By request - more science tatoos.

We had a previous post on science tattoos – here some more.

Ouch! - New Tattoo.

An ATP molecule. Somewhere there is a someone
making a living tattooing molecules on ladies hips.
See presious post on this subjet.


Not really science (anatomy?) But a blacklight tattoo?!

Sounds like a new post to me.

One of Watson and Cricks dreams. Or a great tat.

RIAA to Sue Additional Maine Students

Thirty-four University of Maine System students will receive an unwelcome letter this week. On November 15 the Recording Industry Association of America announced on it’s website that 417 Pre-litigation settlement letters had been sent to college students nation wide, including 34 here in Maine. The letters are part of the RIAA’s campaign against “music theft” and copyright infringement.
Announcement of this action by the RIAA came out, ironically, the same week that one of the leading advocates of such suits Edgar Bronfman, CEO of Warner Music Group, did an abrupt about face on the subject. See Nerdwirds previous story on this.

What the heck!? I had know idea this had happened when I made yesterdays post about Edgar Bronfman. Like I said, and to quote Alanis Morissette: "Isn’t It Ironic?"

RIAA Website: http://www.riaa.com/

Is Your Slide Broken?

Over on Gizmodo this morning they are reporting that all the problems with T-Mobile's hot phone - the Sidekick Slide - has led to its being pulled from the market. Checking T-Mobile site we find that the Slide is listed as “Temporarily Unavailable”. As pointed out by the folks at Gizmodo announcing a product going kaput over the weekend is good tactical planning as it gets less coverage than it normally would. More to come.

We Were Wrong ….. But We Are Going To Sue Ya Anyway

A Media Story this Morning: As most of you are probably aware, since early last year, the recording industry has sued over 3,700 college students including seven right here in Maine. Here is something that may have an effect on the outcome of those suits:

On Thursday Edgar Bronfman, CEO of Warner Music Group, did an abrupt about face in his stance against digital distribution and admitted that suing customers probably wasn’t such a hot idea. In an interview with MediaPost.com’s Wendy Davis he said:

"We used to fool ourselves. We used to think our content was perfect just exactly as it was. We expected our business would remain blissfully unaffected even as the world of interactivity, constant connection and file sharing was exploding. And of course we were wrong. How were we wrong? By standing still or moving at a glacial pace, we inadvertently went to war with consumers by denying them what they wanted and could otherwise find and as a result of course, consumers won."

OK dude so declare a cease fire, have the industry reps stop suing people, and drop all of their current lawsuits.

Photo Credit: Jordan Jessup, The New Hampshire

Women in Science

Your blogger has had the pleasure of teaching students in the basic sciences for over 20 years now, and the majority of the most talented students were female. Unfortunately many of those same female students are lost to the sciences once they enter college. Why do they choose not to major in the sciences - when they obviously have a talent for them? It is hard to tell. But it is a tragic loss to the scientific professions.

While women account for 60% of those who earn a college degree - less than 40% of all science degrees awarded are awarded to women - and a large part of that 40% are accounted for by degrees in psychology and the biological sciences.

Even worse women account for only 20% of those entering the science and technology job market. **

While trends of enrollment and employment have been steadily increasing over the past two decades a lot of improvement can be made; the National Science Foundation, The National Academies, and Association of Women in Science are all working hard to correct the disparities; including issues of gender bias in the classroom and places of employment.

Also check out our own Women’s Resource Center.

** All figures from the National Academy of Sciences.

More tomorrow.

Maine and Climate Change

Striking a chord with yesterday’s story - Maine Governor John Baldacci today asked the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute to prepare a report on the impact of global warming on the state of Maine.

The “Maine Climate Change Assessment” should be done by 2008. Prof. Paul Mayewski, the center director is supposed to outline potential scenarios for Maine through the end of this century.

Who says UM doesn’t do science?

Naked Science!

I promised you naked scientists and here they are >>>>>>

All right I suckered you - pulled the old bait and switch – but now that I have your attention ….

These guys are really cool. Your blogger is currently studying ways to make science more understandable to non-scientists and these guys do just that. The Naked Scientists have a weekly interactive radio show on BBC and publish on the web as well. Taking the jargon filled world of science, medicine and technology and making it understandable. Check ‘em out.

Fake paper comes back to bite global warming deniers in the butt!

Recently, when a paper came out claiming to prove that global warming is being caused by bacteria, not man - global warming deniers and conservative pundits alike seized upon it as proof that their side is right. Too bad the paper was a hoax.

Not only that - the journal it was printed in doesn't exist, and the scientists who wrote it – don’t exist either. It just goes to show you can’t be too careful - and if something sounds too good to be true – it probably is. For more on the story click, and the surrounding fallout, read here.

What kind of lesson can we take home from this? Well - - Never trust what you see on the internet and always check your sources.

One should take a jaundiced view of the global warming deniers and the company they attract - including scientists. Always ask: What’s their motivation? Are they sponsored by a petrochemical, or a conservative think tank, especially one with ties to big business? If so then look at their data very carefully. Look at it - but look carefully.

The vast majority of scientists support the idea that global warming is happening and they agree that man is largely responsible; and all but a few work for universities or other independent organizations that have no vested commercial interest in the debate.

The UM connection:

To check out our local connection to global warming research - go to UM’s own, and internationally respected, Climate Change Institute. Some great work is being done there. Your blogger went to one of their seminars and it frankly scared the **** out of him.

Dissapointment 1.02

Good grief! 3 batches of emails and nothing!

For the background on this see Disappointment.

Just a quick note:

Anyone in interested in a career in health care should drop by the Totman Room in the Union at 6:oo pm today (Nov. 14th). There will be a presentation by two medical students who are in the internship program at EMMC.

Being dedicated to your science means getting a tattoo!

This lady is REALLY dedicated. She is an entomologist and that is no sushi tattoo either.*

*Sushi tattoos are the tattoos you usually see in the west.

It means a tattooed body that is made of lots of seperate tattoos.

No theme - no continuity. It's a derogatory term in Japan.

See here, here and here for more.

For you non-chemists that a serotonin molecule

This guy wears his heart on his sleeve - veryy nice!

Huh? What Emergency Communications System?

Back in August the university announced its new Emergency Communications System. It was started to get the word out during emergencies and avoid tragedies like the Virginia Tech massacre last April.

The system includes the siren, which we all have heard, and (here’s the nerdy part) umaine.txt. This is the part of the system that when there is an emergency - the system text messages everyone, who supplies their cell phone number, and lets them know what’s up. Pretty neat and very efficient. Imagine something that can dial up 1000’s of people at once.

Only problem is PEOPLE ARN’T SIGNING UP! So far only 3,100 people out of 12,000 students and 2,500 staff and faculty members have enrolled! (That’s uhh 21.37831 %)

Come on people! What in the heck is wrong with you? Think that VaTech can’t happen here? Take a look at the news. And then go sign up!

For more on this story click here.

Tomorrow Naked Scientists!

Disappointment 1.01

Just an update - no one abssolutely no one has answered my original request for info on the science/technology club scene. This despite a second email sent yesterday. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Disappointment

For my first blog I had hoped to let everyone know what kind of “fun” things are happening on campus in science and technology.

Soooo I emailed every single club on campus that had anything to do with science and other nerdy things (like the the chess club!). It has been 4 days and what do I have? Nada. Not one single reply.

Now – either the clubs (and their advisors) are not active. They are ignoring me (a definite possibility). They are not technologically sophisticated enough to read email (somehow I don't think so). Or email has become passé and I am behind the curve technologically. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow: The new campus emergency warning system.