Dr Dan Lieberman's interesting take using evolutionary biology to explain why humans are so good at putting on weight. Dr Lieberman has also been a leading researcher on the human running form (both are PDFs).
Bike Bits
3 weeks ago
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Personal Liberties...With Some Exceptions
Ron Paul visited Spokane again and according to the Spokesman Review had this to say:
“When it comes to personal liberties, lifestyles and what we put into our bodies, all of a sudden we have a bunch of busybodies telling us exactly what we’re supposed to do with our lives,” Paul said. “We should never accept the idea that the government can protect us against ourselves.”
A man of his word, Paul has submitted legislation that would keep the government from protecting us. HR 1096, The Sanctity of Life Act, would decree that life begins from the moment of conception. It would remove federal court jurisdiction over any state law that "protects the rights of human persons between conception and birth". HR 958, We The People Act, does this:
The Supreme Court of the United States and each Federal court--
(1) shall not adjudicate--
(A) any claim involving the laws, regulations, or policies of any State or unit of local government relating to the free exercise or establishment of religion;
(B) any claim based upon the right of privacy, including any such claim related to any issue of sexual practices, orientation, or reproduction; or
(C) any claim based upon equal protection of the laws to the extent such claim is based upon the right to marry without regard to sex or sexual orientation;
This would remove federal court jurisdiction of any state, county or city legislation having to do with "the free exercise or establishment of religion" however that may be defined, any claim to the right of privacy, and any claim of equal protection for the right to marry.
Taken at face value, it may seem like keeping the federal courts from ruling on specific types of laws is a good idea. But think these through a bit. State and local governments would be given free reign to "protect us from ourselves" or otherwise intrude upon our lives. Under this legislation, every miscarriage could result in a murder investigation. Any claim to a violation of privacy could be adjudicated many different ways depending on the laws passed by the state, country or city.
Fortunately, both of these bills are going nowhere. It would appear that Ron Paul's concerns about "personal liberties, lifestyles and what we put into our bodies" only apply to the ones he agrees with.
“When it comes to personal liberties, lifestyles and what we put into our bodies, all of a sudden we have a bunch of busybodies telling us exactly what we’re supposed to do with our lives,” Paul said. “We should never accept the idea that the government can protect us against ourselves.”
A man of his word, Paul has submitted legislation that would keep the government from protecting us. HR 1096, The Sanctity of Life Act, would decree that life begins from the moment of conception. It would remove federal court jurisdiction over any state law that "protects the rights of human persons between conception and birth". HR 958, We The People Act, does this:
The Supreme Court of the United States and each Federal court--
(1) shall not adjudicate--
(A) any claim involving the laws, regulations, or policies of any State or unit of local government relating to the free exercise or establishment of religion;
(B) any claim based upon the right of privacy, including any such claim related to any issue of sexual practices, orientation, or reproduction; or
(C) any claim based upon equal protection of the laws to the extent such claim is based upon the right to marry without regard to sex or sexual orientation;
This would remove federal court jurisdiction of any state, county or city legislation having to do with "the free exercise or establishment of religion" however that may be defined, any claim to the right of privacy, and any claim of equal protection for the right to marry.
Taken at face value, it may seem like keeping the federal courts from ruling on specific types of laws is a good idea. But think these through a bit. State and local governments would be given free reign to "protect us from ourselves" or otherwise intrude upon our lives. Under this legislation, every miscarriage could result in a murder investigation. Any claim to a violation of privacy could be adjudicated many different ways depending on the laws passed by the state, country or city.
Fortunately, both of these bills are going nowhere. It would appear that Ron Paul's concerns about "personal liberties, lifestyles and what we put into our bodies" only apply to the ones he agrees with.
Friday, March 2, 2012
I Was Young Once
One of my aunts just had a bunch of old home movies converted to digital. Browsing through four hours of films I came across these thirty seconds from my mom and dad's wedding day. It inspired me to write this.
I Was Young Once
I was young once.
I relished in being
And strode to every conquest.
I pinned life by the shoulders.
I was young once.
That which I am, was.
That which I was is no longer.
Immutable destiny prevailed.
I was young once.
And I lived!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Misrepresenting To Those She Represents
I would never make a good politician, if good means talented at misleading, distorting, deceiving and the like. On her Facebook page, Cathy McMorris Rodgers recently posted a quote of the day.
"Somehow, we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." - President Obama's Energy Secretary, Steven Chu. Do you think they're succeeding?
The quote came from a Wall Street Journal article published in December 2008, before Obama was sworn in as president and before Steven Chu became the Secretary of Energy. Presented in this manner and followed by the question, "Do you think they're succeeding?" where "they" refers to Obama and Chu, one is led to believe gas prices are purposely being raised by the administration.
Along with the quote the congresswoman provided, the WSJ article also reported:
But Mr. Obama has dismissed the idea of boosting the federal gasoline tax, a move energy experts say could be the single most effective step to promote alternative energies and temper demand. Mr. Obama said Sunday that a heightened gas tax would be a "mistake" because it would put "additional burdens on American families right now."
The congresswoman's deception implies the Obama administration is responsible for rising gas prices. She doesn't tell us that US oil production is at a seven-year high. She fails to mention that US oil production started rising in 2009 or that the US tripled its oil rigs during the last three years. Nor does she mention that the US exported more gasoline than it imported last year, that demand for gas is down, or that speculators are driving the price up. Instead, she presents a quote out of context for the purpose of laying blame on the Obama administration for rising gas prices--for the wrong reason. Now, had she said the Obama administration was failing to reign in oil speculators, then she'd have a strong case.
Today, on her Facebook page she shared this from the Republican Study Committee.
Gas prices have nearly doubled since Obama’s inauguration, and energy analysts predict that more Americans than ever before will pay $5.00 per gallon this year.
You would think that with gas prices continuing to accelerate under President Obama, he would do everything possible to boost production.
Instead, oil production on federal land fell 11% last year. During the exact same time frame, oil production on private and state-owned land – land beyond the federal government’s grip – grew 14%. In addition, Obama prevented construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which could bring our economy thousands of new jobs and transport 830,000 barrels of oil a day.
Again, the fact that oil production has increased is left out. And there's no mention that the purpose of Keystone XL is to make Canadian tar sands oil available for higher prices on the world market. Nor are we informed that Keystone XL will raise gas prices in the US.
And that's why I wouldn't make a good politician. My conscience would bother me fiercely.
"Somehow, we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." - President Obama's Energy Secretary, Steven Chu. Do you think they're succeeding?
The quote came from a Wall Street Journal article published in December 2008, before Obama was sworn in as president and before Steven Chu became the Secretary of Energy. Presented in this manner and followed by the question, "Do you think they're succeeding?" where "they" refers to Obama and Chu, one is led to believe gas prices are purposely being raised by the administration.
Along with the quote the congresswoman provided, the WSJ article also reported:But Mr. Obama has dismissed the idea of boosting the federal gasoline tax, a move energy experts say could be the single most effective step to promote alternative energies and temper demand. Mr. Obama said Sunday that a heightened gas tax would be a "mistake" because it would put "additional burdens on American families right now."
The congresswoman's deception implies the Obama administration is responsible for rising gas prices. She doesn't tell us that US oil production is at a seven-year high. She fails to mention that US oil production started rising in 2009 or that the US tripled its oil rigs during the last three years. Nor does she mention that the US exported more gasoline than it imported last year, that demand for gas is down, or that speculators are driving the price up. Instead, she presents a quote out of context for the purpose of laying blame on the Obama administration for rising gas prices--for the wrong reason. Now, had she said the Obama administration was failing to reign in oil speculators, then she'd have a strong case.
Today, on her Facebook page she shared this from the Republican Study Committee.
Gas prices have nearly doubled since Obama’s inauguration, and energy analysts predict that more Americans than ever before will pay $5.00 per gallon this year.
You would think that with gas prices continuing to accelerate under President Obama, he would do everything possible to boost production.
Instead, oil production on federal land fell 11% last year. During the exact same time frame, oil production on private and state-owned land – land beyond the federal government’s grip – grew 14%. In addition, Obama prevented construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which could bring our economy thousands of new jobs and transport 830,000 barrels of oil a day.
Again, the fact that oil production has increased is left out. And there's no mention that the purpose of Keystone XL is to make Canadian tar sands oil available for higher prices on the world market. Nor are we informed that Keystone XL will raise gas prices in the US.
And that's why I wouldn't make a good politician. My conscience would bother me fiercely.
Chalk It Up To Poor Judgment
Forwarding an offensive email from your work address is bad enough, but to explain your actions by saying you did it because the email is anti-Obama is beyond pale. Here's the "joke".
A little boy said to his mother; 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?
His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'
A better criticism of President Obama's presidency has never been penned. It condemns the use of unmanned aircraft to kill people at will, including Americans. It hammers the administration's relentless pursuit of whistle blowers in order to keep them quiet. Or maybe it rails against government takeover of health care and shakes a fist at socialist policies.
But it wasn't intended to be racist even though the federal judge who forwarded it later admitted that it is. When he forwarded it, he added this note.
Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine.
Even by his standards it touched his heart. Unbelievable. You'd think a learned person would know and act better.
A little boy said to his mother; 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?
His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'
A better criticism of President Obama's presidency has never been penned. It condemns the use of unmanned aircraft to kill people at will, including Americans. It hammers the administration's relentless pursuit of whistle blowers in order to keep them quiet. Or maybe it rails against government takeover of health care and shakes a fist at socialist policies.
But it wasn't intended to be racist even though the federal judge who forwarded it later admitted that it is. When he forwarded it, he added this note.
Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine.
Even by his standards it touched his heart. Unbelievable. You'd think a learned person would know and act better.
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