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Twitter Updates for 2010-02-08

  • Time for fried cheerios and a movie #

Twitter Updates for 2010-02-07

  • Wildebeests are very wise, at least all the ones I gnu. #

Twitter Updates for 2010-02-06

Astronomy Fun

NASA is reaching out and exploring our universe in many exciting ways over the next few years. Check out this list of current and future NASA missions. Most of the missions have twitter streams which you can find on this list of NASA twitter accounts. Most of them have Facebook accounts as well, I’m sure. I’m excited about all the projects, but have a soft spot for a few in particular. I’ve set up some google alerts to follow:

The federal budget for NASA, while mixed in reception and a little confusing, should provide more than enough funding with it’s almost 4 billion additional dollars for science research. There should be plenty of funds for these and a few more exciting programs. The loss of the Constellation program and a delay in getting to the moon aside, that’s exciting.

Twitter Updates for 2010-02-05

Karen Armstrong on Religion

Armstrong, in her newest book, makes the case for God, also making the case for religion as practice rather than belief.

Religion Dispatches reports

For most of Western history, religion has been primarily a matter of orthopraxy, not orthodoxy. In fact, no doctrine made any sense without participation in the community of faith and in its rituals. No doubt, there were certain thoughts or “beliefs” that mattered and were of extreme importance; however, unlike today, these convictions were never understood as either the core or the purpose of the religious life.

This is a warm-up to Armstrong’s usual mysticism of the numinous.

Sunday Science Sermon

Start the day right

I was just in the office bathroom performing my morning “get the day going” ritual and it hit me that some people out there, perhaps even some of you, don’t have a morning ritual. Listen, you need to have a morning ritual. It gets the creative juices flowing and makes you feel like a champion until well into the evening.

Setting the mood
First and foremost you need to have the right location. Some people like to perform their morning ritual at home in their bedroom. Those people generally do not succeed. Superstars like you and me only notice these people as we race past them personally and professionally. They are stationary points by which we judge our tremendous velocity. Power Locations ™ include, but are not limited to, gas station bathrooms, office bathrooms, Starbucks and your car. These locations tell your body that you are “on the go.” I’ve found that the bathroom at work is the most motivational Power Location ™ for me.

Warming up
Just as no professional athlete would launch into competition without a proper warm up, a success machine such as yourself shouldn’t get right down to the business of doing business ™. The first part of the morning ritual serves to loosen your physical body and hone your mind to a single point focused on one goal, success.

Start by doing a couple jumping jacks to get the blood flowing. I also like th throw in a few incline push-ups. I’ve found that by putting my feet on the rim of the toilet and facing out of the stall, I get a good solid foundation for my push-ups. I suggest throwing in a couple crunches for good measure. By now your face should start to flush a little. You may feel a tingling in your left arm, this is a good sign. It means you’re loose and ready to hear what you have to say to yourself.

Get Motivated!
Look into the mirror. Look at yourself. Really look. Damn, you are attractive! Tell yourself you think you are attractive. Look deep into that mirror and say “hey, there good looking, you are a fine piece of something something.” That’s right, flirt with yourself a little. Give yourself a little smack on the bottom. Feels good doesn’t it? Yeah, you saucy little minx, that’s exactly how everyone sees you. Congratulations, your confidence is at a peak.

Bringing it all home
Now that you are flushed, sweaty and feeling attractive, it’s time to bring it all together. Let’s top off this success sandwich with a little mustard and a lot of inspiration. I like to start this part by clapping my hands and walking around in a little circle. Begin saying your Success Mantra ™ quietly, but with increasing intensity. After about a minute, you should be at full volume. Continue for another 30-40 seconds (longer if you are feeling a little down and need more of a pick me up).

As a wrap up, look into the mirror again and say the following:

I am built to succeed. It’s all I know. I create solutions as a means of expressing my need to succeed. This is who I am, this is what I do

That’s all there is to it! I usually linger for a minute or two, soaking in the heady atmosphere of success I just generated. I’ll also wash my hands and perhaps floss a little bit. Give it a shot, I think you will discover that you grow to rely on your little morning ritual.

Pat Robertson Loves You


Pat Robertson loves you, the little people. By loves, of course, I mean is disgusted by, frighted of and inclined to think of as a source of money, to be discarded once all used up. If there is tragedy anywhere in the world he will be happy to pop on the television and explain how you filthy sinners deserved it because you didn’t listen to God. By God I, of course, mean Pat. I imagine that while we sleep he stays up into the wee hours of the night fondling his rotten old man parts while staring as at piles of money he bilked from the depressed, unhappy and genuinely hurting people of the world hoping for another disaster. I can’t imagine how he has anything but contempt for the religion he professes to believe.

Board of (mis)Education

The Washington Monthly has a little story about the Texas Board of Education. I don’t understand how people like Don McLeroy, the main focus of the article, get to be on a board like that. Actually I can’t figure out how they learn to spell, dress themselves and tie their shoes. He seems perfectly suited for running the deep frier at McDonalds.

“We won the Grand Slam, and the Super Bowl, and the World Cup! Our science standards are light years ahead of any other state when it comes to challenging evolution!”

I don’t get how anyone could be thick enough to utter the above sentence. I understand that this fella hates science. Fine, but why lie and claim you are improving it? Why not just say “you know what? Science has a stupid-face and we don’t want our kids a-learnin’ it.” Does the appearance of being “sciencey” make him feel better? Is he angry and hurt because he can’t understand why things work?

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