Soxy

Local paper is reporting 13 dead.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Apr 3, 2009 -> 02:07 PM) I'm amazed they were able to arrest these men alive. Not often do these situations end without the perpetrators killing themselves. Have they caught the third person--apparently there was a foot chase on the court street bridge?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 3, 2009 -> 02:00 PM) Actually, I recall reading a couple of studies showing that genetic abnormalities in offspring of closely-related people (such as 1st cousins) aren't really that much higher than the general population. I'll see if I can dig them up some time today or tomorrow. Also, not all marriages result in children, so that isn't a stipulation anyway. I don't know much about polygamy abuse rates, but I'm not surprised since they usually come from extreme fundamentalist authoritarian societies. In one of my classes (conditioning and learning?) the instructor said that actually, from an evolutionary aspect, marrying your first cousin in optimal. It allows you to pass on maximal amounts of your genetic info with minimal genetic defects.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Apr 3, 2009 -> 01:37 PM) That blog and message board keep hinting that many more may have been shot. Hoepfully they are wrong. Im trying to get ahold of a friend of mine whose brother is a cop but i havent heard back yet. Yeah, MSNBC is reporting that dozens may be shot. I feel like they are just being unbearably slow updating stuff. Ugh, this totally sucks.

Most outlets are still reporting 5 shot and 41 hostages. Poor Binghamton. Nothing good seems to happen to this area.

Something similar happened to me about a year ago. I wake up to all these voices and lights in my backyard. And I look out my bedroom window (it was about 3am) and see several people looking through my shed and yard. I call the police immediately and they tell me they're looking for a "person of interest" in the area. Despite all the commotion my monster dog did not bark once. She is not the best watchdog.

Apparently they've got a translator to talk to the shooter. Conflicting reports on if he's in the building or at large. Downtown is still on lockdown.

BU, meanwhile, is not cancelling or amending any classes at its downtown campus.

Thoughts and prayers would be appreciated. It's the lead story on several of the major news outlets (cnn and fox news).

I'm sorry I make fun of you all the time Iowa. I will refrain for at least a week.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 04:05 PM) 30 pics, mostly of the Fargo area it's crazy Holy s***. That looks awful.

I don't even want to know how much time I've spent following Fug Madness this week.

Happy happy birthday!!!

I'm re-reading a guilty pleasure of mine: the Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. Great mysteries.

Holy crap--that's awesome Reddy! Knock it out of the flippin park kid!

Happy happy birthday you pinko commie!

So, on a scale of 1 to 10, how hard is Duke going to hammer Binghamton?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 09:24 AM) Anyone get to watch Jon Stewart go up against Jim Cramer last night? I didn't get to see it. I'm curious how it went. I watched it this morning. The tv critic for the Trib got it most right when she said that Jon Stewart was channeling Jimmy Stewart.

So I got a letter from the IRS yesterday saying I owed them 2400$. I was almost had a heart attack, and of course by the time I get home their offices are closed. Anyway, I call them today to be like omg wtf! And they said, oops, we forgot to credit the taxes you paid to your account. Nevermind, we owe you money. Not cool, irs, not cool.

I don't like merit pay for teachers. Under performing districts (that are already in dire need of good teachers) will be less likely to attract and retain good teachers. So, kids that are screwed by being in a poor district or one with low parental involvement (or both) will be screwed because teachers will be reluctant to take positions there. Should be fine for teachers with plenty of resources though.

I would just like to point out that the federal government isn't just going to give this money to any lab or researcher. The researcher will (in his/her grants) have to demonstrate to the grant reviewers that what they are doing and the good that will come from it outweighs any potential ethical issues. Also, these grants are being peer-reviewed so they're being reviewed by well respected and accomplished scientists. Very few labs will actually get to do this type of research--and the ones that do will be the labs that demonstrate that their potential benefit and contribution to the field far outweighs any ethical problems. NIH, NIMH and NSF have safeguards to make sure that deserving labs and researchers get this money.

Just in time for all the researchers to apply for the stimulus NSF and NIH grant monies. Excellent move.

Dessert at Vacaros is a MUST. Lots of good Italian food. I went on a tour of Betsy Ross' house and that was cool. Johns Hopkins is a lovely campus

Macoun.

QUOTE (DABearSoX @ Feb 11, 2009 -> 11:00 AM) I love $5 footlongs *snicker*