Sorry for the dearth of blog posts lately. I’ve had horrible writer’s block, mainly because it’s the summer. I get most of my inspiration from classes or crazy campus antics – finishing research and playing video games isn’t as exciting. Just to give you an example of my current activities, I spent the last two days at my parents’ house watching them watch golf. Yeah, thrilling.
I’m also going to be out of town soon. On Wednesday I’m leaving for the Evolution 2010 conference in Portland, Oregon. I’ll be there for a week presenting my research along with a bunch of my lab mates and professor. This is a huge conference, with almost 2,000 scientists attending, and I had a blast last year. But unfortunately for you, it also means I’ll have limited to no internet access.
So, help me out. Ask me questions either in the comments, by email (blaghagblog(at)gmail(dot)com), or anonymously through formspring.me! That way I can keep you entertained while I’m gone.
Good luck with the conference!Question: which scientist do you respect the most (for their science) and why?
I always find it weird that I get bored during the summer, and yet never fail to wish it would come faster when I’m at school.What’s the most irritating question you get asked?
If you could change one law of physics, what would you change, what would you change it to, and why?
What area of math do you wish you were more familiar with? What area of math do you not care about, really, but wish you had a friend or two that was familiar with to answer your questions?
When I have writer’s block I just turn on the religion channel on cable and Presto! instant post.
Make sure you hit Voodoo Doughnuts while you’re here!
This is, incidentally, why I haven’t started my own blog yet. Picture your life, only replace Golf with Soccer. <.<;
what videogames have you been playing?
You know you have writer’s block when you write a post on it! Have fun at the conference!
I would like to know what, besides the non-bushy hair, do you dislike about the movie Hermoine.
Hi Jennifer, I have been reading your blog (blag?) since the boobquack fiasco. I mostly enjoy it. I think you have a great sense of humor.I am an avid reader of pharyngula (since 2006 or so). I think what makes him great is his tell-it-as-it-is delivery and his non-disappointing flow of information. One tip I could give you is that keep reading news articles and blogs and post about them. It doesn’t have to be something you did or anything about you. You can just point fingers and make us laugh.Logical ABe
I’ve always been skeptical, but I’m fairly new to skepticism as an organized movement, and I occasionally have trouble relating to nonskeptics, including my parents, who are possibly the most credulous people in the world. Perhaps as a backlash, my knee-jerk reaction has become to immediately doubt everything unless or until I can verify it with reliable scientific evidence. Is there a way to find a middle ground here, or should I just get used to mentally dismissing everything my parents (coworkers, peers, etc.) tell me until I’ve had a chance to independently research the hard evidence?
I’m sorry to hear that “boobquck” was a fiasco. Boobquake, the other hand, was an international success.
Portland is my stompin’ grounds, this is a great time of year to visit the Northwest and Portland in particular. Enjoy your stay!
New-skeptic: I guess I would advise not even attempting to find the “middle ground”, as you term it. People’s minds change incrementally over time, usually after they have had time to think and digest new information. The best thing to do is, when subjects come up, is to bring up the alternative way of thinking about it in a non-threatening, non-challenging, way. Also be ready to accept that others very likely may never come around to your way of thinking. The best you can often hope for is their saying something like “… hmmm, I never thought of it that way before.” That is progress.
I agree it was an internation success. It was just a wrong word choice from my side. Does fiasco imply anything negative?
Hi Jen!What do you think of this?http://www.upi.com/Health_News…
You should have been at the [cheap chain restaurant] for breakfast in [small town] Michigan yesterday. If I had a blog I’d write about my outrage from some people’s sense of entitlement.We were in a line of people waiting to be seated when this group of 3 cut in front of everyone. “We have Father with us” says the one woman. And? I’m not a resident of this little town, so maybe they all know each other and it’s how they interact, but the preacher seemed smug in the way he was talking to people. My boyfriend even asked me if I thought that group seemed rude/full of themselves. Maybe I’m extra bitter because the preacher reminded me of one of my coworkers. The one who should retire because he fails at communicating and he’s living in the past. “In 1980 we did things this way”. Ummm…yeah that was 30 years ago, not all that relevant now, thanks.
If you could pick one super power, what would it be?I’d considered being able to control velocity in any object. I’d be able to propel objects at rest, and stop objects in motion, as small as a folical of hair, all the way up to say, a car. I wouldn’t want control over anything any larger, cause then if planets started going the wrong way or what have you, I’d be the number one suspect.
Dude. Just… dude.
Hi Abe, glad you didn’t take offense. I was really sarcastic…you are a better man than I (although I am female). According to an online dictionary, ‘fiasco’ means humiliating failure.
Portland Oregon is where I live!!! It is awesome and you will love it! ^_^
Not sure it’ll inspire, but this site tends to make the inner geek in me laugh a lot – http://xkcd.com/ (comics about science / romance / technology / etc. Oh sorry, fairly badly drawn comics about…)
OK, I realized I DO have a question. Is there a difference between the terms non-theist and atheist. I always thought the preface of a basically just meant “non” but as your club at Purdue is called the society of non-theists, rather than the more commonly used term “atheist,” it made me wonder – is there a difference I’m not seeing?