Monday, September 22, 2008

This and That

  • Submissions are currently being accepted for OpenLab 2008, the anthology of the best science-blog writing of 2008.


  • Philip E. Bourne et al's 10 simple rules for getting published, for getting grants, for organizing a scientific meeting (should have paid more attention to rule #3), for selecting a postdoctoral position (Quote: “For a future in academia, the most tangible outcomes are publications, followed by more publications [...] Strive to have at least one quality publication per year.” - is exactly the kind of advice that turns science it into a paper production factory, thanks so much, just what I needed). And more simple rules for a successful collaboration (applying rule #7 early protects me very efficiently from any kind of collaboration), and for graduate students (lots of nice words).


  • From the Science Blogging 2008 conference, organized by NatureNetwork, originated the 'Science Blogging Challenge': “to persuade a senior scientist to start writing a blog. One prize will be to be featured in next year’s Open Lab 2008 – the best of science writing on the web. The other prize – which caused an extensive collective intake of breath – will be an all expenses paid trip to Scifoo next year for both blogger and the encourager.” [Via Shirley]


  • Quotation of the week:

    “Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves.”
    ~Albert Einstein

15 comments:

  1. Rule 7: Protect Yourself from a Collaboration That Turns Sour

    Monday (tonight) CBS, 2000 hrs, The Big Bang Theory

    The Severely and Profoundly Gifted are overall unpleasant. So? They sit down at a piano and see music. Imagine their imprisonment within a world of people who only see keys.

    The first drop of SuperGlue ruined an Abbe refractometer. All discovery is insubordinate or it would be PERT-charted and budgeted. Learn how to herd cats.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dr Bourne strikes me as rather an ass; like most people who try to tell lesser folk "how to do research".

    He says: "It is never too early to become a critic."

    I say: "It is never too late to *stop* being a critic. It is more doubtful, however, whether the same can be said of being a self-righteous bore."

    ReplyDelete
  3. apropos

    exactly the kind of advice that turns science it into a paper production factory

    here are some nice graphs about trends in the paper production industry in the social sciences (via information processing).

    Cheers, Stefan

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Bee,

    “When you are long gone, your scientific legacy is, in large part, the literature you left behind and the impact it represents. I hope these ten simple rules can help you leave behind something future generations of scientists will admire.”

    Above is the closing statement of Bourne which I feel reflects wonderfully what’s wrong with his whole concept of what constitutes to be good science. Science is a discipline whose sole purpose is to attempt to expand the understanding our world and has little to do with the gratification or egos of those that manage to do that. If this is to be the primary reason and motivation I would suggest show business. Too often leaving a legacy and being admired are considered as being connected, yet this sounds more like politics then science to me.

    Best,

    Phil

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Bee,

    “The other prize – which caused an extensive collective intake of breath – will be an all expenses paid trip to Scifoo next year for both blogger and the encourager.”

    I've been lead to understand that a certain undisclosed Czech theoretical physicist has already made claim to both prizes:-)

    Best,

    Phil

    ReplyDelete
  6. Phil said:
    "I've been lead to understand that a certain undisclosed Czech theoretical physicist has already made claim to both prizes:-)"

    Let's take up a collection and offer a large prize to anyone who can persuade certain people to *shut down* their blogs!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dear "friends" of freedom of speech, free research, and science,

    many things have price tags and this one is one of them. I don't know why you would pay a useless intermediate player but if you pay me USD 200,000, I can stop blogging for 5 years. ;-)

    Thanks, Lubos

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear Lumo,

    Most people have their own "personality quirks" and this should not stop your "blogging info" and "selling yourself short," from continuing to blog. You are reaching others from a scientific point of view.

    I am sure you can read between the lines:)Should not place "your value" on the basis of those "share values."

    Best,

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Plato, thanks, although what I periodically see on this blog are not "personality quirks". These people over here are real jerks. Of course that I won't allow this garbage to directly influence my life.

    ReplyDelete
  10. "if you pay me USD 200,000, I can stop blogging for 5 years. ;-)"

    I will apply for an NSF grant immediately. $200000 for such real benefit to the progress of science is extremely cheap.

    ReplyDelete
  11. lol Lubos,
    I think they should pay you $200,000 over five years to blog on high energy physics.
    With a bit of judicious editing and a good editor, and no personal opinions on politics or climate change and no personal attacks on other bloggers and/or physicists, your blog could actually be taken much more seriously.

    PS - Have you entered that google USD 10 million competition yet?
    Surely you must have at least one good (practical) idea worth millions of dollars that could help lots of people. I'd be interested in seeing you list five such proposals.

    ReplyDelete
  12. PS Lubos - Have you entered that google USD 10 million competition yet?
    Surely you must have at least one good (practical) idea worth millions of dollars that could help lots of people. I'd be interested in seeing you list five such proposals.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey Quasar:

    What competition? Can you give a link?

    Best,

    B.

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves"

    Yet one more example of the wisdom of big Al...And if I may add, there seem to be way too many self-promoters around here.

    ReplyDelete

COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG ARE PERMANENTLY CLOSED. You can join the discussion on Patreon.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.