Ponderings of a Scientist

NH Primary Day!!

So how many people have heard about the fictionous story of pre-911 through the Iraq war era, to air on ABC? I actually heard one of the production advisors (a republican also on the 911 commission) say to the NPR afternoon news host that “it isn’t all true, some scenes were changed to 1) be more interesting or 2) represent what SHOULD of happened!” Then he went on the say the phase that inspired the title of this post. Apparently, this guy forget they were producing a historical document, not a fictional tale. It seems to me that he is entitled to his opinion and if he wants to share it he should write a book. When a reader picks up a politically minded book he/she likely understands they are getting a biased view, however casual TV watchers don’t understand the distinction between unbiased truth and opinions. The ABC program is going to be seen by millions of Americans and taken as completely honest by many of them and that’s just not cool.

However, Ted Koppel is cool! I totally give the guy props for leaving network news and heading over to public news. His special on the pre-911 to Iraq era will air tonight on the Discovery Channel. While it will likely be liberally biased, I trust this production to tell the truth much more so than the ABC show and to announce when they are opining vs. just passing the whole thing off as fact.

Check out these organisms making the spotlight this week

Left: Twin pigmy marmosets babies. Pigmy marmasets are the smallest species of monkey, reaching an adult size of 5 inches. This pair is special because they are albinos.

Center: Hezbollian green sea turtle baby or is it Israeli? This little reptile highlights the silent victims of the lastest Middle East conflict. As a result of the war thousand of gallons of oil spilled onto beaches and into the water. Thanks to some scientists this little dude and his neighbors were escorted to safer lands.

Right: Everglades researchers stumbled upon this gluttonous site. Apparentely, the Python ate the six foot long croc. and literally busted a gut!

After all this time you think I would have something to say…hum…haa…eek..aah YES

Happenings:
Condo - moved in still painting and staining
Job - still cool, very busy, students start visiting next week
Pleasures -  now that we aren’t so busy I’ve been running more and finding new running routes, woot!  I’ve also been reading some good marine science/natural history books: “Entanglements” by Tora Johnson and “The Lobster Coast” by Colin Woodard.
Annoyances- Comcast is extra dumb, not only did they keep the Zipy waiting for two hours today, they also sent me an email saying my bill is ready to pay, but then wouldn’t let me log in, because my old account no longer exists!  Well, how do they expect me to pay the final bill from the old house?  Stupid, stupid, stupid. Oh, and WordPress is doing some annoying spacing things, so if there are ackward extra or lacking spaces in this post blame the software not the user.  Well haha Comcast I know something you don’t!  Anyone up for Red Sox in our basement?
Thoughts:

As an educator, I have to say “Go Detroit Teachers!”  I know it’s killing many of them to be striking, rather than teaching, but they really have no choice.  The school district wants to cut their pay by 5.5% this year and another 5.5% next year and freeze their benefits, this atop pay freezes and cuts the last few years - how much can you cut from a $30K salary before our teachers become the working poor?  For anyone not following the story, essential G.W’s school voucher program has bankrupt the Detriot school system, because as many parents have chosen to send their children to out of district charter and private schools (a legit parental decision) their childrens’ federal funds leave the Detriot district. Every child that leaves a public school, via the voucher system, takes with them school $1,500 of funding, leaving limited money for the remaining students.  In fact, last year, Detroit teachers spent their own money to purchase toilet paper among other things.  How do we solve this problem?  I’m not sure.   I support a parent’s right to send her child to a vouchered school, however, I can’t stand what it is doing to our public schools.  Unfortunately, the more students that leave, the worse the effect, because dollar for dollar it costs more to run a school for 50 students versus 500.  Likely, Detriot will end up in a worse position when everything is said and done, because more parents will  remove their child from Detroit, rather than have them sit in auditoriums all day, not learning, while the strike works itself out.

A big boo to the oil companies for finding a new way to further rob our natural resources.  Just what we need more oil rigs in the Gulf of TMexico!  My biggest fear is that this new discovery will dissuaded people from conserving.  Global WARMING will get worse, our cities will sink, smog will rob our children from breathing without asthma, but hell we can still look real cool driving our Hummers in laps around Main Street blaring 80s hairbands.