words and their origins...

Nine Words You Might Think Came from Science but Which Are Really from Science Fiction

 : OUPblog:

Below are Prucher’s picks of words that may seem to come from science, but really originate in science fiction.

Now, in some cases these are actually phrases of common words that now have permanent meaning in science/astronomy, like "deep space" and "gas giant".

as one comments, new meaning to 'state religion'

An Oklahoma version : Thoughts from Kansas:

John B, of Blog Meridian, notes that an Oklahoma legislator is pushing a bill requiring a Ten Commandments be placed in the state Capitol. Given that Jews, Catholics, and Protestants all define the commandments differently, an enterprising journalist enquired which version he would be endorsing. "Probably an Oklahoma version," said Sen. Randy Brogdon.

a great poster

and a horrid thing that deserves it...

Srinivasan Pillay: Why Rational Thinking Is Not All It's Cracked Up To Be:

Let me start out by saying that I deeply value and respect rational thinking. I think that rational thought is a valuable foundation for decision-making and I value the sensibility that it embodies. However, I am not entirely enamored by claims of "rational thought" and here are a few reasons why.

Don't bother to read the damn thing.  The short summary is, "Irrationality sucks but is everywhere even by people who think they're being rational, therefore rational thought sucks."

Grokked from White Coat Underground - "So it is with Dr. Pillay and rational thinking. Since he doesn't get it, he figures rational thinking must be useless."

"Looks like I'll have to get the White Album again."

Original Beatles digitally remastered:

The original Beatles catalog has been digitally remastered for the first time and will go on sale in CD format on September 9, the band's record label and company announced Tuesday.

Of course I have to ask:

1. What do these remaster gain given all the work done by Sir George Martin 20 years ago for their first CD releases?
1. For the new stereo mixes, how different are they from the Capital US albums releases you can get in those boxed sets?
2. Are they going to follow the recent trend of insanely compressing them so that all dynamic variation is totally lost?
3. What have they done to get rid of Ringo's squeeky bass drum pedal?
4. How much did Sir George have to do with this?

I only ask that latter 'cause it was a big deal and in my opinion something of an insult when Pink Floyd didn't go to Alan Parsons to handle the last remastering and 5.1 mix of Dark Side of the Moon.