double elbowed

The voice of all voices.

Listen to Lita. Let your head tingle. Thank me for this post.

Irish Shillelagh Sticks: who gives a shit about the calories.

Irish Shillelagh Sticks

8 slices bacon, cut in half length wise
16 garlic flavored breadsticks (Stella Dora)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Wind one piece of bacon around each breadstick, diagonally. Combine the Parmesan cheese and parsley and turn out onto a flat surface.

Using 4 breadsticks at a time, place them on a double layer of paper towels in the microwave. Cook for 2-1/2 minutes on high (do not overcook as breadsticks will burn). Immediately roll each breadstick in the cheese and Parmesan coating. Continue until you have 16 Shillelagh sticks.

Note: If you prefer a softer breadstick, purchase 2 packages of Pillsbury refrigerated breadsticks. Wrap each one with the bacon, as above, place on a baking sheet and cook according to the package directions; then roll in the coating.

Physical & Astronomical Constants

Here is a list of useful constants:
Length:

1 inch = 2.54 cm
1 mile = 1.6 km
1 km = 1000 m
1 m = 100 cm = 1000 mm = 109 nm
Planck Legnth = 1.616252x10-35 m = sqrt (hbar G/c3)
Classical Electron Radius = 2.81794x10-15 m = e2/ me c2
Proton Radius = 0.83x10-15 m = 0.83 femtometer = 0.83x10-13 cm
1 Angstrom = 10-10 m = 10-8 cm
1 Earth Radius = 6.37814x108 cm = 6.37814x106 m (Equatorial)
1 Jupiter Radius = 7.1492x109 cm = 7.1492x107 m (Equatorial)
1 Solar Radius = 6.959910 cm = 6.9599x108 m (Equatorial)
1 Moon's Mean Orbital Radius = 384,400 km = 3.8440x108 m
1 AU = 1.4960x1011 m = 1.4960x108 km (Astronomical Unit)
1 ly = 9.4605x1015 m = 9.4605x1012 km (light year)

1 pc = 3.0857x1016 m = 3.0857x1013 km = 3.261633 ly = 206264.806 AU (parsec) = 3.0857x1018 cm

1 Mpc = 106 pc (Megaparsec) = 3.0857x1024 cm

DH = c/H0 = 3000 h-1 Mpc = 9.26x1027 h-1 cm (The Hubble Scale)

Angles:

1° = 1 degree = 60' = 60 arcminutes
1' = 60" = 60 arcseconds
1 radian = 360° /2 pi = 57.2957795131° = 206264.806"
Area of a Sphere = 41252.96124 square degrees = 4 pi Steradians
Mass:

1 amu = 1.6605402 x10-24 gram = 1.6605402 x10-27 kg
1 amu c2 = 931.49432 MeV
1 Hydrogen Atom Mass = 1.007825 amu = 1.673534 x10-24 gram
1 Helium 4 Atom Mass = 4.00260325415 amu
1 Carbon 12 Atom Mass = 12.0000000 amu
1 Proton Mass = 1.6726231 x10-24 gram
1 Neutron Mass = 1.674920 x10-24 gram
1 Electron Mass = 9.1093897 x10-28 gram
1 kg = 2.20462 lb
1 Solar Mass = 1.989x1033 gram = 1.989x1030 kg
1 Jupiter Mass = 1.899x1030 gram = 1.899x1027 kg
1 Earth Mass = 5.9736x1027 gram = 5.9736x1024 kg
1 Lunar Mass = 7.3477x1025 gram = 7.3477x1022 kg
(Proton Mass)/(Electron Mass) = 1836.15
Earth's Mean Density = 5515.3 kg/m3
Moon's Mean Density = 3346.4 kg/m3

Time:

1 Planck Time = 5.39124x10-44 s = sqrt (hbar G/c5)
1 Sidereal Day = 23h 56m 04.09054s
1 Solar Day = 24h = 86400 s
1 Sidereal Year = 3.155815x107 s
1 Tropical Year = 3.155693x107 s

Energy:

1 Joule = 2.39x10-1 calorie
1 Joule = 107 ergs
1 eV = 1.602177x10-12 erg = 1.602177x10-19 Joule
1 Solar Luminosity = 3.826x1033 ergs/s = 3.826x1026 Joules/s = 3.826x1026 Watts
Sun's Absolute Magnitude V = 4.83, B = 5.48, K = 3.28
Vega's Absolute Magnitude V = 0.58, B = 0.58, K = 0.58

Temperature:

Solar Surface Effective Temperature = 5770 K

Physical Constants:

Avogadro's Number = NA = 6.0221367x1023 /mole
Gravitational Constant = G = 6.67259x10-8 cm3 gram-1 s-2 = 4.301x10-9 km2 Mpc MSun-1 s-2
Planck's Constant = h = 6.6260755x10-27 erg s
Speed of Light = c = 2.99792458x1010 cm s-1 = 2.99792458x108 m s-1
Boltzmann's Constant = k = 1.380658x10-16 erg K-1
Stefan-Boltzmann Constant = &sigma = 5.67051x10-5 erg cm-2 K-4 s-1
Radiation Density Constant = a = 7.56591x10-15 erg cm-3 K-4
Rydberg = RH = 1.09677585x10 5 cm-1
Electron charge = e = 4.8032x10-10 esu = 1.6022x10-19 Coulomb
1 Coulomb = 6.24151x1018 e

courtesy of cfa.harvard.edu.

White Russian Brownies

Ingredients:
2 packages (8 oz. size) cream cheese softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup vodka

Directions:
Cream together cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/4 cup sugar, vodka, 2 Tbsp flour and 2 Tbsp soft butter, set aside.

In a separate bowl sift remaining flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder. Stir in remaining butter and 1/2 cup Kahlua; add 1 egg at a time and mix well.

Pour half cocoa mixture in a buttered and lightly floured 9" baking pan. Add cream cheese mixture and cut lightly with a knife, then add remaining cocoa mixture. Bake at 325 F for about 30 minutes.

When cool brush with 1/4 cup of remaining Kahlua.

Ayn Rand - Faith vs. Reason

Description:
Objectivist philosopher and atheist Ayn Rand discusses the dangers of faith, the meaning of death and her disbelief in God.

[silence]

Interviewer: You do not accept the existence of a god, a divine prime mover?

Ayn Rand: No.

Interviewer: Now the reason you don't is because you can't prove that such an entity or being or energy exists.

Ayn Rand: I can't nor can anyone else. There is no proof.

Interviewer: There is no proof so therefore you've concluded that there isn't one?

Ayn Rand: That's right.

Interviewer: You can't prove there isn't.

Ayn Rand: You are never called upon to prove a negative. That's a law of logic.

Interviewer: You have to be impressed with the universe. When you see order in the universe, this wasn't an accident, Ms. Rand.

Ayn Rand: Oh now you've got to give me a few minutes. [laughter] What do you think would happen in a disorderly universe? What is the concept of order? What does it have to do with the things which exist? Do they clash with each other? If there were contradictions they wouldn't exist. There is no such thing as a disorderly universe. Our whole concept of order comes from observing reality and reality has to be orderly because it's the standard of what exists.

Interviewer: Right.

Ayn Rand: So contradictions cannot exist.

Interviewer: OK.

Ayn Rand: The real issue as far as man is concerned, is that when you accept such an important issue as the creation of the universe on faith you are destroying your confidence and the validity of your own mind. It has to be either reason or faith. I am against god for the reason that I don't want to destroy reason. I don't...

Interviewer: Give us a chance, alright? We appreciate your zeal but if you continue that it's going to make it difficult for the other people absorb all this, what's going on here, OK?

Ayn Rand: How can I be against god? I'm against those who conceived that idea.

Interviewer: Tell us why. Tell us why.

Ayn Rand: Because then it gives man permission to function irrationally, to accept something above and outside the power of their reason and superior to reason. You said it, I think unintentionally. You said "so I can't wait to die and find out." That, I'm serious, is one of the results of acting on faith. You can't wait to get out of this life.

Interviewer: And what's wrong with that?

Ayn Rand: Because this life is wonderful, as you said. Because if you look at the the universe, it's wonderful and you have to use your life to the best of your understanding. If you go by emotions, not reason, it means you're going against reality. Something exists, something is right and you say no, I don't like it because I want to believe something else.

Interviewer: I see.

Ayn Rand: You, in effect, go by emotions, by your whims, not by reason.

Interviewer: I just want to get this in before the break. You're an atheist?

Ayn Rand: Yes. [noise] [laughter] I could do the same to you, you know. [laughter] [applause] So you're the host I won't say it, but, in other circumstances I would say I don't agree with religion. I approve of your right to it, but...

Interviewer: You don't approve of religion because?

Ayn Rand: Because it's mystical. Because it's based on faith, not on reason and facts.

Interviewer: So? So for you but not for others, OK. What do you care? Somebody wants to worship a Christmas tree or a telephone pole, that's their business.

Ayn Rand: I respect that legally. I said that everyone has the right to believe anything they want but I don't have to approve. If they are serious, I would say... [noise] [laughter] You know? But I would never pass any laws to stop them.

Interviewer: You've got to allow that you're not smart enough to know whether or not there's a god.

Ayn Rand: Yes. I am and everybody here is.

Interviewer: Is what?

Ayn Rand: Smart enough. It doesn't take much intelligence. Do you know why?

Interviewer: Why?

Ayn Rand: Because you are not called upon, I cannot be called upon to know a negative or to prove a negative. If there is a god and you prove it, that's fine. But you don't tell me you can't know that there isn't. I would say yes I know there isn't because I have been given no evidence.

Interviewer: I think atheists are as arrogant as many of the so-called Christians or relgionists that you defy. I'm saying...

Ayn Rand: Arrogant in what way?

Interviewer: In that you are here with your certainty saying there is no god and anybody who believes there is is... It's almost a suggestion that you believe that you are foolish if you believe there is and I think that's a little arrogant and condescending.

Ayn Rand: No. The arrogance and foolishness... I would have to tell the truth. I think it's a bad sign psychologically. It is a sign of a psychological weakness, a man who is afraid to stand on his own mind and has no responsibility. Because it is the absence of proof that brings on false thinkers. Every argument for the existence of god is incomplete, improper and has been refuted and people go on and on because they want to believe. Well, I regard it as evil to place your emotions, your desire above the evidence of what your mind knows.

Interviewer: OK.

Ayn Rand: But that's what you're doing with the idea of god, speaking philosophically.

Interviewer: True.

Ayn Rand: You say you need someone to explain the order but now you have to explain that. You have to take what exists as a fact and start with what exists and see how much you can learn about it.

But it is not right. It is not proper to man to take anything on faith. Religion is a matter of faith. You accept a religion emotionally or because you were born to it. You have not chosen it rationally.

Interviewer: I tend to think of this whole thing as ongoing, that there is an eternity and that we are going to be part of that eternity, that we aren't just corpses in graves when we die.

Ayn Rand: But we aren't corpses in graves, we are not dead. Don't you understand that when this life is finished, you're not there to say oh how terrible that I'm a corpse? No.

Interviewer: Well this is true.

Ayn Rand: It's finished. And what I've always thought was a sentence from some Greek philosopher, I don't unfortunately remember who it was, but I read it at 16 and it has affected me all my life. I will not die. It's the world that will end. [silence] …

What's the difference between a math nerd and a layperson?

A Zork-filled, library-obsessed childhood. Haters gon' hate.

cat denim.

Say "denim" a bunch of times and you'll forget what the word means. This works with "house", too.

Carl Sagan says so.

Baloney Detection Kit

Warning signs that suggest deception. Based on the book by Carl Sagan, The Demon Haunted World. The following are suggested as tools for testing arguments and detecting fallacious or fraudulent arguments:

Wherever possible there must be independent confirmation of the facts.

Encourage substantive debate on the evidence by knowledgeable proponents of all points of view.

Arguments from authority carry little weight (in science there are no "authorities").

Spin more than one hypothesis - don't simply run with the first idea that caught your fancy.

Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it's yours.

Quantify, wherever possible.

If there is a chain of argument every link in the chain must work.

Occam's razor - if there are two hypotheses that explain the data equally well choose the simpler.

Ask whether the hypothesis can, at least in principle, be falsified (shown to be false by some unambiguous test). In other words, it is testable? Can others duplicate the experiment and get the same result?

Additional issues are:

Conduct control experiments - especially "double blind" experiments where the person taking measurements is not aware of the test and control subjects.

Check for confounding factors - separate the variables.

Common fallacies of logic and rhetoric

Ad hominem - attacking the arguer and not the argument.

Argument from "authority".

Argument from adverse consequences (putting pressure on the decision maker by pointing out dire consequences of an "unfavorable" decision).

Appeal to ignorance (absence of evidence is not evidence of absence).

Special pleading (typically referring to god's will).

Begging the question (assuming an answer in the way the question is phrased).

Observational selection (counting the hits and forgetting the misses).

Statistics of small numbers (such as drawing conclusions from inadequate sample sizes).

Misunderstanding the nature of statistics (President Eisenhower expressing astonishment and alarm on discovering that fully half of all Americans have below average intelligence!)

Inconsistency (e.g. military expenditures based on worst case scenarios but scientific projections on environmental dangers thriftily ignored because they are not "proved").

Non sequitur - "it does not follow" - the logic falls down.

Post hoc, ergo propter hoc - "it happened after so it was caused by" - confusion of cause and effect.

Meaningless question ("what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?).

Excluded middle - considering only the two extremes in a range of possibilities (making the "other side" look worse than it really is).

Short-term v. long-term - a subset of excluded middle ("why pursue fundamental science when we have so huge a budget deficit?").

Slippery slope - a subset of excluded middle - unwarranted extrapolation of the effects (give an inch and they will take a mile).

Confusion of correlation and causation.

Caricaturing (or stereotyping) a position to make it easier to attack.

Suppressed evidence or half-truths.

Weasel words - for example, use of euphemisms for war such as "police action" to get around limitations on Presidential powers. "An important art of politicians is to find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the public"

(excerpted from The Planetary Society Australian Volunteer Coordinators Prepared by Michael Paine )

Because it's time to dress like a slut! Or a couchformer!

Let's be creative and/or gross, like these folks!

some monday encouragement!

A 29-year-old man, in a group of 12 "ghost hunters" on a field trip in Iredell County, N.C., in August, was killed by a speeding train. The 12 were investigating a rumored "ghost train" that killed 30 people in an 1891 crash and supposedly returns every year on the anniversary date. [WSOC-TV (Charlotte), 8-27-10]

Weedin' 'em out.