What’s Going on @ Sillydog Media

I made a new gallery of abstract photos — many of which I took quite some time ago.  It’s nice to see them again.

I just had a review of Zach’s Shack go up on wCities.

Thoguh I don’t live in the Hawthorne neighborhood exactly, I visit fairly regularly and will think of them first if I’m in the area after midnight for some damn decent eats. They do veggie dogs on whatever at no extra cost. The cream ale they have on tap is to die for. In fact, the only thing that isn’t top notch is are the buns, which are adequate, though quite good for $3.

Regardless, I highly recommend it.
Anyhow, I didn’t want to tell everyone about Wenesday trivia night after 9pm, just in case it gets too popular for comfort. Now, you know, so shhhh….

Did I mention they’re open every single day ’til 3am?  Whee!

or, reality as we know it, anyhow.

I’ve been lucky enough to have written several articles recently on topics of science and para-science (ones that, sadly, I cannot share with you just yet — soon) that are of particular interest to me. A recent one that is a bit more of the mainstream science varity, though I cosndier the topics related, is about Quantum Computing.

Now - on to my rant:

It turns out that some people who identify themselves as “clever,” seem to believe in quite a few seemingly silly things — but are they? Take “The Secret,” for example. I’ve had reason to study this “movement” lately, and they claim to use certain aspects of Quantum Mechanics as a potential explanation for some theories that don’t entirely make sense when you sit down and do the most rudimentary mental math. Well, most physicists don’t care for the association much, but you’ve always got some wing-nuts who are more than happy to be interviewed for a film.

I still think anything that associates itself with a multi-level marketing venture is a bit shady, to say the least. However, I believe some of the people associated are actually sincere in their own way about it. If Wikipedia is to be believed, (Read on …)

So, you know we’re not talking about a small amount of money — US $30 million, in fact.

This particular grant is specifically designed to support clonally produced crops that the tropical world is especially dependent upon, such as taro and cassava. No matter how you feel about the edibility of any such crops, you’ll have to admit, it would really suck to loose the ability to cultivate the potato or onion due to an agricultural disaster.

I contnue to be impressed with the way Gates has redistributed income from the more developed world to less developed nations.
Check out the article I wrote for NewsETA

and more to the point, why it’s not in the current interest of the current U.S. Executive administration to support the science that’s mounting on Organics.  It reminds me to a little controversy that people used to have about climate change.

In my new role as science blogger @ News ETA, I wrote another article, this time on a health related topic. It ended up a bit longer than I’d have liked, but my knowledge of organic ag and the science behind it is, frankly, pretty comprehensive (as it should be after 5 years of college); so I tend to be a bit long-winded, despite my best efforts.

I’ve been picked up as a paid journalist for a new, rated, citizen news site called News ETA.  I’ll be in charge of contributing some high end content for the science and technology section of the website.  My first article is on a space theme, discussing the controversy surrounding the spectrographic discovery of water vapour aruond an extrasolar planet in the Pegasus system, sometimes called Osiris.

I know, nerds have a warped sense of humour.

The site isn’t exactly live yet, but you can take a look at this article and rate it, in the meanwhile.  Aside from two typos, I’m pleased with it as a first effort.  Let me know what you think.

I’ve started writing a new series of articles for wCities by where I review places that have a special day. For instance, Roots Brewery has $2.50 pints every Tuesday, and that’s nearly half off regular prices. Those in the know go on Tuesdays. Now, thanks to me, you’re in the know too.

On Monday nights, I am very fond of a bar I’m not normally fond of at all, Dante’s. There you’ll find Clyde Lewis’ Ground Zero Radio being recorded live every Monday night. Not only is it arguably the coolest thing they do there, but it’s also the only thing you can see there without a cover. Matt was actually a guest last year, talking about Nazi UFOs, the Battle of Los Angeles and the first use of Heliocopter Packs by the US Department of War, as seen in his comic, G.I. Spy. (Read on …)

I’ve got a few more reviews up on wCities, this time for four more of my favourite places in town.

I told Matt that next time we went out for fancy dinner, we’d have to go to The Farm Cafe, again. As a vegetarian, I am more thrilled than I can say to find a place, not that far away at all, with the best of everything, including an extensive menu of fine vegetarian and near-veggie fare that is presented without even the faintest whiff of patchouli. Be still my non-clogged arteries and heart.

As the owner of chickens and big fan of that Italian invention, the crepe, I proudly offer my humble review of what I consider to be the best creperie among the surprisingly large number ot be found in Portland. The hardest thing to choose at Le Happy is everything because it’s all so good — though I am very partial to the lemon curd and ginger for desert. (Read on …)