The Long Form Census Debacle Starts to Show Its Impact
As predicted the dropping of the mandatory long form census last year is starting to be felt in the statistical results being collected. First problem: Language Data. New language data…
science
Binomial distributions and multiple choice tests
Readers of my blog know that I generally regard multiple choice tests (MCTs) as an adequate tool to assess student knowledge of, and proficiency with, a given set of topics.…
Justin Trudeau, heed the advice of Dan Gardner from The Ottawa Citizen
Dan Gardner’s challenge to Trudeau Dan Gardner has some very valid advice for any government led by Justin Trudeau – put our money where our mouth is when it comes…
Physicists Open Up
Results from publically-funded research often ends up in places that the average person can’t access the findings because scientific (and other) journals where results are printed cost an arm and…
We Are Star Dust, We Are Golden
Astrophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson was asked by a reader of TIME magazine, “What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the Universe?” This is his…
Why read when you can watch and listen?
A bunch of shameless self promotion. Back in August I was invited to join Don McLenaghen on Radio Freethinker, the skeptical podcast of CiTR radio (the UBC radio station). Ethan…
Who’s really obsessed with Impact Factor ?
What brings more prestige to a scientist, an article which receives hundreds of citations, even if published on a relatively minor, or even obscure journal, or one that is published…
Ask Me Anything: #6 – The moon
Future Landfill asked “Did you go outside and look up at the moon when Neil Armstrong went for a walk there in ’69?” I wish I could say that yes,…
In praise of failure
“In 2004, Kim and Chan (KC) carried out torsional oscillator (TO) measurements of solid helium confined in porous Vycor glass and found an abrupt drop in the resonant period below…
Late night
Neil deGrasse Tyson makes the case for NASA, space exploration, and essentially, the use of government funds for science programmes. Some incredible footage here.
To the Moon and Back: Neil Armstrong RIP
Neil Armstrong has passed away, at 82 years of age. He was the first person to walk on the Moon. No one has set foot on the Moon since I…
Just 2% of Canadians Deny Climate Change Occurring, Poll Finds
canada-climate-change_0.jpeg Originally published on EnergyBoom.com A recent survey conducted by Insightrix Research, Inc. has found that only 2% of Canadians believe climate change is not taking place. The online poll,…
The Problem With Racists
Focus groups are good at focusing. If there is a strong racist voice in the group, they might start to focus on race. When I heard the news this morning…
Fracking Industry Paying Off Scientists For "Unbiased" Safety Studies
science-and-money.jpg As a whole, Americans have an unfortunate tendency to distrust scientists. The number of those who distrust science and scientists is skewed heavily by ideology, with self-identified “conservatives” overwhelmingly…
5 rules for a science-based decision on the Enbridge Pipelines
Monday, August 13, 2012 Prime Minister Harper was in Vancouver on August 7 and took the opportunity to tell Canadians that any decision on the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines and…
On confirmation bias
Doug Natelson has done an outstanding job at debunking a ridiculous charge of confirmation bias allegedly affecting a recent study of climate change. Such a charge is put forth in…
Earthshine and Meteors
I tried photographing some Perseid meteors, but didn’t have much luck this year. I did get some nice shots of the Moon, Jupiter, and Venus though. -I took this one…
Mars Laser
We’ve equipped Mars with a laser. Our latest rover there, called Curiosity, actually shoots fricken laser beams from its head. How cool is that? Is there a scientific purpose in…
Stephen Harper Finds Science on the Road the Damascus
Here’s Stephen Harper doing his best to stay out of the Enbridge pipeline debate – the biggest (non-soccer) controversy in Canada these days: Prime Minister Stephen Harper is defending the…