Announcements
oracknows | August 16, 2007Yes!
As intelligent and powerful as he is, Orac has always lacked something, and that's mobility. He's always been more or less at the mercy of the humans with whom he travels when it comes to locomotion. In short, being a clear box of blinking lights, he has to be carried everywhere, sometimes in a rather undignified fashion:
In this week's edition of the Skeptics' Circle, Bronze Dog gives Orac exactly what he needs:
Yes, a giant robot! Controlling such awesome machinery directly, finally, Orac is unshackled from his dependence on irrational humans to take him where he wants to go!…
oracknows | August 14, 2007It arrived a little early, but it's here now, the latest, greatest edition of Tangled Bank is now posted over at Fish Feet. Go now and get caught up on the best science blogging of the past fortnight.
nisbetmc_2 | August 14, 2007The Scientist is currently sponsoring an online discussion about framing and new directions in science communication. The web feature is in advance of an article I am contributing to the magazine, co-authored with Dietram Scheufele, a colleague at the University of Wisconsin. So far, more than 40 comments have been posted. There is also a reader survey at the site.
Regarding The Scientist discussion, Mary Miller has more to add in a post at her blog The Accidental Scientist.
oracknows | August 10, 2007Don't forget, everybody, that the 67th Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle is due to land at The Bronze Blog on Thursday, August 16. Bronze Dog will host. As you may know, Bronze Dog is the creator of a great list of "doggerel" commonly used by the credulous to defend pseudoscience or the paranormal. It's up to 117 items as of this writing and is a great resource whenever you come across...well, doggerel directed at you to attack your use of skepticism and critical thinking.
The instructions for submitting to this week's carnival are here. If you don't know what blog carnivals or The Skeptics'…
thusspakezuska | August 8, 2007I just wanted to take a minute to explicitly thank the two readers who created the nifty new banners you've been seeing here at TSZ. The banner on the main page was created by Alexis and the banner on the individual entry pages was created by Malyze. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
thusspakezuska | August 6, 2007It's never too early to start thinking about the next Scientiae...which is scheduled for September 1, right here at my place.
Is there a theme? Yes, there's a theme. The theme is....UNLEASH.
That's right. You heard me. Unleash.
What in your life feels locked down and caged in, in need of unleashing? What do you hold inside, unwilling or unable to vent? Does something make you so angry you think it might just destroy the world if you let it out?
Or, what fantastic scientific avenue or byway would you be traveling even now, if not for the nefarious funding system? the machinations of…
thusspakezuska | August 3, 2007The latest Scientiae is up over at Twice's place. Haven't browsed through it all yet, but it's always good reading, so go read!
oracknows | August 2, 2007This week, the 66th Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle just so happens to coincide with the 66th Meeting of the International Society of Skeptics; so they decided to hold a joint meeting. This week's host, Mark Hoofnagle, has the abstract book all lined up for you to peruse. Excellent stuff. If only real scientific meetings could be like this.
Next time around, the Skeptics' Circle will land at The Bronze Blog, whose Doggerel series is a fantastic repository of rebuttals to common--well--doggerel that the credulous like to repeat in defense of their woo.
And, as always, if you're interested in…
thusspakezuska | July 31, 2007Absinthe has an announcement on her blog about a new online support group for junior female particle physicists.
There is a new online discussion group aimed at junior female particle physicists (up to and including the postdoctoral level). The group allows junior females to talk openly and anonymously with other junior female particle physicists from around the world about career issues that are important to them. Most particle physicists at the junior level are based at large laboratories in Europe and the US. The unique work environment at these labs can lead to workplace issues and…
sporte | July 30, 2007If you're in Seattle this week, and you're not going to the zoo concert on Wednesday night, you might enjoy this lecture series from the UW Genome Sciences department.
We missed the first two talks because of travel, but our college-age daughter and her friend persuaded us to go last Weds. and hear Debbie Nickerson talk about genetics and drugs.
Usually these sorts of talks are held during the school year and they're packed with high school students who're getting extra credit for attending and taking notes. This time it was different.
We looked around the room when we arrived, of course…
oracknows | July 27, 2007After all this annoyance I've had lately about homeopaths doing surgery in Arizona (not to mention the licensing of quackery there), I can't forget that the blog carnival bequeathed to me, The Skeptics' Circle, is fast approaching. This week, the host will be none other than fellow ScienceBlogger Dr. denialism blog. Since the Circle is in the family this time around, so to speak, don't forget to send MarkH your best skeptical blogging and then join him (and me) for the carnival next Thursday, August 2.
And, as always, if you're a skeptical blogger aspiring to be the next James Randi and think…
thusspakezuska | July 24, 2007You may notice over the next few days some changes in the banner head. Two readers sent me their creations for a new TSZ banner and I am going to be trying them out to see how I like them and see how you like them. At some point I'll put up a post to ask for your feedback. Not this one. This one is just letting you know that things will be changing around for awhile.
thusspakezuska | July 19, 2007Sandra at Omni Brain has posted a collection of interesting websites with cool science games for kids, most of them related to brain science. There are also resources for K-12 educators.
I especially like the Brains Rule web site. You just gotta check it out, and pass on the info to a curious kid of your acquaintance. I love the "Meet a Brain Whiz" feature, and especially the fact that the Brain Whiz talks about her hobbies and home life as well as her work. In my experience, young girls especially want to know the ways in which a scientist or engineer has a "normal" life in addition to…
oracknows | July 19, 2007The 65th Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle has been posted by Steve Novella over at his Neurologica Blog:
The room was filled with that odd combination of excitement, interest and restlessness that accompanies children forced to walk through a museum.
"Quiet down," said Ms. Trueblood for the hundredth time. As experienced as she was a gaggle of nine-year-olds was always a challenge. "Raise your hand if you have a question, otherwise I want quiet, and pay attention to Mr. Lucious."
Join Steve and the rest for a healthy sampling of the best skeptical blogging of the last fortnight.
Next up is…
thusspakezuska | July 18, 2007So I'm on the computer, trying to figure out how to go to the Caribbean in the winter cheaply, cursing the airline blackout dates and only half listening to the evening news when suddenly I hear something about the new Harry Potter book...hot dang! There it is! In the flesh! or would that be in the pulp?
Channel 6 ABC Action News had a story about a local family who received a package in the mail. The post office called them before they had even opened the package and asked them if they had received the Harry Potter book. "I don't know" said mom. She opened the package and sure…
thusspakezuska | July 18, 2007Well, the White House finally got around to naming the winners of the 2006 National Medals of Science. Of the 11 winners named, two - count 'em, two! - are actually women! Rita Colwell and Nina Federoff made the cut. Here's how the Chronicle of Higher Education summarized their accomplishments:
Rita R. Colwell, a professor of microbiology and biotechnology at the University of Maryland at College Park. Ms. Colwell, who was director of the National Science Foundation from 1998 to 2004, will receive the prize for creating a better understanding of marine microbes -- the agent that causes…
thusspakezuska | July 18, 2007From the WEPAN listserv:
What influenced you to pursue a career in information technology? What could we learn from you and other women working in IT that will increase the number of girls and women who are interested in the field?
The K-12 Informal Education Hub of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), led by the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), is conducting a three-phase study to determine what experiences or factors influence females to pursue work in information technology (IT). Study results will help guide efforts to increase the number of women entering…
thusspakezuska | July 17, 2007Here's something very cool: an award in physics that went to the groups, not to just the bigwigs who lead the group. It's call the Gruber Prize in Cosmology. Rob Knop writes about it:
What to me is coolest about this award is that it's going to the groups. Usually in science we honor and award the Warrior Hero, the single Big Name who was the brilliant and creative scientist who did everything. The Nobel Prize went to Smoot and Mather. Assuredly the reason for the Nobel Prize was extremely worthy, and assuredly those two gentlemen deserved it. But the Gruber prize recognized the team…
oracknows | July 14, 2007While perusing my comments yesterday, I became aware of what looks like a promising new blog, Occam's Trowel by Scott Prinster. Check out his self-description:
Scott Prinster is continuing his graduate studies in the History of Science department at the University of Wisconsin. His current interest is in the interaction of religion and science in the pre- and early Reformation period in Eastern Europe, especially as part of the movements known as the Radical Reformation. Scott has also been a Unitarian Universalist minister for 12 years, and has served congregations in Michigan and here in…
oracknows | July 13, 2007After all this hot air contributing to global warming over, well, global warming, I can't forget that the blog carnival bequeathed to me, The Skeptics' Circle, is fast approaching. This week, the host will be none other than neurologist and skeptic Dr. Steve Novella, who also happens to be the host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast and President of the New England Skeptical Society. Don't forget to send him your best skeptical blogging by Wednesday, July 18 at whatever time he sets as the deadline. (Hint, hint, Steve: I don't see a call for submissions with a deadline yet.)
And,…