The scientific method ...

Here's another contribution from Tessa (Master of Belgian Procrastination).

Rather appropriate, but scary at the same time. Kansas has officially introduced Creationism in the curriculum, creating a promising new generation of youngsters. Think about it, creationism should be taught as a 'scientific' theory or belief alongside evolution (another theory that scientist came up with).

There is a lot more I want to say about this, but I'll have to keep it for another time, since I really (no, Really!) have to finish off this paper this weekend.

Be OK

I am the Master of Procrastination today. My co-author has gone to sleep, since it is close to midnight in the UK, giving me the rest of the day to write and get material sent off by midnight. We have been writing this paper for almost as long as I can remember and finally, finally, we can see light at the end of the tunnel (which is prose for a second, and hopefully final, submission on Monday). Promise of a fun weekend ahead, if only I would stop procrastinating and posting on my blog.

I the background Ingrid Michaelson is pouring out of my speakers. Another weakness of mine is good (very subjective I know) music. I have a particular taste. Friends have often asked me whether I have any positive sounding music and usually bring their own music along on a road trip.

Well, does it get anymore positive than this?

Training video on bipartisanship

A nice section in the Onion on how to stimulate bipartisan cooperation in Congress...

Image from the Onion

Some thoughts on words

Yesterday I listened to the State of the Union address, a first by President Obama. I was rather impressed, as usual, by the eloquence of this president, the carefully crafted words and the way he uses them to get everyone listening.

He clearly spent a long time trying to find a good way to try to stop the bickering between Democrats and Republicans in both Congress and the Senate. Bickering about how he would never get it right. Even if he would have turned the economy around in three months, it still wouldn't have been good enough for some people. I sometimes want to yell and tell certain people to 'quit bitching' and 'grow up'. Or in his words: "Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it's time to try something new. Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the citizens who sent us here. Let's try common sense. A novel concept."

"... But when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular, I would do what was necessary. "

For those that don't believe it or keep claiming otherwise...

"... Now, let me repeat: We cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95 percent of working families. We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college. "

And since I work in the renewable energy area (and was watching this in a pub with 10 of my colleagues) these sections especially rocked our boats:

"... We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it is time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America. "

Clean energy, renewable energy, science and technology development, is where I would most want to see some big commitment in the near future. And sure enough:

"... But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. And, yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America. "

I have been reading up on opinion pieces about the speech since Wednesday and there were some criticisms (really?) and some positive interpretations. However, one thing that was mentioned was that Obama will not give in, he will not give up amidst the struggle and he is determined to make this a better country to live in.

Here's one to leave you with:

"We're going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws, so that women get equal pay for an equal day's work. And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system, to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation. "

Looks like life in America may get even better...

Scientific Peer Review and how it affects your mind

Thanks to Tessa for pointing this out to me. She experiences this quite often and remains (relatively) sane.

Beware bottom pinchers!

I found this beautiful piece of graffiti this evening and still have to wipe that smirk off my face.

Media Statistics and the State of the Union address

I sometimes wish the News Media would actually think about statistics (and how % should add up to 100) before reporting 'results'. My vote is for more people taking a statistics course. . Wouldn't that make the world a better place?

I'm holding my breath for tomorrow's State of the Union address, the first by president Obama, in a time where 'The Polls' are showing a marked decrease in his popularity!

I love PhD comics, they so nail the life of academics, scientists and their interaction with the world around them...

I am the captain of my soul

I saw Invictus yesterday.

About Nelson Mandela's idea that the Rugby World cup can mend the pieces of a nation broken by Apartheid. I was touched, partly because of the rugby, caused by the little bit of Welsh legacy that is embedded in me, partly because Mandela was right but mostly because of the message of hope and people power that was all over the film.

Morgan Freeman repeated the following poem by William Ernest Henley several times. I love this poem, because of its inherent truth, simplicity and strength.

"Invictus" (meaning unconquered in Latin):

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

I am the scientist

I thought this was rather amusing... (I'm sorry, but I didn't catch the name of the artist). This can be found on the third floor of the SFMOMA.

"I am the scientist"

"Please help, I am a human problem, please solve me..."

"Artificial peace is great"

Climbing in the San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art

Last weekend I was in San Fransisco for a two-day business meeting, followed by two days 'wandering' through the streets and seeing the sights.

One of the sights was the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), a sister of the MOMA in New York. I have a weakness for art. I can easily spend hours at a time in a museum, wondering about the artists, experiencing the installations and the inspiration. The SFMOMA celebrated her 75th anniversary, which meant a free pass and lots of entertainment on Saturday evening.

I also have a weakness for climbing.

When I saw this, a climbing set-up at the SFMOMA I got really excited. An artist installed the climbing wall, then dressed up as a WWII soldier and climbed up and traversed under the walkway to the other side to make a drawing on the opposite wall. I was very impressed and inspired at the same time.

Vacation land 18 months later

It seems like an eternity ago. in May 2008, I made the great jump across the Atlantic to venture my way onto new pastures in Colorado. Nerve-wrecking preparations sent me all over the spectrum of sanity in the weeks and months preceding the move. I made it, you'll be pleased to know and have regained a grip on my sanity. Not much fitted in the three suitcases I hauled up and down airplanes. Enough to survive for a few weeks until my 200 kg household arrived in 8 boxes. But the move itself was a good exercise in sorting through my belongings and selecting the 'what I really can't live without'-items for shipping to my 'new' country.

This country has treated me well over the last 18 months. I now have a fully equipped apartment, a real bed, a coffee shop and five restaurants around the corner, which are helpful when I just can't be asked to cook or wake up.

Life has been busy (I know now why Colorado is also referred to as 'vacation-land'). I have reported on adventures and escapades on my family's blog over the last year (in Dutch, though I've been told that Google translator doesn't do too bad a job of translating if/when you'd be interested). Before the 'big jump' I started a rant on science on my SciLau blog, which slipped out of my interest field some time in 2008. I will continue to talk about the thrills of being a scientist on this blog in the future, in between my family/adventure posts.

A true new beginning, one of several over the last 10 years. We'll see if this one works out. I don't believe that I have that much to say that others find interesting. I do know that I am notoriously bad at keeping in touch and updating on news (well, what I consider news).

A new beginning

After several failed attempts to keep up with a blog on my scientific thrills and general madness in life, I wanted to start all over again.

Here's to a new beginning, 2010 will be a good year, I can feel it!