Nerd-off status report.

Although it would seem that some suspiciously hott ScienceBloggers think they have enough data to call a winner in the nerd-off, it’s not over yet.
There are more nerds poised to represent. (Not just ScienceBloggers, either. I’m curious to see whether anyone at Cosmic Variance will throw down.) As well, there will be a proper analysis and weighing of the data in evidence.
So there’s still a chance to get your nerd on in the nerd-off. Anything posted (and detected via Technorati or Google Blogsearch) by next Sunday evening is eligible. The results will go up Monday, Sept. 18.

Friday Sprog Blogging: Microcosmos!

Elder offspring: The dung beetle rocks!
Dr. Free-Ride: The dung beetle rolls!
Elder offspring’s eyes roll.
* * * * *
The sprogs finally watched Microcosmos — which, of course, prompted a second, and third, and fourth viewing in close succession. (They may be young, but that doesn’t mean they’re not obsessive about details.) Some of their reactions to the film:

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“Desert Island Lists” for the educated person.

This was asked on a listserv I’m on, and I decided that the question is interesting enough to share here — largely because I’m interested in how you would answer.
In an article titled “What is a Generally Educated Person?” in the Fall 2004 issue of AAC&U’s Peer Review, Jerry G. Gaff asks readers to list 5 answers to each of these questions:
1. What are the ideas and skills students should learn?
2. Who are the people (living or dead) students should know?
3. What are the places students should visit?
4. What artistic or musical performances should they see or hear?
5. What are the books they should read?
You have to keep each list down to five items — the point is to choose what is most important rather than every good answer that occurs to you.
My answers (and some thoughts on the exercise in general) below the fold.

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