1. Science 2.0 -- Is Open Access Science the Future?

Comment #166834 by Rettet181 on April 23, 2008 at 12:56 pm

"Why would a competitive scientist post raw results so his peers can spot the pattern and write up a paper before him/her ?"

The same reason a hacker would put raw code online for others to see and modify. It sounds similar to the Open Source movement to me. It's about collaboration, not competition.

2. My quest to get de-baptised

Comment #152501 by Rettet181 on March 31, 2008 at 6:54 am

I was actually just recently 'de-baptized' from the LDS church (Mormon). The process is... annoying, but easily done. Twenty years ago, it was impossible to have your 'name removed', but due to a string of lawsuits the church was forced to provide a way to strike yourself from the membership rolls. Because of these cases any organization in the United States, churches included, must provide a way to withdraw your membership.

I have no idea what it's like in England, however.

3. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #116616 by Rettet181 on January 26, 2008 at 8:16 pm

"Should I feel bad that I could not stop laughing at poor John. I wish I could meet people like this where I live!"

I should introduce you to my parents!

That was an especially entertaining interview. Poor John. Actually, never mind, I don't feel sorry for him in the slightest. Ignorant prat.

4. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116609 by Rettet181 on January 26, 2008 at 7:55 pm

"According to Steven Weinberg's Dreams of a Final Theory," the USA was building an even more powerful collider in the early 90's. But eventually the project got canned by the short-sighted Congress."

*sigh* This is what happens when 90% of the population already "know" how the universe was created because, well, God did it. So instead we must rely on our much more reasonable European cousins. Meh, I'm sick of this country, do you guys happen to have room over there for a disillusioned American?

In any case, I can't wait to see where CERN leads us.