Latest posts

I Am Not A Bimbo

Posted on 13 August 2012 by Athene Donald

 Not so long ago I read a distressed ‘rant’  about being catcalled in London, from a woman who seemed persistently to be subjected to it – and worse. Alice voiced her anger and her misery in detail and provoked a storm of comments – supportive, although also occasionally mystified – on her blog and through twitter. Many if not most wome Continue reading →

Posted in demeaning, dinner conversation, Equality, patronising, social interactions, Women in science | Comments Off on I Am Not A Bimbo

Vapid

Posted on 12 August 2012 by Henry Gee

Earlier this evening Mrs Crox warmed up the televisual receiver for the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. It wasn’t long before the vacuity of the commentary drove me to flight. My, the editorial standards of the BBC have plummeted to a nadir of vapidity. When I were a lad, just starting out as a journalist, Leading Questions were Continue reading →

Posted in aubergines, closing ceremony, Domesticrox, olympics 2012, perseids, Professor Trellis of North Wales, Science Is Vital | Comments Off on Vapid

Welcome to The Menagerie

Posted on 12 August 2012 by Bob O'H

In my first OT post I mentioned The Menagerie I live in. So, while GrrlScientist is attending to parts of it I thought I’d introduce some of the residents, including some of the shyer ones

ShrimpLaceleaf

The diversity isn’t as taxonomically varied as at the Maison des Girrafes, but it is still enough to give plenty of work. We have parrots, of cours Continue reading →

Posted in Life in the Menagerie | Comments Off on Welcome to The Menagerie

Roots

Posted on 11 August 2012 by Steve Caplan

It’s back to work for me, with new students to orient, grants to review, papers to write, seminars to deliver–in short, back to what I enjoy doing. But “back from what?”

My family and I have been living in Omaha, Nebraska, smack in the geographical center of the US for the last 9 years-and we all agree that we’re happy Continue reading →

Posted in ancestors, Canada, Dov, family, family trees, science | Comments Off on Roots

Londoners by Craig Taylor and the A to Z

Posted on 11 August 2012 by Erika Cule

I moved to London in 2005. After a few weeks living here I concluded that the two most useful things to give a new visitor to the capital would be an Oyster card and a London A to Z.

An Oyster card

An Oyster card

A battered London street map

My London street map

Continue reading →

Posted in A to Z, book review, book reviews, Craig Taylor, Fun, Life, Londoners, maps, Oyster card | Comments Off on Londoners by Craig Taylor and the A to Z

On target

Posted on 9 August 2012 by rpg

I settle, relaxing all my muscles: feet to legs to bum to back to arms. I’m essentially slumped. A bit of pain in my left hand: that’s not quite right. Perhaps I just have to get used to it.

Continue reading →
Posted in olympics, personal, science, shooting | Comments Off on On target

August 4 – Mountsberg Raptor Centre

Posted on 9 August 2012 by Richard Wintle

Look what I see – the brand-new, shiny Occam’s Corner, with an inaugural post by Stephen. Well done Occam’s Crew and colleagues at the Guardian for making this happen.

Right, that’s that out of the way. Now, on to a photograph of an owl. Continue reading →

Posted in eagle, falcon, Halton Region, Mountsberg, Ontario, owl, Photography, raptor | Comments Off on August 4 – Mountsberg Raptor Centre

Here goes something: Occam’s Typewriter cornered

Posted on 9 August 2012 by Stephen

Well this is nice. Today Occam’s Typewriter opens a new cornershop, so to speak, at the Guardian.

For me, this closes a social media circle that started over four years ago because I can trace my entry to the scientific blogosphere to the time I heard someone called Jennifer Rohn talking about ‘Lablit’ – literature threaded with s Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, communication, Guardian, Occam's Corner, Science & Media | Comments Off on Here goes something: Occam’s Typewriter cornered

Occam’s Corner

Posted on 9 August 2012 by rpg

After what seems like months of waiting and negotiating (Ed: seems like? It is months), we are pleased to announce that the crew of Occam’s Typewriter will, in addition to their writings, ramblings and ravings here, also be contributing to the Guardian Science blogs collective, over at the shiny new Occam’s Corner.

Our inaugural post is by OT regular and founding member, Stephen Curry. Go say hello!

Thanks to Alok and James and James and everybody at the Guardian: they’ve been very kind and patient and helpful as we’ve struggled with settling on the name, the scope, the everything. We look forward to a very fruitful partnership.

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Staffing Matters

Posted on 9 August 2012 by Athene Donald

How good are Universities as places of employment? The THE ran a couple of stories last week, headed ‘higher education staffing’, looking at the age distribution of academic staff, and the gender pay gap. I don’t think either of these stories are particularly new for this year, but they are a constant, depressing reminder, that as a sector we don’t Continue reading →

Posted in age distribution, Equality, gender pay gap, retirement, Times Higher Education | Comments Off on Staffing Matters