Filed under: Cool Site of the Day, Global Warming, Science/Technology, The Elephant's Child | Tags: ClimateGate, Global Warming Fraud, The Scientific Method
In the wake of the ClimateGate scandal, it’s worth reviewing the Scientific Method, with a graph borrowed shamelessly from Watts Up With That, Anthony Watts’ splendid website. As the emails and documents are exposed, the cry from the University of East Anglia’s CRU is about villains stealing documents, taken out-of-context, misunderstood, criminal theft and so on and so on.
Those who have their careers, reputation, prestige and livelihood invested in the concept of dangerous global warming, quickly remind us that all scientists except worthless skeptics confirm that global warming is real and the world is warming, heating up, getting hotter while the rest of us turn the furnace up a little higher and wonder why it was snowing in October. There is “Consensus” among scientists, you know, “peer-reviewed” scientists: and you must never listen to or read what a scientist who has not been “peer-reviewed” has to say.
Except that isn’t the way science works. 1,000 scientists can have a “consensus” and it doesn’t matter a whit. What matters is the evidence, and the experiments that support the hypothesis, and the further experiments that also support the hypothesis and so on.
Just something to keep in mind.
Filed under: Cool Site of the Day, Science/Technology, The Elephant's Child | Tags: New Ways of Seeing, Only a Drop of Water
Another little amazing fact I’ll bet you didn’t know. This is really cool!
(h/t: Kim Komando)
Filed under: Cool Site of the Day, Economy, Taxes, The Elephant's Child | Tags: National Debt, Useful Website, Government Failure
Prowl around enough on the internet and you find all sorts of useful websites. Here is the National Debt Clock, but it is far more than that: Call it
“The Control Panel for the Ship of State.”
We live in perilous times, and we need citizen activists who are willing to get informed and make themselves heard.
If you want to speak to your representatives in Congress, you need facts with which to confront congressmen who are often poorly informed, and do not read the bills on which they vote.
Besides, it’s kind of fun. Just don’t go there when you’re worried and can not sleep.
Filed under: Art, Cool Site of the Day, Entertainment, Freedom, The Elephant's Child | Tags: France, Marionettes, Royal de Luxe Street Theatre Company
Earlier this week, 1.5 million people filled the streets of Berlin, Germany to watch a several-day long performance by France’s Royal de Luxe street theatre company titled “The Berlin Reunion.” Part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall , the Reunion show featured two massive marionettes, the Big Giant, a deep-sea diver, and his niece the Little Giantess.
According to the storyline of the performance, the two were separated by a wall thrown up by “land and sea monsters.” The Big Giant has just returned from a long and difficult — but successful —expedition to destroy the wall. Now, they are walking the streets of Berlin, seeking each other after many years apart.
The video gives some idea of the motion of the performance. This link provides a number of photos that tell the rest of the story. An amazing performance. Thanks to the Boston Globe for publishing this story.
NOTE: Do not miss clicking on the above link to the photos! They are large, much more impressive than the short video, and tell much more of the story.
Filed under: Cool Site of the Day, History, Humor, Literature, The Elephant's Child
Whenever I chance upon something special, I want to push it on everyone, demanding that they appreciate promptly what I have so enjoyed. In this case, I want you to meet an old friend because I know you will like him, and to point out his work which I find constantly interesting.
My enthusiasm is for the columns of Canadian journalist David Warren. He is a wonderful writer, always surprising, always forcing his readers to view the world in new ways.
In an essay written earlier in September entitled “At Sea“, he begins with an eight month long thunderstorm 3,000 kilometers across, drops in briefly at the Jet Propulsion Lab at NASA, and travels along the Arctic shores of Russia, with a feint towards global warming. And ends up with the tale of a misdirected pigeon, a “stupid greedy unthankful bird” far out at sea. A tour de force.
“Anti-anti” examines the Obama administration’s decision to cancel the U.S. missile defense shield installations in the Czech Republic and Poland. And takes up the question of what Russia might offer in return. Anyone confused by the pronouncements of our own mainstream media will appreciate his clear analysis.
Bookmark his website. Visit it frequently, and when you have time, explore his archives. You will be glad you did, especially if you appreciate the English language.
This extraordinary castle, built entirely of paper, was created over four years of hard work, and includes electric lights and a moving train. It was made by Wataru Itou, an art student at a Tokyo art school. Follow the link for many more pictures. Each piece was cut and folded, one cut and one fold at a time.
(h/t: Jonah Goldberg at NRO )
Filed under: Africa, Cool Site of the Day, Developing Nations, Foreign Policy, Freedom, The Elephant's Child
Uncommon Knowledge is back this week as host Peter Robinson interviews Dambisa Moyo, author of Dead Aid; Why Aid Is Not working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa. Dambisa Moyo grew up in Zambia. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard,an MBA from American University, and a doctorate from Oxford, and has worked for the World Bank and Goldman Sachs.
$1 trillion in aid to Africa over the last 50 years, she says, has done positive harm. Ten percent of Africans in the 1970s lived in dire circumstances. Today 70 percent of Africans live on less than $2 a day. Life expectancy is declining and poverty is endemic. The “glamor aid” business, so beloved by celebrities, is malignant. The Chinese, on the other hand, are there to do business and create jobs.
Fascinating discussion, and well worth your time. Each segment (of 5) is only about 7 minutes. I recommend them highly. You will find all sorts of interesting people in previous interviews: Former Prime Minister of Australia John Howard, Thomas Sowell, John Bolton, Andrew Klavan are just a few.
Filed under: American Elephant, Blogging | Tags: Milestones, Under Construction
What the heck just happened???
Well, with it being a holiday weekend, and our 300,000th visitor and all, I thought it was about time to unveil our new look. Many of you have mentioned how difficult it is to read white text on a dark background — and of course, you’re right. So that was the major reason for the new theme, but I also wanted to tinker with the look.
I still have tinkering to do and ideas to try, but nothing anyone would notice until its done. At the very least, reading American Elephants should be a little easier on the eyes. I plan to continue changing the Header image from time to time as I have in the past. The Easter elephants are only temporary.
Two minor problems you may encounter for a little while:
1. hyperlinks in older posts will still be in white text as they were under the old theme, and
2. images in older posts may appear too large for the column.
But we will update those as quickly as we are able.
Please let us know how you like the new look, and how it works for you! If it is easier or harder to read, easier or harder to navigate, etc…If you like the old theme better, let us know. (I saved all the old code in case everyone hates the new look)
We are always looking to improve. My hope is to make American Elephants more interesting and informative, but also more fun to read and visit. Please let us know what you like and what you don’t — it helps us improve. You can comment below, or use the contact link in the sidebar.
Filed under: American Elephant, Blogging, Cool Site of the Day | Tags: Milestones
Sometime yesterday, we had our 300,000th visitor to American Elephants! It may seem like chump change to all those big brutish blogs out there, and is probably quite the yawner to most, but we couldn’t be more happy! Well, yes we could, we could have a million visits — that would make us happier — or a million DOLLARS! Now we’re talking, baby! But of course, then Obama and the Democrats would just confiscate it and buy condoms for kindergartners or some such silly socialist thing. Sigh.
But back to the topic at hand…
Thank you!
We love our tiny, but steadily growing little blog, and most of all, we love you for coming by! We love your comments and conversation!
When we get our millionth visitor, we’re talking prizes! But until then, a modest little celebration seems in order…
Amazing art that can be seen only from high altitude, from Web Urbanist. Crop circles you have never seen before and transformers to surprise. Enjoy.
If you haven’t already, you might think about heading over to the 2008 Weblog Awards and voting for Hot Air as best blog of 2008. They are currently running a close second to the insufferable, excitable, excrable and extraordinarily dishonest, Andrew Sullivan. (The poll takes a while to load and may require refreshing to get it to load properly.)
…with 60,000 legos. Mark Borlase recreated the rebel base on Hoth from the Empire Strikes Back — with jaw dropping detail. Check out his photostream for interior shots (yes, he did the inside of the base too.) Or view the slideshow.
As the headline says, the 5′X10′ diorama is comprised of 60,000 Lego bricks. It cost creator Mark Borlase about $3,000 and four years of construction time to complete.
There’s also the 50 LED lights that illuminate the Echo Base hangar and bacta tank with a soothing blue. Motorized AT-AT wenches and a fully operational hanger door top off this gorgeous pile of eye candy.
(h/t) Geekologie
Filed under: American Elephant, Blogging, Liberalism, Socialism | Tags: Arianna Huffington, Bill Ayers, Huffington Post, Liberalism is a Mental Disorder
The new status symbol among freedom-loathing liberals everywhere? None other than Barack Obama’s own America-bombing, Stalinist mentor and partner in pro-communist education indoctrination reform, Bill Ayers.
The Huffpo’s got him! It’s the “in” thing.
He’s as lovely as ever. He says, were it up to him, he would have installed Noam Chomsky at State and his own murderous wife to head the Department of… wait for it… Justice! (But our “progressive” readers need not worry, he approves of Komrade Obama’s nominees just the same.)
His column is largely about education, and while he writes disarmingly of “democratic education” and teaching our children to “think for themselves,” his career teaching America’s educators how to teach proves he is interested in precisely the opposite: a radical all-encompassing propaganda campaign to brain-wash your children into believing that America and capitalism are evil and communism is good.
It’s no wonder the Huffpo wanted him!
A weekly column by Kim Jong Il is reportedly still in the works.
Filed under: American Elephant, Blogging, Cool Site of the Day, News of the Weird, Pop Culture | Tags: Christmas, Santa Claus
Thanks to reader Joseph for reminding me! You and kids can track Santa on his trip around the world with satelite maps and embedded YouTube videos, thanks to NORAD (and your tax dollars) here. He and his reindeer have finished their rounds of Asia and Australia (he’s apparently even vistited the International Space Station), and are currently working their way through Africa and Eastern Europe. He is currently in Perin, Slovakia as of this writing.
And who knew, but Santa has his own blog, as do his reindeer. (How they type is beyond me.)
All this, as well as Christmas crafts, printable cards, games, stories, and recipes can be found at Santa.com.
Filed under: Cool Site of the Day, Freedom, History, Military, News, The Elephant's Child | Tags: Arlington National Cemetery, Military Honors, On Hallowed Ground
Wreaths Across America is a voluntary effort started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester of the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine. Arlington is the largest focus of the commemorative ceremony, but nationwide some 100,000 wreathes are laid at over 300 cemeteries in all 50 states. Its goal is to put a wreath on as many service members’ graves as possible.
James Robbins tells the story of the 17th annual wreath-laying in a lovely article at National Review Online. If you can spare a few minutes during the Christmas rush, do read the whole thing.
Filed under: American Elephant, Conservatism, Cool Site of the Day, Fun n Games, Politics, Pop Culture | Tags: bumper stickers, buttons, Christmas, conservatives, Gifts, Republicans, Sale, Sarah Palin, Stocking Stuffers, t shirts
Time for a little shameless holiday plug!
Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the conservative or Republican on your Christmas list? Look no further! Santa and his little elephants have been very busy in their workshop, adding new designs to The Elephant Trunk just in time for Christmas. Whether you want to support Sarah Palin, show your appreciation for President Bush, stand up for a conservative principle, or simply mock Obama and the Democrats, we’ve got the perfect stocking stuffers and stylish gifts for you and every conservative on your Christmas list. T-shirts, sweatshirts, buttons, bumper-stickers, bags, hats and more — great for gifts under the tree or tucked neatly in a stocking by the fireplace.
And, rest assured, we’ve got more designs on the way, so check back often. 
Hassle free delivery is guaranteed by Cafe Press to arrive on or before December 24, if orders are placed by 11.59 pm by Tuesday, Dec. 16 for standard shipping — Saturday, December 20, for premium shipping — or Noon, Monday December 22 for 1 day shipping.
And every item comes with Cafe Press’ 30- day money back guarantee.
We hope you’ll have a look, and even more, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
Help promote and share The Elephant Trunk…
