This great pic of Albert Einstein was photographed by Oren J. Turner (1947) and comes from wikipedia.org. The quote — which is all over the Web — suggests that maybe I’ve been a tad too harsh in my judgement of scientists. I suppose there must be a few good blokes out there — just like there are in politics and BIG business — if someone can tell me where they’re hiding, please let me know.

A human being is part of the whole, called by us “universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, has thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

There’s no doubt about it — this world gets crazier by the day!

It seems to me that if we create genetically identical animals, it’s going to have repercussions we don’t yet know about (because they haven’t been around long enough) — isn’t it genetic diversity that provides the resilience and strength of a species against illness and adverse conditions?

This is just one more reason to read the label and make sure were your food is coming from — you won’t get me eating these frankenfoods intentionally.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there’s nothing more dangerous than a scientist! Well, one thing maybe: a corporation that gets the scent of a profit making possibility.

Three years after the Food and Drug Administration first hinted that it might permit the sale of milk and meat from cloned animals, prompting public reactions that ranged from curiosity to disgust, the agency is poised to endorse marketing of the mass-produced animals for public consumption.

The decision, expected by the end of this year, is based largely on new data indicating that milk and meat from cloned livestock and their offspring pose no unique risks to consumers. | Link

Very cool! This is the first color image of Mars from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Link

For a while now, I’ve been reading how calorie restriction may extend life so I thought it was time to stick something about it on my blog.

This is another study that seems to suggest that when people substantially cut their calorie intake they may also enjoy the 30% increase in longevity discovered a while back when these tests were performed on rats and lower life forms.

In a nutshell: cutting calories may work to extend life by reducing body temperature and levels of insulin, as well as by decreasing DNA damage.

These traits are also associated with maintaining a low-carb or a carbohydrate controlled diet.

A British research team has observed some of the biggest sea swells ever measured. A whole series of giant waves that were so big, they shouldn’t even exist. Link.

It’s 30 degrees Celsius here today — so if you’re feeling the heat watch a man throwing boiling water into the air in Saskatchewan during a typical mid-winter, -40c day. It’s very cooling! | Link

THE chances of a British person falling ill with avian flu will be as low as 1 in 100 million even if the virus infects birds in Britain, the Government’s chief scientist said yesterday. Link

You gotta love these scientists. They know everything, and nothing. In this case the UK’s chief scientist is claiming that bird flu is nothing to worry about. Well, I suppose that’s true — there’s not much to worry about if you don’t go around kissing chickens or eating them rare.

However, what this know-all statical maven hasn’t mentioned is this: If — and maybe it’s a small if and maybe it’s a big fat if — but if the virus mutates — I mean we’ve all seen the movie and viruses do mutate and become airborne. Well, if that happens, this scientist won’t be too worried, he’ll be holed-up in his specially controlled environment laboratory along with the politicians who are also telling us not to worry.

Us — that’s me and you — well be out here standing in various lines, wearing a government issued smog mask, arguing with some equally scared 20 year old army sergeant and dropping dead like flies.