Category Archives: Uncategorized
All PhD students should watch this (in the sciences or otherwise)
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What I had for breakfast
As you may have noticed, I’ve been blogging less than usual these last few days. Usually, when that happens, you can expect one of my chatty “What I had for breakfast/lunch/dinner” posts, which serve as the blogger’s equivalent of the contact call of the black-capped chickadee. In this case, instead of the little bird poking around the backyard feeder and chirping to its kin, it’s me, your blogger, poking around your RSS feeder and chirping at you.
Continue reading What I had for breakfast
Shaming the Atheists
There is good reason that many of us would like to see religion gone, and it is religion itself, not the people who are religious, that we want to see wither and die.
Relationships, and the Proper Management of Intoxicated Women
The police officers are pleased and amused by the situation, which gives the young viewers an indication of what it looks like when all is well that ends well.
New Medical TV Show!
Remember the excitement when ER was first aired? In those days, a prime time hospital show was a fresh, new, wonderful idea and we all loved it. Then, St. Elsewhere, and that was OK. Then a lot more followed, and the market became saturated and annoying.
But now, there’s something new. Not more of the same at all. In fact, rather less of the same. Check it out:
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CONvergence and SkepchiCON
Convergence is an annual science fiction and fantasy convention that is held over July 4th weekend in Minneapolis. The Skepchicks organize a “track” at Convergence called SkepchiCON, which is a series of discussions about skepticism and stuff. At the risk of getting into all sorts of trouble, I’m going to be on some of the panels in this track, and I’m planning to attend a few events that I’m not empaneled for. And, just so I’ll know where to find it later when I need it, I thought I’d blog my tentative schedule.
(Please note: The price to register for the CON goes way up on May 15th, so if you are going, register now!!!)
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The Cold War as Popular Culture
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and other TV shows like it helped young Americans learn what and who to be be afraid of, and most importantly, what our enemies looked like….
The Wikio Science Blog Rankings for May
Are now available:
Continue reading The Wikio Science Blog Rankings for May
Obama at White House Correspondents Dinner, followed by Leno
Our president is very, very funny. (Skip the Leno part … he uses sight gags that the producer of the video chose to not let us see. And, he isn’t half as funny as Barack.)
Continue reading Obama at White House Correspondents Dinner, followed by Leno
Michele Bachmann: Up for re-election?
“So, we can all think that only crazy and stupid people will vote for Michele Bachmann this year. If that’s the case, then there are a lot of them in her district. Or we can support the Democratic organizations in the 6th District and the candidate who is running against her in the general election.”
William Beeman on Iran
Iran is never far from U.S. news headlines. Nuclear threats, unfair elections, captive reporters, a lack of religious freedom, all seem to demand that we do something. But what is to be done? What are the actual conditions in Iran, and what kind of leverage do we in the Western world, and particularly in the U.S. have to effect change? Last summer, Stephanie Zvan was privileged to chat with Dr. William Beeman, professor of anthropology at the University of Minnesota and a leading Western scholar of Iran. They discussed the intersection of religion and politics in Iran, U.S.-Iranian relations, and the culture of Iran, including conditions for women. Some of what she learned surprised her. It may surprise you too.
It is hard to find a Class M blog
The Island of Doubt was the blog of James Hrynyshyn, and it dealt with environmental issues, and especially the politics of denialism. Well, James has shut down Island of Doubt and started a new blog called “Class M.” That new blog is here.
James is one of those people I’ve come to trust for information about environmental, climate, energy, and related issues. Plus he’s a genuinely nice guy. I’ve had the fortune of spending a fair amount of time with him at the ScienceOnline conferences, and that has been very enjoyable.
Go check out Class M. James intends for this new blog to be fairly specialized and focuses in certain key issues, to be very science oriented, and to mainly serve as a conduit between the peer reviewed literature and the interested citizen. I expect Class M to be the go to place for journalists and policy makers interested in the topics he covers.
When Big Science Goes Bad: NASA Balloon Crash in OZ
The Science and Nature of Plants
This is a pointer and an appeal.
Continue reading The Science and Nature of Plants