Two things are certain about science. It does not stand still for long,and it is never boring. Oh, among some poor souls, including evenintellectuals in fields of high scholarship, science is frequentlymisperceived. Many see it as only a body of facts, promulgated fromon high in must, unintelligible textbooks, a collection of unchangingprecepts defended with authoritarian vigor. Others view it as nothingbut a cold, dry narrow, plodding, rule-bound process — the scientificmethod: hidebound, linear, and left brained.
These people are the victims of their own stereotypes. They aredestined to view the world of science with a set of blinders. Theyknow nothing of the tumult, cacophony, rambunctiousness, andtendentiousness of the actual scientific process, let alone thecreativity, passion, and joy of discovery. And they are likely toknow little of the continual procession of new insights and discoveriesthat every day, in some way, change our view (if not theirs) of thenatural world.
Kendrick Frazier, “The Year in Science: An Overview”
1988 Yearbook of Science and the Future
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Quotes
Atomic Connections
I love this.
Recognize that the very molecules that make up your body, the atoms that construct the molecules, are traceable to the crucibles that were once the centers of high mass stars that exploded their chemically rich guts into the galaxy, enriching pristine gas clouds with the chemistry of life. So that we are all connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically and to the rest of the universe atomically. That’s kinda cool! That makes me smile and I actually feel quite large at the end of that. It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.
– Neil deGrasse Tyson
I don’t think it means what you think it means
Via the Washington Post:
Rove says the allegation that the Bush administration lied about weapons of mass destruction "is a pernicious political attack launched by cynical and hypocritical individuals."
I wonder if he said that with a straight face.
It’s so true
Both sides of the aisle have their crazies, but only one side thinks their crazies are sane.
– Steve Benen
(via)
Michelle Bachman hasn’t a clue
What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that.
– Michelle Bachman in an October 2008 interview
Pro-America? Anti-America? I shudder to think what her criteria would be for being "anti-American."
It’s hard to believe that anyone takes this woman seriously. I’ve seen her talk on numerous occasions and she really seems clueless. The last speech of hers that I heard (a "Call to Arms") was filled with misinformation, alarmist rhetoric (based on misinformation), and just flat out errors (maybe lies, but I don’t know if they were intentional or not). She’s hopelessly bible-bound, anti-intellectual, and bigoted.
It saddens me that there are enough people in this country for her to be elected in the first place.
“Just say no” misinterpreted
There is a fight in Congress now, not between Republicans and Democrats, but between those who want to help and those who say, ‘Thank God we’re not helping.’
– Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.)
(via)
You can discover the galaxy, too.
NASA’s equipment is some pretty powerful stuff. But astronomy also depends on the curiosity and contribution of amateur astronomers. […] If they can discover something great, so can any of you other students who are here tonight. All you need is a passion for science.
– President Barack Obama during the White House Star Party
(via)
Time to take away her matches.
[Debating Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey was like] “debating a pyromaniac in a straw man factory.”
– Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
(via)
It’s not fun for all those involved.
Though boys throw stones at frogs in sport, the frogs do not die in sport, but in earnest.
– DougJ of Balloon Juice