Home | Away

Greetings from the Houston Zoo

image

It’s Monday Cobra Statue Blogging!

And yes, that’s a jacket Jamie is wearing, even though we’re in southeast Texas:  on Sunday, as we toured the zoo and the museum of natural science (which was crammed full of pro-evolution propaganda, as it turned out), we found to our dismay that the so-called “laws” of “physics” had been suspended for a 24-hour period.  It was in the high 70s on Saturday and I hear that Houston is in the mid 70s today, but for our Sunday excursion it was in the low 50s with 20-mph winds.  The models of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate that we consulted in the natural science museum itself suggest that this is impossible, which leads me to conclude that science does not, in fact, have all the “answers.” I therefore announce the formation of a new school of thought devoted to the proposition that there is a nonhuman and possibly divine “intelligence” behind our seemingly random daily weather patterns.  I’m thinking of calling it “Intelligent Meteorology.” But I’m open to other suggestions!

Then we caught our 4 pm flight to Baltimore, got to our car at 9:30, drove home through the freezing rain and pulled into the driveway at 1 am this morning.  Blogging will resume tomorrow when I’ve recovered from the trip.

Posted by on 03/28 at 04:16 PM

  1. how about Celestial Beings Impulsive Weather Disorder(CBIWD)?

    discovered you thru the cover story
    in this week’s New Haven Advocate
    http://tinyurl.com/3exut

    Posted by Rev. Richard K. Stimson aka Bear  on  03/28  at  06:14 PM

  2. Is it just me, or is Jamie looking way too cool in that photo? I wouldn’t touch even a model of a cobra.

    Posted by  on  03/28  at  06:50 PM

  3. Great pic!

    What you’ve uncovered is obviously a corollary to the non-existence of gravitation, which as Einstein himself admitted in a deathbed confession is “only a theory.”

    Billions of physicists nationwide are now looking closely at the rival notion of Intelligent Sucking, and I think the application of this FACT to the situation you describe should be obvious to all but phony SO-CALLED “scientists.”

    One need only postulate a Sucking Agent – not necessarily bound by the laws of the universe as we know them – capable of Intelligently Sucking us all to the surface of the Earth and the answer to the meterological problem you pose is clear. You, and your son, and the Houston air around you, were Intelligently Suckled.

    Supporting this analysis is the FACT that SO-CALLED “scientists” have been so far unable to explain: namely, that Texas sucks AND blows simultaneously, which is deemed impossible by Establishment Science.

    Posted by Chris Clarke  on  03/28  at  06:54 PM

  4. As the iconoclastic thinker that I am, I place the blame squarely on a lone butterfly in China. If and when some scientist comes up with a theory to explain my chaotic concept, I’ll put in a request to call it the Jamié Effect… or should that be Affect?

    Posted by  on  03/28  at  07:49 PM

  5. "Weather” is just a theory.  Keep telling yourself that, it makes the wind chill factor seem not so bad.

    Posted by Sean  on  03/28  at  08:11 PM

  6. Michael, you illustrate precisely why we need to return Mother Nature to her proper place in the classroom.  Of course she cannot be represented as a single mother so I suggest that we pair her up with Zeus - I find it ridiculous that a powerful god like Zeus is relegated to high school mythology classes when his impact on this world is undeniable.

    Posted by  on  03/28  at  09:24 PM

  7. Samson and Dedrizzle.

    Posted by  on  03/28  at  09:31 PM

  8. You can probably take on a lot of sacred cows without jeopardizing your standing in Lion Country, but I’d think at least twice before messing with the Meteorology Dept.  (And who’s really calling the shots at The Weather Channel, by the way?)

    Posted by  on  03/28  at  09:35 PM

  9. I didn’t know weather had predictable patterns; that would imply modelling of some sort, and then computers get involved, and people talking about what happened in the past and will happen in the future, but not about what is happening right now.  Better not to acknowledge patterns and forecasts and such.  Maybe we could agree to not talk about IT at all; ignore the whole concept all together.

    Posted by  on  03/28  at  10:50 PM

  10. Intellishizzle Thordrizzle Theory may be more like it, which can feel colder with the Medusa Chillin’ Factor.

    Posted by Kevin Hayden  on  03/29  at  03:33 AM

  11. Terrific photo.

    You fly into Baltimore and drive home?

    I don’t even fly in and out of Baltimore and I’m hella closer.

    Posted by Roxanne  on  03/29  at  09:37 AM

  12. Roxanne - maybe he likes Baltimore’s fantastic roads (I’m packing epoxy next time I have to drive through that city, I swear)?

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  10:06 AM

  13. A road is a flattened-out wheel, rolled up in the belly of an airplane.

    Posted by Roxanne  on  03/29  at  10:16 AM

  14. Flying into BWI and then driving? Sounds like a Southwest itinerary. I live in TX, and have BTDT. You’d think that the fact that Southwest goes into Philly now would help, but it does not, unless you like changing planes.

    Great photo! And sign me up for “IM” theory. There is no logical explanation of the weather here.

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  10:56 AM

  15. What a wonderful picture!

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  11:09 AM

  16. Actually, there is an equivalent to “Intelligent Meteorology”.  The oil and coal industries sent out lobbyists to weather reporters in the U.S. to convince them not to ever mention anthropogenic global climate change.  Real meteorologists are quite pissed off about the whole thing.

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  11:12 AM

  17. Glad to hear that IM is already taking hold, Rich-- and that it’s so well-funded, too!  But I question your use of the term “real meteorologists.” Surely their perspective is only one of many valid perspectives.

    And Roxanne, Rob, spare-- had I been flying by myself, I would have left from State College, like a sane person, and returned Sunday morning.  But because Jamie came along, I had to search for flights that left Houston late enough on Sunday to allow us some time at the zoo and the museum.  The only game in town was a direct flight on Continental from BWI.  I didn’t have to deal with Baltimore’s roads, but I did have to drive in the rain on I-83 from the PA-MD border to Harrisburg, and that road is one of the worst stretches of interstate in the country:  narrow, badly paved, and dangerous.  Curiously, in Maryland I-83 opens out and becomes a thing of beauty.  Well, it becomes driveable, anyway.

    Posted by Michael  on  03/29  at  12:09 PM

  18. How long has the new picture been up?

    Posted by Alex  on  03/29  at  12:42 PM

  19. Now, that’s not nice, Alex.  I’ll have you know that when I’m not hosting The Gong Show, I moonlight as a spy and assassin for the CIA.  And I have your IP address.

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  01:04 PM

  20. It’s impressive that you have time left to teach and harass those poor, oppressed conservative students, what with your various heroic efforts in far-flung locales.

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  01:13 PM

  21. Aw, shucks, Rob!  But really I’ve only done two out-of-town gigs this semester-- Illinois and Rice.  The Hawaii thing happened over our winter break, and I’ve had to cancel a trip to Arizona next month (for the Cultural Studies Association conference, no less).  So even though I’m on leave this semester (don’t tell anyone! --but that’s how I’m getting all this work done), I really can’t do more than three invited gigs per term.

    Posted by  on  03/29  at  01:27 PM

  22. "various heroic efforts in far-flung locales”

    Father, Professor, and....lucha-wrestling secret agent!!!! Michael is the mild-mannered identity of
    this fella heah:

    http://www.fantomas-lives.com/fanto5d.htm

    We only hope that someone in academe picks up the cost of the luchador costume and masks.

    Posted by David Ross McIrvine  on  03/29  at  01:34 PM

  23. In addressing climate change, the Museum is seeking to demystify one of the most pressing and difficult issues of our time and to educate and better enable individuals to make thoughtful and wise choices for our shared future

    Posted by designer denim  on  02/28  at  01:03 PM

  24. yes, i know this movie,

    Posted by lv Denim Mini Pleaty  on  03/20  at  01:05 AM

  25. Could you help me. Hollywood is a place where they place you under contract instead of under observation.
    I am from Portugal and bad know English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: “Com is a jacksonville based web design and web marketing company offering search engine optimization seo services to help you grow your business via.Web search engineer offers seo, search engine optimization, search engine marketing services in los angeles, and ventura, california.”

    Regards 8-) Felicia.

    Posted by Meta-Tegi  on  05/17  at  02:58 PM

  26. You had a full schedule.It seemed that you had not enough time to have a rest.But you had a good time.

    Posted by Jess Holroyd  on  06/29  at  04:21 AM

  27. this snake looks like what I saw in a horrible movie.

    Posted by Alice Radio  on  06/30  at  11:01 PM

  28. The models of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate that we consulted in the natural science museum itself suggest that this is impossible, which leads me to conclude that science does not

    Posted by Social Media Marketing  on  08/04  at  06:05 PM

  29. I suggest that we pair her up with Zeus.I find it ridiculous that a powerful god like Zeus is relegated to high school mythology classes when his impact on this world is undeniable.

    Posted by Facebook Layouts  on  01/12  at  03:07 AM

  30. Great website. I think the whole concept behind the site is ingenious.

    I also like the way you described applying overwhelming force to other areas of your life. Using this approach will guarantee success in any endeavor.
    Jumping Castle

    Posted by  on  02/12  at  05:56 AM

  31. Hello, excellent site, very rich in content and correctly carefully thought out, personally I found here much interesting and useful.....Well! I am an obssessed blogger. I don’t see blogs as funny thing. I see blogsphere a platform to exchange knowledge and expertise…
    placemats

    Posted by  on  03/06  at  05:42 AM

  32. Nice stuffs meng. funny pictures

    Posted by Funny Pictures  on  04/18  at  01:22 PM

  33. that is cool and you are gay

    Posted by  on  05/24  at  11:04 AM

  34. Pretty good post. I just found your site and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!

    Posted by Online Pet Shop  on  05/29  at  06:00 AM

  35. Nice Post. I liked it.
    ROTHCO is America’s foremost wholesale supplier of military and outdoor products. We carry an extensive line of apparel and gear available for domestic and overseas sale to resellers of all types: retail, wholesale, military, police, security, outdoor products, screen printers, uniform dealers, fashion retailers, and sportswear shops.
    Visit ROTHCO.
    Of all the full service Military Distributors, only Rothco offers over 3300 military, law enforcement and outdoor products, while ournearest competitors offer 2069 and 1609 respectively. NOBODY has a bigger selection than Rothco.  Simply put, no other supplier offers the wide selection, competitive pricing and speedy shipping service of ROTHCO. We are constantly expanding our line of products so your store
    can sell the latest and the best of military and outdoor clothing and accessories. Get your catalog and join the ROTHCO team today.

    Posted by niru dyogi  on  06/09  at  02:33 AM

  36. Great compose up of this great read.
    montreal massage parlor

    Posted by montreal asian escorts  on  06/18  at  11:35 AM

  37. I want to express my admiration of your writing skill and ability to make reader to read the while thing to the end.

    Posted by Bingo Boni  on  06/29  at  06:35 AM

  38. You have all inspired me to focus on providing more informative and resource type link building posts in the future, so stay tuned for more soon.

    Posted by Ooty  on  07/23  at  02:46 AM

  39. Once more, it’s not on paper in mineral and there are at all times exceptions; however candidates do look as if to have further wintestking 642-373
    ner on this exam when they deal with it last. Although a few great publishers would have you believe these exams modify enotestking 646-671
    rmously beginning otestking HP0-D07
    ne version to another ("restructured for the hottest exams!"), the straightforward testking CISA
    information is that the Intro, ICND, and CCNA multiple exams purely don’t amend a lot from edition to edition.

    Posted by justin ron  on  09/16  at  06:43 AM

  40. We love zoos and have visited many. For families with young kids, this one is really good. The petting zoo was great.

    Posted by Huntsville OB GYN  on  10/08  at  04:19 AM

  41. ROTHCO is America’s foremost wholesale supplier of military and HP0-D07 outdoor products. We carry an extensive line of apparel and gear available for domestic and overseas sale to resellers of all types: retail, wholesale, military,352-001 police, security, outdoor products, screen printers, uniform dealers, fashion retailers, and sportswear shops. ROTHCO is America’s foremost wholesale supplier of military and outdoor JN0-400 products. We carry an extensive line of apparel and gear available for domestic and overseas sale to resellers of all types: retail, wholesale, military, police, security, outdoor products, screen printers, uniform dealers, 642-972 fashion retailers, and sportswear shops.

    Posted by  on  01/03  at  03:26 AM

  42. Skype, eli viedopuhelut Acerilla & Ubuntu 9.04 sujuivat hyvin, joskaan testking 642-902 eivät täysin mutkitta. Ubuntun ääniasetukset oletusarvoilla eivät kelvanneet Skype:lle vaan tämä vaati hieman testausta. Otettiin ääniasetuksista “Auto-Detect”,testking N10-004 eli käyttöjärjestelmän automaattisesti valitsema ääniasetus, ja kokeiltiin siihen eri vaihtoehtoja. Lopulta, valittaessa vaihtoehdoksi “Pulse Audio Sound Server”, eli äänipalvelin jolla voi soittaa esim. mediatiedostoja verkon yli. Painettaessa testking 642-813Test-nappi, kuului testiääni selkeästi. Liittyen samaan asiaan tehtiin vielä testisoitto virtuaaliselle henkilölle, joka on yksi Skypen ominaisuuksista testata testking 70-640äänenkaappausta, eli suomeksi mikrofonin käyttöä. Testisoitto sujui hyvin, ja annettu oma ääninäyte toistui kaiuttimista hyvin ja selkeäst.

    Posted by  on  01/03  at  04:07 AM

  43. Of all the full service Military Distributors, only Rothco offers over 642-426 3300 military, law enforcement and outdoor products, while ournearest competitors 646-985 offer 2069 and 1609 respectively. NOBODY has a bigger selection than Rothco.  Simply put, no 640-721 other supplier offers the wide selection, 1z0-052 competitive pricing and speedy shipping service of ROTHCO. We are constantly expanding our line of products so your store can sell the latest and the best of military and outdoor clothing and accessories. Get your catalog and join the ROTHCO team today
    1Y0-A08 | 1z0-051

    Posted by  on  02/22  at  07:35 AM

  44. Hey, Scribestalker and tc,HP2-T16 these are some of our country’s founding documents.  If you’re not familiar with them, all I can say is that this is a scathing indictment of our government schools and their liberal agenda:  as Lynne Cheney has pointed out, we now have whole weeks devoted to the practice of witchcraft in the classroom and nary a mention of the works of our Founding Fathers.
    640-460 | 642-971 | NS0-153 | 642-446 | MB2-632 | E20-340

    Posted by  on  03/03  at  07:30 AM

  45. hey, I am very much pleased to have such type of great information. Thank you very much for such type of sharing.

    Posted by boat parts  on  03/04  at  03:14 AM

  46. If you want to create a stunning web graphic or webpage design why not pass4sure 70-638 borrow from the best? it’s common practice for copywriters to keep a swipe file of great copy that has been known to pass4sure 70-640 generate great sales results. I’m amazed that graphic designers rarely follow this example. Even if you’re not a graphic pass4sure 77-881 designer you’ll want to try this technique. This method is so simple, you’ll be producing web layouts quickly and easily. I want to share with you some tips to start your own image swipe file and how to build it up to be one of your most powerful design tools. Whether you just dabble in design or you are a serious graphic design professional, these tips will be extremely useful for you.
    pass4sure 98-361 | pass4sure 70-451 | pass4sure 77-602 | pass4sure 70-452

    Posted by  on  03/22  at  03:12 AM

  47. i am inspired by that you provide the opportunity to place links to my website.Please don’t take it back.

    Posted by Graphic Web Design Perth  on  04/09  at  04:57 AM

  48. The Museum is also home to a Dental Gallery, a Tenet Rescue Unit, Hands-On Physics, Kids Place Playground, and Electric Theater. Kids will surely be mesmerized by the different hands-on activities the place offers. The Dental Gallery has an entrance resembling a big mouth and a Toothbot named Tony, which is a mechanical molar that teaches about dental hygiene, among other things. The Hands-On-Physics has more than 75 areas to learn about physics and math including rolling balls, shifting weights and moving platforms. The Electric Theater demonstrates major electricity discoveries, cryogenics, lasers, chemistry and astronomy. A hip place for learning science.

    Posted by seo company canada  on  04/25  at  10:44 PM

  49. Marketing in general is a very serious business and if you refuse or delay your marketing you will have no business of any kind. To be able to market effectively will require time, money or a combination of both. Social media marketing is a slightly different animal to ordinary marketing.

    Posted by Reputation  on  05/03  at  09:20 PM

  50. The models of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate that we consulted in the natural science museum itself suggest that this is impossible, which leads me to conclude that science does not, in fact, have all the answers.

    Posted by Free Mobile Chat  on  06/23  at  11:59 PM

  51. ICE BABES is an Importer, Manufacturer and Wholesaler of top quality ladies clothing based in the East End of London. Our aim is to bring you value and quality with fast delivery, backed up with a reliable, knowledgeable & friendly service.

    Posted by icebabes  on  07/07  at  12:17 PM

  52. We love zoos and have visited many. For families with young kids, this one is really good. The petting zoo was great.
    Diamondback Viper
    Kink Curb 2012
    Diamondback Joker 2011

    Posted by  on  07/27  at  03:13 PM

  53. London Contacts is the Uks Premier portal for London escorts agencies and independent escorts in London, you will find the finest quality London Escorts at London Contacts - The best selection of the most attractive escorts from the most prestigious London escort agencies. london ts escorts, london independent escorts, independent london escorts, escort agency london, escorts london, escort agency in london, london escorts agencies, escorts, doms, independent escorts in london, london escorts, cheap london escort.

    Posted by londoncontact  on  07/28  at  11:48 AM

  54. When it comes to skateboarding, fashion is just as important as the skills you apply in the sport and this is why you have to get the right skate clothing. The clothes you wear represent the type of skater you are. There are various options to choose from when it comes to the kind of clothes a skater wears depending on the kind of image you want to portray.

    Posted by Skate Clothing  on  09/14  at  04:59 AM

  55. I　ｓｈａｒｅ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｐｏｓｔ，　Ｉ　ｆｅｅｌ　ｖｅｒｙ　ｆｒａｓｈ．
    Cheap Wholesale Jewelry

    Posted by Cheap Wholesale Jewelry  on  12/01  at  03:14 AM

  56. Hi
    The company was recently established in 2011 to provide marketing services with local communities in mind. Large firms are often very costly leaving lower revenue businesses out in the cold. We believe in helping businesses attain their goals so we offer affordable, customized marketing solutions at superb quality.Marketing Solutions 4 You can help you promote and market your business so you will be able to retain current customers and draw in new business.

    search engine optimization seo Marketing
    Professional Web Site Development Company
    Customer Relationship Marketing Management

    Posted by Zachariah  on  01/01  at  12:20 PM

  57. Such a nice Greetings from the Houston Zoo.I really appreciate.Enjoy on there own risk.

    Posted by SEO Copywriter  on  01/05  at  03:31 AM

  58. Thanks for sharing .Keep posting articles like this. A good example of content presentation. A piece of information from you every now and then is really great. Everything was so well coordinated and looked so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Great job!

    Posted by Buy Dissertation Online  on  01/06  at  01:52 PM

  59. The importance of having an insurance travel plan are realised during medical emergencies. Cashless hospitalisation, daily allowance for hospitalisation and dental treatments are some of the facilities provided by travel insurance.

    Posted by icetodo.com  on  01/19  at  03:46 AM

  60. It’s really important that the drapery manufacturer or window professional you’re working together with understand what you mean when you give them your return measurement. The most common mix up with custom drapery hardware is getting the clearance and return measurements confused with one another.

    Posted by Drapery Hardware  on  01/23  at  01:30 AM

  61. Well, that looks dangerous!

    Posted by Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage  on  02/09  at  10:42 AM

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Submit the word you see below:


Next entry: Post-Dieter blogging

Previous entry: Off to Houston

<< Back to main