I have a PhD in Chemistry, I love science, I love engineering, but the first 2 years of chemistry, maths, physics at university (in the UK) was probably the most boring and uninspiring period of my science/engineering life (I'm now 41) (biology was actually okay due to the lecturer). I found myself being entertained by pool and beer in the students union more than the class and am surprised that I made it through. It they want success rates to go up, they really need to figure out how to get the education across in a more accessible way, I don't mean easier, I actually mean accessible. Yes I can read the book chapter and work through board problems, and in the lab I can follow a set of instructions, but the more entertaining lessons actually followed through with practical examples and relevant demonstrations, where those demonstrations actually linked into the lesson, and weren't just for fun.

Today was award a patent by the US Patent Office for applying for patents. will now begin to require royalties from people who would like to patent things.

Just to emphasize this. I ran a business dealing with mitigating pollution. Our biggest clients were petroleum companies. We cost a lot to bring in as we were highly trained engineers and scientists in the field and were only called after they had tried the typical consulting and internal avenues to solve the problem. If it cost more for the company to pay the fine than fly us wherever we need to go globally and pay for our services, the companies would just pay the fine. The sad thing is that the solution was, often as not, an adjustment to the operation of the system to optimize the process (not always).

It's all about moderation, not this binary do or do not. My kid watched TV from around 1.5, but even today (he's now 5) he only gets 30-45mins a day, with 1 movie on the weekends.I have a friend who confesses that he and his wife used the TV as a nanny. Both kids are pretty smart, both kids play well, but what both my friend and I have noticed, is that my son is the first up with an idea for a game and his son is always happy to follow. I see this in a lot of other kids (I know I'm making a generalization here) those few who have had too much TV when younger play well, but it seems to me they need the 'imagination' fed to them, the way the TV fed the concepts to them. I'm sure there's exception to the rule, I'm not a child psychologist and this is just casual, non-scientific observation.

Why not? It's the content and structure that counts, or are you so concerned with image that the font is really a pivotal factor in transferring information? Yes I am a scientist and if the damn journal would let me I would use Comic Sans to try and add something interesting moisture to a horribly dry medium. I'd also love to use emoticons for surprising results 0.o

It is and it's not. Shatner now makes money on the image that we have given him, he is not a dumb guy by a long shot. He knows that he's replying to Slashdot and who that audience is, and while he self promotes, he's doing it tongue-in-cheek. He obviously enjoyed the questions and what I read was someone who is having fun replying. The guy has a great sense of humor and is not afraid to wield it in a not-to-subtle way. Just before this guys dies, he's going to utter the phrase "I can't believe that all those people bought that shit." Enjoy the Shatner, I know I do.

Hell with Ninjas I need to get one of Kate Beckinsale for the wife...you think they do whole body models?

Funny that's what they said about linux when Windows ME came out

The question should be asked whether they achieve what is necessary in their work load not, how many hours they work. We I get to work from home I achieve as much in half a day as if I was at work, due to lack of interruptions. Does this mean I should work more or take the rest of the day off as a reward for being efficient?

I have no problem with Lucas messing with the movies, what I have a problem with is not being able to watch the originals.

Good we didn't want you to visit anyway. You drink all the milk and never put the seat down.

Actually the German patent office said that first

Ditto

Love it!

"Yet another indication of the lying liberal media trying to desecrate our young childrens minds with scientific theory". He then went on to submit emergency legislation to designate Australia as imaginary, all fossils (now and to be discovered) as fake and scientists as the devil incarnate. After this his poll ratings climb 5 points in South Carolina.