With a new semester starting, it's only apropos to mention the back and forth I've been having about the Principles and Practices Engineering Exam, which probably seems like a pretty arcane topic...until two Kansas State academics noted that women have a lower first-time pass rate than men do. That occasioned an article by Toni Airaksinen …
The Valuable Lesson Silicon Valley Needs to Learn from the Thai Rescue
Sometimes patience is required to solve a problem: Instead of venting, Mr. Musk — indeed, Silicon Valley as a whole — can perhaps see the Thai operation as a lesson. This was a most improbable rescue against the longest odds. Safely navigating 12 kids and one adult, many of whom were not swimmers, through a …
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Internet Privacy and the “vulcanhammer” Sites
Just about everyone who is a content generator on the internet has been affected by the EU's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR.) It didn't come suddenly, but you'd never know that by the scramble many American organisations have been doing to become compliant (or at least try) with these regulations. It's not easy; they're …
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Build a House with 3D Printing? An Anglican Divine Shows the Way
But, when Christ came, he appeared as High Priest of that Better System which was established; and he entered through that nobler and more perfect 'Tabernacle,' not made by human hands--that is to say, not a part of this present creation. (Hebrews 9:11 TCNT) For the structures that are made by human hands (with a …
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Two Plus Two Equals Four Until You Redefine Addition
Like everything else, the Babylon Bee had fun with this: In a mathematics lesson delivered to her kindergarten class Tuesday, local teacher and closed-minded bigot Becky Delatorre reportedly insisted that two plus two equals four, all the time, to the exclusion of all other numbers, no matter how anyone feels about it. Well...we turn to …
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We’re Stuck at the Other End of Science, Too
Sabine Hossenfelder laments that what should be the "cutting edge" of science isn't cutting it these days: Very plausibly, the main reason why we haven’t made progress is that we’re not doing the right thing. We’re looking in the wrong places. We are letting ourselves be guided by the wrong principles. It’s about time that …
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He Was Right, They Do Flunk Clock
Some British schools are taking analogue clocks out of schools: Schools are removing analogue clocks from examination halls because teenagers are unable to tell the time, a head teachers’ union has said. Teachers are now installing digital devices after pupils sitting their GCSE and A-level exams complained that they were struggling to read the correct …
The Matter of Women Pilots Should Have Been Settled in the 1930’s
The Daily Beast correctly notes the achievement of Southwest pilot Tammy Jo Shults but with the usual caveat: Just how masterfully Tammie Jo Shults, the pilot of the badly crippled Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, handled the problem of an engine exploding at 30,000 feet is winning admiration from thousands of her fellow pilots—and should finally …
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The Core Problem With Liberal Arts Curricula/Degrees
I've taken flak for saying this in other contexts, but this comment on a frustrated history PhD's failure to land a tenure-track position hits the nail on the head: my own experience has been very similar although now i’m glad that i left the humanities and i believe that the humanities themselves should be completely …
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Those Unscientific Science Journalists
NPR wants a new one, but... NPR, which to its credit at least attempts to cover science and health, is looking for a new Science Editor. Unfortunately, actually being trained in science is not required for the job. Under the qualifications section, the ad says, "Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience." Amazingly, not only …
Positive Infinity 