Forget all that lipstick crap. Show your prospective scientists and engineers this!
(via matociquala)
Feather
Feather, A Tale in Three Parts
I. Beauty
The crow fluffed her feathers before the bathroom mirror. The new highlights were quite fetching, she thought. He was sure to notice her now. She launched herself from the sink and out the door, heedless of the one striped feather spiraling down to the floor.
II. Fashion
The little green-eyed creature eyed the mirror uncertainly. Why would humans wish to look at themselves in such a way? Perhaps because they wore such complicated amounts and arrangements of clothing. It wriggled its ears, all three of them, in a way that indicated confused resignation, then tried again to get the garments arranged correctly. Why they couldn’t practice before landing! This bit pinched, that one tickled, and it had no idea where this one would go, being intended for a part of the anatomy that it was entirely lacking. But it was important to blend in with the locals, so on it went. The final bit was a headcovering that just missed covering its eyes completely. The green-eyed creature pushed it back at a jaunty angle. No, no. That was entirely too much. It pulled the feather out of the hatband in two multijointed twiglike fingers and dropped it on the floor. Now it was ready to meet this new species on their own terms.
III. Science
It looked like a Northern Mockingbird feather, Mimus polyglottos, but only DNA testing could provide 99.9% certainty. He pulled his ever-present field kit from his pocket and removed forceps and a small polyethylene bag. Lifting the feather carefully with the forceps, he examined it closely before sealing it in the bag and jotting down a label.
Faint traces of blood, dried. The bird may have been hit by an automobile. Birds of this size tend to explode in a cloud of feathers when hit by a moving vehicle. It may be possible-
“James Alexander Drogan, just what do you think you are doing in here?” Jimmy jumped as his mother grabbed him by the ear, nearly dropping his forceps. He stuffed them and the feather into his pocket.
“But Mom,” he began.
“You know you don’t belong in the ladies’ room. Get out.”
Jimmy patted his pocket proudly. Scientists had been persecuted throughout history, and he’d gotten the sample all the same.
—
My local writer’s group often has a writing challenge for the monthly social. I proposed the latest one: a short explanation for the black and white feather on the floor in the women’s bathroom at the previous social, to be read to the group tonight. It was my challenge, and I ended up writing three separate stories. I only read the first to the group.
Yesterday’s post today
Yesterday I was going to post pleasing music videos. I got one of these from Eric, and found the second one while poking around YouTube.
Mmmmm Bowie.
Getting my Friday cranky on
I’d like to believe that this is a new viral makeup ad.
(Note: As of Saturday afternoon, the original official video has been taken down, but someone saved it and put it back on YouTube.)
But it seems to be an entirely serious attempt by the European Commission to entice young women into the glamors of science.
You know, by making it all about appealing to men (the “real” scientist in the video: note the lab coat and microscope), and makeup, and high heels.
About which, nobody wearing those shoes would be allowed to set foot in my lab.
I didn’t spend much time on the website, but one thing jumped out: the pink heart-adorned text box that said, “Why you’ll LOVE science: You can really improve people’s lives.” Because women should be taking care of others. That’s the only possible reason that women could or would be interested in science: we’re the nurturing caretakers.
Pardon me while I barf in the corner.
There is a problem with recruiting and retention of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM fields). But did the marketing agency that came up with this campaign ever talk to a scientist about it? Or even a woman? Perpetuating stereotypes is never the way to increase your appeal.
(I picked this piece of pink-tinged crap up from Ferrett, who has some interesting things to say.)
Edit: And here’s a discussion of why this video will fail, with citations, from New Scientist.
Someplace else to be
I’ll start with the punchline, so you’re not lulled into thinking this is a happy post. Nick and I took Grendel to the vet this morning and had him put to sleep. Renal failure, finally, but he’s been steadily getting more elderly (and not just older): failing hips, heart murmur. The walks have been getting shorter and shorter, and this past week he wasn’t really eating and could barely get up. We didn’t know we weren’t bringing him home – the last few days could have been primarily hip-related – but we suspected, at least a little.
Grendel was twelve, and he had pretty much as good a life as a dog could have. I’ve been sorting through the photos of him, trying to pick out my favorites. It was just about impossible. But I noticed something: nearly all of the photos fell into three types: snuggling, looking alertly at someone in the pack to see what we’re doing next, or trying to lead us off over the next hill. He was a wonderful sweet dog.
From the day we got him.
Obedient to cats.
Eager and attentive.
Snuggly.
Tolerant.
Right up until yesterday, when he and the cat were both ignoring the brand new orthopedic dog bed.
I’m going to be listening for clattering in the hallway for a long time.
C’mon, hurry up! I have someplace else to be!
Science asks you questions
Over at Science in My Fiction I ask about what you think would make the site more awesome. Comments there, please.
Call your climatologist
Continuing the discussion on legislating sea level rise:
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| The Word – Sink or Swim | ||||
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||||
Nothing boosts the economy like becoming a national (international?) laughingstock. Right, North Carolina?
Gray and grayer
There was a brief break in the clouds, so I ran outside with the binoculars, a sheet of cardboard, and the camera.
It took some juggling. A tripod, fr’ex, and another pair of hands, would have made these better. Nick helped too, but time was very short.
But look! Look! Venus!
And then the clouds closed in.
Wicked Girls
I need to run before the storm hits, but… how did I not know how entirely awesome Seanan McGuire is as a songwriter and performer? Internet, why didn’t you TELL me?
And for the curious, lyrics and questions answered.
Seanan is GoH at my localish convention, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.
She’s pretty hot as a writer too. HOW many Hugo nominations this year? Four. FOUR. Two for fiction (as Mira Grant), one for a CD in related works (a first, I think), and one for SF Squeecast, an awesome thing itself.
Right. Storm. Running. See you later!
Wordless
I earned a science PhD from a North Carolina university (Duke ecology, 1998). Which makes the current piece of anti-science idiocity coming out of that state particularly appalling. Briefly, NC is trying to legislate the scientific methods that can be used to estimate future sea level rise for planning purposes. Their chosen methods are wrong, and put sea level rise considerably below more nuanced estimates, thus maintaining property values while likely screwing whole segments of the population.
Willfully inaccurate planning means that coastal development, roads, bridges, and people are all at risk. Not to mention research at the state’s many fine colleges and universities: it would apparently be illegal to use any methods other than those specifically legislated to predict sea level rise.
The legislated method: linear extrapolation from sea level records since 1900. That method predicts an 8-inch rise, and NC wants to use 16 inches as their worst-case scenario. The best scientific estimates from the IPCC put likely sea level rise at about 39 inches, if not more.
I see a problem here.
I really wanted to write something witty and insightful about this, but I can’t manage anything but a great deal of ARRRRRGGGGHH. So why don’t you go read Scott Huler’s SciAm rant instead?
ETA: Or Eric’s.
And if that’s too much for you, I enjoyed these two comics today, and wanted to share.
