Conspiracy Theory Crap

It’s difficult enough trying to find balanced scepticism when it comes to anthropogenic global warming claims, but this stuff takes the biscuit. [via email from someone who should know better]

Contrails from aircraft vapour are indeed an indication that air travel dumps a lot of low grade heat, CO2 and water vapour into our atmospheric ecosystem – something we should aim to reduce by any reasonable considerations. The idea that there is some concerted project to deliberately test and introduce additional crap into that ecosystem to globally engineer weather systems is kooky. Sure there have been, and no doubt continue to be, tests and local uses to seed rain clouds in critical areas, lesser of evils, but as a global conspiracy – do me a favour.

And as I said here, I’m not an anthropogenic global warming (AGW) sceptic, I’m sceptical about objective-intentional scientific (and political) claims about AGW. Funnily enough it was this blog What’s Up With That that drew my attention via another rant from PZ Myers about this post on the new editor of Science magazine. A pox on both their houses, I say. So much middle-ground being overlooked when people take sides. Come in Zizek.

Progressive Reduction

Very similar Application UI design approach I think I saw mentioned previously with Angry Birds of all things. (Hat tip to BifRiv – The article acknowledges the approach in games – discovering more plays as you progress through levels of successful use.)

Your UI design must start simple with lots of help for new users using basic new functions – you and your product are both new to its use – but of course the potential power is in ever more expert users finding more efficient and creative use of your product. So your product UI needs to have this layered user approach built in, evolving as the individual user’s use evolves.

Tea and Sympathy

Another interesting post from Sam. (My James Willis Scylla and Charybdis ref.)

The Intercourse of Many Minds

Ideas evolve, species are created only with hindsight, everyone’s thoughts are woven from others. Original creation is no exception. Good piece on Oliver Sacks from Brain Pickings – Maria Popover again.