Monday, January 25, 2010

Why are politicians so scientifically illiterate?

Why are politicians so scientifically illiterate? And, why does the press give politicians a pass on science, or even on the matter of evidence (climate change, evolution, etc.)? I'd like to start a discussion of this topic, with some serious suggestions to the press regarding the right questions to ask of those seeking public office. Should we start with Sarah Palin and BIOS 101? The link is to a chapter from my book Pieces of the Plains: Memories and Predictions from the Heart of America (J&L Lee, Lincoln, NE, 2009), and I believe it outlines the issues reasonably well.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Podcast of Parasitology lectures

If you're having trouble getting to sleep, here is the URL to subscribe to my parasitology lectures in BIOS 385 at UNL:

http://my.unl.edu/webapps/lobj-podcast-bb60/feed/BIOS385150.20102/podcast.xml

It's supposed to work for everyone.

JJ

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Thorny-headed worms from 9/11

See my Facebook page for a photo album of thorny-headed worms, collected on 9/11/2001, and discovered this week in a block of ice.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Final Report on BIOS 101_09 to the faculty

This report is one delivered to some of our University of Nebraska faculty members regarding my large lecture section BIOS 101 from the fall semester, 2009. It's obviously somewhat of a political document, but it's also fairly informative regarding the first year, first semester, college student experience. - JJ