Science Wednesday!

This week, I'm indulging in and sharing my love of They Might Be Giants. This song is called "Why The Sun Shines". This is obviously a live concert video, but I highly recommend heading on over to the iTunes (or wherever you get your music) and getting the real deal. If you like it, I also recommend "Particle Man" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)".

Why The Sun Shines - They Might Be Giants live

Stupidest (and Best) Courses I Took In College

I'm not quite done with college, but I will be this May. This means that I'm in or done with every undergrad course I'll take. Reflecting back on this I realized that some of these courses were utterly useless and annoying, while some that were supposed to be fluff work have been the most influential or effective.

First under the lame category was my school's Critical Thinking class. This class is required of every undergrad, and teaches you how to "think outside the box" by using a handy formula. Anyone else see a problem with this? Not that critical thinking isn't an important skill, I just think it is much better learned when it is required by upper level, on-topic classes.

Next, French. I took and passed 102, just like I was supposed to. I even got a B! I retained very little and will likely never use what I did.

Art History is a toss-up. While I did love the class, it is utterly impractical as far as developing any sort of professional or personal skill for later (except being able to pass as an art-snob so long as no one questions me too carefully).

So the best ones?

Logic was a good investment of time. It was pretty much a class on how to win a debate, or at least not lose one. Who couldn't use that?

Statistics and Research Methods changed my life. By this I mean I found it fascinating and got a big ole research internship after I was done. But seriously, a course in statistics is pretty vital to being able to discern any kind of truth from the statistics you hear in day to day life.

Finally, as much as my school's critical thinking class sucked, their Human Experience class was amazing. The class functioned as a modern philosophy discussion group. The textbook included things like Plato's Cave, The Red Queen, excerpts from Genesis, and just about everything in between. The class was centered around the question "Who am I?". I can't think of a group of people who need a "Who am I?" intellectual discussion group more than underclassmen.

A Handy Guide to Dealing With an INTP

If you've never taken the Myers-Briggs (MBTI), I highly suggest it. You can learn a lot about yourself and it is rather interesting if nothing else. INTP is the type I fall into (that's Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, Perceiving), and the description of the type is very accurate. In reading about this on psychology sites and INTP forums (some people get really into this I guess) I recognize many problems and frustrations from my own experiences. So I've pulled together this handy guide for understanding/living with/working with/talking to INTP's.

1. Just because they didn't hear you doesn't mean they aren't interested. We daydream a lot, and may be a bit sluggish to return to reality in time to catch what you said.
   
2. Don't force them to share their feelings. For introverts, personal thoughts and feelings are our property until we decide otherwise. This doesn't mean that we don't have feelings, just that they are a privilege for the hand-selected. Violating this is often deeply troubling. On the other hand, feel flattered if they decide to share with you.
   
3. Don't say they are over-analyzing or "thinking too much". We are not over-analyzing. You are under-analyzing. We are by nature very analytical and critical. This is how we understand the world, and the opinion that our conclusions are strange or wrong because we've put too much thought into them is often quite frustrating.
4. Do back up your rules with logic. While INTP's can have problems with authority, it is usually unsubstantiated authority that really gets under our skin. If we see a logical or practical need for a rule, we'll almost always abide by it. It is when we must obey authority for authority's sake that we so often go rogue. Without evidence that a rule is necessary we are much more likely to disregard it. Parents, this may mean taking the time to explain your rationale in detail. Our weak point is logic. Back up your rules with evidence and explanations instead of "Because I said so" if you want them respected.
   
5. Don't expect them to do anything the conventional way. We will almost always test the rules and boundaries of the method, whether it is how to bake a cake, how to write a paper or how to dress in the morning. I know my parents grew tired of this even when I was a small child. I was always hearing "Why do you always have to try things your own way?" and (mostly in exasperation) "You always have to try to think of something better!". While it is prudent to correct us if we're about to hurt something, sometimes it's better to just let us go (you never know, we might actually find a better way).
6. Don't push them too far. While we are generally amiable, flexible and easy-going we are prone to "snap" if we are pushed too far or one of our core values is violated. This often blindsides those who do the offending. We hate it too because we are uncomfortable when our actions are guided by feelings alone. If you do end up on the wrong side of the line, a simple unadorned apology will often go a long way.
7. Don't get offended by debate. We love to debate and discuss, but hate to argue. Debating is about idea swapping, testing and generation. Argument involves hurt feelings or personal disagreements. We generally have no trouble separating the two, but often offend those who are more sensitive. We really don't mean to! In fact by debating or playing devil's advocate to your ideas we are often testing their soundness because we are impressed by (or at least curious about) them. If we thought they were crap we probably wouldn't bother. If you feel somewhat assaulted, but they are still acting hunky-dorey, chances are they didn't mean anything by it.
8. Don't expect them to blend in. We are often unconventional, have a tendency towards social rebellion and often place a low priority on popularity or normalcy. This is not a hard and fast rule, but if your INTP stands out from the crowd, you should know that they probably don't care. Remember Einstein's crazy hair?
   
9. Do give them something complicated to do. We thrive on complexity, theory and possibility. Repetitive work is torturous, but get us started on something with a little more depth and we'll often work obsessively until we are satisfied with the end result. Employers might keep this in mind for that new project that may require some innovation. Parents, keep in mind that while your lil possibly INTP may have average grades in school, they may very well be exceptionally gifted when given the opportunity to work "outside the box" on something they are interested in.
   
10. Don't mistake fair for cold-hearted. If you ever find yourself under the authority of an INTP, don't expect to make much headway with an emotional plea. It isn't that we don't have sympathy, it is that we want to be fair to everyone else. We will often ignore an emotional argument if the outcome will affect the overall justice of the system. The exception to this is if we are supposed to be upholding a rule we don't find necessary (see above). If you really want to get something by an INTP tell them a few good, solid reasons why you need or deserve it rather than try to make them feel sympathy, empathy or guilt.

If you are interested in finding your own type, you can take a similar quiz free here. This is not the real test but will give you a fairly good reading on what your type may be. For the real deal, contact your school's career center, an independent testing facility, or find online materials here.

The Little Things: Inauguration Day

Everyone in the whole world is talking about the inauguration day and most of them are repeating themselves, but I have just a few things to add to the mix, and I'll try be as original as possible.

____First of all, I thought Rick Warren did a pretty good job with the prayer. It was a bit long, but he certainly did not seem to be using the occasion to push his own religious or political agenda. He did however make me (and all my friends) laugh hysterically at the way he said "Malia and SASHA!" This spiraled off into a game of who could say "SASHAAAaa!" with the most pizazz.
____The John Williams piece was beautiful, as expected. Simple gifts was beautifully arranged. I particularly enjoyed watching Yo-Yo Ma. He looked like he was having so much fun playing up there. The last three notes were crunch-tastic.
____So the speech... It was moving, it was nice, but honestly I felt like he's done better. I followed the campaign pretty closely from Iowa on, and my favorite speeches of his come mostly from the primaries (My tops were the Iowa victory speech, the now-famous "yes we can" speech, the South Carolina victory speech, and the election night speech). What I DID really notice and appreciate most from the speech however was the declaration that America is a friend to every nation who seeks peace and dignity. This stands in stark contrast to the "our way or the highway" (and by highway we mean lots of bombs) Bush era idea that only democracy was a valid system for a prosperous and peaceful country.
____None of the talking heads commented on it, but I definitely heard the crowd singing "Nananana, Nananana, hey hey hey, Good bye!" at Bush's helicopter as it circled capitol hill one last time. Poor guy. I mean, I do hope he knows that he let us down, and it was kind of a funny moment for spontaneous song, but he's retired now. Can't we banish him to Texas with a little bit of dignity? At least until somebody puts him on trial? (C'mon Fitzgerald, I know you've got it in you)
____Oh and the next day Obama and crew actually did stuff! So good job! Know who didn't do a good job the next day? Every 24hour news channel. Okay we have a new president. We can either talk about the new policy changes he just signed (like closing Gitmo, putting a choke collar on lobbyists, redefining the Freedom of Information Act, and putting a pay-freeze on some of his staff) or... "OMG Lets do a feature on Michelle's dress!! Did you hear the kids were wearing J. Crew?"

Science Wednesday!

The most informative rap ever.

Winning Enemies

Social psychologists say that to win over an enemy, you should ask them for a favor. Typically people will justify their favor to you by liking you more (because it would be foolish to do favors for people you don't like, and nobody likes to feel foolish).

I've just got to say, Obama is a smart man. The move infuriated the gay community, who are offended by Warren's opinions on homosexuality, as well as members of Warren's church, who are offended by Obama's opinions on homosexuality (and abortion) Obama is asking a favor of his enemies. Rick Warren and those who still support him will end up having to defend his friendship to Obama either to themselves or others.

He has also been to a dinner with conservative journalists and will be hosting a dinner in honor of John McCain. He is doing all he can to give a "no hard feelings" vibe. Nice guy or political genious, at least he's doing a good job at it.

Big Unflattering Stories You May Not Have Heard

The US Helped Put Saddam In Power
Okay, this one isn't so much under reported as not remembered and not often brought up (seeing as we spent a lot of time and energy getting him out of power, bringing that up would do little for the cause)

The Anthrax Attacks of 2001 Were Probably Perpetrated by an American
Bruce Ivins was an American biodefense scientist who worked for the army. He died of an overdose in July of 2008 before standing trial for killing 5 people by sending them anthrax in the mail. Thats right. That was this guy.Really, kind of a sweet looking guy. Too bad he was basically the next Tylenol killer. On top of killing people and stirring up national panic, he helped create up the pro-war sentiment that ended up landing us in Iraq. Reason you may not have heard about it? Possibly national pride, probably not wanting to further upset the 65% of Americans who believe the war is no longer worth fighting.

The Internet Is Out of Control
The government can't stop hackers. Net neutrality is still an uphill battle. Property and copyright laws are so far behind many people see no other choice than to resort to pirating. For instance I can buy a movie legally on iTunes, but unless I want to watch it on my computer screen, I have to use open source software to (hypothetically) rip a bootleg copy that will work in my DVD player.

Traditional journalism has started to rely more heavily on the "blogosphere" where facts are often even more confused and exagerated than on the networks themselves. This is because it is faster, easier and cheaper than doing real investigative work. In addition, the government doesn't even ask for a warrent to spy on citizens using the internet. Take for example Magic Lantern, and Black Widow. Reasons you may not have heard about it? I'm not sure. It might be because it is scary. It might also be that the major media companies don't want to muck up a chance at controling the net when everything settles down, so they just arn't talking about it. Or maybe nobody cares but the nerds and the corporations.

Gulf War Syndrome is Real
In December 2008, a federal report finally confirmed that the illness really does exist. Symptoms include pain problems, neurological damage, and respiratory problems among others. For years, soldiers and veterans have been reporting the illness without verification from the larger community that it was real. Why have you probably not heard the story? It was the US government's fault (not a biological weapon as some had previously assumed). The syndrome is a side effect of a widely used pesticide meant to keep bugs off the troops and equipment.

Science Wednesday!

War

Reasons South Carolina Isn't That Bad

I'm more than aware that we South Carolinians get a pretty bad rap nationwide. Most people more than a state away think we're racist, backwards idiots. Well I'm here today to show you some of the nicer side of my fair state.

The Weather - Some don't like the humidity, but I love the weather here... three-quarters of the year that is. The winters are cold enough to get snow once or twice a year (just enough that its exciting every time). The spring... sucks, honestly. It's usually wet and cold, but then we get the SUMMER which is gloriously hot and heavy (like a big quilt every time you step outside) right up until the mild autumn (don't forget to check out all our trees).

Gullah - The only place in the world Gullah culture exists? The South Carolina and Georgia Low-Country (coast). In case you missed Gullah Gullah Island, Gullah is an African-American subculture that speaks a creole language that is a hodgepodge of English and African. Their culture shares many features with west and central African cultures including the famous sweet-grass baskets which are sold throughout the Charleston area in swanky tourist shops and roadside stands (guess which ones are real). If you are headed to the area and want one, check out Hwy 17 in Mount Pleasant and be prepared to drop a pretty penny. Even a smallish basket can easily run $50-$100 and the more intricate designs will draw quite a bit more.

Education - Blah, blah, blah South Carolina has really low SAT scores That's because we encourage every high school student to take the SAT (not just the already college-bound ones). While there are certainly pockets of under-funded schools, I went to several public schools in several districts and worked and volunteered in 2 or 3 more. Our schools are no joke, and I would not hesitate to send my kids there (should I ever have any).

Food - Country cooking, soul food, whatever. It's good. Some food highlights: shrimp and grits, savory cornbread, veggies cooked with pork, chicken and dumplings, Carolina style (mustard based) barbecue, all kinds of fresh seafood, oyster roasts, sweet corn (this is different from yellow corn, which I don't care for so much) and casseroles galore. Old southern church ladies can make awesome casseroles out of ANYTHING. Oh and deep-fried everything! Chicken, okra, squash, pork chops, fish, sweet onions... even stuff like macaroni, grits, candy bars, oreos and brownies (Ok, the candy bars are a festival thing and the brownies were at a restaurant appropriately named Fatz) Don't worry there are still sushi places in every city.

Liberals! - Okay, we're definitely outnumbered here, but we're a fierce minority. Don't forget 100,000 more votes were cast in the Democratic primary in 2008 than the Republican one. Meeting up with a fellow liberal here is like finding another member of a special secret club. One of you drops a hint, the other picks it up and before you know it you're all giddy with excitement because you can talk about evolution, birth control and Iraq without fear of horrible glares and uncomfortable silences. There was also a fun game of "honk and wave at the other Obama-stickered cars" going on for about a month before the election. This was really nerve wracking the first couple of times because I couldn't figure out why people were honking, screaming, and, in one case, wearing an Oscar the Grouch costume (muppets have long been a key demographic for the liberal agenda). Luckily, most of the more enthusiastic players of the game had campaign signs to wave around in order to get the message across.

Gas Prices - Having a state run by Republicans means that while we do have a lack of funding for schools and roads because we don't tax crap, we do have really, really low gas prices.

Landscape and Attractions - There are beaches, mountains, islands, lakes, waterfalls, lakes fed by waterfalls, rivers, creeks, pine forests, old growth forests, swamps, old cities, new cities, haunted bridges, battlegrounds, observatories and one of the best zoos in the nation. South Carolina has a vast variety of beautiful habitats and landmarks to explore. You'd be suprised how different the Low-country and the Upstate can be (I also love the region names. Besides those two, Piedmont, Pee Dee, Waxhaws and Midlands are common names for other regions).

My Take on Blagojevich

First of all, what a great name. Rod Blagojevich. That's so great it sounds made up. Second, that hair! I'm not sure if I can say I like it, but I'm certainly in awe.

Anyway, my own first instincts on his move to name a Senator haven't been brought up by any news source I've seen. Blagojevich is a savvy political player (as evidenced by the evidence against him). So lets take a look at his options. He could

A) Not appoint a Senator, like he was told. This would imply he had done something wrong and felt he deserved to be stripped of his office.
Result: His choice for an appointment would not be named, and he would continue going down in flames.
B) Appoint a Senator. This implies he feels he is still deserving of his office (i.e. not guilty). He also appears hard to control and may be an intimidation play. Two possible results:
1. His choice for an appointment will not be named and he continues to go down in flames,
OR 2. His appointment is named, to the chagrin of the powers that be and when Blagojevich goes to court, he can point at it and say "Look! If I was guilty the Senator would not have been accepted. Senator is accepted, therefore I am not guilty." Blagojevich doesn't care who the Senator is. He just wants them to stick. That's why he chose Burris. Burris doesn't have anything to lose, so he will fight for the seat with all he's got, plus he's a black man, which has given the Democrats even more indigestion as some of them are afraid to look racist.

In summary:

Blagojevich has an awesome name. And awesome hair. Also, nothing left to lose but his freedom (and I guess his office). And he's smart. The only way he can WIN is to look credible by getting an appointment to stick. Even if he doesn't escape a guilty verdict, he's at least gotten his revenge on the people who are taking him down.

Burris is kind of a dupe. A pawn more hapless than Sara Palin. Also, has little to lose and a lot to gain.

These two people are going down or staying put together. Blagojevich knows what he's doing and made an evil genious pick to take down with him (or pull him back up, we'll see).

Down the Rabbit Hole!

I know it is probably just corporate America taking advantage of my interest in mystery and danger in order to sell me some game or movie but...

HEY!

LOOK!

A new ARG!


(oh god, I'm Navi)

The Rocky Love Affair Continues

I was having a nice evening with History Channel yesterday. I had a cold diet coke, a warm blanket, and was chatting up some pals on aim. History Channel was showing a nice piece on the current economic crisis and behaving himself rather well. Then I saw this:



Dear History Channel,
___How could you make a fool of me again!? I told you I'm sick of your Nostradamus fixation! Nostradamus never said shit about 2012 anyway. He didn't even properly date his predictions. I would have watched your show on ancient prophecy. I would have watched all the way to the very ending where you'll have an expert with some actual credibility debunk most of what has been said. But noooo you had to put Nostradamus right there in the fucking title. I don't know why I keep coming back to you.

Bitterly yours,
Courtney

P.S. Tell your buddy Discovery Channel that calling a show "Extreme Logging" doesn't make it any more interesting than if you just called it "Logging"

Head in the Clouds

Cloud computing is on the way! A (very) Brief definition: Cloud computing is where you use the internet to access your software and data which is stored somewhere else.

Pros:
Have everything everywhere
Save memory space
Computer death does not equal file loss

Cons:
You NEED the internet (some stuff can be backed up)
Somebody else can see your stuff
A lot of these applications and programs are new and not always reliable

Now you may think that the idea of all of your information being... somewhere else is a little scary, and it is. There are some pretty hefty implications of putting all our eggs in one basket. Not to mention the fact that private institutions will be in charge of taking care of the basket (let's not forget the Verizon employees who lost their jobs for checking Obama's account activities).

Call me an optimist, but I trust the powers that be not to let anything get too out of control.
I recently picked up Google Docs along with Gears which lets you simultaneously download backup copies of the files you are working on as you create them. I used the slide show creator to work up two major projects. The software is pretty basic, but all the major functions are there. Best of all, the software is free, available at any computer. Even if I woke up in a ditch in South Dakota, I could stagger into the nearest public library and edit and print the latest revision of my abstract.

This kind of setup also allows access to software and data from devices like cell-phones, ipods and smaller laptops which would not be able to store large amounts of resources. Added bonus with these devices: they are in your pocket right now! So too could be all the data you ever needed. Imagine being able to use all your favorite software anywhere? Need to photoshop an image right now? Login. Want to play that game you just bought on your friends' laptop? You bet. Now all this stuff is down the road a bit, but is definitely feasible.

Pretty cool. I hope this really is where the tech market is going. If you're interested in applications that use this, check out MobileMe (for Macs only) and Google Docs.

Judith Miller on The Daily Beast

The day after Christmas, one of my absolute favorite political sites, The Daily Beast, ran an article by Judith Miller called Shattered Peace about the violence in Gaza. Now, if you haven't been paying attention, Judith Miller was a reporter for the New York Times who has gotten her nose into all kinds of trouble. She once tipped off an Islamic organization that the US government was to search the premises the next day, she was jailed for protecting Scooter Libby, and wrote an article in which she refused to reveal her sources that claimed proof of WMD's in Iraq which was later used as proof by members of the Bush administration. After all the controversy, she left the New York Times and went to Fox News.

Anyway, the point of it all is that most of the readers of TDB were horrified to find her featured on the site, on the topic of brewing war no less. Out of 55 comments left by members on the article, most of them looked like this:

"We believe ANYTHING this woman writes !?! I'm sorry but her creditability has been completely lost. She was a publicist for the Iraq war effort. I can not believe anything she reports, even if it's true, because of her earlier efforts. I would suggest the Daily Beast never use her again."

"Judith Miller writing about the Middle East is like E-Coli writing about feces."

"I agree with the others here that publishing anything by this disgraceful woman is a bad mistake...I will never read anything she writes, and if The Daily Beast gives her a forum to write, I will stop visiting!

She has NEVER apologized for being one of the chief apologists for an occupation of Iraq that has resulted in the deaths and dismemberments of hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed a country!"

Needless to say, most people were not happy. This makes me wonder what the incentive for featuring her was? Hype for Nothing but the Truth? Hype for The Daily Beast? Actual endorsement for Judith Miller?

I will be curious to see if she shows up on the site in the future. Even more curious to see if the editor responds to the angry comments.