bcohen | July 17, 2006With nothing to do with science, I feel compelled nonetheless to post this link to a fine contribution over at McSweeney's today. A great piece, on politics and whatnot. Sort of. Or, rather, entirely. The intro:
Ladies and gentlemen. Friends, relatives, dear ones, and patriots. Especially patriots. And especially that fidgety little jerk right there in front. Yeah, you, Pigtails. Eyes up here ... All right, then. Like I was saying ... We must never forget whatever happened here today.
If whatever we're talking about was some sort of horrible genocide, then, by God, it is our duty as…
worldsfair | July 17, 2006This particular piece has had a long and storied past, originating as far back as my term as an Immunology lecturer during my Ph.D. days (we're talking back in 1997 or so). Essentially, one of things I did (and still do) with my lectures is incorporate graphics that are both visually interesting and academically offbeat, but always with a clear science perogative. I usually like to think of them as "transition" points, whereby it gives the student a chance to break from the monotony of a lecture (which no matter how fascinating the topic, and how captivating you are, will tend to glaze even…
bcohen | July 17, 2006This is but a link to an interesting summary article about the topic of scientists (physicists) in film. It's by Sidney Perkowitz, who teaches at Emory, and who I've seen speak at the meetings of and know has long been involved with the Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts (SLSA) -- which I call Salsa, but not sure if anyone else does, and which was long called just the Society for Literature and Science (SLS) until a name change a few years ago.
Salsa has a highly respected journal, too, Configurations, which is often fairly theoretically inclined and generally tip top. In fact,…
worldsfair | July 16, 2006A few months back, I forgot to pay for parking and was dinged with a $50 fine. It was completely by accident so very annoying overall. Anyway, because it was an accident, I thought I would have a go at writing a silly letter to get out of paying.
Well, I found out it worked, so it just goes to show... Well, I dunno what it goes to show (perhaps this is where those in the know with behaviour and the like can pipe it), but here it is (word or word) for record keepings sake:
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REASONS WHY I DIDN'T PAY MY TICKET.
In light of everything going on in provincial and federal politics, I was…
worldsfair | July 15, 2006Quick and fast today.
Pavlov's Brother by Andy Borowitz
Here's a great piece from the New Yorker - I hear it's a pretty good place to present your work.
Conversations with my mother which suggest she may secretly be a primatologist by Kevin Zeidler
When John referred me to Yankee Pot Roast, I essentially realized how many other great sites existed where literary humour is the game that is played. Anyway, YPR is also good for many hours of procastination.
Electron Band Structure In Germanium, My Ass by Lucas Kovar
Ah yes, science is tough. I believe this was a classic in graduate student…
worldsfair | July 14, 2006So, today is the last day of the Children's book workshop, and it's been a nice change of pace for sure. The instructor, Susan Juby, was excellent and the content generally helpful and did I say, nice change of pace? I also picked up a few great quotes about children in general, and in children's lit specifically.
Two of my favourites have been:
"We know nothing of childhood, and with our mistaken notions the further we advance the further we go astray. The wisest writers devote themselves to what a man ought to know, without asking what a child is capable of learning. They are always…
worldsfair | July 14, 2006
Mr. Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are is easily one of the best loved children's book on our planet, but it may surprise you to know that his first published illustrations were done in the name of science. Of course, you'll need a big wallet to get those illustrations, or get the book rather. Here is a current ad below:
(Sendak, Maurice) Maxwell Eidenoff and Hyman Ruchlis. ATOMICS FOR THE MILLIONS. New York: Whittlesey House (1947). First edition. First issue with the patterned endpapers, $3.50 price on both flaps of dustjacket, and statement of paper quality on copyright page. Small gift…
worldsfair | July 14, 2006
This book is a lovely piece of prose with geat artwork that looks at the power of how certain experiences, and more specifically certain teachers can provide the inspiration that ultimately makes a person who they are.
Although the book presents this theme in the context of a musical experience, I found it generally a good colourful parable on the simple power of educational opportunities, or experiences. For me, it's like the blue whale - if you're lucky, there are certain things that can really excite you, set your course, open your mind, you know - just let you be you. One of these days…
worldsfair | July 13, 2006...
"Oh, it's just a parade"
- - -
O.K. O.K. really more to do with the children's theme rather than science per se, although perhaps fanangling these types of quick responses is a science in itself. This is actually something that happened in real life, and the quick response was my wife, Kate. I just remember thinking it was so funny when it came out, deadpan like, but maybe you had to be there. I do remember saying "nice cover" though.
This is the only thing Kate has ever submitted anywhere, and it was good old McSweeney's that she tried. It, of course, got rejected.
I always…
worldsfair | July 13, 2006Peter Sis is probably best known for his Madlenka series, which I believe, have even been made into a few Sesame Street shorts. But in my view, his prowess in producing these intricate and pretty pictures are well used in two of his books that focus specifically on the life and times of two prominent scientists.
One of these, The Tree of Life is an illustrated children's biography of Charles Darwin and is just such a beautiful thing to behold that some colleagues of mine appreciate it more as a keepsake wth coffee table status (usually not a rank that is easy to come by for scientific tomes…
worldsfair | July 12, 2006This book makes the cut, not necessarily because I find it particularly endearing (although it is a lovely story, and ever so British in a Paddington Bear sort of way), but because this is the book responsible for my kids, 2 and a half and almost 5 in age, stomping around the house like dinosaurs, roaring and of course, very loudly.
And even more impressive is that my kids are actually uttering words like Triceratops, Iguanodon, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ankylosaurus, Stegosaurus, and the like, which gives me no end of pleasure.
The book is also set in London's Natural History Museum, a place which…
worldsfair | July 12, 2006Wondrous theories have been brewing over the three clues so far. Here is another. The fourth actually, a video too (Quicktime required).
And in case you like visual things, like to see things all at once. Here are the first three images.
worldsfair | July 11, 2006As eluded to earlier, the concept of snot holds a special place in my teaching armada. As well, it appears that scienceblogs has reached their 1,000,000th comment. Obviously, this is due to the hard work of our unpaid interns, which is why Ben and I have decided to waive their photocopying and massage duties today. Anyway, let's see if we can get a few more comments.
In particular, below are a number of ways to say the word snot. Would love to see some more.
worldsfair | July 11, 2006
In Norway, you say "buse."
As a geneticist, I am a lot more familiar with the concept of snot than one might suspect. And although this may appear to be a sort of an odd soundbite, it can be quickly explained by the simple fact that pure genomic DNA, isolated from any and all variety of nature's participants, will actually take on the appearance of the stuff you might see dripping out of an infant's nose. I even call it "boogery," which delights me to no end as an educator who is privilege enough to impart such wisdom to audiences ranging from scientific Heads of Departments to priests to…
worldsfair | July 10, 2006
I thought I would start with this great picture story book, although in truth I could have easily started with another by the same author (the always irrepressible, but sadly missed away Shel Silverstein). The other, of course, is The Giving Tree, but I'll assume most of you have actually heard of that one - if not, it's one of those no brainers, and worth the purchase, worth a look at the very least. Both, however, neatly fit into the "These are so awesome, that I've bought like dozens of copies, to give to my friends, to give to folks who are even necessarily friends, because I'd like…
worldsfair | July 10, 2006As alluded to earlier, I'm attending a Children's Book Workshop this week. So to stay in theme (hence also the post about the Von Trapp Children), I thought I would try to provide a children's book review for each of the days in this week. Not going to be easy though, since my intent is to choose books with a science angle, subtle though that may be.
And I say this is going to be difficult (and subtle), because I'm purposely not going to pick books that are driven primarily by the presentation of facts (of which there are many many excellent examples out there). Instead, I'm going to try…
worldsfair | July 10, 2006Despite the recurring theme of rejection with many of the pieces I submit, I find you still get the sense that you were (nevertheless) in good hands. In other words, you'd like to think that the editors who take the time to read your material and then leave generally ambiguous statements about your work, are not saying "no" without good reason. It certainly makes you feel all the more special when something does make the grade.
In some respects, I think my first accepted piece at McSweeney's (The Von Trapp Children Speak to a Geneticist) is a good example of this. It was fun to write, and it…
worldsfair | July 9, 2006This time around, we have a poem, something about lego, a great piece by the ever interesting Kurt Vonnegut, and a conversation with an academic that sort of defies categorization . Not ranked in that order, in any particular order really. Just good for a few minutes of your life of science.
The poem we'll start with is by Tao Lin, and is the sort of poetry I can easily enjoy - a great piece with a subtle sustainability theme. Plus it's also good for a chuckle. Originally presented at the always marvelous monkeybicycle, Tao recently allowed me to reprint it at terry.ubc.ca. Click here to…
bcohen | July 9, 2006We won't yet drop a fourth visual clue for the P.F #1, but we will give at this point a few negations:
The answer does not involve Carl Sagan's pet, does not belong to the category "architecture," and is not only about the combination of fishes and cows. Furthermore, it is not something that begins with the letter J. We are not putting you on.
This, we know, helps. We've been told so.
(Stay alert this coming week...)