Interesting Links for 05-09-2014

[andrewducker]

• Independent industry investigation finds that Scotland could be sitting on more than double the amount of oil and gas reserves currently predicted
  (tags: Scotland oil )
• 10 common comments on feminist blogposts - and my responses
  (tags: feminism )
• Kermit.se
  (tags: muppets funny )
• Better Identification of Viking Corpses Reveals: Half of the Warriors

Comments

[quirkytizzy]

That kitty thing is SO CUTE! Though I imagine they were pretty queasy afterwards. I hope they got lots of kitty treats, lol.

And hear hear about the feminist thing. That's nice - I've been looking for some comebacks for a while!

[andrewducker]

I figured a few people would find it useful :->

And yeah, the kittens were terribly cute, even if I did feel a little sorry for them.

[del_c]

They look like grown cats to me.

I don't see the evidence to back up the caption, that they supposedly lose their landing reflex. Notice how their tails helicopter and their legs turn to point toward the surface they're approaching. It's just a shame their successful landing only results in another involuntary take-off ("No, wait!")

[gonzo21]

That's deep water oil though. And drilling at those depths is... problematic. As the BP disaster in the Mexican gulf showed. Getting at it is going to be difficult, and a problem the oil industry is working on, and has been working on for the last 15 years. But progress is I believe quite slow.

http://www.offshore-technology.com/features/featurerisky-business-deepwater-drilling-north-sea/

I'm sure they'll figure it out, though the dangers of a environmental disaster will always be high.

[del_c]

Generally speaking, when I hear about all the "reserves", I ask why. Why are they reserves, why aren't you drilling right now?

The answer is that everything you're drilling now is more benefit for less cost than anything you're leaving for later, when you've run out of the good stuff and have to be less picky. "Reserves" are by definition poorer than what you're exploiting today.

[lil_shepherd]

I'm seeing reports that the Viking 'warriors' thing is based on a misreading of the published research.

http://www.missedinhistory.com/blog/raining-on-your-parade-about-those-women-viking-warriors/

[andrewducker]

Yup, definitely. See the link at the bottom of the article to a very good comment going into more detail.

[iainjcoleman]

And yet it keeps getting retweeted with the same misleading headline. It's made me quite grumpy. There's definitely something of a wish-fulfilment thing going on there.

[andrewducker]

Hopefully people will be attracted in by the headline and then learn something by reading the article :->