What the hell is wrong with Texas these days?

These guys used to have a really top notch education system, but it appears as if they are descending into the abyss of mediocrity, heck, maybe even inadequacy. Such a shame.....

Court Rules Against Creationism Degree
nsta.org | June 23, 2010
A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by a creationism think tank and school that attempted to force the state of Texas to allow it to offer a master's degrees in science education.…

What is the meaning of Life, The Universe, and Everything!

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Today in Science History

On June 19 in 1623, mathematician-physicist Blaise Pascal is born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Pascal was a child prodigy, but was denied access to mathematics books by his mathematician father, who wanted the boy to learn history first. However, legend has it that after he was told that geometry was the study of shapes and forms, he independently discovered (without books or training) the first 32 theorems of Euclid, in the correct order. His dumbfounded father then allowed him to study mathematics.
—from The Illustrated Almanac of Science, Technology, and Invention

Today in Science History

On June 15 in 763 B.C., the first eclipse in recorded history is seen over Nineveh, Assyria.
—from The Illustrated Almanac of Science, Technology, and Invention

Will Truth Win Out Over Prejudice & Political Posturing?

Stats contradict immigration rhetoric on crime

From the Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks

Gov. Jan Brewer, State Sen. Russell Pearce, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and others supporting the state’s new immigration law say it is needed to stem waves of crime. However, new reports show crime is on the decline.

Arizona is main conduit into the U.S. for Mexican cartels and smuggling rings and Phoenix is a hotbed for human smuggling related kidnapping, they say. “We’re out here on the battlefield of illegal immigration and all the crime that comes with it,” Brewer said on Fox News last month. Brewer referred to the situation as “the terror which our citizens live in day and day out along the border.” Arpaio and Pearce have made similar comments on CNN and other national news outlets.

However, the article goes on to say...

Crime in the Valley and Arizona is on the decrease, according to recent statistics.

The city of Phoenix reported 131,052 crimes in 2004. That number fell to 109,784 in 2008 and 90,024 in 2009, according to the Phoenix Police Department. Phoenix had 9,679 drug crimes last year compared to 10,741 in 2004.

Statewide, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said there were 255,133 serious crimes in Arizona in 2009. That is down 12 percent from 2008. DPS reported 341,101 serious crimes in 2002 and 291,380 in 2001.

“Statistically...the overall crime rate is lower now than it has been in recent years, however the level of attention being paid to a number of recent pieces of legislation, periodic crime sweeps conducted by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, and incidents of violence along Arizona’s border with Mexico only increases the national and international perception that Arizona is not open for business,” Rickert said.

GPEC, Thunderbird and some other business and community leaders want to launch efforts to combat such negative images propelled by the law.

Cabrera said Brewer and others are creating an “apocalyptic view” of Arizona that will discourage students from studying here, tourism and high-wage job growth. “That’s not helpful,” Cabrera said.

PHOENIX CRIME

Year        Murders        Violent crimes        Drug crimes        Total crimes

2003       254                 9,816                         8,975                     122,047
2004      238                10,503                        10,741                   131,502
2005      238                10,782                        10,114                   121,636
2006      253                11,240                         9,856                     117,446
2007     244                 11,125                         9,928                     117,872
2008     196                10,864                          9,145                     109,784
2009    139                 9,282                            9,679                     90,024


Source: Phoenix Police Department

Nation Undecided On Whether It Hates Celtics Or Lakers More - from The Onion

WASHINGTON—The NBA Finals have thrown the nation's basketball fans into a state of angry confusion this week, as the bitter debate over whether they despise the Celtics or Lakers more rages on. "Kobe is such an egotistical prick that it's really easy to detest the Lakers, especially with that clenched-jaw face he makes, but come on—you have to hate the Celtics because the Big Three are so much more fucking annoying," said Jeff Connor, a St. Louis native. "I'll admit that I can't stand Pau Gasol, just because the guy rubs me the wrong way, maybe due to his disgusting greasy hair. Phil Jackson is a pretty huge asshole with all that loud whistling he does, but Rondo is the most irritating little shit, and I loathe that fat sweaty hog Glen Davis. Ray Allen is actually okay. That dick Kevin Garnett, though, is a chest-pounding idiot." After much discussion, a consensus appears to be near, as Americans are agreeing to hate the Lakers and Celtics equally

Think you of the fact that a deaf person cannot hear. Then, what deafness may we not all possess? What senses do we lack that we cannot see and cannot hear another world all around us? (Orange Catholic Bible)

Ant Colony Comes To Halt After Death Of Popular Worker (from The Onion)

OLD BRIDGE, NJ—The transportation of nourishing bread crumbs came to an abrupt halt Thursday morning when ant colony 000082567KLN00067X collectively paused to remember the life of veteran worker FL77542PM4. Workers HJ997462M and IK002620FC secreted primer pheromones to signal the start of the solemn moment, and Queen XHB004-65B memorialized the event by releasing a scent trail from her engorged abdomen. Known throughout the superorganism for being in constant locomotion, FL77542PM4 had been a member of the colony since he first emerged from his pupal casing, and was considered an expert at nest construction. The service ended when fellow workers marched over his body, tore apart his thorax, and began feeding their fallen compatriot to their young

Funny Cartoon from Joe's Big Blog:

Why create life in a lab?

Well, because we can! Of course that's not the only reason. All good science proceeds through the " What is that?," to the "How does that work?," to the "Can I take that apart?," to the "Can I put it back together?", and finally, to the "Can I make it better?" stages. We always have the "how this will make human lives better" idea in the back of our minds, but in the front, it's just the desire to boldly go where no one has gone before idea.

On top of that, the new species they created has the names of its creators, and a web page, all encoded in its DNA! Frakin' Amazing! Hey, can I take that apart to get the web page address?