like it? well, then, do us a favor and click it!
taken for our group, don't fence me in.
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son of strengths and weaknesses
it was a sad day for science.
'after three all-day meetings and a blizzard of amendments and counter-amendments, the texas board of education cast its final vote friday on state science standards. the results weren't pretty.
the board majority amended the earth and space sciences standards as well as the biology standards (teks) with loopholes and language that make it even easier for creationists to attack science textbooks.'
read the rest of the press release at the national center for science education of the united states of america.
'after three all-day meetings and a blizzard of amendments and counter-amendments, the texas board of education cast its final vote friday on state science standards. the results weren't pretty.
the board majority amended the earth and space sciences standards as well as the biology standards (teks) with loopholes and language that make it even easier for creationists to attack science textbooks.'
read the rest of the press release at the national center for science education of the united states of america.
all the TEDtalks in a spreadsheet!
found here, at the official facebook group.
TEDtalks are wonderful brainfood... so get started and watch them all!
TEDtalks are wonderful brainfood... so get started and watch them all!
earth hour over athens with short star trails
click to original which includes the 'before lights out' shot as well. key spots of the city are noted on the image itself and my position is on the map.
this was my first-ever attempt at star trails (meaning i intend to try more). the camera is positioned with a priority on the sky rather than the city itself.
it's not readily evident from these two pictures, but people did switch off their lights at home -- it was mostly the street lighting that was still overly bright. i heard that some cities turned off street lights as well.
i had hoped for a dark sky, but obviously in vain -- there were still too few stars visible.
this image is comprised of 37 30-second exposures for a duration of about that many minutes (the camera took time to save each image, don't forget). i realize i need to do 15-second exposures to minimize the space between the star positions, especially in such a bright settings, and obviously i need to stay out for at least a couple of hours.
i think this image isn't very successful, but i wanted to post my version of 'earth hour' and i want to be able to compare this with subsequent star trail images i'll create in the future. so be warned: i will try again soon!
classics in lego
look what i found on flickr!
click pic to source
(original photograph of buzz aldrin on the moon here.)
browse through the set to see if you can recognize the classic imagery reproduce by bakalov!
click pic to source
(original photograph of buzz aldrin on the moon here.)
browse through the set to see if you can recognize the classic imagery reproduce by bakalov!
diagonally parked
the problem with using a fisheye lens on a daily basis in athens is that it's an ugly, dirty city. don't believe me? click to see!
if you like this, click to flickr!
like it? click it!
undoubtedly some people find beauty in this chaos but i'm not seeing it, at least for now. until that happens, i'll be re-focusing on small, beautiful joys and the fisheye will have to wait for the days when i can get away. in the meantime, here: have a flower:
like it? click it, then!
if you like this, click to flickr!
like it? click it!
undoubtedly some people find beauty in this chaos but i'm not seeing it, at least for now. until that happens, i'll be re-focusing on small, beautiful joys and the fisheye will have to wait for the days when i can get away. in the meantime, here: have a flower:
like it? click it, then!
the sheep delusion: for richard dawkins' birthday
march 26th was richard dawkins' birthday and, of course, he got several lots zillions of wishes from fans and friends on RD.
this morning i was browsing through flickr and tripped on this, by shaun the sheep:
the image description:
'today is the birthday of evolutionary sheepologist and popular author richard shaunkins. he is the author of books such as “the selfish cookie” and “the sheep delusion”.
his effort to make the world a saner place is applauded by many a sheep but he is also the victim of many a torch carrying villager.'
there's more... click to his page to read it!
the selfish cookie -- LoL!
this morning i was browsing through flickr and tripped on this, by shaun the sheep:
the image description:
'today is the birthday of evolutionary sheepologist and popular author richard shaunkins. he is the author of books such as “the selfish cookie” and “the sheep delusion”.
his effort to make the world a saner place is applauded by many a sheep but he is also the victim of many a torch carrying villager.'
there's more... click to his page to read it!
the selfish cookie -- LoL!
almost home
like it? click it!
when i finally reach this swerve-y little tunnel, i know i'm almost home.
taken with a much-neglected fisheye mounted on my old rebel xt. i'll try again on day on a sunny morning -- the shape of the light coming through that perforated roof is awesome.
this image has been placed on the map.
battlestar galactica of the gaps: a review of the final episode
i remember the day i first saw battlestar galactica.
i was vacationing on zakynthos island in greece, enjoying a quiet evening on a beautiful veranda with a gorgeous view of the sea. it was idyllic but i felt a little bored. no fear -- i had my laptop! i started to play a video a friend had given me. i wasn't expecting much -- i used to watch the original BSG as a kid, but as so many people say, it was cheesy so i wasn't expecting much.
suddenly my eyes were riveted on the sophisticated imagery, my mind started processing the intriguing storyline and my heart pounded with emotion that the show was artfully designed to invoke.
the destruction was immense! the cylons were horrifyingly cool! ... and some looked like us! and the ships were anything but streamlined and their trajectories and jumps were believable! the colors were dark! the music was exciting and heartbreaking! this was science fiction but it was real!
'what the fuck was that?' i shouted.
that first episode left me hungry -- no, starving -- for the next. with one dose, i was hooked -- addicted to what was the most exciting science fiction television i had seen in... decades. fridays became the most important day of the week because BSG was broadcast.
BSG mirrored our world. humans, machines, good, evil, criminal, noble, beautiful, repulsive, successes, failures, superstition, logic, friendship and betrayal -- everyone was everything.
yes. this is how we are. we are each everything.
BSG was well crafted, with thought, passion and attention to detail. and we were forever assured, they had a plan.
great science fiction is not about the spaceships or special effects. you can have that, but it's icing. great science fiction is a commentary on the state of humanity. BSG started as great science fiction...
...and ended indifferently. disappointingly. the final season kept sinking confusingly lower and the grand finale was a kick in the stomach.
i don't understand the rave reviews. i don't understand how people can utter the words, 'i was satisfied.'
really? you were satisfied with the dangling storylines? with the spray-and-wipe explanations? this is what you wanted and expected?
... and they have a plan.
in BSG, as in life, plans are made and soon abandoned. the intelligence of the show and the intricacy of the story arcs eventually gave way to fatigue and ragged fringe that led to nowhere.
the fringe was gathered up in unbelievable and unsatisfying wrapups. the remaining gaps in knowledge were filled, as in 'real reality', with 'goddidit', angels, god, fairies and miracles -- the easy, brain-dead escape from thought. the opportunity to delve deeper into the great questions of our existence and to produce a truly great work of art for intelligent viewers were wasted on soap-opera resolutions and creationist answers.
the finale featured an awesome final battle. the imagery was, as always, thrilling. the acting was skillfull and utterly convincing. there was much excitement, emotion, heartbreak and optimism. yes, it was a kick-ass episode -- or it would have been, if it didn't have so much to answer to.
BSG was one of the best science fiction shows, ever... mostly. my fandom was rewarded many hours of true enjoyment and i'm immensely grateful to its creators. i can understand not being able to keep everything on a level caliber -- even my favorite star trek TOS had some crappy episodes and a tiresome third season. but star trek, while it ran, didn't have the following and enthusiasm BSG did, and had a lot more network and sociological barriers to overcome.
i don't know if the paraBSG productions, films, webisodes, spinoffs will explore this new universe more intelligently.
but this particular finale was a rare opportunity, lost.
i was vacationing on zakynthos island in greece, enjoying a quiet evening on a beautiful veranda with a gorgeous view of the sea. it was idyllic but i felt a little bored. no fear -- i had my laptop! i started to play a video a friend had given me. i wasn't expecting much -- i used to watch the original BSG as a kid, but as so many people say, it was cheesy so i wasn't expecting much.
suddenly my eyes were riveted on the sophisticated imagery, my mind started processing the intriguing storyline and my heart pounded with emotion that the show was artfully designed to invoke.
the destruction was immense! the cylons were horrifyingly cool! ... and some looked like us! and the ships were anything but streamlined and their trajectories and jumps were believable! the colors were dark! the music was exciting and heartbreaking! this was science fiction but it was real!
'what the fuck was that?' i shouted.
that first episode left me hungry -- no, starving -- for the next. with one dose, i was hooked -- addicted to what was the most exciting science fiction television i had seen in... decades. fridays became the most important day of the week because BSG was broadcast.
BSG mirrored our world. humans, machines, good, evil, criminal, noble, beautiful, repulsive, successes, failures, superstition, logic, friendship and betrayal -- everyone was everything.
yes. this is how we are. we are each everything.
BSG was well crafted, with thought, passion and attention to detail. and we were forever assured, they had a plan.
great science fiction is not about the spaceships or special effects. you can have that, but it's icing. great science fiction is a commentary on the state of humanity. BSG started as great science fiction...
...and ended indifferently. disappointingly. the final season kept sinking confusingly lower and the grand finale was a kick in the stomach.
i don't understand the rave reviews. i don't understand how people can utter the words, 'i was satisfied.'
really? you were satisfied with the dangling storylines? with the spray-and-wipe explanations? this is what you wanted and expected?
... and they have a plan.
in BSG, as in life, plans are made and soon abandoned. the intelligence of the show and the intricacy of the story arcs eventually gave way to fatigue and ragged fringe that led to nowhere.
the fringe was gathered up in unbelievable and unsatisfying wrapups. the remaining gaps in knowledge were filled, as in 'real reality', with 'goddidit', angels, god, fairies and miracles -- the easy, brain-dead escape from thought. the opportunity to delve deeper into the great questions of our existence and to produce a truly great work of art for intelligent viewers were wasted on soap-opera resolutions and creationist answers.
the finale featured an awesome final battle. the imagery was, as always, thrilling. the acting was skillfull and utterly convincing. there was much excitement, emotion, heartbreak and optimism. yes, it was a kick-ass episode -- or it would have been, if it didn't have so much to answer to.
BSG was one of the best science fiction shows, ever... mostly. my fandom was rewarded many hours of true enjoyment and i'm immensely grateful to its creators. i can understand not being able to keep everything on a level caliber -- even my favorite star trek TOS had some crappy episodes and a tiresome third season. but star trek, while it ran, didn't have the following and enthusiasm BSG did, and had a lot more network and sociological barriers to overcome.
i don't know if the paraBSG productions, films, webisodes, spinoffs will explore this new universe more intelligently.
but this particular finale was a rare opportunity, lost.
edward james olmos: there is no race but the human race
as i wait to see the grand finale of battlestar galactica, i'm finding recaps and spoilers, conjecture, complaining and excitement.
i think star trek TOS and BSG have been the best television shows, ever. they have had profound messages on the state of humanity.
the people that make these shows think deeply about the issues that are important to us. watch what i have just found at sociological images...
video description:
'edward james olmos, on his authority as admiral of the battlestar galactica, tells the assembled crowd at the united nations there is no race but the human race (so say we all).'
i am in awe of olmos.
i think star trek TOS and BSG have been the best television shows, ever. they have had profound messages on the state of humanity.
the people that make these shows think deeply about the issues that are important to us. watch what i have just found at sociological images...
video description:
'edward james olmos, on his authority as admiral of the battlestar galactica, tells the assembled crowd at the united nations there is no race but the human race (so say we all).'
i am in awe of olmos.
jesus&mo: back
click pic to see this large on its original page.
i know i just posted another jesus&mo, but today is equinox -- and i tend to celebrate astronomical events... it's very irritating that around this time of year, greek television is plagued by relentless broadcasts of those old hollywood religious movies. the advertising for said programming is already running.
people just don't get the reason for the season.
happy march equinox!
click pic to source
alas, this picture is not mine -- it was taken by one of my favorite photographers, anthony ayiomamitis, and is featured on today's astronomy picture of the day.
visit his website for more awesome astrophotography. my previous posts with his images are here. enjoy!
thirty petals
if you like it, please give it a click
i was wandering around the neighborhood yesterday late afternoon looking for something to shoot when it started drizzling. just as i was about to head back home, i saw this rose -- the only flower in a yard. it grabbed me by the neck and ordered 'take a picture of me, now.'
the word for rose in greek is triantafyllo which means thirty petals.
friday is atheist pride day
... on facebook
click pic to the out campaign
from atheist revolution:
'this virtual event is titled "i am an atheist", and it's goal is to function as a sort of online "pride day" for nonbelievers. all day on march 20th, participants will set their profile picture to the scarlet "a", and change their status message to read "i am an atheist" or some other similar proclamation of (dis)belief.
i [neil moakley] and danny piccirillo, the creator of this event, have worked to ensure a positive attitude would surround this day; we're not looking at it as an opportunity to start fights or awkwardly alienate our colleagues--nothing like that. instead, we hold the hope that some of the facebook users out there with ill-informed impressions of the atheist community will see their friends list colored scarlet for one day, and maybe begin to realize that atheists are more diverse than our stereotype, and that we are often in fact productive, caring, ethical people that believers already interact with every day.'
if you prefer other images, there are plenty to be found.
more information on the facebook group page (you need to have an account).
click pic to the out campaign
from atheist revolution:
'this virtual event is titled "i am an atheist", and it's goal is to function as a sort of online "pride day" for nonbelievers. all day on march 20th, participants will set their profile picture to the scarlet "a", and change their status message to read "i am an atheist" or some other similar proclamation of (dis)belief.
i [neil moakley] and danny piccirillo, the creator of this event, have worked to ensure a positive attitude would surround this day; we're not looking at it as an opportunity to start fights or awkwardly alienate our colleagues--nothing like that. instead, we hold the hope that some of the facebook users out there with ill-informed impressions of the atheist community will see their friends list colored scarlet for one day, and maybe begin to realize that atheists are more diverse than our stereotype, and that we are often in fact productive, caring, ethical people that believers already interact with every day.'
if you prefer other images, there are plenty to be found.
more information on the facebook group page (you need to have an account).
quadruple saturn moon transit
hubble snapped enceladus, dione, titan, and mimas transiting saturn, preceded by their shadows!
click pic to source
click pic to source
-----~---@
like it? click!
this tiny curly twig was really blowin' in the breeze, but i like it anyway.
some people don't have too many tribbles
tribbles from DS9's 'trials and tribble-ations' are being auctioned at e-bay.
click to source
i got toomany, myself.
via io9
click to source
i got toomany, myself.
via io9
the road to watchmen
like it? quick, click!
tmt took a break from flowers and went to the picture show.
musings of a sentient puddle
on the anthropic principle:
if you like it, please click it
'this is rather as if you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, 'this is an interesting world i find myself in - an interesting hole i find myself in - fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? in fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!' this is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it's still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. i think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for'
- douglas adams
if you like it, please click it
'this is rather as if you imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, 'this is an interesting world i find myself in - an interesting hole i find myself in - fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? in fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!' this is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it's still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. i think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for'
- douglas adams
a winning helper at crossloop
i know how to use computers, but not to the point to tweaking settings or overcoming serious issues. when i'm in a bind, i call kenny s at crossloop and he just.... fixes it.
i have good judgment, it seems, because he has just won the crossloop helpathlon!
if you need help, contact him here.
i have good judgment, it seems, because he has just won the crossloop helpathlon!
if you need help, contact him here.
bokeye
if you like it, click away!
self-portrait: an easy solution when it's late and you still haven't taken the day's picture.
spiral-tuality xxix
i have a thing on my blog where i post pictures of spiral galaxies under the series name spiral-tuality. this time i’m adding a flower: it’s made of stardust, too.
like it? then please click it.
‘carl sagan distinguished clearly between mysticism and spirituality. while mysticism is concerned with matters of magic, the occult, the supersensual and ‘essentially unknowable,’ spirit is something quite different, he maintained. "it comes from the latin word 'to breathe'. what we breathe is air, which is certainly matter, however thin. despite usage to the contrary, there is no necessary implication in the word 'spirituality' that we are talking about anything other than matter (including the realm of matter of which the brain is made) or anything outside the realm of science...science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality...the notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a profound disservice to both.'’
- from new jersey humanist network
like it? then please click it.
‘carl sagan distinguished clearly between mysticism and spirituality. while mysticism is concerned with matters of magic, the occult, the supersensual and ‘essentially unknowable,’ spirit is something quite different, he maintained. "it comes from the latin word 'to breathe'. what we breathe is air, which is certainly matter, however thin. despite usage to the contrary, there is no necessary implication in the word 'spirituality' that we are talking about anything other than matter (including the realm of matter of which the brain is made) or anything outside the realm of science...science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality...the notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a profound disservice to both.'’
- from new jersey humanist network
atheism: a greek forum
atheia is a new forum in greek which discusses issues regarding atheism in greece.
being an atheist is not mandatory -- understanding greek is :D.
the humanism of star trek
from minnesota atheists
'gene roddenberry convinced the executives at desilu studios that a show about exploring space would appeal to a mass audience. they funded a weekly series for three beautiful years, and it turns out he was partially right. the show was not a ratings giant until it went into syndication and cartoons some five years after it had been canceled. from there it fostered a “big bang” of cultural infusion. movies, fan fiction, spinoff series and “cons” exploded the concepts of star trek into our society.
is it the underlying humanist message which infuses the star trek universe that has led to its huge popularity as a cultural phenomenon? robert price and scott lohman will spend some time on our airwaves examining the issues of humanism in the start trek universe, and science fiction's role in teaching us about ourselves.'
listen to or download the podcast here.
'gene roddenberry convinced the executives at desilu studios that a show about exploring space would appeal to a mass audience. they funded a weekly series for three beautiful years, and it turns out he was partially right. the show was not a ratings giant until it went into syndication and cartoons some five years after it had been canceled. from there it fostered a “big bang” of cultural infusion. movies, fan fiction, spinoff series and “cons” exploded the concepts of star trek into our society.
is it the underlying humanist message which infuses the star trek universe that has led to its huge popularity as a cultural phenomenon? robert price and scott lohman will spend some time on our airwaves examining the issues of humanism in the start trek universe, and science fiction's role in teaching us about ourselves.'
listen to or download the podcast here.
a fence in kifissia
if you like it, yougottaclickit.
driving around a beautiful part of a northern suburb of athens, greece. kifissia has many graceful, older homes, built with enthusiasm and artistry.
this an HDR with photomatix, derived from one RAW file.
i've placed its location on the map accessible on its page on flickr, approximately, because i was wandering around absentmindedly.
life, ceres and panspermia
at universe today:
click pic to source
'it has been theorised for a long time that the dwarf planet ceres may be harbouring a lot of water. with the promise of water comes the hope that life may be present on this little world orbiting the sun in the asteroid belt. you may be forgiven in thinking that the search for life in the solar system has gone a little crazy, after all, we haven't found life anywhere else apart from our own planet. however, if we do discover life on other planetary bodies apart from earth, perhaps the panspermia hypothesis is more than just an academic curiosity. so why is ceres suddenly so interesting? firstly, it probably has water. secondly, the ex-asteroid is so small that fragments of ceres could have been kicked into space by meteorite impacts more readily than other larger planetary bodies, making it a prime candidate for seeding life on earth…'
the rest, here...
click pic to source
'it has been theorised for a long time that the dwarf planet ceres may be harbouring a lot of water. with the promise of water comes the hope that life may be present on this little world orbiting the sun in the asteroid belt. you may be forgiven in thinking that the search for life in the solar system has gone a little crazy, after all, we haven't found life anywhere else apart from our own planet. however, if we do discover life on other planetary bodies apart from earth, perhaps the panspermia hypothesis is more than just an academic curiosity. so why is ceres suddenly so interesting? firstly, it probably has water. secondly, the ex-asteroid is so small that fragments of ceres could have been kicked into space by meteorite impacts more readily than other larger planetary bodies, making it a prime candidate for seeding life on earth…'
the rest, here...
sun-drenched daisy
if you like it, then please click it!
i woke up in a panic with the thought of taking this picture. poor red daisy was hassled enough and starting to show signs of exhaustion, but she woke up early with me and gave me this last gift.
for a how-to, check out my snowberries recipe on flickr or on the blog.
i know i've overdone it with the flowers already -- but sometimes you just have to get it out of your system.
tmt, the spectacular gifted jedi
(clickable)
super 5erg and his spectacular HDR sword reminded me that all it takes is a few good heroes!
let's see what you're made of.
colbert, the galactic overlord
EDIT: predictably, the above video has been pulled but it's on colbert nation:
thanks, ncc1701 for navigating me to it!
richard dawkins on MPR
at minnesota public radio: 'richard dawkins says atheists should be just as forthright in their views as those who believe god is real. the prominent atheist talks about why he wants to convert more to his way of thinking.'
live-blogging the interview.
via pharyngula and RD
live-blogging the interview.
via pharyngula and RD
tiny moonlet within G ring arc
at ciclops:
click pic to source
NASA’s cassini spacecraft has found within saturn’s g ring an embedded moonlet that appears as a faint, moving pinprick of light. scientists believe it is a main source of the g ring and its single ring arc.
cassini imaging scientists analyzing images acquired over the course of about 600 days found the tiny moonlet, half a kilometer (about a third of a mile) across, embedded within a partial ring, or ring arc, previously found by cassini in saturn’s tenuous G ring.
'this makes number 61 for Saturn ... but who's counting!' - carolyn porco
press release here!
click pic to source
NASA’s cassini spacecraft has found within saturn’s g ring an embedded moonlet that appears as a faint, moving pinprick of light. scientists believe it is a main source of the g ring and its single ring arc.
cassini imaging scientists analyzing images acquired over the course of about 600 days found the tiny moonlet, half a kilometer (about a third of a mile) across, embedded within a partial ring, or ring arc, previously found by cassini in saturn’s tenuous G ring.
'this makes number 61 for Saturn ... but who's counting!' - carolyn porco
press release here!
i can't get no... exploration
like it? click it!
1. can i whine a little about mr.algorithm forgetting all about me? i'll never get explored again.
2. i'm ashamed to admit and surprised to discover that, until i picked up a macro lens, i never truly appreciated the beauty of a flower.
3. i'm on a flower kick, probably with lots of water on them, most always on black -- and i'm going to do more. i know. more cliche. sue me :)
the enemy within
like it? then please click it!
sometimes an image will go off on a tangent.
the title is a reference to an episode of star trek.
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