This, that, the other, and more

Jan 16
Permalink
Academic publishers have become the enemies of science Mike Taylor, guardian.co.uk The US Research Works Act would allow publishers to line their pockets by locking publicly funded research behind paywallsThis is the moment academic publishers gave up all pretence of being on the side of scientists. Their rhetoric has… Add the US Research Works Act to the list of bills, perpetuated by greedy companies, that will restrict knowledge. The entire academic publishing system is a money trap. Scientists do all the work, writing, reviewing, editing journals and get next to nothing in pay. The publishers do next to nothing and keep the money (36% profit margin for Elsevier) and the copyright. It’s absurd. Now they want to force you to pay for access for government funded research.

Academic publishers have become the enemies of science
Mike Taylor, guardian.co.uk

The US Research Works Act would allow publishers to line their pockets by locking publicly funded research behind paywalls

This is the moment academic publishers gave up all pretence of being on the side of scientists. Their rhetoric has…

Add the US Research Works Act to the list of bills, perpetuated by greedy companies, that will restrict knowledge. The entire academic publishing system is a money trap. Scientists do all the work, writing, reviewing, editing journals and get next to nothing in pay. The publishers do next to nothing and keep the money (36% profit margin for Elsevier) and the copyright. It’s absurd. Now they want to force you to pay for access for government funded research.

Jan 11
Permalink
» Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi Is Criticized on Wave of Pardons - NYTimes.com

Here is an actually useful amendment to fight for (not some open worded ban on contraceptives or on gay marriage):  amend the state consitituion to prevent the govenor from pardoning felons.  At least ensure as Louisianna does that pardons can only be issued if 4 of 5 members of the parole board agree.  In this case the executive should not have any power over the judiciary.  It is dangerous.  There is no way Barbour can gaurantee that the felons will not commit another crime.

Jan 10
Permalink
The Elephant In The Room Is Unsustainable Population Growth Mike “Mish” Shedlock, businessinsider.com “In the last 200 years the pop­u­la­tion of our plan­et has grown expo­nen­tial­ly, at a rate of 1.9% per year. If it con­tin­ued at this rate, with the pop­u­la­tion dou­bling every 40 years, by 2600 we would all be stand­ing lit­er­al­ly… Our population excess greatly concerns me as it is the root of all our problems—economic slowdown, global hunger, environmental degradation, energy crisis, possible climate change. Something is going to happen to our population. It needs to be dealt with now, humanely before mother nature takes care of it inhumanely for us.

The Elephant In The Room Is Unsustainable Population Growth
Mike “Mish” Shedlock, businessinsider.com

“In the last 200 years the pop­u­la­tion of our plan­et has grown expo­nen­tial­ly, at a rate of 1.9% per year. If it con­tin­ued at this rate, with the pop­u­la­tion dou­bling every 40 years, by 2600 we would all be stand­ing lit­er­al­ly…

Our population excess greatly concerns me as it is the root of all our problems—economic slowdown, global hunger, environmental degradation, energy crisis, possible climate change. Something is going to happen to our population. It needs to be dealt with now, humanely before mother nature takes care of it inhumanely for us.

Jan 09
Permalink
» University of Maryland plans $7.2 million president’s house amid budget cuts - The WP

I understand that the previous house was rather crummy, but 7.2 million for a new house for the university president?  That’s extravagant to say the least.

Jan 03
Permalink
A Little Light Reading: 2011 in Physics Booksdiscovery.com Every year brings a fresh new crop of pop­u­lar books on physics and cos­mol­o­gy, and 2011 was no excep­tion, fea­tur­ing books on dark mat­ter and dark ener­gy, the Large Hadron Col­lid­er, time, the mul­ti­verse, cos­mic mor­tal­i­ty, a bit of… Physics books to add to your reading list.

A Little Light Reading: 2011 in Physics Books
discovery.com

Every year brings a fresh new crop of pop­u­lar books on physics and cos­mol­o­gy, and 2011 was no excep­tion, fea­tur­ing books on dark mat­ter and dark ener­gy, the Large Hadron Col­lid­er, time, the mul­ti­verse, cos­mic mor­tal­i­ty, a bit of…

Physics books to add to your reading list.

Dec 16
Permalink
You’re in a better place, Christopher Hitchens.

You’re in a better place, Christopher Hitchens.

Dec 13
Permalink
This is why you should listen to us.

This is why you should listen to us.

Dec 10
Permalink
» Serious conversations (part 32):

This series is a continuation of my conversations with an atheist friend of mine. These are my edited responses from that conversation. The thirtieth through thirty-third entries deal with…