Too True
From here.
Watching Wind
Found the video on Geeks are Sexy.
Last Day Dream
http://www.chrismilk.com/42/
09-05-08 DeCordova Sculpture Park
Hirsute
Hirsute from A.J. Bond on Vimeo.
Synopsis: A young time traveler is confronted by an arrogant and hairless future version of himself. The award-winning short film written and directed by A.J. Bond, produced and shot by Amy Belling. www.thesiblings.ca
Too Fat for the Scouts?
Part B is required with parts A and C for any event that exceeds 72 consecutive hours, a resident camp setting, or when the nature of the activity is strenuous and demanding, such as service projects, work weekends, or high-adventure treks. It is to be completed and signed by a certified and licensed health-care provider—physician (MD, DO), nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant as appropriate for your state. The level of activity ranges from what is normally expended at home or at school to strenuous activity such as hiking and backpacking. Other examples include tour camping, jamborees, and Wood Badge training courses. It is important to note that the height/weight chart must be strictly adhered to if the event will take the unit beyond a radius wherein emergency evacuation is more than 30 minutes by ground transportation, such as backpacking trips, high-adventure activities, and conservation projects in remote areas.
Part B refers to a height/weight requirement that the Scouts took directly from federal health guidelines. The requirements are as follows:
If you do not meet the above criteria you are not allowed to participate in certain activities that will take you further than 30 minutes away from emergency care by ground transportation.
I don’t have any issues with this, but many do. A story on abcnews.com (here) has two obese men talking about how they are now unable to participate in activities they used to enjoy.
I think this is a good step by the Scouts and although I don’t agree with a lot of things they do, specifically kicking out/blocking gay boys from participating, I think the fact that they are going to try to uphold some form of physical conditioning a step in the right direction.
On a more humorous note. You also have to get a doctor’s exam to go on trips that last longer than 72 hours. The doctor is required to fill out this part of the form:
I just have one question. Why they hell do they need to know if your genitalia is abnormal? For a group that is severely homophobic, I think the condition of the boy’s genitals is not much of a concern.
The entire PDF of the information needed and the guidelines can be found here.
SNP Guru
Original location is here.
A Week in the Life of the Garden
Swine Flu Map
View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map
Pretty cool and it will be interesting to watch as the disease progresses around the world.
Key:
- Pink markers are suspect
- Purple markers are confirmed
- Deaths lack a dot in marker
- Yellow markers are negative
Show me the money.
Obama promises major investment in science
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama promised a new era of science and technology for the nation, telling the National Academy of Sciences on Monday that he wants to devote more funds to research and development.America has fallen behind other countries in science, Obama said.
"I believe it is not in our character, American character, to follow — but to lead. And it is time for us to lead once again. I am here today to set this goal: we will devote more than 3 percent of our gross domestic product to research and development," Obama said in a speech at the annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.
That 3 percent would amount to about $420 billion.
"We will not just meet but we will exceed the level achieved at the height of the space race," he said.That pursuit of discovery a half century ago fueled the nation's prosperity and success, Obama told the academy."The commitment I am making today will fuel our success for another 50 years," he said. "This work begins with an historic commitment to basic science and applied research."
And he set forth a wish list including solar cells as cheap as paint; green buildings that produce all the energy they consume; learning software as effective as a personal tutor; prosthetics so advanced that you could play the piano again and "an expansion of the frontiers of human knowledge about ourselves and world the around us.'"We can do this," Obama said to applause.
In recent years, he said, "scientific integrity has been undermined and scientific research politicized in an effort to advance predetermined ideological agendas."
He then drew chuckles, commenting: "I want to be sure that facts are driving scientific decisions, not the other way around," Obama said.
"At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science, that support for research is somehow a luxury at a moment defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree," Obama said.
"Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been," he said.
Obama said he plans to double the budget of key science agencies over a decade, including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy Office of Science and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology.He also announced the launch of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. It is a new Department of Energy organization modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, that led in development of the Internet, stealth aircraft and other technological breakthroughs.
And he said the Energy Department and the National Science Foundation will offer programs and scholarships to encourage American students to pursue careers in science, engineering and business related to clean energy.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
I could not agree more Mr. President.
Article can be found here.
Complete speech can be found here.