes sense. It's not unknown for us to continue, parked at the roadside, to round off a discussion.

My friend, though a cab driver, is well educated, intelligent and widely traveled. He is also a devout Moslem. I am not, but even though we are on either side of a wide divide, we both enjoy these exchanges. Well I do and I'm sure it's mutual. We talk about science or politics or music or the news or whatever. Or religion, quite often. Usually we share a laugh about our ability to 'agree to disagree'.

Good banter... Until the other night when I asked about the position of women under sharia law. Out of the blue came "women are no good at running countries".

I hit back with Magrat Thatcher and Benazir Bhutto which seemed to cause a sharp intake of breath, and damn! I was home, and we couldn't carry on because of parked cars and traffic. Next time...

To make my own position clear:

I believe in equality between all people. Black, white, brown, olive, yellow, red, green, blue or orange. Male, female, non-gendered, cross-gendered, medically re-gendered, transsexual, transvestite, bisexual, homosexual, lesbian, hermaphrodite or those who have suffered desexualization by disease, accident or Bobbitt. Rich or poor, strong or weak. Educated, streetwise or neither, healthy or ill, young or old, religious or atheistic, sober or drunk we should all be equal under the law of the land.

J.A. Holroyd 26.03.09

Now I have had time to think, and look-up female presidents and prime ministers etc, I should have started with Pharaoh Hatshepsut of Egypt.

Below the belt, as a memory jogger for myself, I reproduce this list from About.com of women political leaders from 1960 to 2000ish.

1. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka
   Prime Minister, 1960-1965, 1970-1977, 1994-2000.
2. Indira Gandhi, India
   Prime Minister, 1966-77, 1980-1984.
3. Golda Meir, Israel
   Prime Minister, 1969-1974.
4. Isabel Peron, Argentina
   President, 1974-1976
5. Elisabeth Domitien, Central African Republic
   Prime Minister, 1975-1976
6. Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain
   Prime Minister, 1979-1990.
7. Maria da Lourdes Pintasilgo, Portugal
   Prime Minister, 1979-1980.
8. Lidia Gueiler Tejada, Bolivia
   Prime Minister, 1979-1980.
9. Dame Eugenia Charles, Dominica
   Prime Minister, 1980-1995.
10. Vigdís Finnbogadóttír, Iceland
    President, 1980-96.
11. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway
    Prime Minister, 1981, 1986-1989, 1990-1996.
12. Soong Ching-Ling, Peoples' Republic of China
    Honorary President, 1981.
13. Milka Planinc, Yugoslavia
    Federal Prime Minister, 1982-1986.
14. Agatha Barbara, Malta
    President, 1982-1987.
15. Maria Liberia-Peters, Netherlands Antilles
    Prime Minister, 1984-1986, 1988-1993.
16. Corazon Aquino, Philippines
    President, 1986-92.
17. Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan
    Prime Minister, 1988-1990, 1993-1996.
18. Kazimiera Danuta Prunskiena, Lithuania
    Prime Minister, 1990-91.
19. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua
    Prime Minister, 1990-1996.
20. Mary Robinson, Ireland
    President, 1990-1997.
21. Ertha Pascal Trouillot, Haiti
    Interim President, 1990-1991.
22. Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, German Democratic Republic
    President, 1990.
23. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar (Burma)
    Her party won 80% of the seats in a democratic election in 1990, but the military government refused to recognize the results. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
24. Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh
    Prime Minister, 1991-1996.
25. Edith Cresson, France
    Prime Minister, 1991-1992.
26. Hanna Suchocka, Poland
    Prime Minister, 1992-1993.
27. Kim Campbell, Canada
    Prime Minister, 1993.
28. Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi
    Prime Minister, 1993-1994.
29. Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda
    Prime Minister, 1993-1994.
30. Susanne Camelia-Romer, Netherlands Antilles
    Prime Minister, 1993, 1998-
31. Tansu Çiller, Turkey
    Prime Minister, 1993-1995.
32. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Sri Lanka
    Prime Minister, 1994, President, 1994-
33. Reneta Indzhova, Bulgaria
    Interim Prime Minister, 1994-1995.
34. Claudette Werleigh, Haiti
    Prime Minister, 1995-1996.
35. Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh
    Prime Minister, 1996-.
36. Mary McAleese, Ireland
    President, 1997-.
37. Pamela Gordon, Bermuda
    Premier, 1997-1998.
38. Janet Jagan, Guyana
    Prime Minister, 1997, President, 1997-1999.
39. Jenny Shipley, New Zealand
    Prime Minister, 1997-1999.
40. Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland
    President, 1999-2000.
41. Jennifer Smith, Bermuda
    Prime Minister, 1998-.
42. Nyam-Osoriyn Tuyaa, Mongolia
    Acting Prime Minister, July 1999.
43. Helen Clark, New Zealand
    Prime Minister, 1999-.
44. Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias, Panama
    President, 1999-.
45. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Latvia
    President, 1999-.
46. Tarja Kaarina Halonen, Finland
    President, 2000-.

I've included Tarja Kaarina Halonen because, by most reckonings, the year 2000 is actually part of the 20th century. (The year "0" didn't exist, so a century starts with the year "1" - or so the logic goes.) As the 21st century arrived, yet another was added: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - President of the Philippines, sworn in on January 20, 2001. Mame Madior Boye became Prime Minister in Senegal in March of 2001. Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of founding head of state Sukarno, was selected as Indonesia's fifth president in 2001 after losing in 1999. We can only hope that many others will be on a list of Women Presidents and Prime Ministers for the 21st century. I've limited this list, however, to the history of women heads of state for the 20th century, and will not add anyone who took office after 2001.

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* It wasn't 1001 nights. Grow into these trousers... >>

What a good idea

Barstool Design Win

There's even little bowls for your roasted nuts!



Via FailBlog. Grow into these trousers... >>