Via Inside Higher Ed this YouTube video is pretty much a distillation of faculty reaction nationwide to higher education’s response to the world economic crisis: The IHE link gives a little more context to the video, and some of the reaction to it. The arguments here are not all well-founded– science and engineering will necessarily… Continue reading Distilled Faculty Outrage
Category: Video
Electron Spin for Toddlers
The subject of the “spin” of the electron comes up again and again, so as pointed out in a comment, I really ought to do a post explaining what it is and how it works. As a bonus, this gives me the opportunity to do the dorkiest thing anyone has ever done with a cute-toddler… Continue reading Electron Spin for Toddlers
Bonus Toddler Blogging: Balloon Basketball
SteelyKid has clearly inherited her father’s fondness for basketball. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite understand how to play, yet. She does know that involves throwing a ball up in the air and jumping, though: She’ll get the rest of it eventually.
Chateau SteelyKid
I’ve made a few oblique references to home improvement projects over the last week or so. These weren’t for our house, but for SteelyKid’s– Kate’s mom got her a playhouse for Christmas, which we finally got around to installing in the back yard. SteelyKid has taken right to home ownership: Don’t let her studied cool… Continue reading Chateau SteelyKid
I Need to Work on My Sound Bites
One of the questions asked of Neil deGrasse Tyson at the WSF thing last week was “When did you change from a mild-mannered astrophysicist to a rock-star scientist?” (or something close to that phrasing). In his answer, he said that after his first tv interview was edited down to a three-second shot of him wiggling… Continue reading I Need to Work on My Sound Bites
Bouncing Baby
SteelyKid’s day care is closed today and tomorrow for a Jewish holiday (happy (?) Shavuot to those who celebrate it), so she’s home all day for the next two. Of course, Kate and I are both crazy busy, so my parents are coming up to watch SteelyKid today while we’re off at work. We really… Continue reading Bouncing Baby
SteelyKid Dance Party
I have copy edits for an Anglicised edition of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog to review, lecture notes to write, and a faculty meeting to go to, so I’m going off-line for the rest of the day (with one possible exception). To keep you amused in my absence, here’s some video of SteelyKid… Continue reading SteelyKid Dance Party
Bath-Time Fluid Dynamics
SteelyKid’s every-so-often bath was last night, and as always, she was fascinated by scooping up water in a hexagonal cup thing that’s part of one of her bath toys, and watching it drain out. Which is completely understandable– not just because she’s a baby, but because there’s a bunch of physics at work, here. I… Continue reading Bath-Time Fluid Dynamics
Thursday Baby Blogging 042910
SteelyKid has a cold, again, so she’s kind of unhappy tonight. There’s a picture of a slightly bleary SteelyKid with Appa below the fold, but that’s kind of a downer, so here’s some video from the other night, showing her new favorite game: (She’ll do this for hours. Well, ten minutes, at least, but it… Continue reading Thursday Baby Blogging 042910
Wanted: Short Films About Lasers
Physics Central is having a contest: Do you love lasers? Ever wanted to unravel the mystery of the stimulated emission? Then the LaserFest video contest is for you. Take any laser you want and use it to somehow express a physics concept. Shine, lase, bounce and wave your way into physics history. The winner will… Continue reading Wanted: Short Films About Lasers