dimland: evolution

Showing posts with label evolution. Show all posts

2.09.2014

dimland radio 2-8-14 show notes

An Announcement

Nothing so dramatic, but Loud City will be shutting down. Z Talk Radio had worked with Loud City to distribute our shows. Our shows will go on (goon?), but our ability to play music shows will be going away. We can still play independent artists who aren't signed to a major label.

I don't what to do the work to support independent artists. Well, it may not be that much wok, but I will not be doing music shows anymore after this month. Next week I will be doing a three hour music show, so get some sleep so you can stay up and boogie. Or just listen.

The Human Species Isn't All That Bad

I hadn't been aware of this phenomenon until fairly recently and I was very impressed and encouraged when I did find out about it. It's the reviews of unusual or very mundane products offered on Amazon.com. I don't know how long this has been going on, but people have been writing very funny, very clever reviews and Amazon has been leaving them up.

I featured three such products. Please read the reviews for:

Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon, 128 fl. oz
Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer

How To Avoid Huge Ships

Science Vs Not Science

The highly anticipated "debate" between Bill Nye The Science Guy and Ken Ham The Not Science Guy over evolution/creation took place last Tuesday. I have not yet watched the debate, but my hubris was enough that I talked about it anyway. Actually, I talked more about the reaction to the debate, both from before and after it.

Many science-minded skeptics and scientists thought it was a bad idea for Bill to do it, but there are others who think that this sort of confrontation should be done. Ken Ham may never change his mind, but someone else listening in just might.

I have lots of links on this one:

Rebecca Watson's don't do it take.

Hemant Mehta's advice to Bill Nye.
Steve Shive's post debate review.

Here is the debate. (You'll need fast forward 13 and a half minutes.)

Phil Plait's blog review of the debate.
Daniel Loxton's blog on Carl Sagan's take on such debates.

I think that's enough links on this topic.

22 Messages

Buzzfeed.com featured 22 messages from creationists to people who believe in evolution (believe is the wrong word, accept is better). I gave my responses, but here are Phil Plait's. His are better.

And, to balance things out, Buzzfeed.com also feature 22 messages from evolution believers to creationists. I responded to those as well. So far, Phil hasn't.

Movie Recommendation: Capote (2005)

United Artists

"Ashton Kutcher survives." Those probably weren't the last words of Philip Seymour Hoffman, but nevertheless it is true, he does still live.

The great actor died this past week and I figured I should recommend one of his best performances out of a vast catalog of great performances. So, 'Capote' it is. Hoffman was awarded the Oscar for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote as he was researching the murder of a Kansas farming family for his non-fiction novel, 'In Cold Blood'.

It's a very good movie and a great performance. But it's hard to find a bad performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus

First ad break bumpers: 'Monkeys' by Echo & the Bunnymen & 'Maddox Table' by 10,000 Maniacs
Second ad break bumpers: 'Age Of Consent' by New Order & 'Los Angeles' by X
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

7.29.2012

dimland radio 7-28-12 show notes

So Painful

Not having been able to get myself to listen to the epic Gish Galloping I received from fellow Z Talker, Kale Kelly, guess what show was playing when I got to the chat room. Yep, a replay of Kale overwhelming me with his "documented facts." Oh, brother it was painful. Trust me, Kale is wrong. The consensus of virtually all archeologists and Egyptologists is that the pyramids were built by the Egyptians without the assistance of ancient aliens or Atlanteans or Bigfoot or whomever.

Here is more information on Gish Galloping and here is a great source on the building of the Egyptian pyramids.

Programming Notes

I went over some programming notes on what my plans are for the month of August. During August, I will be playing music! Yay! Both on Friday nights in the on hiatus Paradigm Shift time slot and on Saturday nights after my regular show. However, I will not be doing either music shows or my regular show August 3rd and 4th. My wife and I will be taking our son camping.

It is possible for me to pick an older Dimland Radio episode or prerecord a new show to be played in my absence. We'll see what I do.

A Night Of Unbelievable Fun

That's what the St. Paul Saints are calling August 10, 2012. The minor league baseball team in St Paul, MN will be having a night honoring atheism and skepticism. Now that's cool! And a bit of progress.

Read more about it here.

A Memory Of The Saints' Opening Night

Don Vogel was a local talk radio legend (folks in the Chicago area might also remember him) here in the Twin Cities. He was funny, he did many different voices including an excellent Howard Cosell, he wasn't political, and he was blind. He was picked by the St. Paul Saints to throw out the first pitch of their inaugural game.

I miss Don Vogel.

1987 & 1991

Netflix is awesome! They have a DVD reviewing the two most bestest events in Minnesota sports history: the Minnesota Twins' two World Series Championships. I talked a bit about what those times were like and how Jack Morris' pitching performance in Game 7 in '91 was more impressive than Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 Word Series.

Ok, I'm a homer, what are ya gonna do?

Newest Conspiracy Theory

It certainly comes as no surprise that the conspiratorially minded have found a vast conspiracy behind the madness of the shooting in Aurora, CO. Sigh.

I discussed a few alternate conspiracy theories relating to the insane event. Some were silly, but you can't prove them wrong! So they must hold water, right? Then I got serious and voiced my incredulity of conspiracy theorists being able to live their lives and have children "knowing" the so-called truth.

Good News!

Science and reason triumphs in Texas, of all places. The textbook supplements for biology classes in Texas schools will be scientifically accurate to the current knowledge of evolution. The creationist backed, unscientific fairy tale material will not be included. Way to go Texas!

Read the good news here.

Movie Recommendation: Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father (2008)

MSNBC Films

This documentary will disturb you, anger you, frustrate you, and stay with you for a long, long time. Started as a film letter to the infant son of a murdered man, but it becomes so much more. To tell you more would give too much away.

Music heard on the show (Whenever Possible, I Will Link To The Song)...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus

First ad break bumpers: 'Rocket From A Bottle' by XTC & 'You've Got Everything Now' by The Smiths
Second ad break bumpers: 'Games Without Frontiers ' by Peter Gabriel & 'Ahead' by Wire
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

1.22.2012

dimland radio 1-21-12 show notes

Show Notes Notice

Those of you who have paid close attention to my show notes know that I post pictures, often times with clever captions, along with most of the items that appeared on the show. Well, with all this SOPA and PIPPI Longstocking Congressional bills in the news lately, I've begun to think I need to be more careful to give photo credits whenever I use an image found on the internets. So, if I can't find a way to list a credit there won't be an image. Older posts will remain as is (or should that be as are?).

Ringtone Talk

First, I mentioned it was National Hug Day and that I don't do hugs, then I went into a talk about ringtones, my wife, our car breaking down, an old co-worker and other stuff.

Science News

Biologists at the University of Minnesota have done something big in evolution. They've been able to show how "single-celled organisms formed multicellular clusters that ultimately became plants and animals." It's very cool and no prayer or reliance on an invisible deity was required.

Learn more here.

Psychic Fail! What?! No! Say It Isn't So!

I saw a clip linked on Facebook. It is excellent! It's a great example of, in my opinion, cold reading by "psychic" Char Margolis. She fails tremendously! And my new hero, Larry Potash, calls her on it.

Click here to see the YouTube clip of the fail featured on WGN Morning News.

I also talked about "psychic" Char Margolis' appearance on The Larry Sanders Show. It was in 1998 (I mistakenly said '97 on the show) during season six. The episode called I Buried Sid had Char, as herself, being astoundingly psychic. Of course, Larry Sanders is fiction, so Char can be written as being so accurate.

Her real world appearance on WGN was much more reflective of reality in showing her fail miserably. At least, that's what I think.

Movie Recommendation: Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

(Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros.)

One of the few musicals I actually like. Sure, it may be the nostalgia thing, but I really enjoy movie. Maybe it's mainly due to the fantastic, if somewhat scary, performance of Gene Wilder.

And I swear you see a chicken get its head chopped off.

Updated (1-22-12):

I was right! Again! You do see a chicken get its head chopped of during the "freak out" boat ride. Follow this link and watch the 1:06 minute mark. And this was rated G!

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus
First ad break bumpers: 'Armagh' by Au Pairs & '99th Pole Position' by Hunters & Collectors
Second ad break bumpers: 'Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio ' by Ramones & 'Houses In Motion' by Talking Heads
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

9.18.2011

dimland radio 9-17-11 show notes

RIP Eleanor Mondale

Eleanor Mondale Poling 1960-2011

I broke the news on Z Talk Radio of the death of Eleanor Mondale Poling, daughter of former Vice-president Walter Mondale. She succumbed after a long battle with brain cancer September 17, 2011. I told a couple stories of my brushes (very tangential) with Eleanor.