Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Superstition of the Week: Pray for Rain
Perhaps you have heard of Bob Park. He is a bright scientist and a wickedly clever commentator on all things scientific. I first discovered Bob through his book Voodoo Science: The Road from Foolishness to Fraud. In Voodoo Science Park describes bad science from Cold Fusion through perpetual motion machines. He also tells us what to look for in order to separate the good from the bad.
Nowadays, Bob writes a weekly newsletter. You can subscribe at his site BobPark.org. Every Friday afternoon, you'll receive witty and skeptical commentary on the public events in science and politics. It is a great way for a rational being to end the week.
This week, Bob points out the negative in the ethanol equation. That is, it takes more energy to produce ethanol than you get from burning it if you account for the energy used to make the fertilizer, transport the corn, etc. Since ethanol requires rainfall, This paragraph naturally led to the next paragraph regarding the superstition of praying for rainfall.
RAIN: GOVERNOR OF SOUTH DAKOTA CALLED FOR A WEEK OF PRAYER. Gov. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, the state hardest hit by the severe drought in the plains, proclaimed the last week of July to be A WEEK TO PRAY FOR RAIN. Not a drop has fallen from the heavens on South Dakota since. The governor used the wrong technology. You pray to get out of Iraq, for rain you dance.
I endorse the rain dance method. Why? Even if it does not bring rain, at least you get a bit of exercise :-)
ARB
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Just think, we haven't paid
Just think, we haven't paid those guys on Mars any overtime. But then again, we haven't invented a robot to do the tourist thing, going for a cruise into space just for thrills.
But according to Phil Plait,
But according to Phil Plait, Bob Park doesn't know what he is talking about when he opposes man space flight.
While I respect Phil
And read his blog from time to time (Bad Astronomy Blog). I'm in Robert Park's camp when it comes to human space travel. It's a multi-billion dollar boondoggle when you consider what that money could be doing for this earth.
The unmanned probes however, are a great investment. We get back essentially the same information as human exploration but with far less risk and for far less money.
ARB
Those who ask the most questions, have the most answers. - ARB (1991)