sheril | October 3, 2008Today we're both off to The Salk to participate in The Science Network's ongoing annual conversation known as Beyond Belief. This year's theme is 'Candles In The Dark':
Beyond Belief: Candles in the Dark is the third in an annual series of conversations: an ongoing project to foster and promote the use of reason in formulating social policy. This year, we are asking participants to propose a Candle -- a potential solution to a problem that they have identified in their area of expertise or informed passion.
In The Demon-Haunted World, Carl Sagan wrote:
Science is more than a body of…
sheril | October 2, 2008- Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential Debate October 3, 2008
Uh, yes. Anyone else get the feeling that the VP candidates are speaking different languages tonight?
sheril | October 2, 2008I've written before about a favorite elected official in Congress, Republican Wayne Gilchrest. From today's Washington Post:
Wayne Gilchrest, the nine-term Republican congressman who represents Maryland's Eastern Shore and parts of Anne Arundel County, has had it, and he's ready to talk.
He's had it with his own party, which he says "has become more narrow, more self-serving, more centered around 'I want, I want, I want.' " He's finished with his party's presidential candidate, John McCain, who Gilchrest says "recites memorized pieces of information in a narrow way, whereas Barack Obama is…
cmooney | October 2, 2008My latest Science Progress column just went up--it's about the series of reports the National Academies has done over the past eight years (see here, here, and here) to help facilitate presidential transitions with respect to science and technology appointments, and the interesting commonalities that these reports share.
All the reports stress the need for a high level presidential science adviser who's appointed to his post early on (something the Bush administration of course failed to do). They all call for streamlining the appointments process and cutting down on red tape. And the most…
sheril | October 1, 2008Michael highlighted Sarah Palin's positions on evolution and climate change, explaining that her logic loops make him nervous. Me too. And that's why I'd like to debate her.
And it turns out some readers, sciblings, many bloggers, and C-SPAN agree it might be fun.
sheril | September 30, 2008Palin vs Kirshenbaum
Apparently readers, sciblings, many bloggers, and C-SPAN agree it might be fun.
Okay folks, well I'm game if Sarah is...
sheril | September 30, 2008Over at Bora's place you'll find lots and lots of videos from our day at the North Carolina Zoo. The overlords at Seed outfitted us with these cool little Flip camcorders which were a lot of fun to play with. Here I interview Bora [note my excellent skills as camerawoman]:
Lots more poorly edited clips available Around The Clock....
sheril | September 29, 2008I just received this warning by email:
'The house voted against the bailout. Hello Great Depression part II.'
What do readers think?
sheril | September 29, 2008Really.
Everyone's worried that no matter what Biden says on Thursday, Republicans will cry 'sexism'. Well I'm a woman too. So why not? No I'm not on any ticket, but consider: I've got more experience in Washington than the governor and arguably better ideas on energy, foreign policy, the economy, and homeland security.
Please oh please?
There's more... Sarah's not so into natural history, I worked at the Museum of Natural History. She was mayor of a small northern town, and I lived in Old Town, Maine. She supports oil drilling, I don't. I'm pro-choice, Sarah's not. I've had my…
sheril | September 28, 2008On September 25th, Nature magazine published 'Choosing A Future,' telling us more about where each presidential candidate stands on science related topics. And despite the humorous and uncanny similarities of the front and back covers, this is a very serious issue because it outlines some differences in the candidates' strategies. Not surprisingly, of particular interest to me are their positions on oil drilling which I've posted over at NexGen.
The gist:
Obama: Don't expand domestic drilling and reduce dependence on oil altogether.
McCain: Drill Baby Drill! and expand offshore-drilling.…
sheril | September 28, 2008On September 25th, Nature magazine published 'Choosing A Future,' telling us more about where each presidential candidate stands on science related topics. And despite the humorous and uncanny similarities of the front and back covers, this is a very serious issue because it outlines some differences in their strategies. Not surprisingly, of particular interest to me are their positions on oil drilling which I've posted over at NexGen.
The gist:
Obama: Don't expand domestic drilling and reduce dependence on oil altogether.
McCain: Drill Baby Drill! and expand offshore-drilling.
The full…
sheril | September 26, 2008Yesterday 61 Nobel Laureates* released a letter endorsing Barack Obama for President:
An Open Letter to the American People
This year's presidential election is among the most significant in our nation's history. The country urgently needs a visionary leader who can ensure the future of our traditional strengths in science and technology and who can harness those strengths to address many of our greatest problems: energy, disease, climate change, security, and economic competitiveness.
We are convinced that Senator Barack Obama is such a leader, and we urge you to join us in supporting him…
sheril | September 26, 2008I mean it's cool the Arizona Senator seems to care about the well being of fish all of a sudden, but uh seriously, what's with McCain and oil? I mean 'Drill Baby Drill' isn't exactly a convincing campaign slogan.
[Thanks to Mark Powell for the video]
sheril | September 25, 2008It should be no surprise to readers that birds are among my very favorite critters. Aside from occasional blogger Sparticus Maximus The Great, I also reside with a pair of recessive pied budgies named Nemo and Che (who are real proud to be descendants of dinos). So naturally, I said I'd be delighted to review the new Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Ted Floyd, the editor of Birding Magazine. While I've long been fascinated with Aves, I became far more interested in birding while in Africa last summer with the Pimm group, which happens to be full of expert birders…
sheril | September 24, 2008So uh, anyone else besides Letterman and I wondering why Sarah Palin can't take over? Because that's sort of, you know, the whole VP role...
Sept. 24 (Bloomberg) -- John McCain made a surprise announcement that he was suspending his presidential campaign and called on Democratic rival Barack Obama to postpone their first debate until Congress hammers out a plan to steady the financial markets.
Obama rebuffed McCain, saying it's ``more important than ever'' for the candidates to tell voters how they would deal with the crisis. He said they can work with Congress while campaigning. ``It is…
cmooney | September 24, 2008My latest Science Progress column just went up: It's about the controversies surrounding CERN's Large Hadron Collider, which many people crazily think is going to open up black holes, turn us all into strangelet particles, etc. There's no basis for it--but, there was a good deal of basis for scientists to expect this kind of public reaction. For the Large Hadron saga is, as I write,
...a particularly noteworthy example of what is today almost a general principle regarding major scientific events that draw mass attention. Members of the public, having scarcely followed the underlying research…
sheril | September 24, 2008Sure, it's only an advertisement, but when 'bounty hunter' makes the list before 'research scientist' (except with regard to forensics, likely due to cable tv), it seems to me science can use a bit of a PR boost, no?
Then there's also this annoying animated ad rotating in play on our right sidebar. Folks, we have no control over these and I hope Seed takes it down immediately. I'm not buying Reebok.
sheril | September 23, 2008Over at NexGen, this week's question asks about the likelihood of embracing tidal power: a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into electricity. Basically, we're talking wind turbines located where there's strong tidal flow. Sounds clean, and heck, I sure do like the ocean... but uh, I just don't see this becoming a major contender in our alternative energy future.
My full post is now up outlining many reasons why...