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

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Categorized as Links Dump

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

links for 2008-10-14

Q and A – What Happened to the Golf Ball the Astronaut Hit on the Moon? – Question – NYTimes.com "Alan Shepard actually hit two balls on the Apollo 14 mission of 1971, and they are still on the Moon, he said in a 1991 interview on the Academy of Achievement Web site for students."… Continue reading links for 2008-10-14

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Neo-Conservative T Cells

I’ve had miserable problems with hives over the past few years. I’m not sure what it is that I’m allergic to, but I take a distressing number of pills in an attempt to control the itching. The past few days, I’ve been coming down with a cold– sinuses full of gunk, a bit of a… Continue reading Neo-Conservative T Cells

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Categorized as Personal

The Bright Side

Throughout the unfolding financial meltdown, I keep finding myself thinking that there might be one small, positive effect to come out of this: namely, a much-needed dose of realism and humility for market advocates. Because, really, after reading this Steven Teles post: All through the financial crisis, governments have failed to act in a powerful,… Continue reading The Bright Side

Sveriges Riksbank Prize to New York Times Columnist

The 2008 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Honor of Alfred Nobel has been awarded to Paul Krugman. Usually it’s the Peace prize that’s awarded on the basis of what will make right-wingers’ heads explode in the US. They went for a Scandawegian for that one, though, so the economics peusdo-Nobel was the next… Continue reading Sveriges Riksbank Prize to New York Times Columnist

links for 2008-10-13

Swans on Tea » Grad School Camp It’s crazy, but it just might work. (tags: academia silly education blogs) The Reality-Based Community: Palin at the Flyers: What the @#$%& Were They Thinking? Alternate title: "We Booed Santa Claus, and Governor, You’re No Santa Claus." (tags: US politics stupid) Kevin Drum – Mother Jones Blog: Troopergate… Continue reading links for 2008-10-13

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Fall

Why I love New England: That’s the maple tree on the line between our house and the neighbors’. It’s always one of the first trees to turn, and it’s always spectacular when it does. It’s particularly striking when Emmy and I set off for our morning walk and the back yard is still in shadow,… Continue reading Fall

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Categorized as Pictures