First Looks category archive

At Science 2 dot O, Kimberly Crandell considers the merits of artificial vs. natural Christmas trees. Among other things, she points out that many artificial trees (brand names are not mentioned) contain lead. So here are a few safety tips for your artificial Christmas trees:

Richard Maas, the director of the Environmental Studies program at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, offers some tips for people who suspect that their artificial tree may contain lead:

• Keep children away from the tree. Do not allow them to touch the tree.
• If you touch the tree, was your hands thoroughly before touching your face or handling food.
• Do not vacuum dust from under the tree, especially with a vacuum that does not have a HEPA filter. Vacuuming could spread lead dust through the air in tiny particles, creating an inhalation danger.

Follow the link for the the rest of the argument.

Afterthought:

Have yourself a merry leaden Christmas tree.

Objection sustained.

It’s unlikely Arturo Ramirez of Sacramento knew one of his Facebook posts written in 2008 would jar legal scholars and inspire a state law that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Ramirez, who served as a foreman on a gang trial, posted updates during the case, including one that reported he found testimony about cell phone bills “so boring.”

(snip)

Come January, everyone will know the consequences. Before trials, California judges will admonish jurors to forgo any online research or chatter on Facebook or Twitter. The penalty for ignoring the instruction will be contempt of court charges, punishable by jail.

Nothing fun ever happened to me at the Denver Airport.

Karen H/T Karen for the link.

Radio Time takes a look at the NTSB’s recommendation to ban cell phones. From the website:

Today, we look at the issue of distracted driving and the problems of enforcement with DAVID TEATER, the National Safety Council’s senior director of Transportation Initiatives. We’ll also discuss the cultural history of drunk driving with BARRON LERNER, a professor of medicine and public health professor at Columbia University who has written a new book on the subject, One for the Road: Drunk Driving Since 1900. And finally, CHRISTIAN GERDES, Director of Stanford University’s Center for Automotive Research, tells Marty about self-driving cars. Is hands-free driving in our near future?

Any one who pays attention knows the pros and cons. Having been nearly killed by a cell phone wielding driver who went straight ahead (at 65 mph) at a spot where the road went left, I sympathize with efforts to limit cell phone usage by drivers.

The reason I’m recommending this is because of the last third, starting at the 35 minute make, in which Mr. Gerdes describes what’s happening and not happening in experiments to automate driving. It is a plain-English description of what’s been accomplished, what appears possible with today’s science, and what appears to be a Jetsonian pipe dream with today’s science.

Follow the link to listen or listen here (MP3).

For another take, check out this episode of the Diane Rehm show. The antics of the anti-cell-phone ban guy are quite amusing. His arguments against a ban seem to boil down to, “Don’t take my toy away from me. Waaaa waaaa waaaa.”

Cheese straws and lemon chess pies are on today’s agenda.

Addendum:

Mr. Sore Throat has put out my pilot light for the day and was I looking forward to those cheese straws! I even grated up a pound of cheese yesterday.

The Great and Glorious Patriotic War for a Lie in Iraq seems to be actually limping to an end, just as it began: with a lie (emphasis added).

After nearly nine years, 4,500 American dead, 32,000 wounded and more than $800 billion, U.S. officials formally shut down the war in Iraq — a conflict that U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said was worth the price in blood and money, as it set Iraq on a path to democracy.

Yeah, right.

As is typical of such stories, there is no mention of the thousands of Iraqis sacrificed to President George the Worst’s lies and perfidy or of whether this was worth their price.

Researchers believe that the signals bounced off an object or mass of objects. The shows were not named in the story.

While searching deep space for extra-terrestrial signals, scientists at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico have stumbled across signals broadcast from Earth nearly half a century ago.

My first question was, “What show was it?” but the story didn’t mention that.

Via GNC.

Off to drink liberally.

Gingerbread houses.

Drinking Liberally is a support group for liberals, where you can realize you are not alone.

When: 6 p., Wednesday, December 14.

Where:
The Public House
1112 Colley Avenue (map)

Details here.

State officials say a Jersey shore bar served cheaper vodka to customers who paid for premium spirits.

The idea of “premium” vodka is a triumph of marketing and an oxymoron all at the same time.

Jesse Ventura discusses his suit against the TSA. He’s suing on Fourth Amendment grounds:

Not so much:

Via Contradict Me.

At SeattlePI, Barbara Sehr honors Thanksgiving by nominating the turkeys of the year. A nugget:

8. Charley Sheen — A guy who moved from a shot in the arm for the entertainment industry to literal shots in the arm for the tabloid industry, he has become a symbol for all that is wrong with modern television sitcoms. Perhaps one day soon he will be reunited with Silvio Berlusconi at a bunga-bunga party in a galaxy far away from any cable network.

7. Newt Gingrich — The Tiffanies’ of Republican family values, he is a mentor to other misogynists like Herman Cain for making the world safe for dirty old lechers. His marital advice is as solid as his duplicitous advice to the President to do exactly the opposite of what he says. If he should make it to the White House, count on a child labor sweatshop in the basement.

Follow the link for the full ballot.

At Science 2.0, Michael W. Taft explores why, to fans, it’s not “just a game,” theorizing that fandom goes deep in our evolutionary roots. A nugget:

Researchers from both the University of Georgia and the University of Utah measured the testosterone levels in male fans before and after sports events, and found a 25 percent boost when their team won, and an equal dip for the losers. Our identification with our team is nothing more than a mental construct (the connection is not literal) and yet it affects us at the deepest physical levels. Charles Hillman, a University of Illinois psychologist found that fans watching their team experienced extreme levels of physical arousal—demonstrated by changes in heart rate, brain waves, and perspiration.