Category Archives: Neat Stuff

What Daily Thing? There Could Be Life Out There!

Last night I took a night off, and tonight I did, too, but I at least got out of the house. I joined Kishore Hari’s Down to a Science program for tonight’s presentation from Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute.

Shostak talked about the history and mission of the SETI project, and took lots of questions from a largely excited and completely sympathetic audience. I can’t really do justice to Shostak’s talk. If you’ve followed SETI at all, frankly, there was not a lot of new information, but I hadn’t quite realized what an engaging speaker he is ad lib.

And he took potshots at dolphins, Neptune, San Mateo, college education, the impoverished prisoners of the 4 dimensions we experience, people with navels, AND the post office. I mean, in a nice way, but I can’t help saying, you know, the post office has a really hard job. It’s like DNA, when you think about it, especially if you really love your Netflix subscription, as I do – so many things can go wrong it’s kind of amazing what a good job they do.

Anyway, if you get a chance to see him in an interactive environment, go!

Unfairly Maligned Taxidermy

Well, not all of it – some of it is legitimately awful taxidermy. But some of the entries at Crappy Taxidermy are clearly trying to do something other than simply mount the remains of animals in order to preserve a lifelike appearance.


Did you go there yet? OK, admittedly, a lot of it is just awful. If you’re patient, though, you’ll see some weirdly wonderful things in there.

Fluid

Claire Morgan makes astonishing assemblies of taxidermied animals and other materials, meticulously placed with nylon strands. She uses many kinds of animals and insects, as well as fruit and leaves. I don’t have any idea what to make of any of it. I can’t decide whether I love it or would never want it in any space I occupy, even briefly (I or the work). Lots more photos of many installations over the last seven years at her website.

We’re Not in Kansas, but …

I love what Sean Tevis is doing. He’s a thoughtful, committed guy who wants to make life better for his neighbors. He ran for office last year and lost—and seems to have frightened the old guard in his area half to death. With good reason. He’s intelligent, collaborative, and not even on the radar of lobbyists. That is, he’s on their radar now, but he’s not exactly on their Christmas-card lists.

So he has a plan.

And I think he can make it work. Read his whole presentation here, and share it if you feel inclined.

Full disclosure: I have mixed feelings about donating to out-of-state campaigns—I sure didn’t like what happened with Prop 8 in California last year—but Sean is doing more than running for office himself. He’s also pioneering methods for direct communication between voters and candidates, and urging transparency in campaign funding. And I happen to agree with a lot of what he’d work on if elected.

Whether or not you choose to get involved, keep an eye on Sean Tevis. He’s doing something wonderful.