I picked up three new albums from iTunes last weekend (yes, I know, you can buy DRM-free MP3’s from Amazon now, but I have some iTunes credit to use up, and I haven’t steeled myself to download and install the necessary application yet, which I just know is going to irritate me). The three were:… Continue reading Disappointed by Pop Music
Homework for Parents
The New York Times has a story on a novel approach to teaching high-school English: assigning homework to parents: So far, Mr. [Damion] Frye, an English teacher at Montclair High School, has asked the parents to read and comment on a Franz Kafka story, Section 1 of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” and a speech… Continue reading Homework for Parents
Accountability for Educators, If Not Op-Ed Writers
Inside Higher Ed has a puzzling opinion piece about science and math education by W. Robert Connor of the Teagle Foundation. It’s not his arguemtn that’s puzzling, though– that part is perfectly clear, hard to disagree with: Public and private funders have spent billions of dollars — sometimes wastefully — on education initiatives like those… Continue reading Accountability for Educators, If Not Op-Ed Writers
links for 2007-10-05
Euler’s Constancy A short biography of and tribute to the mathematician Leonhard Euler, who did a bit of everything (tags: math academia physics) Scientists ‘weigh’ tiny galaxy halfway across universe Six billion light years away, 1/100th the mass of the Milky Way (tags: astronomy news science) nanoscale views: Challenges in measurement When expensive equipment blows… Continue reading links for 2007-10-05
DonorsChoose: Buy This Blog
At the time of this writing, the Uncertain Principles blog challenge stands in first place on the ScienceBlogs Leaderboard, with just under $2,000 in donations so far. That’s almost a third of the challenge goal of $6000 in just three days, which is fantastic. Thank you for your generosity. Of course, that still leaves $4,000… Continue reading DonorsChoose: Buy This Blog
Goldstein Collection: New Viral Marketing Game?
I got a rather odd email yesterday, with the Subject: header Help me identify a youtube video and solve my grandfather’s mysterious death. That’s eye-catching, to say the least, and the text of the message was also interesting: There’s a youtube video involved in my grandfather’s odd circumstances of death. Please take a look at… Continue reading Goldstein Collection: New Viral Marketing Game?
Institute of Physics Awards 2007
The Institute of Physics is the UK’s main organization of physicists (sort of like the American Physical Society), and yesterday, they announced their awards for 2007. The full list of winners is only available as a Word file, for some odd reason, but it’s a distinguished group. The prizes are headed by the brand-new Isaac… Continue reading Institute of Physics Awards 2007
links for 2007-10-04
Stopping atoms A “coil-gun” method for slowing atomic beams without lasers, from the Raizen group at Texas (tags: physics low-temperature science atoms) Confessions of a Community College Dean: An Open Letter to Mayor Richard M. Daley The Dean Dad is less polite to Hizzoner than I was (tags: academia stupid education) Finance Blog – Market… Continue reading links for 2007-10-04
Research Early, Research Often
Inside Higher Ed has an article about a HHMI initiative to encourage more students to pursue science careers: Until now, calls for action to bolster Americans’ science aptitude and increase the number of graduates who move on to scientific research have focused on nurturing individual students, improving teacher education and collaborating with industry, among other… Continue reading Research Early, Research Often
Social Networks: What Are They Good For?
So, in a fit of procrastinatory behavior, I’ve spent a bunch of time over the last few days playing with Facebook. I have to say, I can understand how this would get to be addictive– I’m inordinately amused by the fact that I can go to a web page and get a little message telling… Continue reading Social Networks: What Are They Good For?