How Did They Make The Periodic Table?

Good question. In short, Dmitri Mendeleev noticed that certain properties of the elements repeated, i.e., were periodic. This allowed him to create an initial framework for the elements that had rather intriguing empty spaces. In this way, he predicted as yet undiscovered elements. A periodic table. Eventually these discoveries happened. A longer version of how … Continue reading How Did They Make The Periodic Table? →

The post How Did They Make The Periodic Table? appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/30/make-periodic-table/

Evangelical Christianity in America is Dead

Sorry to all my Evangelical Christian friends, but it is true. Since this form of Protestantism has a built in way out based on its structural granularity, so most evangelical Christians can say, “Oh, that’s not me, that’s not my church, that’s the other guy,” most of you (talking to the Evangelicals here) will believe … Continue reading Evangelical Christianity in America is Dead →

The post Evangelical Christianity in America is Dead appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/26/evangelical-christianity-america-dead/

Cheap Book Notes

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong is now on Kindle for $2.99. I’ve seen it on Kindle for $1.99, told you about it, and maybe you bought it then. But if you didn’t, … Since we are on the topic of cheap books, here’s another … Continue reading Cheap Book Notes →

The post Cheap Book Notes appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/26/cheap-book-notes/

Linux Mate Desktop Volume Control Button Gone: Fix

If you use Mate as your Linux Desktop you may have noticed that your volume control disappears now and then. For me this started about a month ago and I found a quick fix. Go to terminal and enter: killall mate-panel This kills the mate-panel. Then, the panel will automatically come back, and some stuff … Continue reading Linux Mate Desktop Volume Control Button Gone: Fix →

The post Linux Mate Desktop Volume Control Button Gone: Fix appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/25/linux-mate-desktop-volume-control-button-gone-fix/

25 years of Linux in 5 minutes

Jeremy, of Linux Questions, gave this interesting presentation on the history of Linux. The volume is a bit low at the start but get goods before the first minute.

The post 25 years of Linux in 5 minutes appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/23/25-years-linux-5-minutes/

Trump’s government shut down

It was a Republican shut down but Trump took a lead, so we shall call it the Trump Shutdown. There is a non-zero possibility that a bill to keep things going will pass in the Senate and House, that Trump will veto it, and that Congress will override Trump’s veto. Not too likely, but it … Continue reading Trump’s government shut down →

The post Trump’s government shut down appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/22/trumps-government-shut/

The Charge of the Light Brigade: A Cautionary Tale

First, a little clarification on the “Light Brigade.” This term originally referred to a British military unit of light (as in not heavy) cavalry that engaged with the Russians (the enemy in this story) during the Crimean War, in October, 1854. The brigade, made up of Light Dragoons, Lancers, and Hussars, was tasked to take … Continue reading The Charge of the Light Brigade: A Cautionary Tale →

The post The Charge of the Light Brigade: A Cautionary Tale appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/21/charge-light-brigade-cautionary-tale/

Minnesotans Go To Caucus

In just a few days, Minnesota will have its precinct caucuses. All the different political parties will caucus at exactly the same time, at different locations, by law, to make it difficult for some joker to go to more than one (which would be illegal, but nearly impossible to enforce). At the caucus, we will … Continue reading Minnesotans Go To Caucus →

The post Minnesotans Go To Caucus appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/20/minnesotans-go-caucus/

Dear Candidate For Office: About your environmental policy…

Over the last five months, and with increasing frequency, I find myself listening to candidates for office talk about their environmental policies. I’ve looked at the policies of candidates for Minnesota Governor, for US Congress in three different districts, and for Minnesota Senate and House in numerous districts. There is a lot of variation across … Continue reading Dear Candidate For Office: About your environmental policy… →

The post Dear Candidate For Office: About your environmental policy… appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/18/dear-candidate-office-environmental-policy/

Why the Next Democratic President will be a Celebrity

And, more to the point, the Democrats will not be electing a president until they elect a celebrity. I seriously doubt Donald Trump will be re-elected president in 2020, but not because he will lose to a Democrat. Rather, he’ll be replaced on the ticket before that (he may not know it but he doesn’t … Continue reading Why the Next Democratic President will be a Celebrity →

The post Why the Next Democratic President will be a Celebrity appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/09/next-democratic-president-will-celebrity/

SimCity is Real!!!!

This is a three year time lapse photo of Seattle form the Space Needle. This is going to be really interesting if the Mega Quake happens during this project and the Space Needles stays standing and the camera rolling.

The post SimCity is Real!!!! appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/07/simcity-is-real/

Is There Evidence of Life On Mars?

At present, the evidence suggests that life may have existed in the past on Mars, or not. However, the scientific consensus is that we assume life never arose on Mars, and will continue to do so until evidence pops out and bites us in the mass spectrometer. There is no evidence of life on Mars … Continue reading Is There Evidence of Life On Mars? →

The post Is There Evidence of Life On Mars? appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/07/evidence-life-mars/

A Possible Problem with CRISPR

Viruses use the DNA of their hosts to help themselves reproduce. Bacteria have counter-attacked viruses by grabbing some of the DNA from viruses and using this to identify them and kill them back. That as an oversimplified description of an eons old arms race between viruses and bacteria. Among the DNA sequences co-opted by bacteria … Continue reading A Possible Problem with CRISPR →

The post A Possible Problem with CRISPR appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/05/possible-problem-crispr/

Which happens more often: Trump tells a bald faced lie, or a cop kills a citizen?

During the last 347 days of the Trump presidency, Donald Trump has lied 1,950 times, according to the Washington Post, which is keeping track. The same newspaper tracks the number of times the police in the US shoot and kill a person. During the 365 days of 2017, that happened 987 times. So, Donald Trump … Continue reading Which happens more often: Trump tells a bald faced lie, or a cop kills a citizen? →

The post Which happens more often: Trump tells a bald faced lie, or a cop kills a citizen? appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/05/happens-often-trump-tells-bald-faced-lie-cop-kills-citizen/

A Resolution Concerning Town Halls (The Erik Paulsen Amendment)

A suggested resolution for Minnesotans attending their precinct caucuses this year. WHEREAS: Elected members to the United State Congress sometimes forget that they were sent to Washington DC to represent the people of their district, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: a bill be introduced at the Federal level to disallow payment of any stationary fund or … Continue reading A Resolution Concerning Town Halls (The Erik Paulsen Amendment) →

The post A Resolution Concerning Town Halls (The Erik Paulsen Amendment) appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/04/resolution-concerning-town-halls-erik-paulsen-amendment/

Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz punches the Nazi

I remember learning a long time ago that in places like Germany, places that had recently been ravaged, nearly totally destroyed, with much death and misery, by Nazis and other fascists, it was illegal to do things like display a swastika. This is the kind of thing that makes many Americans throw a conniption. “You … Continue reading Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz punches the Nazi →

The post Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz punches the Nazi appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/03/netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz-punches-nazi/

New Trump Book Breaks Trump, Popcorn Shortage Expected

A meme for you: Apparently Donald Trump is going full on conniption over this new book. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolf is the latest, maybe the only so far, tell all of the early days of the Trump White House. It is not available yet (butcan be pre-ordered). The … Continue reading New Trump Book Breaks Trump, Popcorn Shortage Expected →

The post New Trump Book Breaks Trump, Popcorn Shortage Expected appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/03/new-trump-book-breaks-trump-popcorn-shortage-expected/

Writing Software for Writers

This is especially for writers of big things. If you write small things, like blog posts or short articles, your best tool is probably a text editor you like and a way to handle markdown language. Chances are you use a word processor like MS Word or LibreOffice, and that is both overkill and problematic … Continue reading Writing Software for Writers →

The post Writing Software for Writers appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/03/writing-software-writers/

Books Cheap Two

Two current deals on Kindle books you might like. Everyone loves Freakonomics Rev Ed: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything and it is now three bucks minus one penny on Amazon. I can’t vouch for Ask a Science Teacher: 250 Answers to Questions You’ve Always Had About How Everyday Stuff Really Works … Continue reading Books Cheap Two →

The post Books Cheap Two appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/03/books-cheap-two/

The DFL Environmental Caucus has Endorsed Rebecca Otto for Governor!

This just in: The DFL Environmental Caucus today announced its endorsement of State Auditor Rebecca Otto for Governor. “Rebecca Otto is a powerful voice for the environment and for a better Minnesota economy,” said caucus chair Veda Kanitz. “We wholeheartedly endorse her candidacy for Governor of Minnesota.” Kanitz highlighted Otto’s position on climate change as … Continue reading The DFL Environmental Caucus has Endorsed Rebecca Otto for Governor! →

The post The DFL Environmental Caucus has Endorsed Rebecca Otto for Governor! appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/02/dfl-environmental-caucus-endorsed-rebecca-otto-governor/

Orrin Hatch Will Retire

Senator Orrin Hatch, the oldest sitting Republican in the Senate, is not running for re-election. He’ll leave at the end of his term. Batter up: Mitt Romney. The oldest Senator of the party in control is normally the president pro tempore of the Congress and thus in the line of presidential succession. This is not … Continue reading Orrin Hatch Will Retire →

The post Orrin Hatch Will Retire appeared first on Greg Laden's Blog.

source http://gregladen.com/blog/2018/01/02/orrin-hatch-will-retire/