I really appreciate this project and the dialogue that has surrounded it. The best reactions are the people posing the very questions that the project illustrates who then suggest it’s a waste of time or “self indulgent art.” Without directly asking questions about modern civilization the project very clearly illustrates how specialized nearly every facet …
A Scientific Case Against Rape Jokes
We recently began an investigation into scientific studies regarding the impact of humor on rape culture, and were astonished to discover the wealth of literature supporting the notion that humor can be used to create social norms that justify prejudice. A Scientific Case Against Rape Jokes Imagine you are offered the opportunity to run a …
The Capitalist’s Case for a $15 Minimum Wage
Maybe it’s time to give “trickle-up” a try…The Capitalist’s Case for a $15 Minimum Wage The fundamental law of capitalism is that if workers have no money, businesses have no customers. That’s why the extreme, and widening, wealth gap in our economy presents not just a moral challenge, but an economic one, too. In a …
White Women Teaching White Women about White Privilege, Race Cognizance and Social Action: toward…
In the process of researching bus sitting behavior and male privilege I stumbled on this paper which I found very interesting. The authors suggest that even in an academic environment where there is a presumption of openness, educating people about their privilege is a challenging task. “Three themes emerged from our analysis of our stories …
Daily Kos: Are Chechens Really White? Racial Formation Theory and the Boston Marathon Bombing
A quote from the article: I joked on Twitter that Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokar Tsarnaev are putting the status of Chechens as full members of the “white race” in jeopardy. I was only half-kidding. Conservatives and others are already trying to reconcile how Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokar Tsarnaev can be Muslim, “white,” “terrorists,” American, and …
GPS Design Changes Will Add Waveform Generator, Dual-Launch Capability, and More | Inside GNSS
My GPS nerdling just got super excited. The new GPS satellite design will included a programmable waveform generator, which means the new satellites will be able to take advantage of any future updates to GPS signals even after the launch. Since the realization of the current GPS constellation several new GPS signals have been designed …
Prop 8 Transcript
I like Sotomayor a little more now. Listening to the oral arguments for the Prop 8 case I caught an interesting exchange where the proponent, Mr. Cooper, started to reiterate an earlier point where he said, “the marital norm, which imposes the obligations of fidelity and monogamy, Your Honor, advances the interests in responsible procreation.” …
Slamming poems with Weston Renoud
I got featured in the Brunswickan for poetry! I gave shout-outs for Poetry is my bread & bananas and Open Mic at the Grad House.Slamming poems with Weston Renoud Renoud and a couple of his friends would frequently drive up to Vancouver or down to Seattle to attend poetry slam venues. Now living in Fredericton, …
Starbucks CEO: If You Don’t Like Our Support For Marriage Equality “Buy Shares In Another Company”
I usually feel awkward when companies back social issues. But when I know it’s a civil right they’re backing it makes me smile.Starbucks CEO: If You Don’t Like Our Support For Marriage Equality “Buy Shares In Another Company” If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38 percent you got …
Exoplanet Visualization Contest
Exoplanet Visualization Contest! $1500 in prizes for the most creative and inspiring visualization of real exoplanet data. Deadline May 1st.Exoplanet Visualization Contest Extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, are planets beyond our own Solar System. With the prospect of finding potentially habitable planets, this is one of the most exciting scientific areas of the 21st century. Space …
‘Don’t Be That Guy’ ad campaign cuts Vancouver sex assaults by 10 per cent in 2011
After several years of increases in sexual assault crime rates (opposite the decrease in total crime rates) Vancouver, BC tried something crazy: a poster campaign that targeted perpetrators instead of victim-blaming. In 6 months they saw a decrease in sexual assault rates.‘Don’t Be That Guy’ ad campaign cuts Vancouver sex assaults by 10 per cent …
A planoterrestrialist perspective of the Bellingham mystery tortillas
Recently in Bellingham Washington there has been a spat of tortilla graffiti. Yes, tortilla graffiti. Some person or group has been distributing tortillas in zip-lock bags with various non-repeating messages. They have been found taped to street signs, parking meters, and business windows. Nearly 50 of these tortillas have been documented by the ad-hoc enthusiast …
What most schools don’t teach
Everyone can and should have some basic knowledge about coding. It empowers you to interact with and leverage information and technology to benefit yourself and others. For me it started with simple programs on my TI calculator to help me do repetitive math calculations. You too can be programming in minutes, check out all the …
Photographer as Witness: A Portrait of Domestic Violence | LightBox | TIME.com
“During my time as a freelance photojournalist and as a Master’s candidate at Ohio University, one of the biggest challenges of my career came in November of 2012, while working on a project about the stigma associated with being an ex-convict. Suddenly, an incident of domestic violence unexpectedly became my business.”Photographer as Witness: A Portrait …
Ninth Circuit Proposition 8 Ruling
I am thrilled about the ruling that the 9th circuit handed down today. If you’d like a summary I would run over to thinkprogress.org. I’ve included a couple gems of quotes below and the full ruling hosted on scribd.com “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and …
It’s a Money Making Scheme
My roommate was trying to make a salient point in a facebook debate over climate change to which he received the abrupt rebuttal, “It’s a money making scheme.” It took me a day to process but this morning I realized, “Yes it’s a money making scheme!” As much as the oil industry, or any industry …
Python Screenshot Server
Thought I’d share some code python. This is just a simple way to share a screenshot over a network. “”” Serves screen shots at a specified interval. Doesn’t handle POST requests. Based on code from: http://www.blendedtechnologies.com/python-trick-really-little-http-server/220 Code source: Python Screenshot Server “”” import os import time import threading import SocketServer import SimpleHTTPServer from PIL import …
Original U.S.C.&.G.S.S. Fairweather Life Ring
Two of my shipmates found an old life ring from our ship at a Ketchikan, AK antique shop. I couldn’t pass it up. After hearing about it I made a trip to the shop and bought it, along with a 1928 nautical chart of our current working grounds in Chatham Strait. Upon further inspection, the …
Return to the Arctic
Last year, as a part of ongoing arctic research and, according to a news release from NOAA, due to “request[s] from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Maritime Pilots and the commercial shipping industry” NOAA Ship Fairweather made the first of what will be many voyages into the arctic. She surveyed “350 square nautical …
Why?
Over the last several years I have seen amazing things, had many an adventure and accumulated numerous stories. Before they drift too far from memory I want to preserve and share as much as I can. I hope to share future adventures and slowly add to the library of past adventures. At the same time there …