Bill Angel

The fact that pumpkin pie is an aphrodisiac may offer an explanation for General Petraeus' behavior. As a Commanding General I bet he ate quite a few Thanksgiving dinners with the troops.

“I think that there is just such a toxic atmosphere right now, specifically in the Republican party. I would love to say that it’s going to be all about ideas and solutions, but unfortunately a lot of it is about just being able to say, ‘I’m more angry at the Obama administration than somebody else.’ That’s not what motivates me politically or governmentally. I believe it ought to be about solutions.” --Mike Huckabee, former Gov of Arkansas

How some politicians are like pigeons.

Presidential Debates...

I see your point, and if any of those students have become physicians they are likely contributing more to alleviating America's health care problems than are most other people (including myself). Keep in mind though that there is no NHS in the USA, so there is no assurance that their medical practice is necessarily benefiting the less affulent. And if the Republican challenger wins the Presidential election he has promised to repeal Obamacare, which attempts to get everyone enrolled in the health insurance system. In my opinion these students look like the type of people who would support the repeal of Obamacare. ;-)

I would first point out that the phrase "intensely weak" is problematical Here are some meanings of the word intense: 1. Possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to an extreme degree: the intense sun of the tropics. 2. Extreme in degree, strength, or size: intense heat. 3. Involving or showing strain or extreme effort: intense concentration. 4 (a) Deeply felt; profound: intense emotion. 4 (b) Tending to feel deeply: an intense writer.. By weak I assume you mean "lacking persuasiveness; unconvincing". I would suggest that "the argument being made is totally unconvincing" is a better choice of phrase than "the argument being made is intensely weak". But to address the substance of your criticism: A recent study (March 2010) posed the following question to college students: "THINKING ABOUT NATIONAL ISSUES FOR THE MOMENT, WHICH ISSUE CONCERNS YOU THE MOST?" The responses were the following: Economy: (46%) Health Care: (21%) National Security (8%) Education (3%) Energy and the environment (2%) During the interviewing period, the health care debate was the major political issue covered in the media. I would expect that the students' major concern being about the economy reflects their worries about their ability to find employment upon graduation. The fact that there is no longer a military draft makes the issue of national security of much less interest to them than it was to me and my fellow students back when I was in college during the era of the Vietnam War.

Do you think that these college students care about health care for the poor? (They were students at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore)

A wizard cooks up a Halloween surprise...

So we are in agreement , everyone wants peace. There's actually a bit of subtle humor in this image. Imagine Netanyahu looking at the President of Iran while making this gesture. The insulting version of this gesture (with the palm inwards) is often compared to the offensive gesture known as "the finger". George H. W. Bush actually got into trouble in Australia in 1992 by making this gesture.

"Curiosity Rover Makes Startling Discovery on Mars" The sculpture is the work of MICA Sculpture Professor Sarah Doherty.

QUESTION: Where do Hairy Balls come from? ANSWER: They can be found growing on a 6 foot tall deciduous plant. The scientific name for the plant is Gomphocarpus physocarpus, but its common name is the "Hairy Ball" plant. FYI: Gompho means club, carpus means fruit, physo means bladder, and again carpus means fruit.

look who showed up inside a lava lamp (scientists utilize special goo, the recipe for which was discovered on Mars, to grow life inside a Lava Lamp...)

I came across a new announcement about spiders today: ScienceShot: Giant-Clawed Spider Is a 'Cave Robber' - ScienceNOW The above announcement piqued my sense of humor (see below) Ziggy Stardust Apparently Thought There Might be Spiders on Mars What's the joke? These fellows performing with David Bowie, a group called the "Spiders from Mars", are now all senior citizens which makes them fossils i.e. ancient in relation to the contemporary music scene.

Here is another bit of humor connected to the Mars rover landing oreo celebrates mars rover with a special cookie

Congratulations to NASA on a job well done! On a humorous note, and relevant to my posted image (see above link) is this post by another writer complimenting the space agency on its achievement : " Great achievement! To borrow a saying from a post I read today, Mars eats satellites like a teenager goes through Hot Pockets! (Wish I had thought that one up.) It is good to take a moment to enjoy something better than the constant slime of politics. Truly, this is an example of man’s great potential."

MESSAGE TO MARS: OPEN WIDE...THE CURIOSITY ROVER HAS ARRIVED

People have been telling me that I have a diamagnetic personality. When I asked them what they meant they said "ANYTIME WE GET NEAR YOU, WE FIND YOUR PERSONALITY REPULSIVE!"

Entrance to Cosmic Wormhole Discovered in Baltimore! Scientists Believe Exit is Near the Andromeda Galaxy. Entrance to Cosmic Wormhole Discovered in Baltimore! by Bill Angel, on Flickr

I for one had not heard this joke before, and I think it's funny, as "H2O too" sounds like H2O2 i.e. Hydrogen peroxide, which is poisonous.:-D

Science related books that I have enjoyed reading recently: "For the love of Physics" the autobiography of the physicist Walter Lewin. "once before time; a whole story of the universe" by martin bojowald "A UNIVERSE FROM NOTHING (Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing)" By Lawrence M. Krauss