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Archive for August, 2008
Units!
Friday, August 22nd, 2008New poll tells us … the obvious
Thursday, August 21st, 2008Courtesy of The State, here’s a poll whose results will surprise no one:
Likely voters in the Deep South — those in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina — preferred McCain by a 25-point margin, 56 percent to 31 percent.
I wonder why that is?
Likely Mississippi Voter
Maybe voters in the Deep South are informed about McCain’s stands on the issues and prefer them to Obama’s?
“Illegal immigration needs to be controlled,” said 76-year-old Evelyn Perry of Fort Mill, who was among those surveyed. “I just haven’t really understood what (McCain’s position) is on that — but it needs to be controlled.”
Even without those specifics, Perry said she trusts McCain more. “Overall, I just think McCain understands better.”
Or … maybe not. But I can sympathize with Ms. Perry just a bit. John McCain himself hasn’t figured out what his immigration position is.
Many mansions
Thursday, August 21st, 2008Notverybright wants to know how many houses John McCain owns. John McCain wants to know how many houses he owns, too. Obama knows, and here’s the answer:
h
Seven. Or at least, that’s what we think. This house-owning stuff is hard.
Grades and godliness
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008In an article whose title is bound to make Rev. BigDumbChimp annoyed, LiveScience notes a study that correlates religious attendance with educational outcomes:
Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools.
[…]
Students who attend religious services weekly average a GPA .144 higher than those who never attend services, said Jennifer Glanville, a sociologist at the University of Iowa.
Now as a science guy, I’ve got to wonder if the increase in grades also applies to sciences where the prevailing doctrine taught in many churches directly opposes the coursework.
But the overall result doesn’t surprise me at all. Growing up in a relatively small part of South Carolina, I found that church and church related organizations were essentially the only structured social activities available outside of school. This appeared to surprise the head researcher:
“Surprisingly, the importance of religion to teens had very little impact on their educational outcomes,” Glanville said. “That suggests that the act of attending church — the structure and the social aspects associated with it — could be more important to educational outcomes than the actual religion.”
As someone who went to church pretty regularly as a kid, this is completely unsurprising to me. Kids are at church to socialize – or these days, to blow each other away. The religious talk probably matters a lot less to kids than pastors and youth directors would like to believe. But without the socialization, kids may do poorer in the school setting.
I wonder how the kids of UUs do in school compared to kids of Southern Baptists. That might tell us whether it’s the act of attending church or something in the doctrines that helps educational outcomes.
You can read the abstract of Glanville’s study here – or get the whole study if your school subscribes to the journal online. My school doesn’t, and it’s not worth the 30-mile drive to and from the university for a non-chemistry article. 🙂
From the front lines
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008… of the War On Crack. The State reports that:
A proposed ordinance banning sagging pants was up for second and final reading Monday, but [Pamplico] Mayor Gene Gainey said council tabled the issue at the recommendation of town attorney Jimmy Epps.
“We’re not doing away with it, but we’re going to get a little more information on it before we get any deeper into this particular ordinance,” Gainey said.
Pamplico plumbers, undoubtedly, are breathing easier at the news.
Miracle Mattresses
Thursday, August 14th, 2008There’s a new cult in town.
Dr. Furniture's Truth and Fellowship Ministry
Believe in the Power of the Almighty Futon, my friends, and YOU WILL BE HEALED!
The aluminum bromide reaction
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008[This is an update of an earlier post on this blog. This version includes streaming video]
Let’s say you don’t want to do the thermite reaction, but you still want to see some flashy chemistry. The reaction between aluminum and bromine might fit the bill.
2Al(s) + 3Br2(l) –> 2AlBr3(s)
It’s a very simple-looking reaction – a little electron transfer from aluminum to bromine. Like lots of these reactions, it’s exothermic. Exothermic enough to put on an impressive show.
Enough heat is generated by the reaction to vaporize some of the unreacted bromine – throwing off orange smoke. On top of that, the aluminum gets hot enough to melt and spark. For obvious reasons, this reaction should only be done where you’ve got very good ventilation. I used my hood for these pictures and this video.
Here’s a still image of the reaction vessel containing only liquid bromine and its vapor.
Liquid bromine and its vapor
About ten seconds after adding some torn aluminum foil, things look more like this.
Aluminum bromide reaction, 10 seconds after adding aluminum
After a few more seconds, it's hot enough to spark
Oh yeah!
After the reaction’s over, you’ll want to buy a new beaker. The melted aluminum foil fuses with the bottom of the beaker. (The sand bath is there to catch anything that gets through the bottom of the beaker when it breaks!)
Aluminum melted into the glass at the bottom of the beaker
Aluminum bromide (white / yellowish solid) on the beaker
Ain’t chemistry neat?
Disclaimer: Do not try this reaction at home. In fact, do not try this reaction at all! You were warned.
The day I see …
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008The day I see fans of Richard Dawkins blocking the doors to the science building of my college pushing copies of The God Delusion in the same manner as the Gideons push their bibles is the day I will start taking the “atheism is a religion” folks more seriously.
The funny thing is, I’d say exactly the same thing to the Dawkins fans as I would to the Gideons: Sorry, but I already have a copy.
I wonder a bit about the Gideons. Is there anyone – and I mean anyone – in the state of South Carolina who does not have access to a Christian bible? It seems to me that distributing bibles in this state is simply a waste of money.
Miss Regina
Thursday, August 7th, 2008Here’s a visitor to the waters off North Myrtle Beach:
Miss Regina, 1024x768 JPEG
Pamplico joins the War
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008In South Carolina, we’re certainly not ashamed to import silly ideas from other states. According to WPDE, Pamplico is joining the War On Crack.
No, not that War On Crack. This War On Crack.
Last month, [Pamplico] town council took the first step to make it illegal to wear saggy pants in the city limits.
Officials said they haven’t discussed how they would enforce the law.
I’m guessing officials also haven’t announced what effect this law would have on actual crimes.
Perhaps the Pamplico town council merely hates plumbers?