Get Cynical

Visions of Science is a photographic awards scheme organised by Novartis Pharmaceuticals to encourage ongoing discussion about science.

So, what is a Vision of Science? To the judges of the Awards, a Vision of Science is an attention-grabbing image that gives new insight into the world of science and the workings of nature. It may show something never seen before, it may explain a scientific phenomenon, it may illustrate scientific data or it may simply be an image that shows the beauty of science.

COLONIE — There’s a new drinking policy at Siena College.

No drinking.

Of anything.

Even water. Or iced tea. Or coffee, Red Bull or lemonade. Or vodka or beer, for that matter, in case anybody gets any bright ideas.

According to a policy dated Sept. 17, students are “no longer allowed to consume alcohol or any other beverage in any type of container outside of their townhouse or in any public area on campus.”

College officials maintain the rule is meant to increase security after a spate of off-campus party crashers showed up early this semester, and police responded to noisy gatherings outside student apartments. Some outsiders were arrested for burglarizing apartments during those parties, using the hurly-burly for cover.

Because students weren’t abiding by campus rules to register all outside guests, officials decided they had to crack down to reduce the gatherings. “Safety first, that’s what it’s all about,” Siena spokeswoman Janet Gianopoulos said.

But does the new policy also mean a person who buys a Pepsi in a vending machine on the Loudonville campus and opens it on one of the lush quads is breaking the rules?

Yes, Gianopoulos said. But they can crack open that drink once they reach their residence, she added.

In the great pantheon of contractual obligation records, there is the noisy (Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music), the brassy (Neil Young’s This Note’s For You) and the phony (Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Record).

And then there is Van Morrison’s Bang Records Sessions.

In order to fulfill his obligation to his early solo label Bang Records,Van Morrison sat down in 1967 or so and cranked out 31 songs on the spot, on topics ranging from ringworm to wanting a danish, to hating his record label and a guy named George. Make sure you get past the first few tunes – it takes him a few to get cooking.

A file that big?
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.

Containing the most effective sunblock ingredient, Sunblock for Nails helps prevent your nail color from yellowing and fading caused by damaging UV rays. Sunblock for Nails will keep your polished nails looking fresh for up to 10 days.

Like everyone else at first, I thought the NASA/Google announcement yesterday would just be a real estate transaction: NASA has lots of empty land at Moffett Field, and Google wants to build a showcase office complex relatively near their current headquarters. No big deal.

Boy, was I wrong.

In what will likely go down in history as the moment when the Google executive staff proved once and for all that they had completely lost touch with reality, Google announced they are going to collaborate with NASA on “sensors, new materials, bio-info-nanotechnology, and recruiting entrepreneurs into the space program.”

No. I am not making this up. A company which to this date has made 99.99% of all its revenue by selling advertising is now planning to branch out into nanotechnology and spaceflight. Because as we all know, running a business selling tiny classified ads on people’s blogs translates perfectly into orbital mechanics and life sciences. WHAT. THE. FUCK.? Methinks some people did a few too many drugs at Burning Man this year..

Jeff, who graciously took a portion of his time (the tortoise wasn’t racing away anywhere), told me that ‘Franklin’ is a 3-year-old African Spur Tortoise (or Geochelone sulcata as it’s known in scientific terminology) and that he’s cared for Franklin since he was smaller than the palm of his hand. Though, he wasn’t a cheap purchase, Jeff and his family consider ‘Franklin’ to be an excellent value for a pet, who will probably live longer than most of us. Apparently, Tortoises can live an average of 60-80 years, with some living over the ripe age of 100! Astoundingly, he already weighs in at around 25 pounds but can grow up to 200!