Backreaction: Women in Physics "I was invited to the upcoming APS meeting in Denver to speak in a session on "Women and Minorities in Gravity: Science and Career Paths." And since I have somewhat of a bad conscience for never having been at never any APS meeting, not to mention never having been of any… Continue reading links for 2009-04-13
Month: April 2009
Easter Means Bunnies
Today is Easter, for those who celebrate it, and the end of Cadbury Egg season for those who don’t. SteelyKid’s grandparents and great-grandmother are coming to visit, because it’s been weeks since they saw her cuteness in person. And that means minimal blogging today. Religious connotations aside, Easter is one of the cultural signposts of… Continue reading Easter Means Bunnies
links for 2009-04-12
When the Martian Winds Blow… : Starts With A Bang "Opportunity is headed towards Endeavour Crater (above), and this power boost may shorten its trip by months. This would be the largest crater ever explored by a rover on Mars, and we may yet get to see it, all because of a gust of wind!"… Continue reading links for 2009-04-12
Tobias Buckell Is Outnumbered…
…what with his wife, Emily, giving birth to twins. It sounds like he’s pretty happy with this state of affairs, though. Go leave him a congratulatory comment. Or, better yet, go buy one of his books— they’re great fun for you to read, and will help keep Toby supplied with the vast number of diapers… Continue reading Tobias Buckell Is Outnumbered…
links for 2009-04-11
How hostage negotiations work. – By Christopher Beam – Slate Magazine "What, exactly, does a hostage negotiator do? Wear down the captors. Negotiating strategies vary depending on the demands, the time of day, the hostage-taker’s sanity, and a million other factors. (For example, you might want to send in a SWAT team right away if… Continue reading links for 2009-04-11
Beware of Undead Astronomers
My bedtime reading last night was an old pop-science book by Isaac Asimov, about black holes and astronomy generally. He talks at some length about the size and age of the universe, and just before I stopped and went to sleep last night, I reached his discussion of Cepheid variables, which begins thus: In 1784… Continue reading Beware of Undead Astronomers
How to Make the World Safe for Science
Over at the Intersection’s new digs, Sheril has posted a rather long list of fellowship programs for people interested in science policy. Sponsors include government agencies, private universities, professional societies, and private foundations, and cover pretty much every branch of science. If you’d like to take a look inside the sausage factory and spend some… Continue reading How to Make the World Safe for Science
links for 2009-04-10
Why was Jesus crucified? – By Larry Hurtado – Slate Magazine "A central statement in traditional Christian creeds is that Jesus was crucified "under Pontius Pilate." But the majority of Christians have only the vaguest sense what the phrase represents, and most non-Christians probably can’t imagine why it’s such an integral part of Christian faith.… Continue reading links for 2009-04-10
Positive Job Market Developments
Sabine Hossenfelder from Backreaction has landed a job as an assistant professor at NORDITA. That’s good news any time, but especially in the current climate. And going Sabine one better, Mary at View from the Corner has both defended her thesis and gotten a job at the same company as her husband. Way to solve… Continue reading Positive Job Market Developments
Thursday Baby Blogging 040909
Why is this night different from other nights? Because day care at the Jewish Community Center was closed for Passover, and SteelyKid spent the day at work with Kate, of course. And after a long day of baby lawyering, it’s good to relax with a drink: SteelyKid here shows off that she can hold her… Continue reading Thursday Baby Blogging 040909