Over the past few months quite a few of us have1 been getting little bits and pieces into Nature. This week, as some of you have already noticed, it’s my turn. The streak will have to end now, though, as we have voluntarily given up our secret weapon.
Just before the Science Blogging 2008 meeting we had to return the girrafe. The poor thing was becoming a nuisance, getting irritable at being passed around NN bloggers to be used as a hostage, and unable to exercise (RPG was right to send the unicycle to Nature’s offices, as a proof that we had the creature. But we never realized how badly Gerald would take it).
I had to carry the girrafe all the way from Finland, smuggling it through customs as my skis. We arrange to have the handover the day before the meeting, and all duly met up to fulfil our obligation. Even though this was business it was heartening to see Gerald perk up as she mounted her unicycle and rode around the office hooting joyfully, deftly swerving to avoid going past Dr. Gee’s desk. Naturally.
1 Sorry if I’ve missed anyone out! Please correct me in the comments.
Hey Bob – you did ask, so there’s this interview with Jean-Claude Bradley and Cameron Neylon which is also in today’s issue. Maybe that doesn’t count – not nearly so much work as writing a letter!
Ah, thanks. I didn’t look that far in the Toc. Can’t think why. 🙂
It’s a good article, too. I’m becoming more enthusiastic about the whole idea of open notebooks, at least as an experiment.
The streak has yet to end. So you can have Gerald back. And her unicycle.
Oh great. Can you give me a couple of bags of girrafe litter, too, please. Jack didn’t like sharing and anyway his stuff got stuck between Gerald’s toes and rubbed awfully.
OK, just make sure you look after the tyre on the unicycle. Last time you returned it in an awful state.
That was Grant’s doing. I didn’t have Gerald then.
Huh. I might have known.
I have nothing to say.
As usual.
And here is me, thinking I was the secret weapon!
(Correspondence-wise, the streak is certainly not at an end.)
For I was just the/a humble sciblog streaker when I changed t-shirt at the end in a broom cupboard with -Kim-Li- no-one.
Bummer. Oh, I see now, this was Nature !! Sorry folks, I ‘appeared’ at the wrong venue. Flap-jacks.
bq. And here is me, thinking I was the secret weapon!
Maxine, there is nothing secret about the way you hold us all in thrall.
I can has girrafe?
Just for Cath, then:
Does this mean I should move my blog to NN before I submit my next manuscript to Nature?
So far we’ve only had success with correspondences and Futures articles, but if you have a 500 word piece on the effects of climate change on the phenology of the release of calcium from intracellular stores, go for it.
Maxine, you’ve just outed yourself as the agent for the AAAS. They will not be happy…
As a proud possessor of a correspondence resulting from NN activity I can point out an interesting result for those in need of an improved “official” publication record. Web of Science credits it as a publication and records when it is cited (yes my correspondence has been cited!). So all of us, and no matter how small or trivial the contribution) are now on the WoS record as having had a publication in Nature.
You weren’t supposed to put that in writing, Brian! Now my colleagues will think I’m just stupid for hanging on for article-worthy data.
That, by the way, I do consign to my open lab notebook, as well – but since nothing much has been published since that became a regular habit, it’s only of use yet much to other folks in the lab.
Ah, thanks for that Brian. Perhaps someone should write to Nature explaining how successful NN has been in generating Nature correspondences etc.,and citing all of our scibblings that made it. That way we get a citation as well!
Remember Maxine and Henry, we now have Gerald.
You’re welcome to her. She’s only allowed up to a certain point, and not beyond it.
Apparently she doesn’t want to be a celebrity chef any more, but is thinking of becoming a Darlek.
Don’t be fooled. It’s only so she can unicycle around bellowing ‘RUMINATE! RUMINATE!’ at unsuspecting passers-by. It’ll pass. It’s when she announces that she wants to be a palaeontologist that you should worry.
Not to mention the ones that published more than once
(and Linda Cooper is also on NN)
Ah, thanks, Raf. Linda’s was the one I knew I had missed – I remembered there was something recently, but couldn’t find it. Showing off multiple authorship is just, well, showing off. 🙂
If you haven’t noticed, Henry has left a punchline floating around. Those who haven’t spotted it may wish to ruminate (even toe-dly), as to what a palaeontological Darlek would say.
I am all-powerful, but only to a certain point. Know your limitations, a good motto.
bq. I am all-powerful, but only to a certain point.
I’m omniscient, except for the things I’ve forgotten.
(Correspondence-wise, the streak is certainly not at an end.)
I think the giraffe must have been in India.
Yes, Gerald had a grand time over there. She’s talking about going somewhere else now, but won’t say where…
Wouter makes a good point (more downloadable audio from Nature, to help people with reading difficulties), but naturally I wonder if an mp3 of his contribution is available yet.
Gerald was last spotted in Agra two weeks back.
Thanks Bob for the compliment.
I speak English with an accent (An Irish friend used to say that I talk funny) … so I guess it would not result in ‘listener-friendly audio’. Maybe a sweet voiced native English NN’er wants to volunteer to upload an mp3? 😉
Hah, yes, I’ll do that.
I do a brilliant Sean Connery.
May I suggest Charlotte? 🙂
bq. I do a brilliant Sean Connery.
Can you provide us some footage as embedded video as well?