Science Kick: September 2009

Exhibit A:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/08/ben-goldacre-bad-science-research

Exhibit B:

http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2009/07/video-wow-shocker----professional-ex-gay-advocates-support-professional-ex-gay-advocacy.html

http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2009/07/if-rejecting-ex-gay-therapy-is-pro-gay-activism-then-no-wonder-pinnocchio-never-comes-to-our-rallies.html

Blog Rules

Post Classifications

To make it easier for people to find just the sort of thing they're looking for, I'll have a system for classifying posts (found in the tags at the bottom) that will, I hope, make it easier for you to find only the sorts of items you like:

Basics: Simple lessons on things everyone ought to know as well as things you will need to know if you're going to understand more advanced topics.

Beyond Basic: Just what the name implies; things that might be taught in an advanced high school science class or perhaps in the first year or so of college.

Advanced: Typically things involving heavy duty math and seriously advanced abstract thinking. Not for the faint of heart.

Op-Ed: Another category that should be self-evident. I am simply reserving the right to shoot my mouth off about science, right or wrong.

OPP: Other People's Posts. Links to other science articles and blogs on the web that the thinking classes should be aware of.

News: Straightforward reportage that is (mostly) free of opinion, or just a link to a news article.

Tangent: An item that I felt like sharing that may or may not be related to science. (Most likely not... expect lots of stuff on comic books.)

Random Acts: Catch-all for anything that doesn't quite fit into one of the other categories. But new categories will be added as I feel they are warranted.

One of these terms will always appear in the tags to help you search for the things you're interested in.

Corrections

Corrections to factual inaccuracies are welcomed and encouraged! All I ask is that you cite one or two offline sources that anyone might find in a decent university science library (the more, the better natch). I really, really, really do not trust Wikipedia and don't consider it a reliable source. In fact, there aren't many online sources I fully trust at all. I look at Wikipedia like everybody does, but, generally, I prefer professionally edited and/or peer-reviewed stuff.

Responding to Comments

I probably won't. At least, it'll be really, really rare.

Salty Language

When I encounter an individual whose language is fairly saturated with profanity, I sometimes conclude that I must be dealing with someone whose home training and socialization were truly lacking... a low-born, uncouth person who is not to be taken seriously and whose capacity for elevated intellectual discourse must be called into question. But this is my blog, and I reserve the right to resort to "gutter lingo" whenever it jolly well pleases me to do so. If you don't like it, the cybersphere is blessed with a plethora of fine writers posting their work to their own blogs, leaving you free to abandon my efforts and flee to one more suited to your sensibilities. Fuck you.

Two-fisted science, baby! Wear a cup!

About the half-naked men...

Science as burlesque! Some people will think it's stupid, some people might even be offended, but I have them there for only one reason: I like looking at them. It's not a gimmick or a lure, it's purely a self-indulgence. Most of the photos are random internet finds, but every effort will be made to get permission to use all of the photos I post here. If, however, you have a legitimate claim as the owner of an image and you want it taken down, save yourself a call to a lawyer for a cease and desist. Just send me an e-mail and the pic will be gone from the site. Speaking of sending me stuff...

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With your kind permission, I can include photos of you at your shirtless best on my science blog. Why? C'mon! What right-thinking person doesn't want to look at photos of hot, shirtless guys? But, please, no "cell phone in the mirror" shots.

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The Steampunk Satyricon

Thursday, September 10, 2009

How NOT to Publish Scientific Papers

Sunday, September 6, 2009

We're all mutants