SteelyKid is ten weeks old today! To celebrate, here’s the weekly picture with Appa for scale, with a special bonus Kate for additional perspective:
Author: Chad Orzel
DonorsChoose Payoff: The Capital District
Another DonorsChoose incentive claimed: Ewan asks for a blog post about “the neatest attractions in Albany and the surrounding area.” “Neatest” is in the eye of the beholder, of course, and as is the case with any area, the worst people to ask about local tourism are local residents (ask a Manhattanite how often they… Continue reading DonorsChoose Payoff: The Capital District
The Teleporter’s Dilemma
One of the annoying things about trying to explain quantum mechanics to a general audience is that the weirdness of the theory forces you to use incredibly convoluted examples. Pop-science books about quantum physics are full of schemes that the producers of the Saw movies would reject as implausibly complicated. I wish I was posting… Continue reading The Teleporter’s Dilemma
Cynicism and the Debates
Once again, God help me, I watched the entire debate last night. I don’t quite know why, as it wasn’t that great as spectacle, and it’s not like there was any way it would change my vote… I wound up being struck by something, though. The last eight years have made me pretty cynical about… Continue reading Cynicism and the Debates
links for 2008-10-16
slacktivist: Racism and litigation "[N]o, it’s not an overstatement or an uncharitable characterization to say that anyone swallowing this ACORN-scapegoating is insane and a racist bastard. This is a baseless assertion that begins with the argument that poor people and black people are the powers that be in America — that they run the show.… Continue reading links for 2008-10-16
DonorsChoose Payoff: The Time Machine
Today, we have the first claimant of a donation incentive, from Sarah, who asks: If you could go back in time to any lab and be there as X discovery was being made, which lab/when/where would you go? I figure this could be spun a couple of ways, either to talk about some really cool… Continue reading DonorsChoose Payoff: The Time Machine
The Monkey Dance (DonorsChoose Incentives)
First and foremost, thank you to everybody who has donated to my DonorsChoose challenge this year. At the time of this writing, we’ve raised just over $1,700, temporarily good enough for first place on the ScieceBlogs leader board. If you haven’t contributed yet, we’ve got lots of incentives to try to get you to contribute.… Continue reading The Monkey Dance (DonorsChoose Incentives)
links for 2008-10-15
Fafblog! the whole world’s only source for Fafblog. "Okay okay but who is Barack Obama, really, while I am playing scary music and flashing this terrifyingly desaturated image of Barack Obama in a turban across your television screen? "Oh my god I have no idea, who is this mysteriously radical mystery radical!" Giblets is glad… Continue reading links for 2008-10-15
Innumeracy on Parade
Via Physics and Physicists, a breathtaking blog at the Washington Post proudly proclaiming the author’s ignorance of algebra: I am told that algebra is everywhere – it’s in my iPod, beneath the spreadsheet that calculates my car payments, in every corner of my building. This idea freaks me out because I just can’t see it.… Continue reading Innumeracy on Parade
Correlation Equals Causation, NFL Style
Going into last night’s game, my New York Football Giants were 4-0, leading the NFL in a whole bunch of statistical categories. SteelyKid watched at least part of every one of those games with me. Last night, just before kick-off, Kate took SteelyKid upstairs for a late-evening feeding. After eating, she dropped off to sleep… Continue reading Correlation Equals Causation, NFL Style