More like this
Trust me, I really tried to come up with a cool, funny title for this post.
Anyways...
We have a new reference assistant starting here next week. As somewhat typical for such a position, the new staff member has a science subject background rather than a library background. In this case, Maps/GIS…
How do zombies seek and use information? What are their information needs?
Their information needs primarily consist of finding brains. They pretty much search by geographic proximity and pattern matching. The type of browsing they do doesn't seem to be well supported by information systems.
…
As I noted in a recent entry on strychnine, NMR is important. Sometimes reference compounds like yesterday's molecule, TMS, will help you out.
This is all well and good for most organic chemists - TMS will go into just about any organic solvent. It won't work so well in water, however, so there's a…
The following is a job posting for the York University Libraries for a Reference Assistant position. Note that a library degree is not required.
The job involves both regular science reference and supporting maps & GIS users and will be both in my unit and the Map Library here at York. For…
The things that scare me the most these days, now that I'm a father, are these moments when I see something or read something, and for a fleeting moment think: what if that happened to my daughter? That's when I freeze.
I guess (and this probably sounds kind of dumb) this just means that I'm worried about the future for my child generally.
Ignorance, stubborness, and affluence is a deadly combination. Happens much too often, which is scary to me.
Cancer.
Loss of personal freedom, possibly caused by the ignorance and bigotry of other people who do not value reason, but who prefer superstition and dogma.
Those are the only 2 things that I think of regularly, anyway.
In all seriousness, I fear fear. I realize that to an extent, fear is necessary, but I still don't like it. I don't like the feeling of being out of control because of fear. I really don't like the knee-jerk reactions of other people when their fear response takes over.
I am afraid of what fear can beget.
Right-wing cretins. Honestly. I see them as (collectively) the single most likely danger to the continuing survival of our species, that of many others, and the relative short-term viability of the planet.
I'm afraid of articles like the one you linked to, that encourage people to adopt the Precautionary Principle because they don't have time or knowledge otherwise to think about the issues involved, poke hard at fear reactions without providing alternatives, and appeal to one's visceral prejudices rather than provide education.
What the heck is the "Science Creative Quarterly", anyway?
Hi Elf, A very astute observation, and partly what the article was about, really. In answer to your query about the SCQ, one suggestion is to peruse through the "textbook" section. There should be plenty of topics that address the concerns you so rightly point out.
All in all, the piece itself is (hopefully) an excuse to dig deeper.
(anyone else catch the irony in Elf's comment that those speaking about an issue should be informed about it before doing so?)
Thanks for letting me find the Science Creative Quarterly. Some of the humour is especially great. Which is ironic, because if there's anything I'm fearful of, it's our inability to slow down, just relax, and for an instance, just do nothing for a change. Is it me, or is life too full these days.
Jellyfish. Please try not to laugh.
Nobody has mentioned death yet. But I fear death - doesn't everyone?
Actually, no, not everyone. Having been through a situation where I was certain I was a dead man (ice-induced spinout on an interstate), I can actually say that for certain. My only real reaction was just a matter-of-fact thought of, "That's it, I'm dead."
Looking another person in the face, tho -- that causes a shiver of fear each time I meet someone's gaze. So, people scare me, but not death.
It might be highly rational to fear those who DON'T fear death - depending on their committment to a given cause anyways.
Mostly, I fear running out of fresh water. Consider that there are fountains in Phoenix, pools in the desert. Fresh water is being depleted much faster than it is being replenished. Mark my words: water is going to end up being the single biggest cause of conflict in the 21st century. My current plan is to buy a lawn chair, a few lake-front acres up in the Yukon, and a shotgun, but I have yet to convince my wife to come with me, so I probably won't get the wheels rolling on that one for a while.
Well, there is a rather big difference between folks who don't fear death and those who actively embrace it. Me, I just look at it as a rather annoying inconvenience and would much rather avoid it as long as possible.
And I think I'll differ with you on the next major cause of conflict. I have a feeling it'll be, of all things, women. China's one-child policy is going to have some seriously unbalanced side-effects in the next 10-15 years, and something's gonna have to give.
Ouch, BRC! A hit, a palpable hit. But I don't think I need to know what "SCQ" is about to read the article itself and address it directly. Now that David has recommended I go back and look deeper, I might, as I also pointed out is the main issue at hand, invest the time to do so.