tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-156431942011-07-07T13:23:47.860-07:00World Famous... ishChris 2noreply@blogger.comBlogger2911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-84570176511739270002009-11-07T13:09:00.001-08:002009-11-07T13:14:49.489-08:00

So back in August when I was first thinking what my 300th post should look like, I had a lot of great ideas. But none of them were great enough. After a lot of thinking, I realized nothing could surpass what I'd done with Forgedaboudit.blogspot.com. Nothing.Except, it hit me, a new Forgedaboudit.So, after a few weeks of loading it up, I am revealing to any followers out there of this--

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-9306398047980616422009-08-15T17:45:00.001-07:002009-08-15T17:49:44.949-07:00

Very neat little video Radiolab put out on their podcast yesterday. Make sure to watch it in HD.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-22297119427318597642009-08-15T17:29:00.001-07:002009-08-15T17:29:18.472-07:00

I want to go...here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-8035649340842768462009-08-03T15:14:00.000-07:002009-08-03T15:14:00.357-07:00

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.Reposted from Jimmy Hooker.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-81288134032405626292009-08-02T14:46:00.000-07:002009-08-02T14:46:00.447-07:00

Reposted from You Might Find Yourself.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-37536164308617773382009-07-29T12:44:00.000-07:002009-07-29T12:47:02.994-07:00

Fast-forward to ~ 3:00 if you're in a hurry

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-26536646060544749392009-07-28T16:49:00.001-07:002009-07-28T16:53:37.414-07:00

I just found the Discoblog on Discover's website and its segment on the "Worst Science Article of the Week." The most recent one, purveyed by means of a Chicago local Fox affiliate, covers a new study showing that women keep getting "hotter" while men are at a relative standstill.here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-36373858442213810202009-07-21T19:31:00.000-07:002009-07-21T19:33:02.712-07:00

Change is in the air at npr.org.here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-23891607425245302032009-07-15T17:51:00.000-07:002009-07-15T17:52:35.957-07:00

Al Franken's first recorded Senatorial joke. Phwoop! here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-7547648513261902132009-07-13T09:15:00.000-07:002009-07-13T09:17:55.642-07:00

Turns out, swearing can mitigate pain. The only catch is that if you swear regularly and have sort of desensitized yourself to it, then the effect is less. So swear at the right times. (This, by the way, is all from the Short Sharp Science blog, which in turn is referencing a study from Keele University in the UK).here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-70921160812133251132009-07-07T12:53:00.001-07:002009-07-07T12:53:44.974-07:00

Gmail is no longer in its beta version!here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-32413066385226664762009-07-06T12:04:00.000-07:002009-07-06T12:08:13.532-07:00

"... you can minimize your risk by abstaining from bodily discharge (urine, feces, or vomit). If you can't hold it any longer, release it in small doses, letting it dissipate before releasing more."Selachophobia, by the way, is an irrational and persistent fear of sharks.That's one of the topics explained in the Slate Explainer addressing what to do if you happen to meet the same fate as Bahia

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-38209459369845790652009-07-04T17:57:00.001-07:002009-07-04T18:03:04.481-07:00

Scott Shafer, who is a host and reporter at KQED, the San Francisco public radio station I interned at last summer, has filed a report for NPR's National News about some of the less obvious ramifications of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy in the United States military. It's interesting to hear someone you worked around (though not directly with) do a story like this for the national outlet.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-45546340628179468542009-07-02T17:29:00.000-07:002009-07-02T17:32:44.091-07:00

A nice article in the New Scientist earlier this week on radioactivity in the universe. It's not something you typically find in solid storytelling form. Sure, eventually the article gets a little too buried in the trees of the forest after the first page for those who haven't taken physics or chemistry anytime recently, but I still applaud the effort.here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-18395343479845621212009-06-29T11:17:00.000-07:002009-06-29T11:21:34.142-07:00

Saw Phoenix last night at the Wiltern. The show started good and progressed to great as the night went on. Below: a nice video (poor video quality though) of the live version and a link to the music video for the studio version, respectively, of "Run Run Run." (Note: the live video gets better at approximately 2:40)Phoenix's "Run Run Run" music video

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-70728726674512391382009-06-26T16:42:00.000-07:002009-06-26T16:43:13.970-07:00

9-1-1.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-19657136335559858372009-06-24T09:42:00.000-07:002009-06-24T09:47:12.905-07:00

Reposted from YouMightFindYourself

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-77957997682956700122009-06-19T12:03:00.000-07:002009-06-19T12:08:58.072-07:00

So TIME has a little photoessay about the incredible repeatability of Bullock roles. The photoessay itself is so painfully unfunny it exists primarily as a ruined attempt of a backhanded putdown of the actress, but still that is not its only function. Seeing all her movie posters one after the other does trigger something in one's mind. It makes you impressed. Impressed that any one person

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-74764199490809170502009-06-17T20:22:00.001-07:002009-06-17T20:25:17.973-07:00

Radiolab is back. Radiolab is back. Radiolab is back. Like, real radiolab. Not just podcasts to tide you over between seasons. I mean the real deal. One full hour devoted to a topic. This time, stochasticity (randomness). Check it out.Additional good news: They have declared they are doing away with the season format (release 5 new episodes every 6 months) and are instead going to release

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-63899404083017946182009-06-17T09:32:00.000-07:002009-06-16T20:32:54.278-07:00

Balance the California State budget!

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-24699972373288871272009-06-16T12:54:00.000-07:002009-06-16T13:38:51.410-07:00

Yesterday I travelled two legs of a trip to Baltimore, MD. The first half, to Fort Worth, was largely uneventful. For the second half, my mom and I were separated, she in 22A, I in 30F. We boarded relatively early so I had plenty of time to sit in my window seat at the back of the plane, predicting, evaluating, wishing one way or the other regarding each passenger that shuffled down the aisle.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-46285738103979026202009-06-11T16:59:00.000-07:002009-06-11T17:10:15.848-07:00

"That's a Cool Name."- President Barack Obama in response to the name of Kennedy Corpus

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-16645179630851633352009-06-10T12:02:00.000-07:002009-06-10T12:03:38.576-07:00

Nine years ago a London Bridge swayed too hard.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-51242501090735482102009-06-06T15:02:00.000-07:002009-06-06T22:42:58.457-07:00

But I'm liking You May Find Yourself. A fun fun photoblog. Here's the front page for your scrolling pleasure. Perhaps this thing is old news and I'm finally catching up but just in case.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-32948818060344377172009-06-03T01:52:00.000-07:002009-06-03T01:59:28.134-07:00

Finals, final projects, final papers, they all perform a primary purpose: quantification of performance.But, as I have recently learned, finals etc. also serve a secondary purpose for the nearly graduated senior: nostalgia repellent!Walk around campus, admire the architecture, see old friends, refresh yourself to the sights, sounds and smells of the coffee shop, and pretty soon you might feel...

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-61262206143250865012009-05-27T21:08:00.001-07:002009-05-27T21:08:51.378-07:00

Again, it's a lot that I'm linking to the front page article on the NY Times, but here I go.hugs.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-71668185330205786172009-05-23T17:33:00.000-07:002009-05-23T17:40:58.307-07:00

It was a public radio fan's fantasy fight. Two heavyweights and a seasoned judge. One proverbial question.Apparently, on May 6th, at WNYC studios in New York City, Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the hosts of Radiolab, boxed to determine which medium should reign supreme, radio or TV (Jad and Robert advocating respectively). The referee--This American Life's Ira Glass. I know.A short excerpt

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-18150501827469398582009-05-20T09:38:00.000-07:002009-08-18T11:33:26.470-07:00

The new search engine designed with computation in mind, Wolfram Alpha, has been released. To be honest, I hadn't ever heard of it until yesterday. But now that I have, let me tell you, things are looking up. I can now find the answer to nearly anything. Endless (actually they are still entirely finite) possibilities. Wolfram Alpha, at its core, is like wikipedia + Google + Matt Damon from

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-3865392168819597312009-05-14T12:12:00.000-07:002009-05-14T12:13:27.728-07:00

Found this interview Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad did with Voice of Young America back in 2008. Around 9 minutes Abumrad starts explaining scientists. It's good.And so, here it is.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-70625494554446618792009-05-09T15:59:00.000-07:002009-05-09T16:00:29.291-07:00

The parking garage in my apartment building is nearly empty. This, my roommate remarked, means our building is filled with sons and daughters who love their mothers.I will be leaving for home shortly.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-22945462312447824172009-04-26T16:31:00.000-07:002009-04-28T09:08:58.532-07:00

I knew about B-side Radio for quite some time. I had the pleasure of interacting with one of its founders, Tamara Keith, at an internship I did at KQED. Still, I only recently stumbled upon this page about radio voicing (the reading of a script) with tips. I will use it to help interns at UCLAradio.com News. Totally irrelevant to most of you, but what with all the busy-ness (I always lament

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-85928297972997787532009-04-19T12:54:00.000-07:002009-04-19T13:01:30.281-07:00

Mid-conversation with a friend only minutes ago I unconsciously assembled the pieces of a puzzle that I'd never intentionally tried to complete.The word Breakfast. Break-fast. To break one's fast. How simple! Breakfast.This is a moment of mixed feelings. Pride for my discovery. Embarrassment for its latency.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-15885217490289770882009-04-12T10:03:00.001-07:002009-04-14T08:26:39.801-07:00

Boys smell more.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-31625350166198861922009-04-08T09:32:00.001-07:002009-04-08T09:33:34.084-07:00

Time reports on porn + uni's in MD

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-3151561176462219272009-04-05T16:54:00.000-07:002009-04-05T17:06:38.385-07:00

Two days ago I received a package in the mail, roughly 10 x 6 inches, the thickness of two stacked VHS cassettes. The outer shipping box was Priority Mail--United States Postal Service. Beneath USPS sheathing however, the package's true contents (an internet-purchased microphone cable I'd been eyeing for some time) were concealed inside a United Parcel Service envelope. The secondary UPS

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-35763012481019807942009-03-28T19:18:00.000-07:002009-03-28T19:20:49.384-07:00

Well how about that.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-87291913374237482862009-03-14T15:27:00.000-07:002009-03-14T15:40:11.239-07:00

But I did today. And this segment caught me by surprise: it was funny, and furthermore, it featured a scary science freakshow moment (see also Big Dog post)..cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-85518504176430997012009-03-14T14:24:00.000-07:002009-03-14T18:13:07.834-07:00

This morning I took pause before entering my local grocery store. A group of girl scouts were marketing their famous springtime cookies. 'Why not?' I thought.I asked for a box of my particular favorites, Samoas, and was handed a carton labelled "Caramel deLites." Everything else on the carton looked the same as a box of Samoas. Purple colors. The revered Girl Scouts logo. Pictures of happy

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-74854340059829727922009-03-08T22:28:00.000-07:002009-03-08T22:58:28.564-07:00

Earlier tonight I spoke (via the world wide web that ensnares us all) with a friend I had not heard from in many months. Somehow the conversation steered itself onto the topic of artificial intelligence. AI is something I'm only vaguely familiar with. My friend, on the other hand, is steeped in computer scientific knowledge. Midway through the conversation he offered up a YouTube video about

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-53731299770946310292009-03-08T11:29:00.000-07:002009-03-08T11:32:11.769-07:00

A nice little slideshow on Slate about paired homes with only one inhabited.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-8621893989117234182009-03-07T10:16:00.000-08:002009-03-08T11:34:23.286-07:00

I woke up about 30 minutes ago. I got out of my bed 15 later. I sat down at my computer 2 later. After five minutes, I heard tires briefly screech. The screeching stopped and a forceful thud began. The intersection outside my apartment had an Acura sedan elegantly t-boning a Hyundai SUV. By the time I had gone to my window for the rubbernecking, they were exchanging insurance. They're gone

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-5435689318887338552009-03-05T16:34:00.000-08:002009-03-05T16:55:37.018-08:00

Busy week, so I just finally finished listening to the most recent podcast of This American Life. The episode, Bad Bank, featured NPR economics reporter Adam Davidson and longtime This American Life producer, Alex Blumberg, who together form the famous economics-explanations-meets-radio duo, as they worked on elucidating the somewhat bewildering concept of insolvent banks. Although the episode

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-36365073797084168742009-03-03T10:23:00.001-08:002009-03-03T10:25:16.270-08:00

These Things:

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-51184577258013510422009-03-03T10:01:00.000-08:002009-03-03T10:13:26.476-08:00

If you aren't aware of what the Turing test is, I will give you my what-I-can-remember-from-a-psychology-class version.The Turing Test was devised as a hypothetical way to define intelligence, whether attributed to a human, robot, mouse, coffee pot, whatever. If you aren't sure if something is intelligent (this question is most commonly posed about robots), put it behind a wall where you can

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-3694010249836858212009-02-28T14:19:00.000-08:002009-02-28T14:21:15.600-08:00

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-15973343937250517342009-02-28T14:01:00.001-08:002009-03-02T09:38:05.744-08:00

When you plan things to do, personal accomplishments, for your Saturday you are dooming yourself. You are dooming yourself to underachievement and a vague yet persistent state of time-insecurity. This is my reality at least. Today I was waltzing about my apartment (Do I mean that literally? I guess you'll never know), really throwing time away. I was eating a leisurely breakfunch (I prefer

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-5823339563342147762009-02-20T21:09:00.000-08:002009-02-20T21:19:51.450-08:00

For technical reasons that escape me I was unable to download and post to my blog the picture I am about to direct you to. I suppose this way I avoid threatening the copyrights of the work's artist, a Flickr-er. So check this pic out. I pass by its subject frequently, but I have never seen it in this way. If I can make myself remember, I will try to stand where this photog stood and see if

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-9700630780132003512009-02-20T20:59:00.001-08:002009-02-20T20:59:41.880-08:00

Yeah.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-2975900783452920012009-02-13T09:39:00.000-08:002009-02-13T09:39:00.318-08:00

Darwin turned 21 yesterday. How did that relate to Facebook and the 25 Random Facts?

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-20336685269718581792009-02-05T08:49:00.000-08:002009-02-08T14:06:01.129-08:00

Listen at around two minutes and fifteen secondsAddendum: I fucked up. Posted the wrong video from the Post website. It was supposed to be the pilot thing. It wasn't. At the time it was relatively 'breaking' news. Now it's irrelevant. So I'm sticking with the vid of Michelle captivating HUD.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-81193732249947872122009-02-04T17:01:00.000-08:002009-02-04T17:11:58.455-08:00

Weep.(Maybe) Don't Weep.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-26542044354280732102009-01-26T21:59:00.000-08:002009-01-26T21:59:00.756-08:00

Dyscalculia.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-40265566229268822682009-01-25T22:10:00.001-08:002009-01-25T23:13:52.915-08:00

EGS stands for Early Grandpa Syndrome. I coined it just now and I think I'll send it in for consideration to whoever makes up the DSM in the morning.EGS, based upon my brief clinical assessment, describes a mental state in which the patient develops feelings of bewilderment, and possibly though not necessarily, grows cantankerous, in response to technology that others of his or her age bracket

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-38684417014308446382009-01-20T13:01:00.000-08:002009-01-20T13:20:55.146-08:00

The inauguration is clearly about the beginning of Obama's administration more than it is about the end of Bush's. Still, and I'm sure this is the unrealized dramatist in me, but I have found myself mesmerized at times over the past week or so by the now former President's exit. Watching him and how he has reflected upon the past eight years is a study in body language and gestures. The video

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-84215023675059620502009-01-19T09:50:00.000-08:002009-01-19T09:53:02.428-08:00

So I don't know if this should be considered a low point in the life of a hyperlinker like myself, but yes, I am about to link to the New York Times cover story. I'm giving you the scoop on the cover story of the world's most popular newspaper. Anyway, here is a cool interactive scaled-to-usage look at past inaugural addresses.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-9710803015806976702009-01-16T00:39:00.001-08:002009-01-16T00:44:41.357-08:00

There have been a wave of news stories in January on the closure of the Bush administration and the legacy of America's outgoing president. I do not claim to have read/heard/seen them all, but I have taken in a healthy sampling and I think I'm ready to take my pick for best Bush-in-Review:The Washington Post's report on Bush's last television address, which took place Thursday night. This

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-66783668801804497722009-01-12T21:53:00.001-08:002009-01-12T21:54:04.041-08:00

Sea Kittens. I couldn't resist. Here.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-37343229744796871112009-01-09T08:59:00.000-08:002009-01-09T09:03:50.413-08:00

Hello all. More stolen science news delivered straight to you via Forgedaboudit! Thank me later.The first baby to have a breast/ovarian-cancer-causing gene removed was born in London recently, according to the Short Sharp Science blog over at New Scientist. Three generations of females in the baby girl's lineage had been diagnosed with the forms of cancer, and so the girl's parents said to

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-74256774035308064232009-01-01T13:37:00.000-08:002009-01-01T13:47:25.686-08:00

I'm a huge fan of the hippocampal-dentate complex. Always have been. Ask my friends, they'll tell you. I mean, its name is based off "sea horse" in Greek; it's a winner for sure.But it appears that sugars may be foes to your dentate gyrus (and DG is one of my favorite components of the whole complex. It's smart, funny, good looking). Coordinating with other studies the conclusion that begins

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-78891439744492281042009-01-01T09:43:00.000-08:002009-01-01T10:13:22.779-08:00

For all the doubters out there, 2009 really did arrive. Additionally, as most technology scientists could have predicted, a massive Y2K9 computer meltdown did not arrive. Phew. So, here's a hodgepodge list of what's up.I was in New York City on the 30th and witnessed the puppet-masters of the New Year's celebration test out the trajectory of the Waterford crystal ball. Up and down and up and

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-47505826688966267232008-12-28T04:08:00.000-08:002008-12-28T04:10:26.754-08:00

Shake it. Shake it. Shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-25779602165225079312008-12-26T13:22:00.000-08:002008-12-26T13:27:29.499-08:00

Hope everyone enjoyed a festive Festivus. I know I did. But it's back to the news; hot off the press:Viagra's Newest Side-Effect: Counterterrorism

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-2890716644134908492008-12-23T13:51:00.000-08:002008-12-23T14:00:04.286-08:00

The Washington Post is running a video story on a group of people in D.C. celebrating Festivus, a Seinfeld holiday created by Frank Costanza. The Post story is below (aside from some saddening grievances at the end, the actual news story wasn't nearly as captivating as seeing borrowed Seinfeld clips that I hadn't watched in years). And for those of you who don't know what Festivus is, and would

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-27774972812009213382008-12-19T18:04:00.000-08:002008-12-19T18:04:00.862-08:00

Packer asks (spoiler: he answers his own question with a 'no') whether Obama's inauguration will be helped or hurt by having an accomplished poet read a poem written for the occasion of January 20, 2009.(Yes, I placed the hyperlink in the period. I'm exercising your vision and hand-eye coordination.)The most interesting of Packer's points might be the question, When does poetry work before a

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-18446675223882414582008-12-17T11:30:00.000-08:002008-12-17T11:33:41.067-08:00

The Economist has reported on Google's list of the top searches of 2008. The top prize goes to an eternal question: What is love? Interestingly, understanding gout became less of a world concern in the past year. Is that good news?

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-80682374122663914202008-12-15T11:35:00.000-08:002008-12-17T12:47:38.107-08:00

It appears as though the Iraqi reporter who flung his shoe at President Bush has become a one man Woodward and Bernstein (which reminds me, go see Frost/Nixon). The reporter, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, has become a hero and representative for the anti-U.S. sentiment felt by citizens of numerous Arab countries, who rallied in large numbers Monday in his support, the AP reports. President Bush narrowly

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-65025933544412503072008-12-10T22:41:00.000-08:002008-12-10T23:01:50.744-08:00

National Public Radio has announced the discontinuation of two of its radio programs and the laying off of more than 60 employees, including about two dozen journalists. These cuts are actually quite small compared to the sweeping ones that have hit newspapers and other journalistic outlets across the country, but many analysts still expected NPR to remain more shielded from the recession. Its

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-44614522749326551792008-12-05T10:16:00.000-08:002008-12-05T10:42:18.030-08:00

So it seems I've relapsed to my old blogging habit of mindlessly spitting out one or two links to news stories, essays, etc. in a post without much else. My response to any criticisms of these low-effort links: Two More. All aboard the hyperlink train!#1: I've only read the first installment so far, but I'm intrigued by Marketplace reporter, Kelly McEvers' journey to find a find herself a

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-15974137285907987242008-12-04T16:08:00.001-08:002008-12-04T16:08:53.119-08:00

Look at this one

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-40205058634576233072008-12-03T14:27:00.001-08:002008-12-03T14:35:05.645-08:00

Good values are hard to find these days. That's why I'm giving you this post with not one, but two pieces of slightly amusing tech/sci news that I found the other day. Why am I willing to give so much for so little? Because I know that when you try my Forgedaboudit blend of haphazard and barely relevant hyperlinks just once, you'll come back for more. But this offer won't last long. Act now!

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-63994476608988696482008-12-01T15:23:00.000-08:002008-12-01T15:53:12.564-08:00

So here's my post-Thanksgiving report. I've condensed it down to meet your busy holiday schedule--there's much shopping to be done.As for my vacation time, it was nice. Spent some time hiking in San Clemente--not a common activity for me, but fun to try nonetheless. Saw Quantum of Solace a second time; not being in the front row this time helped me take in the action scenes a second time

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-61292542437245284162008-11-24T23:48:00.000-08:002008-11-25T00:05:36.328-08:00

I tried to come up with a better scientific pun about the "Top 10 Amazing Biology Videos", at least according to Wired, but the current title seems to be the best I could do.I haven't even finished watching all the videos yet, but I felt #10--an immune cell in hot pursuit of a feisty bacterium--was worth logging into the ole' Blogspot account.And before I forget, Happy Thanksgiving in advance.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-74212086595485715352008-11-19T14:18:00.000-08:002008-11-19T15:27:17.007-08:00

Yes, it's another episode of Me Blogging Right Before an Exam. My excuse: there's one recent happening that I just can't bear to leave unblogged: the return of my true love (read this to get the romantic backstory). What I'm trying to say is:RADIOLAB IS BACK!For those still in the dark, Radiolab--produced out of WYNC, New York's big public radio station--is a radio show that investigates

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-27692695684780728292008-11-16T10:20:00.000-08:002008-11-16T10:29:03.158-08:00

Jerry Seinfeld once revealed in his stand-up act a deep yet essential secret about human male thought. All men, he said, basically think of themselves as low-level superheroes, in their own everyday worlds. I opened with the Seinfeldian thesis because it came to mind last night after I saw Quantum of Solace, the new Bond film. As I exited the movie theater, somehow with each step taken, with

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-85700251205348277882008-11-12T20:11:00.000-08:002008-12-26T21:40:07.199-08:00

I learned yesterday that parking at the local Westfield shopping center on Veterans Day is an experience that can quickly become dangerous. By this I mean dangerous to one's basic mental capacity to hope--to sustain ambition for something not immediately obtainable.Since I last visited the Westfield shopping center, management apparently decided to fit their multi-story parking garage with an

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-21555186680749442172008-11-10T13:38:00.000-08:002008-12-05T23:56:26.964-08:00

Continuing my idiotic tradition of blogging right before big examinations (midterm for Neuroscience of Motor Function tonight at 7 pm), here I go:NPR reports that gun stores have shown increased firearms sales since Barack Obama was elected last Tuesday, presumably motivated by fear that gun restrictions will become stricter under the Democrat's new administration. To be fair, I must say that in

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-50262702761720091302008-11-08T09:14:00.000-08:002008-11-08T09:24:34.261-08:00

The fact that I'm posting a link to the following article will signify to any of my readers who do so much as watch SportsCenter a couple times a week, that I am, as my roommate likes to call me, a dweeb. As is the case today, I tend to get my sports news by accident, a couple days late, and as I search for political, science, or other news. But before anyone attempts to administer my wedgie,

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-47123186860657467892008-11-05T17:57:00.000-08:002008-11-05T19:13:46.467-08:00

November 4th 2008: Not a slow day for photojournalists.New York Times: 1Los Angeles Times: 1, 2Time: 1, Above Image

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-51717440690567408242008-11-03T00:09:00.000-08:002008-11-03T00:23:14.349-08:00

The Iraqi government is making plans to auction off Saddam Hussein's former luxury yacht at roughly $35 million, reports the BBC. Unfortunately for the country's finance ministry, the sale might not come without a few challenges:"Brokers have suggested that in the current financial climate, it could be difficult to sell a vessel which is luxurious but not up to the standards of more modern

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-19397988900227975302008-10-31T18:41:00.000-07:002008-10-31T18:48:33.840-07:00

A "Is it just me?" moment:A disproportionally large majority of the films released in the past couple months have been... sucky. It seems like this movie drought has gone on too long. I haven't seen most of these, so I'm basing this on reviews and word of mouth, but isn't that how a lot of us decide which movies to see, or not see?I don't normally solicit comments, but if you have anything to

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-55011967335620083522008-10-28T17:14:00.000-07:002008-10-28T17:14:00.454-07:00

In recent months I've done my best to keep NPR-centric posts to a minimum, but there is a National Public Radio feature that's become too fun (in a very public-radio/news geek sense) to keep to myself anymore. So here it goes. My secret:YOU CAN CALL NPR NEWS ON YOUR PHONE!That's right. Not get NPR News on your phone; call NPR News. Nowadays, everyone can access whatever news website they damn

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-22324159031298006382008-10-27T15:02:00.000-07:002008-10-27T15:02:00.134-07:00

From Short Sharp Science, a relatively new blog from the magazine New Scientist, the short sharp story of an ordinarily old man with an extraordinarily old eye--the world's oldest one. Read about Bernt Aune.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-55427565514432816482008-10-26T10:55:00.000-07:002008-10-26T16:52:25.722-07:00

Richard Garriott, described as a "space tourist," arrived safely back to Earth on Thursday night after spending 12 days in orbit above the planet's atmosphere. Richard is 47 years old and develops video games for a living (a career the next sentence suggests is far more lucrative than I had previously imagined). His nearly 2-week fun trip into space cost him only a smile, a positive attitude,

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-20135648994906940642008-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:002008-10-21T13:01:20.931-07:00

CH3CH2OH. Ethanol. Liquor. The Sauce. Moonshine.Alcohol has been connected with the human experience for as long as we know... ish. I actually don't know the anthropological estimate for the first human consumption of alcohol, but I think it's safe to assume booze appeared around the same time human ancestors began to walk upright. And in our current stage of evolution it appears that "the

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-14129773021937452442008-10-20T12:40:00.000-07:002008-10-20T12:40:00.811-07:00

The other day, I wrote a post about the surprising existence of Organic Soap. I dismissed the idea of a legitimate rationale for the product. It's soap; it's clean by definition.Well, it turns out that I may be wrong (still, it's only a "may"). This Time article describes the potential threat of caffeined soap. Take this example:"Shower Shock soap is designed to deliver a crackling 200 mg of

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-69627497288585306762008-10-19T18:34:00.000-07:002008-10-19T18:34:00.984-07:00

While I'm nowhere near convinced that most of the trends in this NY Times article: "How Does Society Change in a Bad Economy?" are solidly causal, neither is the author. It's really just worth checking out for the graph at the beginning, and for the sort of "fun science" within the article.Why do I always make excuses for the articles I link to? Maybe that too has to do with the economic

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-47616242684869054492008-10-18T20:49:00.000-07:002008-10-18T21:58:08.500-07:00

Our local grocery store is situated such that it's hard to tell where the produce section ends and the New-Age/Organics section begins. The transition between the two is nearly seamless, at least if you're like me. See, besides having a poor sense of awareness, I also never shop for groceries with a list, so on every trip to Ralph's I'm forced to explore each aisle of the store with confusion,

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-51657507576129220442008-10-16T21:40:00.000-07:002008-10-16T21:52:50.152-07:00

Read the following Scientific American article if only for the title:Go Ahead, Say It: Shit--There, Now We Can Seriously Discuss Sanitation

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-17670942434834624812008-10-16T21:11:00.000-07:002008-10-16T21:23:54.931-07:00

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-74265220065438196142008-10-12T13:46:00.000-07:002008-10-12T13:56:50.126-07:00

Apologies to my readers for not writing for a full week. It's that time of the year. School enters into something experts call "full swing," and suddenly I have to begin all my blog posts begging your pardon. And to top things off, this past week has included a host of additional stresses. But let's not get into those now. We should talk about them over coffee sometime. Do call me. Okay?

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-74695498999552913342008-10-05T19:14:00.000-07:002008-10-05T19:14:03.917-07:00

If you're like me, you've already given some of your time each week to National Public Radio's relatively new Planet Money podcast, inspired in part by the undeniably astute Giant Pool of Money episode of This American Life. For those of you who haven't heard it yet, Planet Money isn't eye-opening every single day, but for a daily podcast, it has what I would consider a pretty high success

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-77219104745382596842008-10-05T09:45:00.000-07:002008-10-31T18:34:45.974-07:00

First off, I extend my deepest apologies for Friday's post. I've now removed it. It had what turned out to be a dead link. Death strikes when you least expect it.But, in keeping with the circle of life, I've reposted the video I failed to guide you to before. As prior, the credit on this one goes to my friend, author of the Blog Blog Blog.Lastly, although I've embedded the video here, I

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-8321217518556066772008-10-01T15:00:00.000-07:002008-10-01T15:00:00.625-07:00

I haven't had time to read all of this New York Times article on the 24-hour LeMons race yet because dinner's on the table now and then I'll have studies to attend to. If it's any excuse, I have some prior knowledge on the subject. See, in the past, my dad frequently told me stories about this race and all the tribulations it asks upfront from its participants. Read about it. It's fun. K?

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-56661498818236943842008-09-30T12:41:00.000-07:002008-09-30T12:41:00.201-07:00

John McCain spoke of funding for the study of bear DNA in Montana on the campaign trail--he didn't do so with praise. So from a scientific point of view... what gives? Was it a waste or was it important?Find out

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-52588129004127549502008-09-29T11:51:00.001-07:002008-09-30T11:30:16.328-07:00

As I slurped a bowl of Progresso chicken noodle soup--my lunch--I reached for the remote, hit "power," and waited for one of those them there cable news stations to appear. I expected to see nothing new. But once my decade-old television got its electrons a-firin', and the screen came into focus, I saw the Dow Jones Industrial average down by more than 600 points. And I also watched, live, the

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-85721358626073656802008-09-28T12:52:00.000-07:002008-09-28T12:52:00.414-07:00

The people of Massachusetts will have a lot of choices to make this November 4th. But there's one that the ballot has quite literally labeled "Question 1." It has to do with the income tax--whether or not to keep it. Back in 2002, MA voters weighed in on a similar decision and they nearly voted in favor of repealing the state income tax. Now, in the midst of an economic downturn, what will

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-63463459969483956222008-09-28T11:24:00.000-07:002008-09-28T11:33:51.030-07:00

Watch this video with a little patience through the first 20 seconds or so. That patience will be rewarded.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-8384908522091948482008-09-23T22:31:00.000-07:002008-09-23T22:47:58.224-07:00

My BackstoryWhen a Blogger author signs into his or her blog account, as I do mine, his or her total number of blog posts is displayed. After I finished my most recent post, that number increased by one, as usual. But this time the new sum caught my eye. 199 Posts.Over two years ago, I wrote Forgedaboudit's 100th Blog Post on the same day as my blog's 1st Birthday. Back then I was golden.

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-41699937576473689852008-09-17T18:39:00.000-07:002008-09-17T22:07:34.178-07:00

I've just started reading When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. Connected to my newest literary pastime however, is a sad fact--one that threatens to shatter my This American Life et cetera street cred. Still, it's a fact I'm prepared to reveal to the world. You see, this is my first time reading David Sedaris (and while I'm throwing facts out there, I still haven't read anything

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15643194.post-38123330874430779642008-09-12T14:13:00.000-07:002008-09-12T14:13:00.150-07:00

After outward displays of unity yesterday, the Obama and McCain campaigns today are back to doing what campaigns do: campaign.The Washington Post's political blog has two separate analyses of new ads from each side that are both chalked full of exaggerations. The McCain ad calls Obama "disrespectful" of Palin (which, let's all agree, includes a touch of "you're a sexist" in it. And we can also

Chris 2noreply@blogger.com1