Car Talk

So I was driving into work today and I saw this bumper sticker on the car in front of me. This is the second car this week I've seen that has claimed their border collie is smarter than my honor student. (FYI: A border collie is a type of dog, for those of you who don't keep up with these sorts of things.) I find it fascinating and slightly bizarre the dialogue that takes place between people's cars. First all the "My child is an honor student at [insert school name]" start showing up. Then slowly people start to advertise, "My kid can beat up your honor student" and now "My dog is smarter than your honor student." I am beginning to wonder what the next step will be -- if the Truth v. Darwin debate is any indicator, it won't be the last of the conversation.

The evolution of Truth v. Darwin "discussion" (pun intended, so sue me):

And Finally ...

Comments

[Thomas R. Barton]

Dear Caolionn, I have enjoyed reading your blog. Thank you for the diagrams on the SLAC layout and the earlier entry on your group's approach to PWFaccel. I am wondering if your approach employs a "superlaser" to pump the initial energy into the plasma. Also is your group's approach more than a proof-of-concept? If so, is it scalable in the future to ranges well beyond the projected 500 GeV to 1 TeV of the next Linear Collider that will use TESLA derived superconductivity? Do any of your colleagues feel that the selection of the German approach was primarily a political decision, especially in light of the continuing quagmire over the ITER site ? As to your latest entry re: Darwin and Jesus fish (remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine was a bit flustered by Puddy's Jesus fish on his car!) I am a Preacher's Kid raised in Branson, Missouri and I was always perplexed by devout Christians who thought evolution a blasphemy. I should think that one who believes in the Christ should also understand that he existed within time as the Nazarene and also he exists beyond time as he has conquered death. This line of argument was hardly persuasive to my highly-motivated Bible thumper friends! Thank you for writing your blog as you slog through your thesis. I recall my struggles with my main Research project as a Law Student at UMKC School of Law. That was considerably less extensive than your thesis requirement, I imagine. As to your
Defense Date on June 8, remember what George C. Scott said in the movie, Patton: "L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace!" Sincerely, Thomas Barton

[g.o. p]

I once saw a car with a rainbow bumper sticker next to a Dole/Kemp '96 sticker.

[Dave Bacon]

I have always dreamed of a Darwin fish which is eating itself. It would be the Godel fish.

[claire]

I want a bumper sticker that says:

If this sticker looks blue
you're driving too fast!

[Caolionn]

Thomas: I promise to address all your questions. They are very good questions, so require thoughtful answers (read: It will be a little while to answer them). Thanks.

Dave: I think you're on your own in designing that one.

Claire: You can buy the bumper sticker at http://www.cafepress.com (keyword physics).

[little miss demosthenes]

lol@ claire's bumper sticker; dave: http://b-con.us/demie/godel.bmp

and, caolionn? sadly, border collies *are* smarter than honor students. being in a classroom full of them... i can tell you this from personal experience. they're either obsessed with class rank, or prom dresses. its like they're robots.

cheers!
-demie

[John Wendt]

Will the next bumper feature the Asteroid of Divine Wrath?

[Tasha]

yea but my border collie IS smarter than your college student.