Wrong Graph, Sir
more music charts
No, it should have been a Venn diagram. They’re all idiots.
Me, Robot
It’s not as funny as the I Love Lucy episode with the chocolates, but it’s still pretty neat.
What Definition of 'Shortage' Shall We Use?
What Shortage of Scientists and Engineers?
So why do we keep hearing complaints about a shortage? One recent reason is that it’s been harder for foreign scientists and engineers to get visas since the Sept. 11 attacks. But the quickest and cheapest way to deal with that problem is to increase the number of visas (as Mr. Obama has promised to do).
Ah, I see. There is no shortage because we “import” scientists and engineers, which we wouldn’t need to do if we had enough scientists and engineers. From what I can tell, you have to have a job offer to get an H-1B, and 65,000 bachelor degree visas were granted last year, along with 20,000 more to those with Master’s or PhDs. There were 133,000 applicants, implying 68,000 more jobs would have been available.
But don’t worry. The quick and easy fix means we don’t have to teach our kids math, science and technology. We’ll just trust conditions never reach the point where foreign workers can get good tech jobs in their home country.
A Textbook Example
Corruption in textbook selection
A copy of the chapter in Richard Feyman’s Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman in which he serves on a textbook selection committee, and some followup commentary.
Superman Already Knew This
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have shown that simply peeling ordinary sticky tape in a vacuum can generate enough X-rays to take an image — of one of the scientists’ own fingers
Only when you do it in a vacuum, though. Not clear (the concept, not the tape) if that is because the atmosphere degrades the charge buildup on the tape or if the occasional x-rays just scatter in the atmosphere, or some third option or a combination. I’ve seen bluish light when I’ve peeled adhesives before, so the mechanoluminescent properties aren’t a surprise, but the energy of them is.
He's Very PC
A brief digression on lost time: John Hodgman on TED.com
Hodgman explains his hypothesis behind his contention that Enrico Fermi was an alien, and explains why he ended up eating alone. Plus all sorts of other stuff.
We Are Not Amused
But we are fascinated. The Life of the Queen Bee: Superb Macrophotography
No Need To Add This to My Xmas Wish List
Hover-Q mini IR Hovercraft.
OMGICGMWOFE
(Omigod, I can’t get my wallet out fast enough)
Hear Here
Ran across this while Googling for something else. NPR interviewed some of my colleagues about the master clock a while back. This aired in January 2007.
The Atomic Secrets of Accurate Time Keeping
I keep forgetting to use the bell ringing analogy when I explain how clocks work. (oh, and when the interviewer says “and his colleagues” near the end, she’s referring, in part, to me. Better than lackey or minion, I suppose.)