The Grumpy Old Techie

Depleted Cranium
Bad Science And Scary Science

Note to Missouri Politicans: Perpetual Motion = Bad Investment!
One would generally think that a buisiness model that involves violating the laws of physics is probably not going to result in a very sound enterprise.   However, it appears that some in Missouri feel differently about that. Via the Kansas City Star: Odessa, Mo., cheers news of manufacturing plant A Utah company announced Thursday that it planned to [...]
In Swizerland Animals Will Not Be Apointed Legal Council
The ridiculous thing isn’t that Switzerland is denying animals the right to an attorney to represent their interest, the ridiculous thing is that they almost did!   70% of the Swiss people turned out not to be quite that insane, but the politicians of Switzerland apparently took the idea pretty seriously – seriously enough to call [...]
20 Classic Atomic Energy Ads
From a more hopeful time when most saw nuclear energy and nuclear technology as the amazing and hopeful field that it is, these ads ran in magazines in the 1950’s and early 1960’s.   They have a great positive and optimistic message combined with some inspiring symbolism and artwork.   My favorite are the Union Carbide ads, [...]
Paul Watson Shot? Nope, Just Another Lie
Paul Watson is many things:  a pathological liar, a terrorist (and I don’t use that word lightly), an attempted murderer, a coward, an attention whore, a criminal, an attempted murderer and someone who generally is not to be trusted.   Watson likes to play pirate and pretend he’s at war on a ship that was bought [...]
Alkalize your body? No thanks
Recently it seems that there’s a new scam out there.   For years, there have been various quacks out there saying that we need to “energize,” “detoxify” or “rebalanced” our bodies, but now there are many who think the answer is to “alkalize” the body. To this end, a number of products have been pushed [...]
If this is not an illegal attack at sea, I don’t know what is.
Attacking a merchant, fishing, passenger, research or other non-military vessel at sea in any manner that intentionally endangers the vessel, crew or other vessels in the area is a very grave infraction of numerous international laws.   If it is done by a properly flagged navy, it is an act of war.   If it is done [...]
Global Warming: For the record
As I get a lot of questions on what my position is on global warming, I’ve decided to answer them and hopefully put the issue to rest (although I’m sure that won’t happen).   Here are some of the common questions I get. Q. Why don’t you write about global warming and climate change more often? A. It’s [...]
Global Warming Fears Trigger Murder Suicide
I’ve been told that I’m falling for the neo-conservative nonsense when I say that many are taking fears of catastrophic global warming just a little bit too far.   Well, perhaps this will change that.   It seems that the hype about the world being on the cusp of a global catastrophe have caused at least one [...]
Just When I thought It Couldn’t Get More Offensive: Slums are a Good Thing?!?!?
I don’t even know that I need to comment about why this is so offensive, distasteful, disingenuous, ignorant and downright savage.   This comes from Slashdot: How Slums Can Save the Planet “One billion people live in squatter cities and, according to the UN, this number will double in the next 25 years. Stewart Brand writes in Prospect [...]
One Thing Haiti Does Not Need: Quacks
Since the earthquake in Haiti last month, the country has been receiving a lot of foreign aid, including food, clothing, medical supplies and other things the country sorely needs.   It has also received its share of items with little or no worth, which only take up valuable space on transports and cause unnecessary logistical strain.   [...]
more....