Scientific genius is equated with an oddly limited subset of intellectual activites, primarily analytical ability and quantitative skill, as though anyone could describe a fossil but only the greatest thinkers could conceive of the inverse-square law. I wonder if we will ever get past the worst legacy of IQ theory in its unilinear and hereditarian interpretation – the idea that intelligence can be captured by a single number, and that people can be arrayed in a simple sequence from idiot to Einstein.

-Stephen Jay Gould, lamenting an anti-Trinitarian worldview.

Much thanks to Mr. Trevor Acorn, who sent me some bottles of his home brew. How cool is that?

Yesterday I was intently reading my Gould book, as he explained how they developed a three dimensional reconstruction of an extinct organism found fossilized in the Burgess Shale. They used many different samples in different shapes and positions, and also ‘dissected’ the fossils for internal parts, and used the counterparts (which is the impression the fossil leaves in the rock around it, basically) to visualize how this creature may have looked in life. This particular specimen is called Sidneyia.

And so, after reading that account with great interest yesterday, I dreamed about this little bugger all night.

Last night I was looking through some old files, and I stumbled upon these fun soundclips…

Why We Love Andy Peterson

Aedan Sings

herb

do you dance kookily

Everybody Poops

they’re all great, but you may need to have some inside information to really appreciate one or two.