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"Uncertain Principles" features the miscellaneous ramblings of a physicist at a small liberal arts college. Physics, politics, pop culture, and occasional conversations with his dog.
You've read the blog, now try the book: How to Teach Physics to Your Dog will be published December 22nd by Scribner.
"Prof. Orzel gives the impression of an everyday guy who just happens to have a vast but hidden knowledge of physics." (anonymous student evaluation comment)
Emmy is a German Shepherd mix, and the Queen of Niskayuna. She likes treats, walks, chasing bunnies, and quantum physics.

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Religion:
Category: Steelykid!
A reading from the Book of Genesis: 1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:04 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Religion
Chris Mooney has an explanation of the "accommodationist" position that deserves better than to be buried in a Links Dump: I don't see a need to pry into how each individual is dealing with these complicated and personal matters of...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:48 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Religion
Chris Mooney has found new digs, and, revitalized by the more congenial atmosphere, has been taking up the science vs. religion fight again. Yesterday, he had a post asking what can be done to get moderate scientists more involved in...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 11:13 AM • 68 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Academia
My major "service" activity at work is involvement with the Minerva program, which attempts to blur the line between academic and residential life. I enjoy this because it gives me the opportunity to work closely with students outside a narrow...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:29 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Books
I was rather surprised when Friday's quick post about Tolkien spawned a lengthy comment thread full of people arguing against the suggestion that The Lord of the Rings is affected by Tolkien's Catholic faith. I'm no Tolkien scholar, but my...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:54 AM • 27 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: SF
In Friday's installment of his ongoing examination of Left Behind: The Movie, Fred Clark points out some gaps in the movie-Antichrist's plan, where it departs from the loopy prophetic cosmology of the Left Behind books. He then notes how they...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:55 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Religion
Lots of people are giving Obama props for the shout-out to atheists in his inaugural address, but I'm deeply concerned about what he said. Or, rather, what he didn't say: We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:54 AM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Religion
In the uncomfortable questions thread, David White asks: Ever entertained the notion that attacks on true science from the muscular political creationism/ID lobby might be vitiated by exposure of their great and inexplicable theological flaw (gasp!) dating all the way...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:27 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Religion
I was on Baby Duty today, so I spent some time listening to Bloggingheads dialogs, including Kerry Howley and Richard Rodriguez: There's a lot of good stuff in here, but I almost hesitate to post about it, because it's practically...
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 8:30 PM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Religion
John McCain's foreign policy applied to Northern Kentucky, by scientists, no less.
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Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:16 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks