James' Website

October 03, 2008

Baby at 33 Weeks

Just got back from a 33-week ultrasound. Here's what she looks like now! Apparently she's as big as a 35-week old, five and one-half pounds. I also suspect she is reading at a grade two level and has killer rhythm.

September 10, 2008

The Press Fails on Large Hadron Collider

I'm disappointed by how much credit is being given to the LHC conspiracy-theory types by the press. I haven't seen a single news story that failed to mention the protests, death threats, and anti-scientific fear mongering - although to their credit, it's usually reserved for the third or fourth paragraph. I understand that there's a journalistic principle requiring all sides to be represented, but any journalist who's willing to get their hands dirty and evaluate the arguments critically will quickly see that those protesting the LHC are completely misguided.

The fact that these people exist and are so vocal is definitely newsworthy. But there's no need to present their doomsday theories as plausible, or a matter of opinion.

My speculation is that strangelets, mini-black holes and the annihilation of the planet will sell a lot more papers than the science itself, in which most people have no interest.