the movie results.

So the Indiana Jones movie was a little weird. The special effects were awesome, but gave me the impression that Indiana and his pals were invincible to falling debris, drowning, gunshots, and other perils. The ending was ok. I think the movie needed more nazis. Just my opinion. 

The idea that extraterrestrial have influenced past cultures has long been studied. Why did Indian groups make huge pictures that could only be seen from above? What technology allowed them to produce such incredible feats of architecture?

I'm not sure if that was the best way to end the Indiana Jones series. It was cool, but then again, I wasn't really paying attention because I've been blogging non-stop. Dan is a little girl. Nat fell asleep within the first 15 minutes of the movie, and I'm not surprised. She's been working really hard, and had to put together a huge Halloween party for her 5th grade class. 

New studies with the Iceman

Today on NPR's Science Friday, They talked about new DNA research in the 5,000 year old "Iceman" that was found in the Alps in 1991.

"When Tyrolean Iceman was defrosted in 2000, researchers took some DNA from his intestines and sequenced it. But that was only his nuclear DNA, inherited from both parents, and it revealed that he was related to a large group of Europeans who share a common ancestor. The new study, which will be published November 11 in Current Biology, allowed researchers to examine the mummy's lineage in more detail. And that's when they realized how different he was from modern populations."

Said Franco Rollo, a co-author of the study:

We have obtained evidence of a significant genetic difference between present-day Europeans and a representative prehistoric human—despite the fact that the Iceman is not so old—just about 5,000 years. This doesn't simply mean that Ötzi had some 'personal' mutations making him different from the others but that, in the past, there was a group—a branch of the phylogenetic tree—of men and women sharing the same mitochondrial DNA. Apparently, this genetic group is no longer present. We don't know whether it is extinct or it has become extremely rare.

What this reveals is that even large groups of genetically similar people can completely disappear from the gene pool in a relatively short time

Study of the ancient man will continue, and as technology progresses, we will learn more about this Iceman. 

tracks!

The recent find of Dinosaur tracks along the Utah/Arizona border has researchers in awe. Over one thousand tracks have been found in a single area. 

"There must have been more than one kind of dinosaur there," said researcher Marjorie Chan, professor and chair of geology and geophysics at the University of Utah. "It was a place that attracted a crowd, kind of like a dance floor." 

Geologist Winston Seiler with some of the dinosaur tracks in northern Arizona, which are so abundant that the researchers refer to the site as a "dinosaur dance floor." 

While the site is covered in sand dunes now, the researchers say the tracks are within what was a network of wet, low watering holes between the dunes. In fact, the tracks provide more evidence of wet intervals during the Early Jurassic Period, when the U.S. Southwest was covered with a field of sand dunes larger than the Sahara Desert.

Study of the find will help Paleontologists to gain a better understanding of the dinosaurs that once lived there. 

A scientist that almost looks like garit. If he would have gone to school. 

nintendo PSA

As a public service announcement, I thought I would let everyone know that you can play your favorite NES games from the comfort of your favorite browser. 

Google NesCafe and you won't be disappointed.

pirates!

Dan is a Somali Pirate. He is holding a ship for ransom and won't rest until he is paid. And if he doesn't get the money soon, he will blow the whole boat up dammit! 

United Nations have sent warships to surround the boat, and a coalition of Navy ships have been alerted and are heading to the Horn of Africa. Helicopters have been buzzing over the the deck of the ship where Dan and his fellow pirates have been holed up for weeks. 

Dan won't take no for an answer. He's aleady killed the captain and he's willing to kill more if the ransom is not paid. 

It's only a matter of time Dan. 

facial hair

My other brother Kevin just got a job at Best Buy. He has a pretty cool gig going there. He does have to wear a pink shirt though (to support breast cancer awareness, which I'm sure he'll get if he doesn't stop wearing pink. It's science people!!). On top of the good pay, he gets outrageous discounts on all of the merchandise. I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin just buys a ton of expensive electronics and quits. I don't think the job will change him... nope. 

He's been growing a beard. He said that during the month of October (also known as "Choptober") everyone in the store grew outrageous sideburns. November will be known as "Neckvember" where all the male (and I guess female, if they can) employees will grow neck beards of incredible proportions. 

As my soul patch continues to catch more flavor, I give praise to Kevin in all his endeavours. I just hope that they switch back to the blue shirts sometime soon. 

birthday

Today is my little brother's birthday. Even though he will never read this blog (because he is young and illiterate) I would just like to say happy 12th birthday. I hope you got some books to read.

I always thought it was cool that his birthday was on Halloween. My friends though it would empower him with some sort of satanic power, but that never happened. He says that it kinda sucks that his birthday is shared with a holiday, but he doesn't really care. 

Halloween 08

Well the trick or treaters have stopped knocking on our door. As suspected, my dog went crazy. We should teach her how to do back flips. I'm sure she would be good at it. It was raining by the time I got home, so I'm sure Halloween wasn't as cool as it could have been. Regardless, I have a bowl full of candy and that's ok with me. 

Nat rented the latest installment of Indiana Jones. I still haven't watched it, and I guess I'm not paying that much attention to it, because of this lame blog war thing. I think the movie is pretty good (for a sequel). I mean, can you really expect it to be the best thing ever? Probably not. 

Some of the costumes this year

Star wars storm troopers. (you know their geek parents put them up to it)

Pirates

Ninjas

Princesses

Animals: Horses, Alligators, bats, and other funky costumes. 

I remember going trick or treating with crappy costumes that my mom made me.  I never had a fancy costume or anything... it was usually a weird t-shirt and some fake blood. I think I was a zombie 2 or 3 years in a row. Heh. My huge stash of candy would be eaten within a week of Halloween. No wonder I had so many cavities.