Tag: Science

More Lightning with CHDK

2012-09-07 morning lightning 0595

I recently downloaded a slightly different motion detection script for my camera that seems to do a great job catching lightning flashes. I had been hoping for some good lightning opportunities on several occasions, but the storms disappointed me. The morning of September 7th turned out to be just what I needed to check out …

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In Which I’m Not Convinced to Follow Islam, Part 1

By way of a conversation on Twitter, I was introduced to a gentleman, Tariq, who proposes that The Quran is a miracle in itself which is “proven” by scientific evidence. Those who use logic and reason, he infers, have little choice but to accept these facts and to follow Islam. Tariq was kind enough to …

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Thunderstruck: Lightning Photography with CHDK

Lightning has always been a source of fascination for me, even as a child. I was never one to be fearful of thunderstorms. Watching a good lightning display is something that I really enjoy. Flashes of lightning are very ephemeral. Blink your eyes or turn your head and you might miss an impressive sight. As …

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Sorry, Pastor: Atheists Neither Need Nor Want Your Faith

I saw a link posted on Twitter the other day that highlighted something I see all too often regarding faith and atheism. The link was to an opinion piece in the Nipawin Journal, titled “How much faith does it take to be an atheist?.” The short article was written by Pastor Ken Graham of the …

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17th Annual Linux Journal Readers’ Choice Awards

Dan's GNOME desktop

When I consider how much time I spend in front of a computer monitor, I find it odd that I don’t really write much about computers here on my blog. I’ve been using computers in some fashion since about 1978, and I’ve formed some opinions about operating systems and applications during the intervening years. Greg …

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Day 0: Transplant Completed

HSCT - Second bag of cells

Today, Day 0 of my stem cell transplant schedule, saw the return of my cells back to my bloodstream. They had been kept frozen since being harvested just a couple weeks ago. The process of warming the cells and returning them only took a bit longer than thirty minutes. There were two bags containing the …

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Today is my ‘Rest Day’

My Hospital Room

The time spent in the hospital for my stem cell transplant is measured on an interesting scale. The date on which my previously harvested stem cells will be returned to me is called Day 0. Days before then are measured as negative days, and after then as positive days. Depending on the chemotherapy protocol required, …

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It’s a Conspiracy! Episode 1

Region near Kaminak Lake, NU, from Google Earth

This is the first of what I hope to be a continuing series of blog posts about certain conspiracy theories and the joyous laughter I get from perusing them. I enjoy conspiracy theories in the same way that I enjoy certain other types of fiction. I’m not implying that there are never conspiracies between people …

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What Does Not Kill Me Makes Me Stronger

Micrograph of Hodgkin lymphoma

You’ve probably heard that quote before. That’s a common English translation of a line from the “Maxims and Arrows” section of Friedrich Nietzsche’s Twilight of the Idols, or, How to Philosophize with a Hammer. The original, in German, is this: Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker. Götzen-Dämmerung, oder, Wie man mit dem Hammer philosophiert …

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Granulocyte Colony-Stimulation Activated!

People following me on Twitter often see me comment about my daily trips to the cancer center or hospital during the ten days following my rounds of chemotherapy treatment. I may tweet that I’m going to go get my granulocyte colonies stimulated, or I’m getting my GCS-F, or heading off to get my Neupogen. These …

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