July 15, 2009

Epic fail

When I went to work this afternoon I asked my boss curiously what she was reading. My frail boss turned and gave me the single greatest quote of the day. "Well Darren, people are just idiots."

She was referring to the story she was reading, which was printed in the Norman Transcript. It's about Bank of the West, which has been robbed three times since June, and twice since Friday. That's right, two times within a week.

First off, I think there might be a trend here. I'm no statistician, but wouldn't they beef up security after the second one at least.

Second, I think the robbery community is onto this bank. The story informs that the description and method of crimes are conflicting from all three accounts.

I'm no genius, but I would have hired someone to stand in the corner of the lobby and look ominous. What do you think?

http://www.normantranscript.com/archivesearch/local_story_195011442

Cheered home after not even leaving

I love the space race, and believe that we're making a huge mistake by not making outer space a higher priority. The Russians are beating us, and they haven't even left the atmosphere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/world/europe/15mars.html?_r=1&ref=science

Russian scientists locked a crew of participants into tubes simulating 105 days of a mission to mars. The main purpose was to observe the crews potential behavior and ways to mediate the year and a third of transit to the red planet. A longer experiment is going to take place next year, which will be over 500 days long.

There were no major incidences during the 105 day experiment. (Meaning no one killed each other.) It's hard enough for most people to sit still and silent for less than 10 minutes. I commend the Russian's for making space a noble endeavor.

I watched NOVA last night, and they were discussing Franklin Chang-Diaz's research into rockets. His testing and rocket propulsion could make a space flight trip to mars in a matter of days.

July 13, 2009

Live long and eat less

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=fewer-calories--longer-life-a-new-p-2009-07-09

I can't imagine the dedication it takes to perform a 20 year long experiment. The amount of mistakes made on a typical day long experiment are exponential, 20 years is unfathomable. Regardless, greater men have prevailed and successfully performed procedures on primates to test low-caloric intake diets in the hopes of finding increased lifespans.

Rhesus monkeys typically have a lifespan of 27 years. In this recent study, scientists have shown that rhesus monkeys, fed a third less food, have a higher survival rate. With 63% of low-caloric dieting monkeys still alive versus 45% with non-restricted diets still being alive after 20 years of experimentation. This study is significant, and qualified, meaning all factors were monitored and strickly controlled. Deaths not relating to old age were not quantified in this research.

Does this mean that humans need to split every meal into thirds and walk out with one portion every time we eat. Possibly. As the study is not on humans, and although backed by this and studies on lesser complex animals, there is not enough evidence supporting this hypothesis.

However, that isn't going to stop me from cutting down my food anyway. I'm from the camp which believes that portion sizes, especially restaurant portions. I realize that if they made them into normal sizes that they couldn't charge 10 dollars a plate, but come on I don't need to eat a full plate of that crap.

The problem with this experimentation on human's is that we're notorious sneak-eaters. How can you keep your trails factors controlled? It's very close to impossible.