Month: July 2011

Apple is Richer than U.S.

“With news that the United States Treasury could default on Monday if the Democrats and Republicans in Washington, DC don’t compromise and raise the debt limit, it has been revealed that Apple — the manufacturer of the iPod and the iPad — has more money on hand than the United States Treasury. The US Treasury currently has a balance of just under $73.8 billion incash and securities, but when you compare that to Steve Jobs’ Apple, it has a 3% advantage on the US Government with $76.2 billion in cash and marketablesecurities on hand, according to June statements.”  (Reference)

Bios Urn

Spanish designer Martin Azua has created a product called Bios Urn. It takes “going green” to life after your death.

His Bios Urn is a biodegradable urn made from coconut shell, compacted peat and cellulose and inside it contains the seed of a tree. Once your remains have been placed into the urn, it can be planted and then the seed germinates and begins to grow. You even have the choice to pick the type of plant you would like to become, depending on what kind of planting space you prefer.

The Vicious Cycle

Lionel Tiger, in his book “God’s Brain”, implies that religion is just a chemical reaction, no more no less. To explain a universe where the precise tuning of all the physical constants and physical laws make intelligent life possible, I think the more rational thought process is to believe in a creator.

I tend to agree with Stephen Hawking who said “It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us”.

Believing in a creator is not blind faith – look around you, interact with others, read poetry, listen to music, go to an art gallery – the universe has a purpose and we will meet the creator one day.

Even Richard Dawkins says “There could be something incredibly grand and incomprehensible and beyond our current understanding”. Yes – he has just described God.

I believe religion should stay out of the scientific debate. However, I also feel science should generally steer clear of the philosophical or ethical debate. Science cannot tell us what the purpose of the universe is, or whether it has a purpose. We are like insects in a sphere. We have no idea what is going on outside the sphere.

Nose and Ears Never Stop Growing

Did you know our nose and ears never stop growing?

That’s right. Bones, stop growing after puberty and muscle and fat cells also stop dividing. But cartilage – that’s the plastic-like stuff in ears and noses – cartilage continues to grow until the day you die. Not only does cartilage grow, but the earlobes elongate from gravity. And that makes ears look even larger.

Your Brain On Google

Evidently, Google is playing an important role in how your brain is evolving in handling information. A recent research study published on Science magazine titled “Google Effects on Memory” shows that our strategies are shifting in learning. It is based on the concept called “transactive memory”.

According to this theory, people divide the labor of remembering certain types of shared information. For example, a husband might rely on his wife to remember significant dates, while she relies on him to remember the names of distant friends and family—and this frees both from duplicating the memories in their own brains. So, now it seems Google is filling this role for everyone, representing an enormous collective act of transactive memory.

What, Me Worry?

On our last several group bicycle rides, we have had dog encounters. My friend took a nasty looking fall several weeks ago when couple of dogs chased us. It happened at half way point of our 40 mile route and we were a long way from our cars. Fortunately, we didn’t have to call 911. He was able to get up and finish our ride.

Once again on our past weekend’s ride, couple of mean looking dogs started to chase us. My friend, now having phobia about dogs, with panic on his eyes, started to yell and scream very loud. They stopped with an incredible fear in their eyes!

Oh by the way, they do have leash laws. But, we ride in country roads and not urban roads. These rural counties have other priorities than chasing after loose dogs. Also, some of these country folks in Texas are not bicycle friendly.

Sharing an interesting response for this post from a fellow cyclist:

“When I lived there and rode out in Hockley, Waller, and Hempstead, I didn’t measure my rides in miles. I measured them in dogs. A ‘7 dog ride’ was a bad ride, a ‘1 dog ride’ was a really good ride…. On the 7 dog ride, (only once), I swore the dogs called ahead to each other to warn the others I was coming….”

Fireworks

Today’s Independence Day celebration will be without fireworks in most areas.  They were banned because of draught conditions here in Texas. Dogs are probably reveling on this news.  My dog, for example, is happy for not having to spend the entire night under the bed.