Yeah, I tried it too and was able to raise my finger, then I looked at the video again and observed he has his ARM at a 30 degree angle to the table surface. When I tried it that way, I was unable to raise the finger. LAying my arm FLAT on the table was what allowed me to raise my finger.

See! When reproducing someones work, we have to reproduce ALL the parameters exactly.

GAry 7

As for the finger thing and spinning your feet; I can do both. It requires a lot of concentration to keep the foot going clockwise when I make the 6; and my third finger doesn’t move very much…

The finger movement test doesn’t work with me – I can move the third finger regardless of whether the second or fourth (pinky) finger is disabled.

Perhaps you should check out this special school

J/P=?

I understand your need to defend them, and I even respect your views, but I must still disagree with a great deal of it. Part of the problem is that they’re unflinching accommodationists, and would like to use kid gloves on religious drivel. They feel that offending moderates is what’s keeping the greater general public from embracing science and reason. Well, I don’t think we have to play that game.

The age of having one key scientific icon is pretty much gone. It used to be that an Einstein could singularly represent all that was good in science. Eventually however, peddling religious views took over the sense of awe amongst the general public, and considering that the West was fighting against a communist menace that was areligious, we’re left with ashes of what was once an accepting public. Sure, many of them were able to put their religious beliefs to one side and look at science from a healthy perspective, but those days have become extremely complicated. You are correct in your assertion that as a whole, scientists may not be doing enough to educate the public. But it’s not necessarily their job to stand there clapping there hands, whistling, and juggling keys in front of ignorant masses. It helps to have individuals like yourself who are bridges between the two, but honestly, 99.9% of science is done by extensive collaboration with little credit that can go to any one individual. If all of these people had better public educational skills, it would probably detract from the work they actually had to do.

@John Keller, I misspoke. I should have done more research on those specifics.

Bush had John Marburger as his science advisor and he was at odds with Bush over Intelligent Design. He said,

“Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory.” and “I don’t regard Intelligent Design as a scientific topic.”

Do some goggling

Anyway, I know (of) Dame Jocelyn; I have absolutely no recollection of the name of her supervisor got/stole her Nobel Price.

She was VC for Bath Uni shortly while I was there.

See: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/branson-unveils-his-latest-enterprise/story-e6frg6so-1225808396321

Personally, I sure would love to go on this – but not until the price falls a lo-ooong way down and space travel becomes as routine as air travel.

Even then, I’d probably still be too broke. Sigh.

On the other hand, had he come off as calm and smug I’d have enjoyed it immensely.

No way, Phil! Next you’ll be telling me that Glenn Beck is not a real journalist, and is, in fact, a complete and utter moron that hasn’t got a clue about what he talks about? That my friend, would be taking it too far!

5) My friend, the Aussie skeptic Richard Saunders appeared on national TV and handed an astrologer his head.

I’m saddened by this news. Skepticism has lost a giant. A headless Richard Saunders, I fear, will not carry the same weight as when he carried his head proudly on his shoulders instead of under his arm.

I started to watch the YouTube video, got as far as the triple-screen, then had to stop, because I just feel for the poor-looking guy. Can someone post a brief summary of the conversation?

Sort of a shame, really… knowing now that it could have been worth a few coin as a bar bet.

Oh, and the CO2 pouring is a really cool demonstration. Really worth a “Whoa!!” moment when done with friends around.

You’re right about the difference between bicarbonate of soda and baking powder, but the names for them are no different here in the UK than that in the US.

And hah!!! I can do the finger thing! (I guess I must be some freak mutant then…)

- Um, an astronomer?

weird Scandinavian spinny thingies

Aka failed Russian rockets. Remember children, scandinavians can spin anything.