Posts by Jo S
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Although I've loved watching the football, I'm kind of glad that it has finished.
What with watching Le Tour as well (recorded not live - I'd die of sleep deprivation) the few days of overlap meant that my brain nearly seized with oversportedness. -
Well I certainly didn't pick Spain to lose to the Swiss. Not that my picks have been going so great - I'm well down the table in the comp I'm entered in.
Haven't called nearly enough draws. Hmm.But I'd quite like to see the Swiss make it through to the next round, so I'm really looking forward to the Switzerland v Chile match ...
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As someone else with a background in genetics I thought about sticking my spade in too, but Bart is dealing with this far more eloquently than I could :)
However, I would like to comment to those worried about our scientists focussing on science with commerical benefits -
Perhaps this might have something to do with the fact that the majority of funding for science in NZ is only available to proposals that can demonstrate a likelihood of providing a profit in the not too distant future? -
@george
We do play football although there are rather an unfortunate number of "gentlemen" in football who seem to think we oughtn't
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Congrats Hadyn, that sounds like a really fun job. Now my techie friend (who reads Consumer avidly) will know who to have his mental disagreements with ...
(hmm you could take that a couple of ways ... internal disagreements, nope that's worse).
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Well I agree that Richard Dawkins can be a bit of a shit-stirrer, but he is a very enjoyable speaker. I didn't manage to get a ticket to his public lectures here in auckland but I watched the webcast of the talk this week and found it very interesting. (p.s. is over 40 mins long)
His theories on how people's belief in religion fit into evolution were provocative, but not aggressively put forward (but as a non-beleiver, I'm obviously less likely to take offence).
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I really enjoyed this movie, even if you take it at one of it's shallower levels about being a kid in NZ in the eighties (as I was), it's a lot of fun.
I came out of the movie with a big grin on my face and having really enjoyed my evening.(although I did think that the short piece of film we got to see with Taika apologising for being too busy with "Green Lantern" to be there was a bit of a show stealer)
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At the same time, of course, it is only fair to expect the critics of the mainstream scientific views on climate change (and other contentious areas of science) to adopt an equally transparent approach with their own information, and with their own use and re-analysis of data entrusted to the public domain. They should also subject their findings to rigorous peer review. Opinion, however forthrightly expressed, will not change the laws of basic science.
And this is what I find most difficult about discussing topics like this with people critical of science and scientists in general - that they don't feel they have to have any _actual_ data to support anything they say. But feel free to question the integrity of scientists - "you're only supporting their point of view because they're scientists too!" Frustrating to say the least.
"Show me the data!!!!"
(I have been driven to multiple exclamation marks)
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We bought our first house this summer which kept us very busy doing little "house things" all summer long. The charm hasn't worn off yet, and I have fallen very much in love with our deck.
I'm much happier now that autumn is getting here though - I have trouble sleeping through the heat in summer, and we can't justify aircon (not that the boi would sleep through the noise if we had aircon).
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Of course the fact that once a week I spend half a day each week helping petunias have sex helps my identification skills.
The pansies, however, need no assistance? (My guess: they're always up for a spot of cottage-gardening).
Oh the petunias are always up for it, it's a matter of making them have sex the way you want them to ...
(nudge nudge wink wink)