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Blog http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/ 2013-04-26T13:59:00Z The PhD student-employment limbo Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/The-PhD-student-employment-limbo/5534043 <content:encoded>
I'm 27; I work full time; I have a mortgage - however I don't pay tax. The reason being that I am not "working"40+ hours a week, I am "studying" 40+ hours a week as I am a PhD student. I live in the limbo between student and employee.

I knew I wanted to get into scientific research after my first lab based project. I was very lucky to get a 4 year scholarship at the University of Glasgow starting at the end of 2009. It also seemed a great deal. Going from an impoverished student to earning £1,132.49 a month tax free sounded brilliant! Three and a half years in the novelty has well and truly worn off and I am most definitely earning less that I would have been had a left university behind- but that is not my complaint.

Last night I received an email telling me that due to new government legislation being rolled out the University of Glasgow would be entitled to offer workplace pensions I however would not be eligible as I earned less than £787 a month as my net income is officially zero. This is where the downsides start to creep in.

When I first tried to rent a flat from a large letting company I was told "no students". I showed them my signed 4 year contract with my income details on it. They backed down and said ok but we want 6 months' rent in advance. I was left looking at flat adverts in a shop window…

When it came to a mortgage I was told that almost all lenders would see me as having no income. This despite my 4 year contract being more stable and long term than almost anyone is likely to be offered when venturing into post-docing for the first time where 1-2 year contracts are the norm.

If I happened to be a woman and become pregnant during my PhD then the water becomes very murky indeed. Not being an employee I would not be legally entitled to any form of maternity leave. The research councils advise that PhD students are treated the same way as employees in this situation and state that they provide sufficient funding is provided to allow for this. The very best advice is no legal grantee.

I was at a Royal Academy of Engineering forum when David Willetts (Minister for universities and science) was asked what he thought of the maternity (let's not even stray into paternity here) leave provided during PhDs. He reminded the woman that her income was tax free and that we can't have it all ways. He also implied that there was further research being carried out on this matter. Well no one ever asked me if I would like to forgo paying tax in exchange for a disassociation with employment law.

So what is someone signing when they accept their contract?

Well your workplace pension will be vetoed.

Maternity and paternity leave will be left to the whim of institutions or supervisors.

Banks and letting companies may or may not be interested in you.

No official entitlement to holidays (that I am aware of)

You buy this with the £130 you save in not paying tax. I would like to see PhD studentships recognised for what they are – jobs. I have a full time job but little in the way of rights. Of course to most this is fine but to the few that could be affected it could be devastating.

Tax us. Use that tax to increase our income. Increase it to £1,325 that way after tax we will still be earning the same low wage but we'll have more legal rights. Legislate that funding bodies must provide maternity and paternity leave, sickness pay and all other binds that keep us safe at work.

Of course it is not all bad; until then you still get a discount at the cinema.
 </content:encoded> 2013-04-26T13:57:00Z 2013-04-26T13:59:00Z Potential sale of the RI Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Potential-sale-of-the-RI/4651998 <content:encoded>
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is under threat. Or rather, the home of the Royal Institution is under threat. At 3pm on Friday Roger Highfield wrote a tweet that sent many in the science world into a panic: "End of an era. The wonderful, historic Royal Institution is up for sale". Rumours and demands for more information echoed out but there were few answers to be had. Chairman of the Royal Institution, Sir Richard Sykes later released a statement confirming that the RI would be looking for a new partnership and would be exploring the possibility of selling off all or part of their Grade I listed home.

To understand what this means to science and to individuals we have to understand what the RI and its building mean. The Royal institution of Great Britain was founded in 1799 and gained its royal charter the following year. So while Napoleon rose to power; as the Rosetta stone was uncovered; a group of Britain's leading scientists were coming together to set up an Institution for "diffusing knowledge for the common purposes of life" a phrase still found in their charter today.

There was something unique to the place even then. They had some radical ideas. They decided that education was not just for the societal elite but for everyone. They wanted to throw their doors open and educate every man, woman and child. A lovely anecdote floated in science communication says that the RI was the home of the science rebels. A place for those seen as a little too daring or risqué for the other established society to gather. It worked.

The RI quickly became a hub for not only great science but a place of public spectacle and curiosity. The Institution has been home to the discovery of no less than 10 elements and 14 Nobel prizes have been awarded to individuals associated with it. Word of the great feats at the RI caught the public imagination. Indeed the events proved so popular that the Street which houses the iconic building, Albemarle Street, was turned into London's first one way street to ease congestion caused by traffic on lecture days.

No mention of the RI is complete without mention of its biggest public success- the Christmas lectures. Established in 1825 by Michael Faraday these were designed for the scientific education of young minds, a rare project indeed in the 1800s. The success and importance of these lectures cannot be underestimated. I still remember my first ever Christmas lecture in 1998 by Nancy Rothwell. The lectures have been nationally broadcast since 1966 giving children everywhere the chance to see the wonder that is science. To see it come alive and to see the passion and the drive of the leaders in the field. In comparison to the schools scientific curriculum in the 60s this must have seen like another world. These all too place in the iconic Faraday lecture theatre. It is a great horse shoe normally furnished in the centre solely by a large, old, valuable and familiar desk.

So what went wrong? They have a difficult task. The RI is a charity and it has always reached for the most ambitious of goals and sought to bring all things science to as many and as possible. In 2005 massive refurbishment got underway. It aimed to great a stylish multipurpose space and to restore sections of the building to its former glory. Unfortunately the gamble didn't pay off. The bookings failed to arrive. The bad economic climate lead to heavy losses and the RI was forced to sell off some of its assets. It also led to the debacle that was the sacking of the director Susan Greenfield.

Now we are faced with the loss of this site which is of national importance. But why should we care? I'm not a sentimental guy. I have binned all my baby shoes that my mother saved to show me. Report cards and prizes from school are long since gone. If it no longer serves a purpose I will get rid of it and not mourn the loss. Yet a large part of me wants the RI saved and kept the way it is.

The RI has a glorious past. It is a beautiful building with an atmosphere created by the history which still resonates in the halls of the place. For me the building's heart is the Faraday Lecture Theatre, home of the Christmas lectures. As a boy I watched it on TV longing to be in the audience. As an adolescent I sat in the audience and longed to hold the stage, as an adult I even managed realize this dream when I was in the UK final of Famelab. The horseshoe lecture theater has stood through the years, listening to the likes of Michael Faraday, H. G. Wells, Marie Curie and David Attenbourgh. Could we stand the loss of this? Would the Queen still hold the same mystique if she worked out of a large warehouse in the docklands? Could we turn 10 Downing Street into a hotel for celebrities and move the PM into more modest offices? Things just wouldn't be the same.

History is all well and good but history alone is not enough. The modern RI has proved itself worthy of saving. Minus their financial crisis the RI is alive and well. One can admonish HMV or Blockbuster for not moving with the times and thus going the way of the dinosaurs but we cannot fault the RI on this front. One of the most impressive achievements in recent years was the launch of the Ri Channel. This brings together a staggering volume of material all free to watch. This includes previous Christmas lectures; demonstrations and discussions as well as material collected from around the world. The institution also holds well over 100 events a year and continues their mission to make science for everyone. In fact they welcome anyone to become a member- there is no nomination or qualification requirements.

The Christmas lectures also continue their success. The December screenings brought the highest viewing figures of all the digital channels, the second lecture attracting in the region of 750,000 viewers. This year also saw the lectures being particularly interactive, during the BBC 4 screenings they quickly became top trending subjects on twitter. The lectures were brought to life as the lecturer, the institution and the production team tweeted and chatted along with the show. The quality of the lectures are always assured and 8 previous Christmas lectures are to be found in the 'The Times Eureka Top 100 most important contemporary figures in British Science' .

Some may think that the RI is now purely a body for engaging the public with science but even this is not the case. The RI still houses the world's oldest independent working laboratory. Headed up by Prof Quentin Pankhurst the group of physicists, chemists and engineers continue to publish respected work particularly in the field of nanotechnology.

The fully refurbished building itself stands testament to its continued drive forward. I was surprised and delighted to find charging stations for electric cars lined outside the front doors.

The RI's journey is far from over. True it faces uncertain times but after enduring over 200 years it has developed a devoted and fanatical fanbase. In the worst case the RI may have to swing its cloth bag over its shoulder and look for a new home. Wherever that may be I have no doubt that its spirit will endure. Hopefully it will not come to this and we will continue with the proud traditions started by Faraday and friends in the hallowed halls so long ago. I hope another 200 years the leading scientist of the day will be setting up a somewhat silly but scientifically accurate demonstration to the delight of children across the country.

Meetings are taking place; the sparks of campaigns are being fostered. All may not be lost but there are uncertain times ahead. This beautiful icon of science, history and education may yet be saved. Only time will tell.

Membership of the RI is available here and they also accept donations here.

 </content:encoded> 2013-01-19T12:08:00Z 2013-01-21T12:06:00Z Baby monkey, baby monkey, riding on a Cebus libidinosus, baby monkey Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Baby-monkey-baby-monkey-riding-on-a-Cebus-libidinosus-baby-monkey/4639326 <content:encoded>
Every now and then I take a break from the physical sciences. I was particularly delighted when forwarded a charming diversion from the Journal of Primatology. After all, what is more delightful than a monkey, with their tiny people hands? A little monkey adopting an even tinier marmoset, that is what is more delightful.

The paper (available here) details the extraordinary relationship between a capuchin monkey and a young marmoset. Friends? Adoptive parent? Or even a pet? It is difficult to say for sure. There have been many reports of unusual pairings in captivity but it is uncommon in the wild. It should be noted that while this story takes place in the wild woodlands of eastern Brazil the animals were exposed to humans and regularly fed to encourage tourism.

Enter marmoset, stage left

The story first began when the group of monkeys appeared looking for food and someone noticed one of the monkeys was carrying an infant marmoset which the researchers named Fortunata. Little Fortunata tagged along each time the group appeared at the feeding area a couple of times a week. It clung to one of the adult capuchins just like their own babies would. Fortunata seemed particularly close to one individual called Dende.

A closer look required

Researchers noted this unusual behaviour. Surely an unusual quirck of evolution to be drawn to attempt to raise stray infants of any species you happen to come across. They followed the group for a week and monitored all movements closely. What they saw was a marmoset which not only maintained its own natural behaviour but happily was an adopted member of the monkey group.

Baby mine

Dende was protective of her tiny charge. Even fully grown Fortunata would only ever be a tenth of her size. Dende Carried her little baby around, she groomed it and pretended to nurse it. Interestingly when Dende or any of the group played with Fortunata they seemed to realise how small and fragile their playmate was, adjusting their force so as not to injury the marmoset. If the alarm call was sounded Dende would run and protect Fortunata and carry the marmoset to safety. Also even the dominate male was tolerant of the smallest member of the group as he would put up with a little marmoset hand stealing the odd bit of dropped fruit and nuts from him.

An independent marmoset

A lot of the behaviour noted suggests that Fortunata had effectively become a small capuchin monkey- but this wasn't necessarily the case. Capuchins don't eat gum from trees- marmosets and Fortunata do. Also sometimes the poor monkey-wanna-be was just too small to keep up. Capuchins are particularly acrobatic- marmosets would fit in your hand. Several times Fortunata just couldn't keep up. Researchers saw the monkey groups swing off and abandon Fortunata in a tree while they cracked nuts below. Once for 5 hours none of the group seemed very fussed about the missing member. Fortunata also wasnt a fan of being carried. The capuchins would pick up Fortunata but soon the little marmoset would wrestle free and make its own why, despite this being somewhat difficult for the tiny creature.

A happy ending?

After the intense observation things carried on as normal with the whole gang arriving at the feeding station together. Then something changed. One day after over a year in the group Fortunata arrived alone at the feeding station. The same again the next day. And the next. Then never again. Where Fortunata went no one will ever know. Personally I like to think Fortunata is surrounded by many grandchildren telling tall tales of her youth with a troupe of giants.

The moral of the story

As I said I am very much a physical science boy. Information is published only when reproducible, quantifiable and tested. The last line of the paper sums up the entire article beautifully and shows one of the major differences with my subject area:

"Becasue there are no other comparable cases to examine, we can draw no strong conclusions from this case"

So there we have it. We'll have to wait for another marmoset to be adopted before we decide what was going on. But still, what a lovely tale.

 </content:encoded> 2013-01-17T22:38:00Z 2013-01-18T09:38:00Z How Powerpoint killed the presentation Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/How-Powerpoint-killed-the-presentation/4531079 <content:encoded>
I'm a science communicator. I'm also a PhD student. In both worlds folk get up and talk about science, often to very large groups of people. The main difference between these environments is that one runs the risk of "dumbing down" too much the other believes good science is difficult science. Straddle both worlds and get the best of both.

Let's assume for the purpose of this rant that all in the world of science communication is perfect (a more specific rant on this can be found here). Academic talks leave me close to tears. This of course is just an expression- in reality I'm not left crying but more likely sitting at the back tweeting or playing Tetris.

In a standard academic talk a slightly terrified PhD student will creep to the front (at the side, always at the side). They have an introduction slide with a title- most words of which will have at least four syllables. This appears to be the point when scared student forgets everything as they invariable turn bodily towards the screen and read the title out. If you are lucky they will glance over their shoulder when they have finished reading the title, just to make sure everyone is still there. We will be. We will be. Attendance is mandatory, attention is not.

Let's skip ahead of the 5 minute intro. Lets asssume the voice has not faded to a whisper (scardy is, of course, still transfixed by their own slides.) We've probably reached the meat of the work. The audience, if awake will be faced with graphs, tables and text. Oh good lord THE TEXT. Perhaps if the student considers themselves "in the know" they will animate the text. WHOOSH! Doesn't it bring it to life?! No, no it doesn't.

Skip to the end. We've made it. We're all alive and have reached out destination. Cue a quarter hearted applause and two questions by the nodding professors in the middle who have been waiting for an opening to show off.

So what all went wrong? On a basic level the student didn't ask themselves "WHY THE FUCK AM I THERE?"

Students are flown in at considerable expense. They are fed; they are watered and even given a slightly awkward meal on the last night. So why the fuck are they there? To present their work of course. They are there in person as that can be a more effective, interesting and engaging way to communicate. Important word in that sentence is "can". For most it will be a swing and a miss. Normally science is communicated through papers. Students must be better than a paper.

I have a few points I beg of students to consider.

I can read or listen, not both. Pick one and let me do it. If you are going to write screeds on your beloved powerpoint slides then just shut up and let me read it. Or be a rebel and keep the size 10 font to a minimum and make me hang on every word.

I believe in you. You don't have to justify, show off or attempt to seem smarter than you are. If you met me face to face you wouldn't try to adopt airs and graces and use the largest and most scientific words that you can. Speak normally.

Why do slides exist? They are visual aids. They are there to show instantly something that would take 3 minutes to describe in words. An invaluable resource but remember what it is for- streamline it.

You know your stuff. You know your title. You know your results. Tell us about them. No one is there to try and catch you out or to look bad. Get up with confidence, face your audience and tell them about it.

Above all- be better than a paper.

 </content:encoded> 2013-01-10T08:00:00Z 2013-01-10T11:10:00Z Science festival Shows Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Science-festival-Shows/4517054 <content:encoded>
I'm quite often asked how I got involved in science festivals and how to go about taking part in them so I thought I'd write a little bit on my experiences.

I've had three years experience with science festivals now. They all have differences but on some level the process is the same.

Eureka

The first thing to do is have an idea. Pick a topic, theme or idea (not a bloody demonstration) that excites you and one that others would find exciting too. Take some time to mull over this, how would it play out over an hour? Can you sustain interest, is there enough material, who do you see as your audience? This can take a while. Take inspiration from current news stories, previous science events or conversations with fellow communicators.

Sketch it out

Make a rough plan of your activity. Perhaps sections that you will talk about, demonstrations that you will do and who will be involved. If you are hoping to have a co-presenter or more people involved the earlier the better for this. Don't try and script it yet, this is a very fluid stage, just play with it to know it is a viable idea. Quite important is a title and a tag line. Get people curious abour it.

Funding

Perhaps the trickiest of sections is funding your show but it probably essential. How much will things cost? Remember you are likely to have travel, accommodation and food expenses to pay. Other things to consider are cost of props, time, invited speakers and some festivals will charge for inclusion in their programme. Don't be a hero or a martyr, there is funding available. Look into the professional bodies or large organisations. When I did a show on engineering the Royal Academy of Engineering supported me. When I did a talk on microscopes a microscope company gave me the props. Ask and ye shall receive.

On the road

Where do you want to take your show? All the science festivals and science centres have their own unique flavour. Perhaps if it is your first go it would be best to start close to home. Science festivals will normally put a call for proposals out almost one year in advance. I would recommend getting things in about nine months before the festival is due to start. It can be a slow process to start but builds up speed terrifyingly quickly. The applications are fairly straight forward. They know the show is likely to be in development. I believe they are looking for a few set things:

-An interesting, new and exciting idea that audiences will want to see

-Belief in the person. Demonstrate that the festival should be confident in you and your abilities

-A commitment to making your idea work

-Something achievable both in scope and financially practical and RISK ACCESSIBLE.

The science festival will be looking for your unique selling points. They don't want to see a script of the show at this stage, just a flavour. I find the easiest way to do this is write a blurb that might appear in the brochure along with a brief run through of what the show contains. They may ask if the show has been performed or will be performed before the festival. I mentioned some science festivals will charge you to take part- if you cannot afford this all is not lost, tell them this. It does not necessarily mean the end of the road.

Make it happen

The festival team may get back to you with more questions but assuming all goes well they will accept your proposal. Now with funding and a date under your belt you have to perfect the show. You will need photos or images for promotion. You will ideally want rehearsal spaces. I have had fantastic support from Glasgow Science Centre for this; if there isn't a science centre maybe a school or a skeptics society- all are keen to have free shows! The months will fly in. Keep rehearsing, keep improving.

Safety first

Make sure that each development is risk assessed festivals will insist on having all documentation weeks in advance. If you can sort your own public liability insurance all the better (private or from university) but some festivals will add you to your own.

Good luck

Hopefully over the course of the year you are now ready to dazzle and entertain and have a fantastic time. Once you have gone through this process present you show, relax for one week then go back to the start and repeat.

This is roughly my experience it will not be the same for everyone. If you have questions then get in touch.

 </content:encoded> 2013-01-04T13:39:00Z 2013-01-04T14:36:00Z Kate Mulgrew- Captain Janeway- Science Grrl Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Kate-Mulgrew--Captain-Janeway--Science-Grrl/3876601 <content:encoded>

This weekend I attended the Destination Star Trek London event, as did around 16,000 others. I had many brilliant moments I'd love to share but one rather sticks out: meeting Kate Mulgrew.

I've been a lifelong fan and when all 5 Star Trek captains descended on London I signed right up. I saw Janeway, Kirk, Picard, Sisko and Archer share a stage on Friday night- the first time this has happened in Europe and only the second time world wide. Come Saturday it was time for the individual captain talks and this is where my love affair with Mulgrew starts.

I've always enjoyed Star Trek Voyager and been very impressed with Kate Mulgrew as an actor but knew little of her personal life or views. She came out on stage to huge applause to 3 or 4 thousand people (by my guess). She had me from the opening few lines:

"I know who you are.

I know some of you are nerds (cheer).

I know some of you are geeks (cheer)

I know some of you are GAY geeks (small eruption form audience, including me)

You are probably liberals too and I tell you this: YOU ARE MY KIND OF PEOPLE" The crowd exploded.

We settled down and listened to her recount how she felt being the only female captain. Her experiences with the studio: "I had 8 hairstyles in the first season. They told me my bosom 'stuck out'. Towards the end of the season she told them enough is enough. "leave me alone!" She recounted how the top brass at the studio would stand stoney faced on set. Judging. Sceptical. How did this (admittedly nervous woman) respond? "I gave them a little wink and I tickled them when they weren't looking"

She spoke on her surprise invite to the white house as an inspiration to women in science. We heard how she fought to gain the respect of men in the industry. I admit I had a little tear in my eyes at points. Including when asked "is there anything you would have liked to have seen the franchise do?" she instantly responded with "yes, Star Trek needed a gay character. It should have happened, we have come a long way but there is still a way to go- it will happen"

A particularly clever audience member asked "is there a question you've always wanted to be asked but never has been? If so, what is it and what is the answer?" Mulgrew paused- more serious for a moment. Responding with "Do I believe in God?" "I've been asked my opinions on love, science, acting, experiences. My hopes, my dreams but never in all the years has anyone asked me if I believe in God. So what do I think? In all my years of thinking, reading, thinking, reading, reading reading- What have I decided? I just don't know".

While taking questions she would insist that she got questions from one woman then one man. When told but the host she had only one more question she overruled him, inviting seven women up on stage to ask their questions.

She left to a response only rivalled by that of Shatner with an instant standing ovation. Cheers, whoops and very few dry eyes. I loved her.

The next day it was time to have a photo with her. It was a moment that passed in a blur. I am glad to have the evidence that it happened. Though I fear her face is a little startled by my enthusiasm….

[Here I want to break for a second to tell you about Science Grrl a wonderful project which I was lucky enough to attend the launch of just before the Star Trek event. They have produced a calendar with images of real women (and men) in science. It is designed to show a real and accurate picture of women in science. The profits of this will be used for various initiatives to encourage women into science.]

Autograph time! I queued (not for very long). She greeted me with a hello and a big smile (as though I was the first fan she had seen all day). I had a moment of gushing praise before I produced one of the Science Grrl calendars. I told her that I am so impressed and pleased that she acted as an inspiration to women. I told her all about the Science grrl calendar and initiative that had been set up in the UK which she though was great. She thanked me very genuinely for the calendar and my nice words which had left her beaming she said a final thank you to me before passing her calendar to her assistant for safe keeping. I like to think of her flicking through it later in the day and having that same smile.

You can tell that she is incredibly proud of her inspirational role. She knows she is not a scientist, she does not pretend to be but she knows how she is regarded. She knows that young girls may watch Voyager and dream of sitting in the big chair and she wants them to know that they can.

Kate Mulgrew. Oh captain, my captain.

Some people will be slightly surprised at my over the top reaction to meeting this woman and hearing her speak. Others, perhaps just a few, will understand.

 </content:encoded> 2012-10-22T12:13:00Z 2012-10-22T14:05:00Z The forgotten Curies Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/The-forgotten-Curies/3802620 <content:encoded>
How many Curies can you name? Marie Curie is probably a given, perhaps her Nobel prize winning husband Pierre too? But there are many more with equally impressive achievements under their belts. Some Families have family businesses- mine ran a shop- no one can deny that the family business of the Curies was science.

Let's start with the famous dream duo Marie and Pierre. Together they studied and advanced the field of radioactivity and were the joint winners of the physics Nobel Prize for physics in 1903. This wasn't the first collaborative venture for Pierre. In the late 18 hundreds Pierre was working with his brother Paul-Jacques Curie and together they laid the foundations of piezoelectrics.

Piezoelectrics is an increasingly important area of research now. A piezoelectric material is one which when exposed to changes in pressure it produces an electrical current. Today scientists investigate putting these materials in the sole of shoes so that with each bouncing step we take we would produce a tiny jolt of electricity- just enough perhaps to power some of the electrical devices we depend on. All made possible because of the foundations laid by the Curie brothers.

Let's move one generation forward in time: Marie and Pierre's children- Irene and Eve. Irene followed almost exactly in her mother's footsteps: marrying a scientist (Frédéric Joliot); pursuing radioactivity and just like mum and dad winning a joint Nobel Prize (chemistry 1935). When she married her and her husband both took the second name Joliot-Curie. This gives a total of 5 Nobel prizes bearing the Curie name and also giving rise to the only mother daughter winners. Irene was the world's first alchemist. Her research showed the transformation of one element to another through artificial bombardment with radioactive particles. Interestingly she studied her doctorate under Paul Langevin, the man whom Marie had a notorious affair with in 1910.

Irene's sister Eve took a somewhat different path... Eve never showed much interest in science but showed more aptitude for the arts. In fact Eve was the only non-scientist in the Curie family and (somewhat sadly) the only one not to win a Nobel prize. In fact even here husband Henry Richardson Labouisse, Jr was to collect a Nobel Peace prize on behalf of UNICEF. I'm sure Eve bore this without much resentment she was a well respected writer and war correspondent. Perhaps you could even argue that Eve made a sensible choice. Without the dangers of radioactivity that killed her mother and sister Eve lived to the ripe old age of 102 (Irene died aged 58).

There is still one more generation to come in the story I'm telling here. Irenes children. These grandchildren of Marie and Pierre bear the name Joliot-Curie and are; you may have guessed it- scientists. Both of Irene's two children are both alive today and both are noted professors. Pierre Joliot-Curie is a biologist and a member of the Légion d'honneur . Irene's daughter: Helene Joliot-Curie like her mother and her grandmother before here pursued radioactivity and is a nuclear physics and adviser to the French government.

It seemed to me that the Curie family tree was to hold one last little surprise for me and that was Helene's husband. Michel Langevin. We've heard the Langevin name before and Michael is indeed the grandson of Paul Langevin. Paul Langevin, the man who had an affair with Marie and caused an angry mob to form outside her house. Paul Langevin, the man who guided Irene through her doctoral studies.

It seems to me that there are three things that run through the Curie family: Science, greatness and a love of Langevin men.

 </content:encoded> 2012-10-14T21:57:00Z 2012-10-14T22:26:00Z The Radioactive Woman Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/The-Radioactive-Woman/3750190 <content:encoded>
Today we find out who will join the likes of Rutherford, Pauling, Soddy and Curie and win the Nobel Prize for chemistry, fantastic achievements all. Expanding our knowledge and changing science forever more. One of the above had perhaps a greater struggle than most: Marie Curie.

Curie is one of histories most famous scientists. One of only two people to ever win two Nobel Prizes in different fields (physics 1903, chemistry 1911) her fight began the very day she was born, as it happens- without a penis. Marie Curie (nee Skłodowska) was born in 1867 with two X chromosomes a fact that society was determined for her never to forget.

Born to an educated and politically interested family she followed in her parents footsteps and was an academic high flyer from an early age and was a consummate believer in independence for her beloved home country of Poland. (Indeed Polonium is the only element to be named after a political cause.) When it came time to go to university – she couldn't. Polish universities would not touch such a person who had the audacity to be the heinous mix of female, educated and politically interested. She was radioactive- a term she herself was later to coin.

Eventually she moved to a slightly more enlightened Paris where she was able to pursue her love of science and meet her future husband and lab partner: Pierre Curie.

Her dedication was extraordinary, working often unfunded and in a shed she methodically went about isolating the 2 elements she would discover. In 1903 her and her husband were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their research into radioactivity. This was the same year that she received her doctorate. Unless the next few months go spectacularly well- this is an achievement I'm unlikely to match.

Three years later her beloved husband was dead, but her love of science was not. She carried on the work. She excelled and in a few short years she was on track for her second Nobel Prize for the advanced cause by the discovery of both polonium and radium. Here the inconvenience of gender raises its ugly head once more….

Marie Curie caused a scandal. A scandal so shocking she arrived home to find an angry mob at her door and had to seek refuge. So heinous were her actions that the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences considered her eligibility for the second Nobel Prize….What could be so bad?! Well, years after her husbands death Marie had had an affair with a married man. Paul Langevin had been estranged from his wife for some time during the affair but none the less Curie was vilified publically. He character defamed in the press, lies spread and her work discredited. In the end it was difficult to revoke the prize, after all the work had been carried out. A compromise was met. She would be awarded the prize but was not welcome to the award ceremony. (I can only assume this was for fear she would arrive bare breasted and seduce every man in the room).

Marie Curie finally succumbed to the dangers of her work at the age of 66. Both her memory and her work live on (literally, her note books are so radioactive they cannot be safely handled and are kept in lead boxes.) Her work also lived on with her daughter Irene. They are indeed the only mother-daughter Nobel winners.

The more I learn of Marie the more I adore her. In a world that was hostile to her she took on the system and won. I can only wonder where we might be now had society tried so hard to keep all the potential Maries and Irenes down. Where might we be had we not spent our entire history keeping half our population down. Idiotic.

 </content:encoded> 2012-10-09T12:24:00Z 2012-10-09T12:35:00Z Some are more equal than others Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Some-are-more-equal-than-others/2951378 <content:encoded>
Today the Scottish Government are expected to announce whether they plan to introduce a bill on same sex marriage. Ahead of this I wanted to set out some of my views.

Recently the heads of the Catholic Church in Scotland announced "war on equal marriage". They have pledged a £100,000 war-chest to up their campaign. I have little doubt that that law will be passed regardless in both Scotland and the rest of the UK. Further I firmly believe that in but a few short years it will seem ludicrous that it required debate until then, debate it we must.

I follow with interest the arguments set out by those opposed to the update on the current definition of marriage. I would love to engage in a free and open debate with individuals who do not share my belief in but often I find them throwing their beliefs from bunkers and not particularly receptive to alternative views. Perhaps this is understandable as it is much easier to maintain bigoted views from a position of ignorance than to defend them with an absent logic.

I will try and keep this brief and should you wish to stop reading now I will pull the rabbit out the hat that vetoes the argument before we even get started. The main objection I believe people hold to updating the definition is a religious one. It is an overhang from Leviticus 18:22 that decrees homosexuality an abomination. I don't see that religious teachings should hold any influence over legislation in this country. The bible should not be our legal roadmap. I believe that some will need more convincing than this. Let's have a closer look at the objections

Old as the hills

The coalition for marriage tells us that "The oldest recorded English law referencing marriage between husband and wife goes back 800 years" I don't doubt this is true. Let is set the scene a little. A medieval Britain, legendary kings such as Richard the Lionheart (widely believed to be gay, or perhaps bisexual) sit on the throne declairing war arbitrarily. What else had we got right by this point in history? Well Magna Carta would follow not much later. Imagine today we were still debating whether a man could be imprisoned on the testimony of a woman as forbidden in the famous document. Or if we had separate legislative procedure to deal with jewish people and money lending. We have grown as a people since these dark days. Age of a law or a "tradition" does not mean it should be left untouched. Any enlightened society needs to constantly assess and reassess their laws and perhaps marriage is well overdue.

One man, one woman

The current and traditional definition is one man and one woman. We've already dealt with the "tradition" aspect of this. Now we need to remember that worldwide homosexuality has been vilified indeed it was only decriminalised in Scotland in 1980. For hundreds of years society has worked on the assumption of anything other than a man and a woman as an abomination, something abhorrent. Thankfully for the most part we have moved past this bigotry with an equality in marriage one of the last legislative barriers to be removed. We have seen the success of civil partnerships. Quickly they have been accepted by almost everyone- including a large selection of religious groups. I fail to see any legitimate reason that homosexual couples should be segregated into a separate category. Their relationships are the same as are the hopes and dreams of those involved. Barring this final equality tells LGBT persons that they are not equal to their heterosexual counterparts. Decreeing they're relationship is not equal. It sends the same message out to the wider society- not normal, not the same, treat differently. These subtle issues diffuse throughout our society and allow inequalities to remain. It is irresponsible for a government to maintain an inequality in the law. As long as there is a distinction between marriage and civil partnership there will be an inequality.

The less said about the inability to produce children the better. There is no argument to be had here. If older and infertile couple can marry without the ability of children it is out of the question that this criteria can be applied to bar same sex couples. A marriage is not a means to beget children.

In the eyes of the lord

I mentioned that the major issue is that it is against many religious teachings to join same sex couples. We must remember however that heterosexual couples have the right to marry without any religious ceremony. Even heterosexual couples are not bound to the teachings in the bible. If we were to stick to what the bible wanted then we would enforce the marriage of a woman to her brother in law should her husband die as decreed in Deuteronomy 25:5. Interestingly the Catholic Church and the coalition for marriage are not out petitioning for this clause to be included in the law. The Church is not in the streets with signs condemning contraception. They are not seeking the death penalty for those who work on the Sabbath as Numbers clearly states. I am curious as to why not. I see no ranking order in the severity of these "crimes" in 'the eyes of the lord'. So why has homosexuality been taken on to such a level? I have no answer for this.

One final point

I address the opposition directly when I ask- If I were wearing a wedding ring as I write this would you're life be adversely affected? Would it lessen your marriage? I think you would find in reality that it would make little difference except to me and my husband.

In a bit of a recap:

Religious doctrine has no place in legislation

A legal difference in treatment leads to a societal one

Religious organisation are playing pick and mix religion to selectively target one aspect of society. Having children is not a requirement of marriage

Tradition is not a legislative tool

If allowed to marry I will not set about destroying societys moral framework. You have my word on this.

It is time to send a loud public message that inequality is unacceptable. Send a message to the international community that LGBT persons deserve to be treated with the same rights and respect due to any heterosexual.

 </content:encoded> 2012-07-15T22:52:00Z 2012-07-16T10:34:00Z The Rainbow Flag Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/The-Rainbow-Flag/2940777 <content:encoded>
To say I have never met a homophobe would likely be a lie; statistics would say that I must have and yet none have ever identified themselves to my face. The internet and media tell me these myopic people exist and encounter them I must.

Sometimes in my more fanciful moments I fool myself into thinking that homophobia, racism, sexism and all the horrendous "isms" out there no longer exist- relics of bygone eras and something that we have risen above. It is rarely very long before I am brought crashing back down to reality. World Pride provided me with one such moment.

Through work I happened to be in London on World Pride day 7/7/12. There was a large parade followed by a concert in Trafalgar Square. It was a celebration of all things LGBT and more (for example the oft overlooked A-sexual part of our society). Not knowing London well I am normally to be found navigating the tube with a map in hand. By coincidence four transsexual women got off the same train as me to change lines to meet the parade at one of the stations. They seemed to know where they were going and as they hurried along the labyrinth I trotted along just behind (assuming their destination was the same as my own, seeing the rainbow flag in a handbag). I was delighted at first to have some handy tour guides- but only at first.

It was apparent form their height, build and facial features that the 4 women who I was walking behind had been born in male bodies. This was a matter of supreme indifference to me. The same could not be said for the people around us. I was instantly struck by the reaction of the passengers walking in the opposite direction on the other side of the barrier. What I saw was a depressing sight indeed. At the very least passengers would stare, turning heads around to watch these women pass. These turned out to be the more polite segment of the majority.

Person after person passed us. Mouths widened. Elbows nudged. Eyebrows rose. I saw two people indicate to their children to look at the 4 women in front of me. People were not even content to stare they had to be seen staring. What I saw was a parade of people who wanted the world to take note- they had noticed strangers; identified them as odd and with their not-so-subtle gestures indicated "I am not one of them. I do not approve". Now I know I am being harsh to many as I'm sure many of the people for whom a reaction was provoked meant no conscious ill will. But as an observer- this was how I perceived it.

The four women carried on chatting and made their way to their next train. Perhaps in ignorance we might assume that they hadn't seen these reactions- but I know they did. I assume this is an almost daily occurrence not only for these four people but for so many people around the world. People who every day face an onslaught of a thousand tiny insults and all because their appearance can mark them out as a target. I admire these women able to carry on. Turning a blind eye to society's ignorance but the relentless tide must become wearisome and depressing.

If you pass me in the street I find it unlikely you would immediately be able to guess if I were gay, straight or Australian. I am also white, male and in my 20s. Elbows do not nudge at my arrival in a room and until this tube ride I hadn't realised how tough some people had it. How horrible a place if society only has place for factory made carbon copy standard issue people. There are different sexualities, skin tone, lifestyle choice and this is what we celebrate with the rainbow flag.

Two final comments I would like to make: Ladies, I admire you and the battle for equality you face every day. And to the parents who gestured to their children- with these tiny acts you are instilling society's prejudices for another generation. Live and let live.

 </content:encoded> 2012-07-14T19:36:00Z 2012-07-15T22:18:00Z My Cheltenham Science Festival Picks Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/My-Cheltenham-Science-Festival-Picks/2407392 <content:encoded>
It is almost time for ! I will be there again for almost the whole week. It is a fantastic place and with one of the major catalysts for my interest in science communication. It has an atmosphere like few other places and an event line up to blow you away.

 Two years ago I arrived not knowing what to expect as I embarked on a week long intensive training course. Over the week I discovered a love of science communication as well as an ability to do it. This will be my third Cheltenham experience and I will be back once again with my own show- Indestructible Energy, but I'll talk more about that later.

 Here I wanted to set out some of my festival picks. I've set out a few events that I am most looking forward to. Booking is advisable and the full program can be found opposite.

The Festival kicks off on Tuesday the 12th of June and that is where I shall being.

Tuesday

The festival kicks off in fine style. It is a future looking and day dealing with current hot topics like climate change & 3D printing. Tuesday also deals with tomorrow's world in the form of Future Buildings and thinking robots.

 I can only have one pick of the day and that is Dark Matters with Famelabbers Andrew Pontzen and Tom Whyntie. This duo has the Sci-Com Midas touch and they are guaranteed to deliver a brilliantly entertaining and informative hour. The Cheltenham regulars will be tackling the enigmatic topic of dark matter. Explaining what the devil it is and why it matters.

 Sadly as I chase these guys around the UK I will once again arrive one day too late, so please go and report back on the wonderful time.

Wednesday

My first full day at the festival! Wednesday is chock-full of celebrity scientists and science enthusiasts. Robert Llewellyn, Robin Ince, Alice Roberts but sadly no Tim Minchin who has had to cancel.

 My highlighter almost died on me with this one day alone. It is going to be a very good one. It feels a people centric day whether that is about our history of evolution, the problems facing us as a species or on a lighter note how we might find happiness through science.

 Here I must mention several shows. First off and of personal interest to me is Wind Power: the great debate (12 noon). Working in renewable energy I am drawn to these events like a moth to a flame and this should prove to be a winner. This debate has a lot of mileage when the surface is scratched. I hear that it takes a ton of neodymium shipped from China to create each wind turbine and have to wonder the initial energy and CO2 outlay and how long they must run just to pay off their own debt to the environment. This event will be a debate and features leading experts in the field from many areas. Not to be missed for the skeptics among us. The event is sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering. I am delighted to see so many great events sponsored by the RAEng who incidentally where the ones who created the training scheme which first brought me to Cheltenham.

 I would also like to mention Evolution: The Human Story (2pm) Alice Roberts fresh from her mammoth Mammoth BBC offering looks at the development of our ancestors. Alice herself told me how fantastic an event this will be and how lucky it is to have Adrie Kennis and Alfons Kennis to speak.

 Finally we have theFamelab International Semi- finals (6pm & 8.30pm). Each participant has already reigned supreme in their own country now the battle begins to be crowned the international victor. Prepare to be wowed!

Thursday

Wednesday was a day of learning- time to relax in my opinion. There is plenty of educational material on offer today I will defiantly be getting along to Survivors: The Animals and Plants That Time Left Behind but the rest of the day will look a little more light hearted.

Proving time and time again that science is indeed a laughing matter we have the Festival of the Spoken Nerd team. Matt Parker, Helen Arney and Steve Mould have been taking the world by storm this year in a celebration of all things nerdy. The team are going for gold with a gameshow theme- The Re: Generation Game. I have seen these guys many times and know for a fact that you will not be disappointed.

One final mention for Thursday. It would not be Cheltenham Science festival without the friend to all things science: Robin Ince. Robin has brought science and a new way of thinking to a new audience. His fans are an eclectic bunch and I count myself among them. In truth it is more difficult to avoid Robin than to see him at the festival as he is in his element. On Thursday he will be joined by Josie Long for a live Utter Shambles podcast recording. What will the topic be? Ask Robin after the show perhaps. We might not know where it is going to end up but it will be another magnificent journey.

I'll be back soon to go through my picks for the weekend (if I can decide)

 </content:encoded> 2012-05-31T13:24:00Z 2012-07-14T19:34:00Z Science gets the celebrity treatment (or has platitudes thrown at it from a passing limo) Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Science-gets-the-celebrity-treatment-(or-has-platitudes-thrown-at-it-from-a-passing-limo)/2372756 <content:encoded>
Recently ahead of the premier of the latest Men in Black film Will Smith came to London on a promotional tour. The premier was a media circus with many celebrities gracing the red carpet; this was not his only stop however. In a slightly lower-key event Will visited London's Science Museum. This is not the first time the actor (who has made a very comfortable living from science fiction movies) has shown a fondness for all things science. Will understands that by openly sharing his interest he may inspire children and perhaps change some perceptions of the subject. I support this with the same gusto as I do the role of Star Trek's Uhura as a NASA advocate. The throwing of celebrities at science is not necessarily a good thing though.

I was reminded as Will posed with local school children about another celebrity endorsed science activity. The FIRST Robotics Competition is a high profile robotic competition in the USA. Last year they produced a promotional video overflowing with celebrities. The video (opposite) features Justin Timberlake, Jack Black, Justin Bieber, Snoop Dog and most prominently Will.i.am. There are also many more. I dislike this video immensely and for several reasons.

No one can question the popularity of the celebrities featured in the video, they each have legions of fans that will follow them devotedly. So why will Justin Bieber saying 'science is cool' not lead to an instantaneous increase in college applications? Well frankly he is just not that good an actor. For the most part the celebrities in the video have shown next to no interest in science throughout their career. Jack Black tells us "Showbiz aint nothing compared to science" this being true and me being a scientist I can only pity you Mr Black for being trapped in such an under appreciated profession.

Steven Tyler tells us that he becomes a "doctor of thinkology". I question whether or not he even finished his undergraduate. Celebrities have great power to influence the public and I think this can be used in the ongoing battle to remove stigmas and dispel misperceptions that surround science. I think the benefit is lost when celebrity is used for celebrities' sake. Here a group of famous people have been sat down and prompted to promote science. They have no link or no interest in the subject and come off as completely disingenuous. The promotional equivalent of answering "does my bum look big in this?" Science is well aware of its unsightly bits and telling it that is as cool as Justin Bieber is not a magical cure.

It also has to be questioned if they picked the correct famous people. I will not deny that Snoop Dog has in the course of his live shown a rather passionate interest in certain areas of chemistry, as for his relationship with biology the less said the better. In terms of role models I would rather see him glossed over. If he completed a PhD next year I would still not hold him up as inspirational material. Especially given that one of the major problem areas facing science is the inclusion and encouragement of women within the subject. This man stands for the exact opposite to me.

The one positive note on this video is the prominent placement of Will.i.am. Here we have a celebrity who has proven to go out of his way to pursue an interest in science. Will.i.am is Intels director of creative innovation and instead of throwing out general positive statements actually has thought about how science has affected his live. It takes very little internet digging to reveal that will.i.am is indeed a supporter of science and long may this continue!

Basically- if there is a reason you like science- tell us! If however you would like to make a paid (I assume) appearance in a promotional video to tell us we are 'cool' thanks but we'll manage along without you.

 </content:encoded> 2012-05-28T11:21:00Z 2012-05-28T13:38:00Z Dogs are not human Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Dogs-are-not-human/1729850 <content:encoded>
Dog attacks are on the increase in this country and I for one do not blame the dogs. These vicious attacks by and large are due to the owner's negligence. Dogs, especially in deprived communities, are becoming status symbols; gangland culture has propelled these animals to be body guard and fashion accessory in one. Part of the problem is the breeding of dangerous dogs. Some breeds have a more natural predilection to become easily provoked and potentially violent. There is however a greater problem and that is in the changing relationship between man and dog.

I defiantly come from a 'dog family'. Generations of my family have kept them, most commonly German Sheppard's. These are large and, to many people, intimidating animals however I would stake all I have on telling you that my 14 year old Connie would never be responsible for an unprovoked attack.

The key is a well trained dog and a healthy relationship between dog and human. There is a trend, fostered by the internet, to treat our dog as human babies. People dress them up in all manner of adorable outfits, let them run amuck and spoil them with many delicious foods. Dogs are not human.

When you own a dog- you are the master. This is how it must be. You cannot run a household on the whim of a dog. Dogs are far happier to know their place. They are happy for you to make the decisions. Lets say the dog is treated as an equal- when little pooch decides it wants to dig a hole in the garden- it will. If it wants to tear a cushion to shreds- it will. If it wants to attack someone- it will. Trying to stop a dog who feels it is at the top of the pecking order is very difficult. After all who are you to tell it to stop?!

This weekend I saw a dog stroll on to the road- oblivious to the car approaching from behind. The dog was clearly deaf. The owner's solution to this problem? To stand at her gate and shout "Lady, what are you doing?! Why are you standing on the road? There is a car behind you" [I have translated from Glaswegian for clarity] Now had the dog been able to hear any of the words I still find it unlikely for Lady to answer or even to see the error of her ways. I say again dogs are not human.

I believe that I treat my dog well, she was trained from a puppy and responds to verbal as well as visual commands- yes I talk to her but I'm under no illusion that it is little more than a comforting noise to her. I beseech all owners to remember that you are dealing with a highly intelligent animal with very complex needs and emotions- but not a human. Do not attempt to reason with your dog. Train your dog well, use simple commands, keep it on a lead in built up areas and you will have a happier relationship.

The next time I see an owner with an untrained wild dog I shall bark at them. If they don't understand I think I shall bite them. I have a great sympathy with the dogs- why won't the humans understand. I tell them and I tell them but they just wont understand. Shouting louder doesn't seem to help either.

 </content:encoded> 2012-04-17T11:33:00Z 2012-04-17T11:34:00Z Why I hate liquid nitrogen Jamie Gallagher http://jamiebgall.moonfruit.com/blog/4562416184/Why-I-hate-liquid-nitrogen/1524164 <content:encoded>
I love the science communication game. I do as many activities as often as I can. Everyone seems to have caught on to the importance of the topic. Across the country over the past few years many scientists have been taking tentative steps out of the lab to proffer their wares to a wider audience- especially since "impact factors" became a part of grant applications. I applaud their attempts, often with a slow steady sarcastic clap- but it is better than nothing. Some will say it is excellent that they are doing this; to a point- it is. However I see many science communication activities as a swing and a miss and here in contains my rant or "why I hate liquid nitrogen".

My university, like almost all, has an Open day- indeed we have several. We open our lab doors to prospective students, their families and the curious. Staff and students of the department pull together to put on events. They give a flavour (generally vanilla or banana if you can see where this is going) of what chemistry is like. They watch us freeze flowers in liquid nitrogen; they watch us deflate a balloon in liquid nitrogen; they watch us fill ping pong balls with liquid nitrogen. Finally they are sent away clutching a liquid nitrogen made ice cream and filled with a deep understanding of what a chemist does.

This type of science communication should have gone out the same day we stopped playing with mercury because this is little less toxic. What impression do they hope to give? I died a little inside as a final year PhD student held a partially deflated balloon fresh from a dewar aloft and announced to the crowd "look, liquid air" She was of course referring to the water that had condensed at the bottom due to her blowing it up herself. This type of demonstration is the "demo for demo's sake" it is almost never backed up with any kind of explanation and is simply aiming for shock and awe. If any of our students are swayed into choosing chemistry after seeing a flower frozen- I pity them. It will be a long hard four years.

The reason these poor quality demonstrations are so prevalent is that they do interest people. Few people find a bubbling vat of 'smoking' liquid anything other than fascinating. Scientists often mistake an interest in the prop for an interest in the subject. The scientist forms a crowd, sees the awe inspired reaction and rests easy that they are a successful communicator. They fail to ask themselves the all important question "what has my audience learnt?"

Science communication is not easy; it is not necessarily something that comes natural to all. It needs work, it needs practise. A truly excellent communicator will be able to make almost any topic fascinating. Demos defiantly have their place. They can be a vital tool for explanation- giving a clearer picture of the science than words alone ever could. They can, also, in an hour long show be a welcome wake-up call to the audience adding variety and adding break points that will help to keep momentum. There is however a correct way to go about them. Ideally take a topic then use a demo to explain- never start with a demo and work science around it.

On open day I do have a stall, I also use liquid nitrogen. I use it to cool my super conductor and levitate a magnet. For this I go on to explain a little about magnets and what we can use this phenomena for in the real world. Audiences seem no less impressed or bored by the inclusion of real science and I hope that they leave with a slightly better impression of what I would work on day to day.

Science communication in its current form is still a new phenomena. It is continually growing, learning and developing. There are many schools of thought. There are many styles of presenters. There are many types of audience. These are the strengths. I hope it continues on its current path, inspiring people, making science truly accessible to all. However let's move past pointless demos and get a bit of science into our science communication. If however you are of a different school of though feeling that you are truly engaging people with these demos I will respect that. I would however ask that you wear a tuxedo/ sparkly dress and follow your hydrogen explosion with the words "That's Magic".

 </content:encoded> 2012-03-27T13:23:00Z 2012-03-27T14:02:00Z


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's pretty wild what a difference a year can make. Last October Nate Wolters was preparing for his senior season at SDSU. This October, Wolters is preparing to face the Knicks and start his life as an offical NBA player.
"Definitely a little different then South Dakota State. Charter, nice plane, food on the plane, def an upgrade." says Wolters.
Its a no brainer, life off the court will be life changing for nate, but the game itself will be a whole new beast.
"Speed of the game, just the length, especially from a mid major, it's a higher jump for me, so its been a tough transition but I will get use to it" says Wolters.
But if there is anyone who thinks Wolters can make the transition, its his head coach.
"He's coming along, he's learning, I thought summer league was good for him, he's got guys playing infront of him that he can learn from, hes been pregressing very rapidy, this whole learning process." says Bucks head coach Larry Drew.
And being able to learn at a rapid pace has been Wolters best skill.
"I put a lot on the point guards to be an extenstion of me while they are out there, and he has done a really good job, really good job." says Drew.
But while Wolters has been improving, he still needs to show more if he wants to make an impact at the professional level.
"Its not college it's the pros, it's a cut throat business, so every time you are out there you need to show what you have." says Wolters.
And up to this point, Wolters has shown we he has nd will do hes best to make other NBA teams, fear the deer.
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text:
The Columbia Police Department announced a news conference planned for noon on Friday to discuss safety in Five Points.
Police have identified the three possible male witnesses to the shooting that paralyzed a USC freshman in Five Points in the early morning hours of Oct. 13.
So far, two of the witnesses have talked with investigators, police spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said in a news release.
The police department continues to make arrangements to have the last male come in and discuss the case, Timmons said.
Police have described the three as being allegedly involved in the altercation with Michael Juan Smith that led the random shooting of University of South Carolina freshman Martha Childress at the Five Points fountain.
CrimeStoppers tips aided in the identification.


text:
Kokomo Tribune
---- — Kokomo's boys cross country team won the 17-team Tipton Invitational on Saturday with 52 points, aided by a sizzling time from meet winner Jeremy Breedlove. Wes-Del was second with 79 and Tipton third with 84. Maconaquah was ninth with 206. Taylor was incomplete.
Breedlove was first in a time of 15:57. Also for the Kats, Ethan Sharp was fifth in 16:56, Jordan Fivecoate was eighth in 17:14, Jadyn Whitehead was 18th in 18:05, and Colten Pearce was 20th in 18:18.
"The course was not as fast as we thought it was going to be because it was wet, it was muddy, it was slippery around the turns, and we still ran within two seconds of our all-time [best] team time so we were pretty happy with the way we ran," Kokomo coach Ricke Stucker said.
"That's the second time [Breedlove] has been under 16 minutes and that is very rare in cross country. You don't break 16 minutes very often. Usually if you do, you're a school record holder and going to the state tournament. If we can keep him healthy, he'll go pretty far in the tournament series I think."
Nathan Gonzalez led Tipton with a third-place finish in 16:40.
For Taylor, Stephen Sholty was 64th in a time of 20:50, Kaleil Rucker was 69th in 21:04, Nick Denman was 73rd in 21:18, and Alex Guy was 85th in 22:26.
"I think the cool weather actually gave them [a boost]. Three of them had season-best efforts," Taylor coach Matt Carlile said. "It was a good course for them."
New Prairie Invitational
Eastern, Western and Northwestern took part in the Class 2A race at New Prairie, which is the semistate site. The Class 2A race brought together approximately 30 schools. Eastern opted to move up to Class 2A from the smaller Class A.
Individually, Eastern's Lewis Duke led all locals with a second-place finish in 16:16.8. Western's Matt Grider was third in 16:23.
"Lewis continues to run very well," Eastern coach Brandon Mink said. "He was probably only 13th place around the mile. He didn't neccesarily pick the pace up so much as that he paces so evenly, the other guys come back to him. He just really knows how to time his final surge and kick. The last mile, he went from sixth to second, just picking guys off right at the end. It was an exciting way to finish the race."
Eastern's other runners were: Brenton Cherry (107th place, 19:04.3); Trevor Buchanan (129th, 19:44.6); Matt Kerner (147th, 20:19) and Evan Hursh (176th, 21:39.6).
Western's other top runners were: Riley Carter (30th, 17:28.4); Caleb Maddox (45th, 17:50.8); Auston Davenport (49th, 17:54.8) and Austin Elliott (74th, 18:24.7).
Northwestern's top runners were: Zach Duranto (40th, 17:37.2); Shad Jakes (72nd, 18:20.3); Charlie Neher (96th, 18:47.9); Taylor McLain (122nd, 19:30.4) and Josh Perry (145th, 20:16.7).
"Zach Duranto ran a pretty good race, a very good race," NW coach Dave Stevens said. "We had two or three other guys that ran course bests. I was pretty proud of that."
Tipton Invitational
Southwood won the 17-team invitational with a score of 54, Hamilton Heights was second with 82, and Maconaquah was third with 86. Cass was sixth with 158, Tipton was seventh with 178, and Kokomo was 10th with 202. Taylor was incomplete.
Olivia Winegardner was fifth to lead Maconaquah in 20:39. Also for the Braves, Kate White was sixth (20:43), Vanessa Frazier was 17th (21:59, Amanda Shinn was 28th (22:41) and Bekah Shinn was 44th (24:29).
Katheryn Myers led Tipton in 26th in 22:38. Cimmanon Andrews was 10th in 21:03 to lead Kokomo.
Paige Welsh was 38th to lead Taylor in a time of 23:41, Ashley Nguyen was 62nd in 27:09, Aly Davis was 77nd in 29:17, Kiley Williams was 79th in 33:15.
"The weather conditions were just ideal and three of them had season-best times," Taylor coach Carlile said.
New Prairie Invitational
Eastern posted a sixth-place finish in the 26-team Class 2A race at New Prairie, which is the semistate site. Eastern moved up to Class 2A (the bigger of two races) to test itself against potential regional and semistate opponents. West Lafayette took the team title.
The Comets put three runners in the top 20 — Carly Jones (13th, 20:00.3), Avery Ewing (17th, 20:24.1) and Jessie Sprinkles (19th, 20:24.4). Also for the Comets, Kaylie Forgave was 57th in 21:42.6 and Elyssa DeAngulo was 94th in 22:45.1.
"I was hoping to get those three girls in the top 20 so we accomplished that goal," Eastern skipper Mink said. "The more we can get those girls working together during races, that's just going to help us down the road. We were pretty much dead-on what I was hoping for points-wise. We were just a few points back of Rochester, which is in our regional. We nipped them earlier in the year at the Western Invite and they nipped us this time.
"Kaylie Forgrave did a great job in a big event," Mink added, noting the race had about 200 runners. "She just worked her way up through the race."
Western and Northwestern also ran in the Class 2A race.
The Tigers' Taryn Thor led all local runners with an eighth-place finish. She covered the course in 19:18.8. The Tigers' other top five runners were: Karly Sprouse (80th, 22:19.4); Kinda Gingerich (85th, 22:27.5); Jensen Freeman (95th, 22:45.8) and Nicole Crocker (98th, 22:50.1).
"Taryn ran very strong for the eighth-place finish," NW coach Stevens said. "She's led us all year with sub-20 minute races. I was really proud of her getting a medal. The rest of my girls, two through six, ran within less than a minute of each other. That was very good grouping. I'm really glad to see that, that benefits you the rest of the season."
Western's top five were: Nicole Hampshire (16th, 20:11.7); Samantha Luginbuhl (53rd, 21:35.6); Emma Nixon (72nd, 22:05.7); Jama Claxton (87th, 22:30.4) and Taylor Nunan (107th, 23:17.1).
"Nicole did an excellent job once again, exceeding her goal. Last week at Maconaquah she set the school record with a 19:53, so for her to turn around and have another consistent race was great to see," Western coach Joni McCracken said. "Overall, all the girls did a nice job having the opportunity to run on their semistate course."
Delphi Invitational
Taylor won three of the four positions to take the eight-team tournament with a total of 28 points. Western Boone was second, Benton Central third, Western was fourth and Carroll was eighth.
Taylor ace Jack Lipchik won the No. 1 singles competition defeating a rival from Carroll 6-0, 6-0, beating Western's Judson Quinn 6-2, 6-1, and topping a WeBo player for the title 6-1, 6-1. Quinn, who had topped Lipchik on Thursday during a MIC showdown, entered Saturday's match unbeaten.
"That's the best Jack's played all year," Taylor coach Dave Wise said. "Against the Western boy, [Quinn] had just beat him and the Western boy was undefeated going into that match, so the 6-2, 6-1 win was a really impressive win. Jack's day was outstanding."
The Taylor 1 doubles team of Austin Douglas and Cole Schroeder beat Benton Central 7-5, 6-2, beat WeBo 6-4, 6-2 and ended with a victory over Delphi's squad 6-2, 6-4 in the final. And the No. 2 tandem of Camden Kimbler and Casey Glick beat Western's Kaleb Howard and Luke Florek in their opener 4-6, 6-3, 10-8, then beat BC 6-0, 6-2, and last beat WeBo's tandem 6-3, 6-2 in the championship.
Connor Leicht went 1-2 at No. 2 singles, topping a Delphi rival 8-2.
"Both doubles teams had some really good matches throughout," Wise said. "At the coaches meeting, we certainly weren't the favorite. Benton Central and Western Boone were both 10-2 on the season. There were some good matches, but we just played solid doubles all day long."
Knox Invitational
Northwestern earned a second-place finish in Knox's eight-team invite.
The Tigers' top showing came at No. 1 doubles where Will Devaul and Joel Austin went a perfect 3-0 and won the title.
Also for the Tigers, No. 1 singles player Clayton Douglass (2-1) and the No. 2 doubles team of Kyle Douglass and Brayden Chou (2-1) had runner-up finishes.
"I was proud of our whole team. They kept their composure and competed all day which is all I could ask for as a coach," NW skipper Matt Woods said. "Noah Cardwell stepped in at 3 singles for us and got a big win. The thing with these individual tournaments is that each win is worth at least some points. Our guys really took that to heart and put the team above themselves.
"We are very young but the experience these young guys are getting is priceless. Will and Joel finally got their mojo back at 1 doubles after struggling for a week or so and it's just in time for the home stretch."
Richmond 4, Kokomo 1Muncie C. 4, Kokomo 1
Against Richmond, Kokomo's No. 1 doubles team of Erik Bowen and Brad Dockemeyer won 6-1, 7-6. And against Muncie Central, the No. 2 tandem of Jake Farkas and Blake Brookshire won 6-1, 6-0.
"I really feel like our guys fought and we competed hard in both matches," Kokomo coach Shawn Flanary said. "The scores may not show it but they were very winnable and close, we battled every spot. We had a good day at doubles. Muncie Central came in with I think an 11-3 record, Richmond came in with a 9-3 record, just two good teams."
Kokomo is 5-11 overall and 1-4 in NCC play.
Eastbrook Invitational
Eastern won the four-team tournament, beating Taylor 25-15, 25-16 in the opening round and beating North Miami 26-24, 26-24 in the title match.
"It was a good day. I felt like it was probably the most consistent that we've played this season so I was very happy with that," Eastern coach Missy Mavrick said,
"We've struggled with putting oursevles in a hole in several of our matches this season and that's something that we did not do, especially in that championship match. We held the lead that match and was able to finish it off."
The Comets (11-6) had several contributors. Lizzy Mavrick totaled 23 kills, 19 digs and 11 serve receptions over the two matches. Also for Eastern, Hannah Williams recorded eight kills, 11 digs, five blocks and 15 service points, Gabby Castillo had 11 kills and four blocks, Quinlyn Hochstedler had 49 assists and 10 points, Courntey Clark had 17 serve receptions and 15 digs, Hannah Broo had 13 points and a dozen serve receptions and Maddie Vint had 13 points (five aces) and 10 digs.
TC Invitational
Tri-Central beat Kouts 25-22, 22-25, 15-7, then beat Caston 25-20, 25-16, and then beat Tri 16-25, 25-15, 15-6 in the championship to win its own six-team tournament.
Whitney Revolt had 26 kills for the day, and Shelby Ramsey had 25. Tara Davis had 48 assists. Haley Farris had 69 digs and Cecelia Rayl had 45. Ramsey had nine blocks and Hadley DeWeese had seven. Farris had 22 service points and Kaylee Colbert had 15.
"We played really well," TC coach Ron Byram said. "Haley and Cecelia did a great job of serve reception, which then led to a fairly strong offensive performance. Kloe Derossett has worked her way into a back row position and made a lot of key defensive plays.
The Trojans improved to 10-8 on the season after winning all five matches this week.
"They had a goal for the week to win all five. They went out and did it [Saturday]," Byram said.
TC hosts Carroll on Tuesday. The varsity match has been moved to 5:30 p.m. because Carroll doesn't have a JV squad.


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R.I.P. Picle
It's been a while since we last wrote a blog post about Picle, in fact it's been over a year. The last post promised a re-worked version with group picling, an instagram-like feed where you could interact with friends and a simple discovery mechanism for watching Picles from around the world.


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My brother and I both hoops guys and Wazzu grads decided it would be an interesting study to do a Pac-10 Draft between us. Both of us would draft 12 players a piece. We took everything into consideration, we molded our teams as to try and beat the other. Abdul Gaddy was not eligible due to injury. We had no stats in front of us, just our opinions from watching nearly all the Pac-10 games. We assumed both teams would be properly coached by someone like Montgomery, therefore a player could improve from good coaching others might not get it good coach or not. I won the coin toss for first pick, here are our picks.
Heath's Team Clay's Team
1.Derrick Williams- (Forward) Arizona 2. Isiah Thomas(Guard)WA
3. K. Thompson-(Wing) WSU 4. Harper Kamp(Forward)Cal
5.J Gutierrez-(Point Guard) Cal 6. Nikola Vucevich(Forward)USC
7.Josh Owens-(Forward)Stanford 8, Jeremy Green(Guard)Stanford
9.D. Casto-(Center)WSU 10. Josh Smith(Center)UCLA
11. Reeves Nelson-(Forward/Center)UCLA 12. Keven Parrom-(Wing)Arizona
13. Tyler Honeycutt-(Wing)UCLA 14. C.J. Wilcox-(Wing)Washington
15. Joevan Catron-(Forward)Oregon 16. Bryan Matthew-Amaning-(Center)WA
17. Reggie Moore-(Point Guard)WSU 18. Malcolm Lee-(Guard)UCLA
19. Jamelle Horne(Wing)Arizona 20. Momo Jones-(Point Guard)Arizona
21.M. Sanders-Frison(Center)Cal 22. Ty Abbot-(Guard)Arizona State
23.A. Crabbe-(Wing)Cal 24. Justin Holiday-(Guard)Washington
Guards Guards
Thompson Thomas
Gutierrez Green
Horne Parrom
Moore Wilcox
Honeycutt Lee
Crabbe Holiday
Forwards Abbot
Nelson Jones
Catron Forwards
Owens Kamp
Williams Vucevich
Center Center
Casto Smith
Sanders-Frison Bryan-Amanning
Notables Left Off- Cunningham(OSU) Kuksiks(ASU) Donte Smith, Alex Stephenson, Maurice Jones (USC) M. Armstead (Oregon) Trent Lockett(ASU)
Team Breakdown-UCLA(4) WA(4) Arizona(4) Cal(4) WSU(3) Stanford(2)ASU(1)USC(1)Oregon(1)
Not too far off of the Pac-10 standings but again no way we should lose to those teams below us.
I think my team is better, I have more versatility having 4 forwards to Clay's two. Plus I have the best player in Williams. Gutierrez is a great player. Some people will think Clay picked Kamp too high but I like him a lot too. He can score on the block and is a really fundamental player. Owens is a really efficient player as is Horne. Parrom who my brother took also is underated. Funny enough Clay ended up with all 4 huskies. Trust me he hates them as much as I do, just a coencidence. I ended up with all the Cougars. Yeah.
I would love to get some discussion going based off this experiment. Which team do you like better? Who would you have drafted? Who do you like in the league? Did we miss anybody? Probably not!
Thanks and Go Cougs!


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Vogelzang Deluxe Barrel Stove Kit with Barrel
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For international shipments please add your items to the cart then click the button International Customers Pay Here. You will be forwarded to our international shipping forwarder to then complete the information on the Bongo checkout page to get a shipping quote. You can continue with the purchase from there or cancel if you like.
Questions on Vogelzang Deluxe Barrel Stove Kit with Barrel
- From Mike at 10/24/2012 1:59 PM
- I'm not really that handy. How is this assembled and what tools will I need?
Thank You,
PS Can this be purchased already assembled?
- The assembly of the barrel stove kit requires a fair amount of handyman skills and tools. At a minimum you will need a drill, drill bits, metal shears, a sabre saw helps a lot, screw drivers, adjustable wrench, hearing protection. While it isn't hard for a general handy type person, it will take some time and effort. I'm sorry but we don't offer this item assembled....Robert
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- I'm not really that handy. How is this assembled and what tools will I need?
- From Sharon at 10/31/2012 4:00 PM
- Seriously considering this stove!
--Is it truly multi-fuel? I understand that coal is an option, but installation instruction booklet says "wood fuel only"...
--How long would coal burn? I viewed your video showing wood for a 24 hour burn inside the firebox. Is this burn-time possible with coal for overnight?
--Also how long does clean-out last with coal? And,resources/types of companies who sell coal? I've never had any reason to use it before for heating fuel.
--Last question-- any low-cost ideas for safe install? I have 100 yr old oak floors but could place the unit in front of an old fireplace brick chimney--
Thanks, I'm anxious to purchase, we're cold in Alabama!
- Sharon, This a a wood burning stove only, the multi-fuel option was an error and has been corrected. This is a great economical option for your home. IF you are interested in using coal you may want to look into our Vogelzang Sentry Coal Burning Stove (http://www.northlineexpress.com/vogelzang-sentry-coal-burning-stove-vg810cl-vg810cl.html) A great option for floor protection is our Modular Hearth Pad System (http://www.northlineexpress.com/fireplace-hearth/fireplace-accessories/hearth-pads/modular-hearth-pad-system-ac02705.html) it is very simple to put together and looks great in any home setting.
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- Seriously considering this stove!
- From Dane at 12/4/2012 6:10 AM
- From Drez at 12/18/2012 2:12 PM
- How much sqft does this drum heat. My house is about 1500sqft. Will this work?
- Typically the Deluxe Barrel Stove kit using a 55 gallon drum will heat up to approximately 1000 square feet. The square feet it will heat is not guaranteed due to there are many variables that take place such as proper draft, type of wood and the area that is being heated.
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- From Drez at 12/18/2012 2:16 PM
- Do I need a chimney to vent smoke outside?
- Yes, you will need to vent your barrel stove outside with approved stove pipe and class A chimney pipe. Below is a link of the owners manual for you to review. http://www.northlineexpress.com/media/pdf/5vz-bk150-manual.pdf
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No


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Microsoft Surface
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There was an overwhelming amount of information presented at Google I/O last week and in this week's podcast we discussed the highlights.
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"I couldn't have been happier with the cards. (Took our family photo on a Sunday and received the cards on Tues.) The quality of the photo was excellent along with the paper the cards were printed on. It's also nice to have options with not only the layout but the desigh of the card itself. I chose a design that was 20 cents extra per card but it was worth it. Also, be aware of extra postage which is always stated. Being in such a hurry I missed that minor detail but again I was so happy to have cards that the extra postage was no big deal."
"Simplistic, Country Charm. Final product was exactly as designed with good selection of text and photo filters and tools."
"Everyone loved the card and said they were gorgeous! I have a few extra to use as craft projects for his scrapbooks and I love them!! Great product and will be ordering again in the future!"
"Thank you very much for doing a fantastic job on my cards. They turned out great and the customer service was top notch from beginning to end."
"I have received nothing but compliments on my holiday card! The paper quality is thick and sturdy and the pictures were printed perfectly. Although there was an unexpected delay in shipping, I was very happy with my purchase."


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Have You Met Rutgers-Newark?
Philip L. Yeagle
Dr. Philip L. Yeagle, who retired from Rutgers in July 2014, served as the interim chancellor of Rutgers University-Newark from December 2011 through June 2013. As interim chancellor, Yeagle improved campus facilities, including the opening of a new Admissions Office, and oversaw the creation of a new marketing program, which helped to continue the trend of increased applications and enrollment.
Prior to being appointed interim chancellor, Yeagle served as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in Newark (FASN) since 2007. As dean, Yeagle provided strong leadership for the Newark College of Arts and Sciences (NCAS), the Honors College, and University College, which together enroll 60 percent of Rutgers–Newark's undergraduate students. (NCAS is the second largest academic unit of Rutgers University.) Under Yeagle, FASN developed a new academic plan that became the basis for increased external funding, greater diversity among the faculty, improved student advising, renewed strength in scientific research, and a new undergraduate curriculum.
Before joining Rutgers in 2007, Yeagle spent 10 years as professor and head of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. He began his academic career at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. At both Buffalo and UConn, Yeagle served as chair and member of numerous university committees, in addition to teaching courses and conducting research in biochemistry. He also held visiting professorships at the University of Oxford, England, in 2003 and 1993.
Yeagle has authored seven books and more than 150 articles. He was executive editor of the journal Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Biomembranes and served on the editorial board of The Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Yeagle received his doctoral degree from Duke University in 1974 and his bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College in 1971, where he graduated magna cum laude in chemistry. Before joining the University of Buffalo faculty he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia.
- Address to the University Senate: February 22, 2013
- Address to the Campus: January 31, 2013
- Tuition Rise at Public Universities: Who's Responsible? Huffington Post, December 2012
- Remarks Regarding the LGBT Community and Allies: October 2012
- Annual Address to the Campus: October 2012
- Announcement of 2012 Chancellor's Excellence Awards Winners
Messages on the Proposed Restructuring of Higher Education in NJ
Quick Facts
Campus Overview
Founded: 1908
Joined Rutgers: 1946
Campus Size: 38 acres, 33 buildings
Chancellor: Nancy Cantor
Provost: Todd Clear
Undergraduate Majors: 40+
Graduate Programs: 50+ (JD, MA, MBA, MFA, MPA, MS, Ph.D.)
Athletics: 14 NCAA Division III women and men's teams
Libraries: 4
Enrollment (fall 2013)
Total: 11,987
Undergraduates: 7,756
Graduates: 4,231
Full-time Faculty: 585
Faculty with Terminal Degrees: 99%
Full-time Staff: 770
Male/Female Ratio: 50:50
Student/Faculty Ratio: 13:1
Nations Represented: 100+
On-campus Residents: 1,280
Carnegie Classification
Basic Type: Research Universities (high research activity)
Special Classification: Community Engagement
- Sep. 10: Intro to Entrepreneurship Q&A
- Sep. 17: Donald L. McCabe Academic Integrity Award Reception
- Sep. 22: Homecoming Week


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From Bucky Brooks of SI.com:
According to Brooks then, the Texans would have to be prepared to pony up approximately $6,000,000.00 per year on a five to six year deal to snag any of the top LT free agents. Of course, NFL contracts are hardly worth the paper they're written on; typically, the only real guaranteed money comes via the signing bonus. Nevertheless and assuming Brooks' assessment of the market is correct, are you willing to pay Wharton, Locklear, Andrews, or someone else the going rate? Or is the price of poker too high, thus meaning you turn your attention to grabbing a tackle in the draft and banking on Ephraim Salaam holding down the fort until the newbie takes over?