My opinions of Matt Damon and Jerry O'Connell have gone way up this week

First up, Jerry O'Connell makes a hilarious parody of the Tom Cruise video. If you haven't seen the original, it is still available here.



And, if you want more commentary on the crazy man, check this out (via Wil Wheaton's Blog).

And this Sarah Silverman video (via Skepchick) made my day (not safe for work):

Double Take

1. I must confess, I love this picture, but I'm a naughty, godless sort of girl. Dr. H took one look at it and said "I bet there are some women concerned about that." Of course he is right. I'll say one more thing about this: Yea Nancy Pelosi!
   
   
   
2. On a mostly unrelated note: Assuming this is true it is unsurprising that the same people are concerned about it too.
   

Double Take

One of the coolest things I saw last week:

Gender differences in color perception? (via Lab Cat who always seems to have some nice science-y thing up)

Perhaps this explains why my father in law thinks his maroon coffee pot is the same color as the lavender bits in his granite counter top:

Me: That coffee pot is pretty spiffy.

FIL: Yes, as soon as I saw it I knew we needed to have it.

Me: Oh?

FIL: You know, because of the counter top.

Me: .....Ah...

FIL: I couldn't believe it. I mean, what are the chances of finding a coffee pot the exact same color?

Me: Uh...Okay.

Actually, I suspect the true issue has something to do with his developing cataracts, which according to this, can interfere with color perception.

And one of the weirdest things I saw last week:

Via Language Log, I found this article about research suggesting nerds are effectively "hyperwhite". The Dean has some things to say about it here.

I found this to be very interesting. However, what I find odd is the lack of discussion of geek and nerd culture as distinct in its own right. For example, I don't think everyone finds xkcd as funny as some of us do. My non-geeky, non-nerdy students have no idea who M.C. Escher is. And, of course, there is the general lack of recognition of the Kirk versus Picard debate as a valid intellectual, um, enterprise. I'm wondering how this sort of thing fits in.