Classes start Monday. Not that I have classes. Already, though, I'm annoyed by people on my campus.
Time to get cranking. Blargh. By the end of the year, my aim is to have *three* chapters done (I currently have two "in process"). I also aim to have ONE co-written article out, one self-written piece underway/read to go out, and maybe a second co-written piece underway.... Read More
Things are a bit tense over here. I'm an inconsolable worrier. My mom is having some tests done right now, and it's all terribly ambiguous. It could range from nothing to a little something to serious shit. Who knows? She has regular check ups, like a lady her age should, so even "worst case" would hopefully... Read More
I have a pair of spiders living in the corner of my living room. I'm not sure if this makes my house filthy or not. But I think I'm just going to leave them there. Rationally, it's so they eat other bugs in my house (not that that's a problem or anything). Realistically, I'm just afraid of them getting in my hair if I try... Read More
I'm a little fuzzy on it myself these days. But the original issue would have been poor experimental technique, rather than fraud - impure materials, that sort of thing. That's what happens in most of the science screwups of this sort; science is a community where your standing is based on your reputation. Not many people will risk their entire professional standing on something which (by definition) everyone else is going to try to repeat.
(And I apologise if you know all this already )
My argument that "something interesting" was happening in the Pons/Fleischmann experiments is based partly on the buzz at work at the time (I worked in the nuclear industry for a long time), partly on a report I read (in New Scientist, I think) that quite a lot of quiet research funding had been provided to labs in various places by two Japanese corporations, the Japanese government, a European government (Italian, I think) and the US Navy.
I might l tell you I order in from the Medici at least once a week...
I cry and would rather take a beating when i have to order from Maravallies (sp??)
the phone call to order never takes less than 30 minutes, with me repeating, them repeating, me confirming, them confirming... *sigh*
I can't get enough of A Knight's Tale. Seriously. The whole movie is a great metaphor for the rise of the modern era, the power of reason, and displacement of weak aristocratic blood with vital bourgeoisie guts. Plus, the soundtrack is aces.
In that vein, I also have a huge crush on Josie and the Pussycats. I don't know how a movie gets... Read More
To note: network analysis is going really well. GIS is hard to work in but damn satisfying when it works.
Spent the weekend downtown at a professional conference. Presented a poster - got some OK feedback for a change. Attending panels is like an ice pick to the brain: but seeing so much BAD work makes me... Read More
Some of his stuff is hard to find, I agree. I have the only copy of The Committed Men I've ever seen; nasty used Panther pbk, about 1977 IIRC. Not a great book. OTOH, The Centauri Device is well worth the effort, even if you have to buy second-hand via Amazon; EDIT actually I think it's essential, even though MJH dislikes it....
How do policies spread from one state to another state? In a more generalizable sense, we might ask: How do institutional forms migrate from one organization to another organization in an environment where those organizations are essentially autonomous (re: not already a part of a centralized field)? And - what happens to those policies as they... Read More
Living with a policy wonk (and being a bit of one myself), I'd say your model strikes me as fairly realistic, on the face of it. For instance, on your phase I - health care extension advocates M has worked with here in MD have tended to focus either on a) taking up legislation from other states and introducing it in MD or b) taking existing MD legislation and trying to extend it. And a strategy followed with HPV vaccinations was to target "easy" states (like MA) first, and then use those successes as persuasive models for "hard" (more conservative) states. Some of this may be the result of ease of coordination b/t activists across the country nowadays, but at least now it's a fairly common strategy.
I don't know what advocacy and industry groups looked like in your time period, but a lot of activist groups nowadays also write model legislation. So, e.g., if there're a lot of similarities between the VA and MD versions of a Darfur Divestment bill, it's because they were both drafted based on models from the Sudan Divestment Campaign. That's a phenomenon along the lines you describe - but that bypasses even the "states try something first" element.
If you haven't already, you may find it interesting to look at some of the agent modeling and network analysis lit, like Barabasi.
Y'know what's crazy-- we actualy got good service! I've been eating there for 10 years and this is the first time service wasn't below average. Made it all the better!
How are you doing, stranger? SGC is going out Wednesday for dinner, and I'd love you to come!
"This would be a great test in literary interpretation," Mr. Giuliani said. "I can interpret one way or the other depending on whether you are a Republican that is in favor of having... Read More
they're supposed to actually supposed to stay on point when they answer a questions relating to an issue? how would anyone who does that possibly get elected.
So we did the Pitchfork Music Festival over the weekend, and it was a great time. I got turned onto The Ponys, and had a blast seeing Cat Power, The New Pornographers, and Of Montreal, plus tons of other stuff.
But, no matter how many Beatles she had sex with, Yoko Ono just ain't it.
My wedding anniversary is coming up. We'll be dining vegetarian style at the Green Zebra a few days before. I still need to get my wife something. It doesn't have to huge, or even sickly sentimental - but I would like it to be nice. I haven't got a clue yet (I'm not terrible at buying gifts, but I'm not Zen master either). Maybe I'll... Read More
"Each step is better in a way, but also annoying in its own special manner."
True that, and can tell you some stories about being faculty -- especially this year, as I've unexpectedly been made chair...
But that part where they stop testing you and start paying you? Oh, it's ALL it's cracked up to be.