Category: science/tech

chlorawhat?

Search for “chloramine” on PennLive.com and the only hit returned is yesterday’s article about a woman protesting Pennsylvania American Water’s decision to start putting the chemical in our water.

This isn’t news.

What is news is PAW’s decision. I’ve done the same internet research as this woman protesting, and maybe more as I still have access to McDaniel’s journal subscriptions. Most of the sites are hysterical (not hysterically funny, just hysterical), but what seems to emerge time and time again is that there just isn’t a whole lot of information available about the risks of chloramine.

We know that chloramine creates fewer by-products than chlorine alone — but not what all the remaining by-products do to the human body. We do know that chloramine itself is one of the harmful substances produced when chlorine interacts with organic matter. The EPA doesn’t even pretend to know whether or not chloramine causes cancer. Scientists — not hysterical citizens — have linked chloramine to increased blood lead levels, and anemia.

It is, of course, the responsibility of each citizen to be as informed as she wants to be. We should not, especially these days, rely on the mainstream media to accurately report everything that might be important to us, nor should we necessarily take at face value everything they do report.

But come on, guys — if you thought a woman who did internet research was worth writing an article about, maybe you could break out your notebooks and go talk to the people who actually know something?

pluto’s day

I hate to disrupt my silence for something frivolous, but this was too good to keep to myself.

From Wired News: State Might Make Pluto a Planet

New Mexico state representative Joni Marie Gutierrez has introduced a bill — to be voted on next Tuesday — that says, “as Pluto passes overhead through New Mexico’s excellent night skies, it be declared a planet.”

The bill is expected to pass easily, as Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930, is from Gutierrez’s district.

The Pluto debate itself highlighted for me the arbitrary nature of many definitions — as well as the fact that “objective” science is not operating so completely outside the framework of humanity as to be infallible in its classifications. Beyond that, well, I have to admit that I didn’t get all too worked up about Pluto’s demotion.

This possible action by New Mexico is far more interesting to me. I don’t really care how the state of New Mexico classifies Pluto, although it might prove for some awkwardness if New Mexican students are learning a different solar system than everyone else in the world. But I am disturbed by the idea of a government — at any level — passing legislation designed to supersede a scientific definition.

But then again, humanity’s justified some pretty hideous things in the name of science. Maybe highlighting its fallibility isn’t such a ridiculous thing to do.

dog days

Well. It’s been almost a month. Sorry about that.

My MacBook arrived. I love it. I doubt I’ll ever buy another PC, though I’ll undoubtedly have to use them for work, etc., in my future life. Whatever that happens to be. I’m so impressed with the Mac’s elegance and ease-of-use, with the included software, and, of course, the aesthetics. The transition was remarkably easy — probably because the interface is so intuitive — and where Windows comes with Solitaire and not much else, the Mac comes with a boatload of fun (and sometimes even useful) software to play with. I have daily fantasies of discovering that I am a natural at creating beautiful movies — and even soundtracks to accompany them — and have only been lacking the software with which to do so. My sister has discovered that there is no better way to spend a quiet Massachusetts afternoon than by taking one’s own picture with the built-in camera over a hundred times.

And that’s where I am now — Massachusetts — enjoying another quiet afternoon. Jancey and I came up Sunday afternoon for a few days of relaxation before the semester starts next Monday. It’s dreamy here. Our aunt lives due east of Boston, across the bay, on a tiny spit of land called Hull. It’s a small town where the police blotter in the local paper contains true small-town fare:

12:28 p.m. Caller reports she is on U St. with a confused, elderly female. O/Colligan detailed and reports the woman lives on Manomet Ave. Family members said she sometimes forgets to take her medication. She had gone out to have her hair done…

9:53 p.m. Waltham St. caller reports a loud group of youths. O/Dunn detailed and reports the kids were chasing a skunk and have been sent on their way…

6:21 p.m. Beach Ave. Caller reports finding a bike on his lawn. Wil leave it for maintenance to pick up…

On the other hand, last night we took a half hour boat ride into Boston for some big-city shopping (literally — Urban Outfitters), and an evening with Johanna, one of my oldest friends. I mean the friendship is old; she’s my age. We had a lovely dinner overlooking the Fort Point Canal, then walked, trained, and bussed to Johanna’s apartment where we spent a mellow couple of hours.

I’m not a city girl, but I enjoy having friends to visit in fun places. This was the third city I’ve visited this month — DC for the Corcoran and Potbelly sandwiches, Pittsburgh for sushi, beer, and one of the best breakfasts of my life, and now, of course, Boston. When I visit cities, I try to imagine myself living there. (Don’t worry, Mom, I think I’ll probably stay in Harrisburg.) I started the month thinking Boston was my favorite, then DC, and then, well, Pittsburgh wasn’t even on my radar. But I really liked Pittsburgh. It could use a subway (I don’t know why, but I love subways), but the cost-benefit analysis reveals it to be a no-brainer. Let’s review:

  • Convenient to Harrisburg
  • Full of college/university students
  • Rife with interesting restaurants
  • Coffeehouses on every block (well, almost)
  • In the midst of an impressive-appearing revitalization
  • Etched with not just one but THREE rivers
  • Green green green
  • Low crime rate
  • Outpost for a gaggle of tech companies I’d love to work for though I’ll never be qualified for anything useful
  • Cheap

So, really, that’s everything I need. Maybe an integral school would be nice.

Anyway. That’s a fantasy as real as the possibility that I’m a genius musician whose latent talent will become blindingly obvious as soon as I take the time to really play with GarageBand. Actually, I suppose Pittsburgh is a whole lot more likely than that.

This was a fairly boring post after such a hiatus. I know you were thinking I’d have some incredibly insightful thing to say about all the issues I’ve been silent on — Lebanon, Cuba, Iran, JonBenet, etc. Sorry about that. Maybe later.

For now I’m off to enjoy the rest of a lazy afternoon on the porch, one hand occupied with a book, the other with a cat.

an accumulation

Just because I’m not posting doesn’t mean I’m not accumulating potential things to post about. It does frequently mean I haven’t done enough reading or thinking to feel like I have anything significant to add to the conversation, but today I’ve decided to throw caution to the wind and just start typing.

First up, as promised, is an attempt to make Diego feel at home. The Mexican election. I am, of course, a little behind on this one, but since it looks like it won’t be fully resolved until September, I hope you’ll forgive me. The New York Times had an interesting article on Mexico’s Red-Blue split, which is not unlike those in other Western democracies. Northern Mexico, increasingly industrialized and engaged with the US, is more conservative, while the south, very rural and poor, is more liberal. While it does sound like Obrador has a huge commitment to and track record for helping the poor, it continues to sound to me like Calderón might be a better option for long-term economic growth in the country. The south, according to what I’ve read, is very anti-globalization — but southerners are migrating northward in search of the higher-paying jobs globalization has helped to create. Like any good mostly-liberal, I am aware that globalization can have devastating effects on traditional cultures, but at this point it seems naive to try to build an isolated economy. It seems more realistic — and ultimately more effective — to work on safely growing the economy within the larger world market.

Completely changing topics, I have two major loyalty shifts to announce.

I have decided that the time has come to publicly declare my love for Burger King. This is somewhat embarrassing given my previous commitment to McDonald’s, but my silly infatuation with that McDonald’s boy was sophomoric compared to my current feelings. This love extends to the whole Burger King franchise, and I can remain silent no longer. The food is better. They serve frozen Coke. They print funny things on their packaging. And not only am I a sucker for absurd marketing, but it makes me think that somewhere, someone has a job that consists of thinking up witty things to put on hamburger wrappers. It brings a smile to my day. Thank you, Burger King, for defining “baggler” for me, for having nearly perfect french fries, and for putting that little sauce holder in the chicken fries carton. And that cupholder-sized chicken fries carton you were testing in Virginia? Go nationwide with it. Please.

As I abandon the Big Mac, though, I find myself turning to other Macs. The MacBook, that is. I ordered one on Monday, as a birthday gift from my parents, who I was a little worried might disown me when I announced that I wanted a Mac. We have been a family of PC users since the early 80’s, years before the famous Superbowl ad, and we have scoffed together at those Mac fanatics and their ridiculously colored computers and their single-button mice. But, after years of knowing that Windows is no better, I have finally decided that I am ready for something new. I’m working hard to not become a Mac fanatic, at least not before the laptop actually arrives, but I’ve been reading the tutorials and stuff on the Apple site and getting increasingly excited. The estimated delivery date is still almost two weeks away. I’m hoping they give pessimistic estimates. I don’t know if I can make it that long.

now you see me

So… CNN has a headline that says, “Scientists may be able to make magic like Harry Potter“.

The idea is “to steer light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation around an object, rendering it as invisible as something tucked into a hole in space.”

At the end of the article, John Pendry is quoted as saying, “To be realistic, it’s going to be fairly thick. Cloak is a misnomer. ‘Shield’ might be more appropriate.”

I don’t mean to reveal myself as a massive geek or anything (I’m sure you’d be shocked), but why is Harry Potter getting credit for this? Star Trek anyone?

one laptop per chid

Nick Negroponte, who I’ve never heard of either, thinks he can build $100 laptops to sell to developing countries for distribution to children. The most interesting part of this, in my mind, is that it will be crank powered. That’s right — turn the crank for one minute, get ten minutes of power. Funded by such diverse backers as Rupert Murdoch and Google, “Each laptop will include a Wi-Fi radio transmitter designed to knit machines into a wireless “mesh” so they can share a Net connection, passing it from one computer to the next” (CNN).

I’ll take one.

kitzmiller verdict

Issued today in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District:

For the reasons that follow, we hold that the ID Policy is unconstitutional pursuant to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and Art. I, § 3 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

I haven’t read the whole opinion yet (it’s 139 pages long!), but here’s CNN’s take on it, and here’s a link to download the opinion yourself.

meager little great paradigm shift

I’m posting from Gathering Grounds, a coffeehouse here in Westminster. It’s a cute little place, consisting of four tables, four couches, and more high school outcasts than I’ve seen since the Wire. It’s nothing like the Wire, except that it does seem to be a “gathering ground” for the aforementioned teenagers. It’s pretty low key and relatively quiet, and no one seems to be doing anything remotely close to crazy. But anyway, I should be working on my novel.

I just wanted to draw your attention to this article about the close of the Dover Intelligent Design trial. The Washington Post also pointed out a few days ago that the Dover school board is up for re-election on Tuesday. I’ll be interested to see how that turns out.