> [Original Message] > From: What's New <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 9/22/2006 2:29:09 PM Subject: [BOBPARKS-WHATSNEW] What's New Friday September 22, 2006
WHAT'S NEW Robert L. Park Friday, 22 Sep 06 Washington, DC 1. POLYGRAPH: SCIENCE MOVED ON FEDERAL AGENCIES NEVER NOTICED. Eighteen years ago, WN said, "the polygraph can't tell a lie from the sex act," http://bobpark.physics.umd.edu/WN88/wn030488.html . It still can't, but Monday, the Office of the Inspector General of the the Justice Department released a 20-page report on the use of the polygraph by the Justice Department. The polygraph is used slightly less as an investigative tool (recall it failed to expose the Green River killer). But it is used increasingly to screen employees (recall it missed CIA super-mole Aldrich Ames, and has never uncovered a single spy). Meanwhile, brain research became the hottest frontier after physicists developed fMRI brain scanning, revealing what really goes on in our heads. The report never mentions all the unrefuted science showing the polygraph is worse than useless. Nor does it mention fMRI research advances. 2. DSCOVR LIVES: IT'S IN A BOX AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER. An article in the September issue of Seed magazine reports that the Deep Space Climate Observatory, built to measure Earth's albedo, is not entirely dead yet. It will remain in its box "until the political winds send it to its rightful place at L1." 3. GLOBAL WARMING: THE BAD NEWS IS THAT GAS PRICES ARE FALLING. Waiting for the problem to solve itself after we exhaust fossil fuel reserves has a significant downside. So who's waiting? California is suing six automakers for environmental damage from auto emissions. The British Royal Society charged that Exxon funds groups like the Competitive Enterprise Institute to spread misleading information about climate change. Sir Richard Branson says billions of dollars in his profits from Virgin companies will be invested in alternative energy, and a lot of billionaires in Forbes list of the world's richest people are investing in the same thing. Ford and Chevrolet are sinking under the weight of the SUV gas hogs they turn out (unfortunately, it's their workers who will pay the price). All this from higher gas prices? Let's shoot for $4 gas. But not everyone gets the message. A GM spokesman sought to counter California's suit by pointing out that GM is working on hydrogen-powered vehicles. Sigh! 4. APOLOGIA: TRUTH IS GOOD, BUT THE WHOLE TRUTH WOULD BE BETTER. Actually, I wasn't there. I only know what I heard on the news. People chanting "Death to the Pope!" didn't do much for their cause, whatever that is. It seems the Pope had quoted some 14th century Byzantine Emperor about the Prophet's command to spread the faith by the sword. If so, he might have added a little balance. In the 16th century, Francisco Pizarro, with the help of smallpox, conquered the Inca Empire, while Hernan Cortes, with the same ally, conquered the mighty Aztecs. They reportedly invoked the name of Santiago Matamoros ("St James the Moor- killer") as they went into battle. People did bad things. THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND. Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the University of Maryland, but they should be. --- Archives of What's New can be found at http://www.bobpark.org What's New is moving to a different listserver and our subscription process has changed. To change your subscription status please visit this link: http://listserv.umd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=bobparks-whatsnew&A=1
