Marc Kaufman of Washington Post finds that in zero g, “Microbes May Threaten Lengthy Spaceflights[;] Immune Systems Of Astronauts Found To Be Weakened”. I guess the whole spinning-like-a-carnival-ride thing is far too obvious a solution even if the problem is not worthy of a “crash program or anything like that”.
“Blowback”
Lee Harris points out the fatal flaw in the argument of the “non-interventionists“:
We may agree with Ron Paul that our interventionist policy in the Middle East has led to unintended negative consequences, including even 9/11, but this admission offers us absolutely no insight into what unintended consequences his preferred policy of non-intervention would have exposed us to. It is simply a myth to believe that only interventionism yields unintended consequence, since doing nothing at all may produce the same unexpected results. If American foreign policy had followed a course of strict non-interventionism, the world would certainly be different from what it is today; but there is no obvious reason to think that it would have been better.
“Blowback”
Lee Harris points out the fatal flaw in the argument of the “non-interventionists“:
We may agree with Ron Paul that our interventionist policy in the Middle East has led to unintended negative consequences, including even 9/11, but this admission offers us absolutely no insight into what unintended consequences his preferred policy of non-intervention would have exposed us to. It is simply a myth to believe that only interventionism yields unintended consequence, since doing nothing at all may produce the same unexpected results. If American foreign policy had followed a course of strict non-interventionism, the world would certainly be different from what it is today; but there is no obvious reason to think that it would have been better.
“Blowback”
Lee Harris points out the fatal flaw in the argument of the “non-interventionists“:
We may agree with Ron Paul that our interventionist policy in the Middle East has led to unintended negative consequences, including even 9/11, but this admission offers us absolutely no insight into what unintended consequences his preferred policy of non-intervention would have exposed us to. It is simply a myth to believe that only interventionism yields unintended consequence, since doing nothing at all may produce the same unexpected results. If American foreign policy had followed a course of strict non-interventionism, the world would certainly be different from what it is today; but there is no obvious reason to think that it would have been better.
Holiday Hints
For that special geek in your life, here’s a list of Christmasholiday gift suggestions. And here’s a list of things to be sure not to get him or her–the ten worst gadgets of 2007.
How Precise Are Clocks Getting?
To tap the F1’s full accuracy, scientists have to know their precise relative position to the clock, and account for weather, altitude and other externalities. An optical cable that links the F1 to a lab at the University of Colorado, for example, can vary in length as much as 10 mm on a hot day — something that researchers need to continually track and take into account. At F1’s level of precision, even general relativity introduces problems; when technicians recently moved F1 from the third floor to the second, they had to re-tune the system to compensate for the 11-and-a-half foot drop in altitude.
Did He Miss The Nineties?
Joe Gandelman thinks that the Hillary! campaign shot itself in the foot. But I find this comment kind of naive:
After this episode, it will be difficult for Ms. Clinton or her husband Bill Clinton to ever denounce
More On Fruity Fruit Flies
John Tierney had a discussion with one of the researchers. As he notes, the public reaction to this research is fascinating. Sexual orientation (like evolution) is one of those areas where people check their rationality at the door.
And (as is more and more the case the longer I blog), this isn’t the first time I’ve discussed this issue.
This Is The Place
If you see this post, you’ve found the new server, and you can comment again.
This move is long overdue. It will give me more bandwidth, and more disk space, and more up-to-date tools. I may start doing more multi-media stuff, but that will depend on my time availability.
And yes, I should do a site redesign, too, but I’ve always been one more for function than form.
Site Move
I’m moving to a new server. I’ve shut down comments on this server. You’ll be able to comment at the new site once you get there. I’ll be putting up a new post on the new server, announcing that the move is complete. If you see it, you’ll know that you’ve found the right place, and can comment again.