Tuesday, April 19, 2005

SCIENCE and CULTURE/SOCIETY: Humans, chimps, men, women and genetics

I've been meaning to write about this for some time, but I kept forgetting. I heard an interesting piece of information on the radio a couple of months back.

If you keep up on genetics or evolution, then you probably know that humans and chimps share 98.5% of the same dna. It's only 1.5% that makes us different from chimps.

Well, according to this report I heard, human males and females share 97% of the same dna and 3% is different. Obviously, that 3% is not the same as the 3% that is different from chimps. It's different dna that's different, if that makes any sense.

But still...this means that human females or males are as close to each other genetically as chimps and humans. And in my mind, this explains A LOT!

NPR story with the genetic comparison

Sunday, April 17, 2005

CULTURE/SOCIETY: Test about Animals for Consultants

This is a cute little test I received from my mother.

Subject: Executive Capability

This is short, but I think will make you smile.

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will
tell you whether you are qualified to be a "professional."

Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that
difficult.

But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!

> > 1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
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> > The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the
giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do
simple things in an overly complicated way.
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> > 2 How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
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> > Did you say, "Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and
close the refrigerator?" Wrong Answer.
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> > Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe
put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think
through the repercussions of your previous actions.
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> > 3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the
animals attend... except one ... Which animal does not attend?
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> > Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the
refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.
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> > Okay even if you did not answer the first three questions
correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.
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> > 4. There is a river you must cross but it is inhabited by
> >crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?
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> > Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have
you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal
Meeting.
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> > This test whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.
> >
> > According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers. Anderson Consulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a four year old.

Send this out to frustrate all of your smart friends.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

ENTERTAINMENT and POLITICS: George W Bush and His Ipod

This was originally publish in OlderMusicGeek's Stupid Stuff, but I moved to here on July 27, 2009. - OMG

I got this from BBC News. - OlderMusicGeek

George W Bush is a fan of country music and classic rock, but he also likes "a little bit of hard core and honky tonk", his iPod playlist suggests.

His 250 songs include country greats George Jones and Alan Jackson, but also My Sharona by the Knack.

Mr Bush has an aide download music for him and listens to it while mountain biking, the New York Times reported.

Rolling Stone journalist Joe Levy called the playlist "feel-good music. The Sex Pistols it's not."

"It's safe, it's reliable, it's loving," Mr Levy said.

"One thing that's interesting is that the president likes artists who don't like him," he added.

WHAT'S ON THE FIRST IPOD
John Fogerty: Centerfield
Van Morrison: Brown-Eyed Girl
Stevie Ray Vaughan: The House is Rockin'
The Knack: My Sharona
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings: Swinging from the Chains of Love
Country stars Alan Jackson, George Jones, Kenny Chesney
Classic rockers Eric Clapton, Robert Palmer, Bryan Adams

That group includes former Credence Clearwater Revival singer John Fogerty, whose baseball anthem Centerfield is on the iPod.

CCR's anti-Vietnam war song Fortunate Son is not, Mr Bush's cycling partner Mark McKinnon said.

"If any president limited his music selection to pro-establishment musicians, it would be a pretty slim collection," Mr McKinnon told the New York Times.

He advised against "psychoanalysing" the playlist.

"It's music to get over the next hill," Mr McKinnon said.

Mr Bush's daughters gave him the iPod for his birthday last July.


What should George Bush listen to on his iPod?

Nothing. He shouldn't be listening to music on an I-Pod while biking. He should be listening to the traffic or the sounds of nature depending on where he is. Biking is sound experience as it is. The music of the chain and the hum of the wheels is what he should be listening to.
Daniel Gwyn, Montreal, Canada

Time to ditch the iPod then! Just lost its 'cool' status forever!
Geoff, Preston UK

Who cares? It's his iPod, let him enjoy whatever he wants to listen too. Last time I checked no person had a collection based on what they believe.
Gabriel Asseily, London, UK
(Amen to this - OlderMusicGeek)

[No you won't fool] The Children of the Revolution by T.Rex
rz, NH, US

Good for him. How about some Celtic rock to get the blood pumping? And to all the sarcastic lefties, get off the computer and get some exercise, maybe you'll lose some weight and improve your mood.
Tim Seeley, Manitoba, Canada

English for beginners!
Gerard, Dublin

A link to the original site