I just had to say that I stepped outside the door a few minutes ago, and it is 60°F! And almost all the snow is gone! And the sky is blue! And there are birds chirping in the trees!
I think aliens kidnapped me while I wasn’t looking and have transported me to a strange and distant world. But the internet still works here!
…and you were thinking of stopping by the U to see the moon rocks at 7, you could also drop by Old No. 1 on Atlantic Avenue at 6 to join us for Drinking Liberally. Morris is a happenin’ town tonight, isn’t it?
Is there anyone in the Stevens County area who reads this blog? Just in case, I’ll mention this event sponsored by the UMM Geology Club to anyone interested in coming on down.
Geology Club will be displaying lunar rocks and soil samples collected during
the Apollo missions to the moon this Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. in Sci.
1650. These rocks are brought to us by Geology Professor Jamey Jones, which
he currently has on loan from NASA. This event is open to the public, so
come and check it out!What: Super cool moon rocks!!
Date: Thursday, March 22
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Sci. 1650 (the Physical Geology lab)For some cool information about the lunar rocks, check out this link:
http://cda.morris.umn.edu/%7Ejonesjv/petrology/moonrocks.html
I got a request to spread the word around Minnesota—the anti-vaxers are gearing up again to push a silly bill in the Minnesota congress. I’ve put the letter below. If any of these people are your representatives, contact them and tell them they are being very, very silly.
There’s supposed to be a hearing next week on a bill that would limit the use of vaccines containing thimerosal, because of the belief that they may cause autism. This is the third year that this bill has been presented, and it keeps failing, but they keep bringing it back up, even though it’s clearer now than ever that there is no connection between the two – there’s been no more than trace amounts of thimerosal in childhood vaccines made since 2001, and more autism than ever in kids too young to have been exposed to it. This isn’t just bad science: it’s the Legislature telling parents they can’t trust their pediatricians, and giving credence to the quacks who want to treat autistic kids with chelation, homeopathy, hyperbaric oxygen, high-dose vitamin supplements, and all manner of other dubious remedies.
Perhaps you would be willing to spread the word that the committee members who will be voting on this bill (Senate File 1780) need to hear the scientific viewpoint? Especially the ones who are co-sponsors of the bill – including John Marty, committee chair, who just went down about four hundred notches in my estimation. I’ll append a couple of links for background and the committee list. I imagine you have a lot of MN readers who may be constituents of the committee members.
Thanks!
Lisa Randall
(an amateur immunization advocate who has experienced the lunacy first-hand)
Background and statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics
Committee (co-authors’ names are in bold):
Chair: John Marty* (DFL-54)
Roseville
651-296-5645Vice Chair: Patricia Torres Ray* (DFL-62)
Minneapolis
651-296-4274Paul E. Koering (R-12)
Fort Ripley
651-296-4875Linda Berglin (DFL-61)
Minneapolis
651-296-4261John P. Doll (DFL-40)
Burnsville
651-296-5975Sharon L. Erickson Ropes* [RN] (DFL-31)
Winona
651-296-5649Michelle L. Fischbach (R-14)
Paynesville
651-296-2084David W. Hann (R-42)
Eden Prairie
651-296-1749Linda Higgins (DFL-58)
Minneapolis
651-296-9246Debbie J. Johnson (R-49)
Ham Lake
651-296-3219Tony Lourey* (DFL-08)
Kerrick
651-296-0293Ann Lynch (DFL-30)
Rochester
651-296-4848Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-07)
Duluth
651-296-4188Betsy L. Wergin* (R-16)
Princeton
651-296-8075
Now on top of my usual creationists, I can thank Lynn Margulis for drawing in the HIV denialists that plague Tara‘s site, and this for the anti-vaxers from Orac‘s. Obviously, I need to put up something about global warming next. I’m going to call this little game Poketroll — collect them all!
In case anyone here was still worried about the saga of the rotting bat corpse on some nice furniture, Nic McPhee reports that Goo Gone works like magic.
What kind of wimps are they out there at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities branch? They canceled classes! Just because of a major snowstorm!
We’ll have to see what happens—it’s on the way to the western campus (us) and should hit this evening. I’d also like to know why winter has dawdled about getting here until March and now is trying to give us a whole season’s worth of snow in two weeks.
We faculty at UMM are about to go off to a Campus Assembly meeting, which is always good for making one thirsty. Fortunately, there’s a Drinking Liberally scheduled for tonight, at 6:00, at Old #1—it would be a great idea if we all stopped in for a little refreshment and conversation afterwards.
This is, of course, wide open to everyone of the liberal persuasion, so townies, out-of-townies, and students are also welcome to stop by.
Ah, I’m back home again, and just in time…the snow started falling just as I crossed the Morris city limits.
OK, so should I just retire and hand over the keys to the blog to Skatje? She’s taking over my territory now. Whippersnapper.
It took it’s own sweet time about getting here, but it’s finally winter in Morris.
Daytime high of -10°F, and it’s supposed to drop down to -25°F tonight. This is definitely stay-inside-and-snuggle-under-a-quilt weather.
