On a happier science-related note, the AIP’s Physics News Update highlights a very nice article in The American Journal of Physics about the wide-ranging scientific investigations of Luis Alvarez: Scientist as detective: Luis Alvarez and the pyramid burial chambers, the JFK assassination, and the end of the dinosaurs Luis Alvarez (1911-1988) was one of the […]
Month: November 2007
The Easterbrook Idiocy Supercollider
I generally like Gregg Easterbrook’s writing about football (though he’s kind of gone off the deep end regarding the Patriots this year), but everything else he turns his hand to is a disaster. In particular, he tends to pad his columns out with references to science and technology issues. I’m not quite sure what the […]
links for 2007-11-21
Crooked Timber » » Disciplines and deterrence A brief history of shoddy death penalty scholarship. (tags: economics academia politics society US) New Stem Cell Method Could Ease Ethical Concerns – New York Times Let’s all take a few minutes to appreciate the accomplishment here, before getting all worked up about the political implications. (tags: biology […]
Evil Survey: Quantum Chicanery
Believe it or not, this is actually book-related: I have in mind to do a chapter at the end of the book about the use of misrepresentations of quantum physics to promise magical results. I’ve been writing the dialogue to go with that this morning (because it’s more fun than what I’m supposed to be […]
To Whom It May Concern
I am writing this letter in support of J. Randomstudent’s application to your graduate or professional program. I have known J. since the fall of 20__, when he was a student in my introductory physics class. From the very first day of that course, J. was a constant presence on my grade roster. I assume […]
Maryland-UCLA
A college basketball game takes a bit over two hours– 2:10 is pretty typical, what with all the timeouts and miscellaneous stoppages of play. A blowout takes a bit less, a close game a bit more (what with all the intentional fouling at the end), but it’s a rare game that finishes in under two […]
links for 2007-11-20
5 Upcoming Comic Book Movies That Must Be Stopped | Cracked.com ‘How the project obtained funding for their proposal, entitled “give diamond-hard skin and superhuman strength to angry young ethnic convicts” is yet another prime example of the dangerous incompetence of the Nixon administration.’ (tags: movies comics stupid) Confessions of a Community College Dean: Presidents […]
Dorky Poll: Deadlines
I have to spend the day working with a thesis student who needs to finish up by tomorrow (no pressure), so I don’t have time to write up the seven-part detailed explanation of the physics of deep-fried turkey that I was hoping to do. Maybe next year. In its place, inspired by Backreaction’s post on […]
Multimedia Trash Talk
In one of those “Living in the Future” sorts of moments, our regular lunchtime pick-up basketball game has an email listserver. Pretty much every day there’s a game, there’s some email chatter and trash talk. My signature comment is to describe one of the other players as being “Weak like a really weak thing.” One […]
links for 2007-11-19
These Scientific Minds Think (and Drink) Alike – New York Times Scientists acting like rock stars. Buckaroo Banzai, call your agent. (tags: science society culture) In U.S. Name Count, Garcias Are Catching Up With Joneses – New York Times You’ll be shocked–shocked!– to learn that neither Kate nor I have one of the 5,000 most […]