@hormiga.bsky.social
Ecologist, entomologist, writer. Chair of Academic Senate and Professor at CSU Dominguez Hills. ScienceForEveryone.science and I'm the Small Pond Science guy. he/him Black Lives Matter. In favor of DEI, justice, access, opportunity. Abolish ICE.
Wabash Street
yikes!
Just writing this to encourage y'all to think harder than I did before calling the cops. I should have pushed back harder to my insurance company about the need for a police report. I shouldn't have to be in a position to decide whether I have to pay 3k for a car repair or call the cops in.
The darn shame is that we don't need cops to do this kind of work. 95% of the stuff that cops do can be done by social workers, or clerks, or technicians. I don't need scary people with guns showing up to document my stolen catalytic converter. Nobody in my neighborhood wants them on their doorstep.
They're like, "I wonder why these people who l live down the street aren't answering their door, we are hoping that they have footage to help us catch the people who did this." And I'm explaining to them NO DUH, do you not realize why folks aren't answering when you're seeking them out?
So the other day I had to call the cops. The catalytic converter was lifted (technically, lowered) from my car and I needed a police report to go with the insurance claim.
I thought they'd show up, document, and leave. But NO, they were pounding on the doors of neighbors to ask them questions. UGHH
the spectral is safer but creepier than silently sneaking up. How about a soft but funky bass line instead?
The best advice I have for writers is: the harder you try to impress people with your prose, the worse your prose will be. Sit down and try to communicate honestly, you will find the places for your flourishes and metaphors that actually serve greater meaning rather than your own ego.
I think this story is a really good example for people to look at when it comes to understanding bias at NYT. It's not that the reporter, Dana Rubinstein, says anything outright false. But the framing, word choices, etc., add up to an unprofessional and biased account.
Having the Ig Nobels leave the US for safety reasons is a pretty on point example of the situation here apnews.com/article/ig-n...
Professional rates vary substantially depending on the work and who is doing it! I was just pointing out that it’s quite possible to pay an artist their going rate and it is often more affordable than folks realize.
🥴
Listen, @lataco.bsky.social set the stage for how to report on ICE. They deserve the backup!
The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (gnsi.org) has a job board they update regularly for requests like this. Researchers can contact news@gnsi.org with specs and GNSI will post it if it fits their guidelines. Paying work only, no spec work, but other than that, no job is too small #sciart
When someone uses AI art to promote their work, be a friend and let them know it looks bad. Just like a big piece of spinach between their teeth. It's an act of kindness.
If want something that requires labor and you don't have the money for it, then you should think about it like a sandwich. A sandwich costs money. No money, no sandwich.
You want artwork? fieldwork? Someone to wash dishes in the lab? It costs money.
You get what you pay for. And what you don't pay for, you don't get. But a lot of students with skills are glad to take on work at relatively low cost. I've paid 100 bucks (out of pocket when not funded for it) for illustration before, and it was worth every cent.
There are a lot of scientific illustrators and graphic designers who are building their portfolios and will take on work for less than you might imagine. It's not out of reach.
Hey fellow scientists, I'm just letting you know that if you're promoting something with some junky AI image, I'm not gonna click. You've got a workshop, a conference, a new paper?
Just not gonna bother. You want a bespoke image? Hire an illustrator.
Just a reminder that mental health is health. Which means that taking a "mental health day" from work is exactly the same as calling in sick. It's important to take care of yourself.
The internet, on scientists: They're secretive gatekeepers, they hoard esoterica/the truth, they don't want anyone in their ivory tower little clubs
Actual scientists: LOOK, WE FOUND A 300 MILLION YEAR OLD FOSSILIZED CLOACCAL IMPRESSION AND THE VENT IS HORIZONTAL! PLZ READ MY 67-PAGE PAPER ABOUT IT
I was assuming that this wasn't a Whedon thing?! and that they somehow are able to do this without him profiting from it or being involved? I don't know who own the rights?
“We bombed a school and killed all 100+ students inside because an AI chatbot said it was a military facility” is yet another true thing you can’t say to offline normies without sounding like a crazy person
It doesn’t help that the BLM Desert Advisory Council is effectively disbanded since the Dept of Interior is failing to make new appointments. No public meeting to even address the situation.
This is so well said!
I have several mentees that are so passionate and smart and curious but won’t be competitive for grad school because they didn’t go to a rich undergrad program that allowed them to get their name on a paper, and live in the middle of nowhere. It makes me so mad.
Now more than ever, we need the creative problem solving powers we can only get from diversity.
When resources are tight, it's tempting to recruit grad students based on their productivity and polish as undergrads. This is exactly what the Bad Guys cutting back on science 🧪 funding want us to do.
[this link is not substack!]
One of the things I least anticipated about being a lab PI is how often it appears to be actually impossible to exchange money for goods.
Hey folks, is it a good sign when your university is in a "doom loop of declining enrollment?" Asking for a friend.
calmatters.org/education/hi...
