Another U of A Dino Find

Ok its not a dinosaur, its a prehistoric post-dino mammal.

Another set of fossils boxed up and ignored for years at the University of Alberta only to reveal that they are the bones of a mysterious unkown prehistoric mammal.Few dozen fossils all that's left of one of Alberta's first mammal

Gee blow the dust off those boxes and check under the ping pong tables and see what else you can find guys. This is typical of all museums, they have boxes and boxes of 'stuff' no-one has bothered to look through, let alone catalouge and classify.

New critter solves ancient puzzle Actually that headline is misleading the critter actually creates a new puzzle, what was it?


Most confounding are the animal's teeth, which resemble in superficial ways, those of primitive relatives of ungulates, the group of mammals which includes horses and cows. But despite that link to ungulates, which are traditionally herbivores, Horolodectes was thought to have dined on small insects and grubs. "It had sharp crests on the teeth which formed blades, indicating it was likely carnivorous," said Craig Scott, a PhD candidate and lead author of the study. Horolodectes means 'hourglass biter', in reference to the creature's peculiar hourglass-shaped pre-molars, the teeth between the canine and the molars. The very tall, sharp pre-molars are unlike any others so far discovered in the mammal world. "There is nothing else with teeth quite like it," Craig said. Researchers give name to ancient mystery creature

The oddly shaped teeth of a prehistoric mystery creature are responsible for its new name

For the first time, researchers at the University of Alberta have been able to put a name and a description to an ancient mammal that still defies classification.

See

Dinosuars

Fossils

Prehistoric

Monsters



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RCMP Terror

State terrorism by the State Police; RCMP, was justified under the Canadian Security Act and under the Official Secrets Act. Both of which have now been challenged as unconsitutional.

Secrecy law quashed, RCMP admonished
An Ontario judge struck down a federal official secrets law yesterday, saying that the RCMP tried to use it to intimidate an Ottawa journalist into revealing who had leaked her material in the Maher Arar affair.

All these violations occured under the Liberals but the opposition Conservatives under Harper, Kenney, Day etc. demanded even more draconian actions at the time.

Now they are the government they have white washed the criticisms of the RCMP and CSIS and have done nothing about the reccomendations of the O'Conner report on the Arar case. Now this. Will they appeal, probably they are the government now.

No wonder they hate the courts, judges and our civil rights. They are after all the self described party of Law and Order, which means they are anti-libertarian statists.


See:

Arar

RCMP


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Tell It To The Conservatives

Someone should tell the Conservatives this.
Britain and the Netherlands will on Friday attempt to force climate change to the top of the EU's agenda, warning that the world is only 10-15 years away from “a catastrophic tipping point”.

Since their hot air act announced yesterday won't come into effect until it's too late.Tories would half greenhouse gases by 2050

See;

Ambrose

Environment


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More Porridge

More evidence for the Goldilocks Enigma.....

Scientists prove that parts of cell nuclei are not arranged at random from PhysOrg.com

The nucleus of a mammal cell is made up of component parts arranged in a pattern which can be predicted statistically, says new research published today. Scientists hope this discovery that parts of the inside of a cell nucleus are not arranged at random will give greater insight into how cells work and could eventually lead to a greater understanding of how they become dysfunctional in diseases like cancer.
The study, published today in PLoS Computational Biology, involved systems biologists working together with mathematicians to identify, for the first time, 'spatial relationships' governing the distribution of an important control protein in the nucleus, in relation to other components within the nuclei of mammal cells.

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Goldilocks Enigma

Life is not a box of chocolates it is a bowl of porridge.

Why life is a bowl of porridge

Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Goldilocks. Her story of hunger, peril and a bowl of porridge that was “just right” is probably familiar to most of us. In most tellings, the fairy tale doesn’t mention whether our golden-haired heroine spent much time pondering why the bear family residence should contain a seat, a serving of porridge and a bed, all of which are ideally suited to a young human. As far as she was concerned, that’s just how it was.

But physicist Paul Davies, author of the bestseller The Mind of God, thinks perhaps she should have given it some thought. His new book, due out next month, takes the blonde waif’s name and applies it to rather more interesting question - why is the universe just right for life?

In The Goldilocks Enigma, published by Allen Lane, Davies suggests that one of the most significant facts about the universe is that we are part of it. Although, at first glance, the existence of life seems irrelevant to cosmology, he argues, in fact the universe is “just right” for the existence of life, and the development of intelligence, in a rather spooky way.

The British Physicist Paul Davies was interviewed on BBC Hard Talk about his pantheist views of a living universe based on his book the Goldilocks Enigma.
As a physicist I was impressed with his breadth of scientific perspective on our living universe, especially his emphasis that most of his colleagues fail to appreciate biology and its importance.

That the universe is designed to become self-concious, I am paraphrasing, which is why conciousness in humans, sentience, is so important, not an after thought. He used as an example of self depreciating arrogance Stephen Hawkings comment that humans were simply a pile of scum on a planet of no importance.

WHO hasn't ever wondered why we are all here, or whether there's a purpose? Or if we will ever find satisfactory answers to such questions? The "Goldilocks enigma" is the puzzle of why life can exist in the universe; in other words, why the cosmos is "just right" - like the porridge in the famous fairy tale. Unlike the plethora of popular science books that subtly skew themselves towards addressing "cosmic" questions, this one tackles them head-on. It is a crash course in cutting-edge cosmology and an encounter with a mind-bending universe that gives birth to itself. From issue 2571 of New Scientist magazine, 30 September 2006, page 60

Davies argues that the universe has a design and a plan, and he was vehment that this is not ID which is just creationism in scientistic clothing. It is actually closer to the pantheistic idea that the universe is alive, a self-creating conciousness that is in a state of becoming concious of itself. Which may be the humble role we play in the great big picture, that rather than being pond scum, our development of rational, reasoning processes, that see the big picture, the big bang, the infintesmily small components of atomic particles, act as a meme for the universe in which we are a part. It is part of sciences attempt at the elegant theory of everything. Not Deus ex Machina but Deus est Homo.

Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Masters of the universe

Paul Davies goes a long way towards suggesting that he believes the creation of life to be somehow the 'goal' of the universe without suggesting that it is the work of a higher intelligence or God. That is to say he tends towards the belief that the principle of life 'builds purpose into the workings of the cosmos at a fundamental (rather than an incidental) level, without positing an unexplained pre-existing purposive agent to inject purpose miraculously.' (Read that twice.) This belief is his tentative solution to the 'Goldilocks Enigma', the 'reason' why planets such as our own are 'not too hot and not too cold but just right'. Davies is prepared to let this sense of purpose remain unexplained, but to propose that the universe is somehow geared toward its own understanding, because only 'self-consistent loops capable of understanding themselves can create for themselves, so that only universes with (at least the potential for) life really exist'. (Read that three times.)

Michael Frayn and Paul Davies tackle an astronomical topic in Making Sense of the Universe.

This ippr discussion in association with the New Humanist, featured Michael Frayn, author of The Human Touch: Our Part in the Creation of a Universe and Paul Davies, physicist and author of The Goldilocks Enigma: Why is the Universe Just Right for Life?

At this event, both writers posed some provocative questions such as: Is our existence a lucky fluke or does it have meaning? Why should the universe be so exquisitely bio-friendly? Is there even a universe 'out there' or, is it an artefact of consciuosness, a projection of the stories we tell about it?

For interesting debate in the blogs see:

Not Even Wrong » Blog Archive » The Goldilocks Enigma

Science In Crisis: The Goldilocks Enigma

Theodora's Kut and the Goldilocks Enigma

mutations of mortalityIntelligent Design

What makes the universe just right for life?

Meaning of it all

See:

Deist

Cosmology

Monism

Dialectics

Intelligent Design

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Seal Hunt Divorce

Sir Paul McCartney's wife is divorcing him for cruelty and abuse. Did he beat her with a seal on the iceflows of Newfoundland?

Or was it a clever ploy by the Tories aginst seal hunt protests? Homewrecker Hearn takes credit for busting up McCartney marriage

And since Fisheries Minister Loyla Hearn is taking credit for their divorce, this must be why he is banning further seal hunt protests, cause family values are important to the New Conservative Government. And he doesn't want to cause anymore divorces.

See:

Seal Hunt

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Confidentiality

So how does saying this breach caucus confidentiality?

"Climate change is the greatest all-round threat this country faces, and ... my nation's government should not let us down with half-measures, a curtsy to junk science or a sellout to the tar sands." - Garth Turner

Of course it doesn't. The Stalinist purge of Garth Turner had to be at the behest of the Great Leader himself, despite the denials from his syncophants like Senator Lebreton or strategist Geoff Norquay.

Stephen Taylor the Blogging Tory does the parties dirty work by trying to expose the violation of caucus confidentiality that was the excuse used to purge Garth. Except it isn't. And furthermore if it was and this violation occured last May then why did it take six months to deal with it?! And Taylor spreads the myth that both caucuses were unanimous in their decision. Turner says the Ontario caucus was not unanimous, and NO vote was taken at the National caucus. Oh who to believe.

The fact is this had nothing to do with caucus confidentiality., but his outspoken blogging. Free speech is not a Tory priority. The blog musings of MP Garth Turner

Another Tory blogger thinks it was because the party thought Garth leaked the environment documents. Nice theory but the fact is the environment movement had those draft documents provided by the Environment department when they 'consulted' with them this summer.

Yet another justifies the purge of Turner because he used his position as an MP and his blog to promote Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party. He did, but only after he was purged.

But it does have to do with the environment. And the Tories announcement today that will be less than what anyone wants, including Garth. So he had to go. The Tories did not need Garth attacking them from the back bench. Bad optics. Dissension in the party, then the media would ask how come the other Conservative MP's don't speak their minds. Why are they in lock step with the Great Leader, who himself spoke out when he was a Reform MP. But that was then this is now.

Yep if Garth was allowed to stay he would have been more embarssing then the kerfuffle over his purge would be, was probably the thinking in the PMO and Party election planning office.

And let's be honest you are a minority government, when you purge an MP its a big deal, it's one less government vote. And unlike same sex marriage, this vote on their environment policy will need to be whipped, and Garth was vocal on not being whipped on this issue.

That was why his office was being stripped and his online blogging was offline yesterday, as the caucus voted him out, the Party movers where cleaning out his office. You don't do that without the knowledge of the PMO.

The Blogging Tories are having mixed reactions to the Harper Dictatorship,some taking cheap shots at Turner a real conservative-libertarian, a Progressive Conservative who is following Reform Party principles. Others in the BT are defending him. And to their credit they have not purged him from their blogroll.

In Canada today there is one political issue that will make or break the Harper government. It's the issue that will be front an centre next election, for the Conservatives and the Opposition. It's an issue that was never one of the Conservatives five priorities.

"It's the environment, stupid".

See

Garth Turner Green MP

Was It Something I Said?

Don't P.O. Garth

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Garth Turner Green MP

Now that he is turfed out of the Conservatives will Garth Turner join the Green Party to become the first sitting MP for that party? This is from his weblog last night.....Elizabeth May is the leader of the Green Party.

May insists no, as I bring her into the foyer of the House – forbidden territory, since she is not an elected MP – for an interview with MPtv. She says she’d be only too happy to congratulate Ambrose on a knock-out climate change strategy document, but quickly adds that she doesn’t expect to be doing so. I find the woman to be sharp, engaging and surprisingly political, weaving in anti-Conservative messages that seem to go deep beyond the environmental file. She’s also a networker, taking full advantage of my delivering her to this sacred spot to buttonhole Liberal environment critic John Godfrey and try to catch the eye of some of the media gods.

May is clearly frustrated that while she leads a national party with federal funding and candidates in every riding, she likely will not be part of any leaders’ debate in the next election or, for that matter, be taken seriously enough by these reporters milling around. So, this week is as crucial to her as it is to Ambrose. The stakes are enormous for both of them, just as they are for Canadians.

And I am not the only one to think so;

Garth Turner - Canada's first Green MP?

Green Garth?



See

Garth Turner Green MP

Was It Something I Said?

Don't P.O. Garth

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Bi-Partisanship

Here is the reality of American political bi-partisanship.

Congressmen say sea lion hunt necessary
Sea lions are protected by federal law. But Republican Doc Hastings and Democrat Brian Baird said they will introduce a bill that would let officials from the two states, as well as American Indians, quickly obtain permits to kill a limited number of sea lions that are going after salmon in the Columbia. Michael Garrity, associate director of American Rivers, an environmental group, objects to the bill, saying dams and the degradation of salmon species' habitat is more to blame for their decline in numbers. "It seems like whenever the federal government's failures to restore these salmon become obvious, you often see relatively minor problems like sea lions scapegoated," Garrity said.

Both parties of capitalism share a common species chauvinism that is based on viewing ecosystems as 'resources'. In this case pitting species in an eco-system under destruction by capitalism, against each other claiming that the sea lions are the reason for the destruction of salmon stocks.

Not unlike those that blame the seals on the Atlantic coast for the destruction of the cod stocks when we know it is offshore industrial fisihing trawlers from Europe that have overfished the grand banks.

In the case of west coast salmon it is again a case of commercial overfishing, and environmental degradation of their spawning grounds thanks to commercial logging and mining.

The decline in the Orca population that feeds off sea mammals like the Sea Lion are in decline. The two types of Orca have a symbiotic relationship with each other and are crucial to the eco-reality of salmon stocks. Orca's that eat sea mammals provide reduction in competition for Orca's that eat salmon.

See:

Our Whales Are Missing

High Crimes On The High Sea's

After Montreal A View From the Past

Ecology=Equality

Seals

Social Ecology



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Daves Not Here, Man

We will never know...Marijuana may slow progression of Alzheimer's....because the Tories canceled the research into medical marijuana use...

For the younger generation Dave's not here, man is a comedy routine by Cheech and Chong. It makes fun of the myth that marijuana causes short term memory loss. Which is funny in this context because a drug that has been seen as causing short term memory loss is being used to end long term memory loss.

Tommy Chong was just released from jail in the U.S. is a former Calgarian, just like Stevie boy. He was busted for selling water pipes, somethng legal in Canada right now. But in his home town of Calgary the wife of King Ralph reccomended banning drug paraphenalia in her report on crystal meth.


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