• The Scientist by Richard Grant

    Raising being quoted out of context to an art form: 'awesome, but not always right'. Drinks well with scientists.

    • On blogging

      Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:10 UTC

      network.nature.com/blogs

      A collection of blogs on the science journal Nature’s site. The writing can be prone to that whimsy and jollity to which scientists often resort when trying to be “accessible”. But, otherwise, a fantastically informative site. Where else could you read Cloud Computing: A New Standard Platform?

      Thank you

      HT: Bryan.

      (Of course, it’d help if they got the damn URL correct)

      Last updated: Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:10 UTC

      • Comments

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:14 UTC
          Henry Gee said:

          Whimsy and jollity? Harumph. Time for another blog about atheism.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:16 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          Bloody hell. You’re quick this morning/evening, Henry.

          Shouldn’t you be at matins?

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:51 UTC
          Maxine Clarke said:

          That’s a nice quote.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:54 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          Yah. I hope Manuel ’s happy!

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 09:57 UTC
          Henry Gee said:

          Do keep up Grant. We’re on to Lauds, now.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 10:11 UTC
          Jennifer Rohn said:

          Nice quote? That’s funny, I rather thought the phrase "to which scientists often resort when trying to be ‘accessible’ " was rather patronizing and irritating. But maybe that’s because I tend to be a bit grumpy before breakfast.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 10:24 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          Heh. I did scowl at that myself.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 10:56 UTC
          Mike Fowler said:

          Yes, I resent the fact that I’m being portrayed as using NN in an attempt to be “accessible”. Now excuse me while I nip upstairs to polish the ivory tower.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 11:58 UTC
          Katherine Haxton said:

          I didn’t take the “accessible” comment with too much good grace this morning either. I thought it was somewhat patronizing and a little bit ignorant as well.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 11:58 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          I can see, that if Times journalists think I’m trying to be accessible, I need to talk more jargon.

          I quite enjoy being inaccessible.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 11:59 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          The writing can be prone to that snarkiness and grump to which scientists often resort when trying to chill."

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 16:08 UTC
          Eva Amsen said:

          This is my INaccessible blog and my natural level of whimsy and jollity! When I try to be accessible, it’s much, much worse.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 16:10 UTC
          Eva Amsen said:

          Huh, and Michael Nielsen is a math blog? They must have just caught him when he had a quantum physics post up, because mostly it’s about science in general.

        • Date:
          Sunday, 22 Feb 2009 - 16:43 UTC
          Eva Amsen said:

          Oh, last comment (in a row, at least) – I just looked at part II in its entirety, and I love love love that science and tech share this half with the art blogs. I refound violinist.com which has grown a big blog community since I last visited a few years ago.

        • Date:
          Monday, 23 Feb 2009 - 11:17 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          Yeah—I was disappointed when I saw the technology section was so small but then became happy again when I saw science got its own bit.

          We’re quite arty when we’re not being accessible, aren’t we?

        • Date:
          Monday, 23 Feb 2009 - 18:31 UTC
          Cath Ennis said:

          I’m not trying to be accessible, I’m trying to be whimsical and jolly as an end, not a means ;)

        • Date:
          Monday, 23 Feb 2009 - 18:38 UTC
          Richard Wintle said:

          I quite enjoy being inaccessible.

          Once again, RPG has provided me with a tagline.

          I read this again after Jenny’s comment and would tend to agree… it is patronizing. And I suspect there are dozens of places where you can read about Cloud Computing (in fact I’m surprised that this was cited as an example, since it’s not a new idea in the CS world – sorry Manuel).

        • Date:
          Monday, 23 Feb 2009 - 20:06 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          We aim to please.

          Eh. Journalists. Eh.

        • Date:
          Tuesday, 24 Feb 2009 - 07:53 UTC
          Jennifer Rohn said:

          I also didn’t like the implication that we were blogging for a specific purpose, for an audience of non-scientists. I’m pleased if non-scientists read my posts, of course (and I’ve had letters from a few who have) but that’s definitely not why I’m doing it. If I wanted to reach a wider audience exclusively, I wouldn’t have chosen this venue.

        • Date:
          Tuesday, 24 Feb 2009 - 07:57 UTC
          Richard Grant said:

          I’m shocked to think that the hoi polloi might be reading this. {fans self}


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