Comments for The Finch and Pea

Comment on Post-apocalyptic giant John Christopher passes away by What’s your Genre? « Write Am I

What’s your Genre? « Write Am I — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:22:35 +0000

[...] Post-apocalyptic giant John Christopher passes away (thefinchandpea.com) [...]

Comment on Tell me why I’m doing this again? by Mike White

Mike White — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:58:37 +0000

After my time as a grad student and post-doc, I don’t have any accumulated social security benefits anyway…

Teaching is certainly a rewarding and important career choice. I think the key to successfully negotiating a science career is to know in advance what the expected starting salaries and training requirements are for various options, and calibrate the length of grad-school/postdoc experience accordingly.

If you’re looking at an option that starts at 60k, beware of the opportunity costs of a long postdoc.

Comment on Tell me why I’m doing this again? by James Corbett

James Corbett — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:31:46 +0000

Much to be said for teaching bright high school kids. There’s little prestige, but the financial rewards are better and students, at the AP level, are bright, open, and ready for any real challenge. One caution for the mid-career switch–all your social security will most likely be lost. To get the best retirement, teachers would need to start by 35. BTW–it is harder work.

Comment on Sunday Poem by My First Poem… « PrefacMe

My First Poem… « PrefacMe — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:11:30 +0000

[...] Sunday Poem (thefinchandpea.com) [...]

Comment on Prejudice is rational if you assume prejudice is rational by Avoiding the same old song: Spider Baby Jesus | The Finch and Pea

Avoiding the same old song: Spider Baby Jesus | The Finch and Pea — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:08:04 +0000

[...] of prejudice, crippled by its reliance on the assumption that acting on prejudice is effective: Prejudice is rational if you assume prejudice is rational. Discussions in science education often face the same problem. Generation after generation there [...]

Comment on Behind the climate change skepticism curtain by Mike White

Mike White — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:54:56 +0000

Yeah, unfortunately that’s how this kind of thing tends to work out. Scientists supposedly being wrong, or simply acting human, seems to be a more popular storyline.

Comment on Behind the climate change skepticism curtain by klem

klem — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:49:52 +0000

It does not matter really, it’s been about two days now since these documents were leaked and the ‘scandal’ is not garnering any traction with the public. In a few days it will be forgotten. The media has already dropped it. It will have zero effect.

OTOH, the Climategate scandal was two years ago and people still blog regualrly about it.

cheers

Comment on On reading The Double Helix by Why You Need to Read The Voyage of the Beagle Before You Die | The Finch and Pea

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:25:44 +0000

[...] the Classics should “doubtless” keep On the Origin of Species and ditch the Voyage for James Watson’s Double Helix. Harold Bloom, whose selection of non-fiction for his Western Canon is unforgivably erratic and [...]

Comment on Ending the World for 60 Years: 1956 by Post-apocalyptic giant John Christopher passes away | The Finch and Pea

Post-apocalyptic giant John Christopher passes away | The Finch and Pea — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:09:18 +0000

[...] in 60′s, the others being John Wyndham and J.G. Ballard. Christopher, with his brutal The Death of Grass was somewhat of a transitional figure between the “cosier” Wyndham and Ballard’s [...]

Comment on Ending the world for 60 years: 1951 by Post-apocalyptic giant John Christopher passes away | The Finch and Pea

Post-apocalyptic giant John Christopher passes away | The Finch and Pea — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:09:16 +0000

[...] British school of post-apocalyptic fiction in the 50′s in 60′s, the others being John Wyndham and J.G. Ballard. Christopher, with his brutal The Death of Grass was somewhat of a transitional [...]