Month: August 2008

Failing Schools: Better Than Nothing

You know, my opinion of “No Child Left Behind” style attempts to measure “failing” schools is as low as anybody’s, but even I think this new Ohio State study sounds ridiculous: Up to three-quarters of U.S. schools deemed failing based on achievement test scores would receive passing grades if evaluated using a less biased measure,… Continue reading Failing Schools: Better Than Nothing

ScienceBlogs: Now With More Facts

The Borg assimilates another quality blogger: Built On Facts is joining ScienceBlogs. If you haven’t been reading Matt’s blog, it’s one of the best basic physics blogs around, with math and everything. It’ll be good to have another non-philatelic scientist around. Update your blogrolls accordingly.

Blue Sky On Mars

Well, OK, that’s a stretch, but there is water, according to the latest Phoenix results: “We’ve now finally touched it and tasted it,” William V. Boynton, a professor at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona and the lead scientist for the instrument that detected the water, said at a news conference… Continue reading Blue Sky On Mars