Blind.Scientist

Preview of Python Testing Beginner’s Guide

Paulo Nuin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:22:14 +0000

I have been invited by Packt Publishing to review Python Testing Beginner’s Guide. You can take a look at the preview here and even download one chapter of the book.

If we tell you to Buzz …

Paulo Nuin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:58:19 +0000

… you will Buzz!

I don’t understand the US

Paulo Nuin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:14:43 +0000

It seems to be a great country, a nice society, but sometimes it gets too nutty and idiotic. I don’t think a person who has more than 1 billion dollars in the bank, makes any sacrifice by doing what this idiot did. And while I’m at it, golf is not a sport.

Do you deny Climate Change (nee Global Warming)?

Paulo Nuin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:18:29 +0000

The read this

Phil Jones holds himself defensively, his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest as if shielding himself from attack. Little wonder: Jones has spent the past three months being vilified for his central role in what is now called ‘climategate’ (sic, arch).

and

“I don’t think we should be taking much notice of what’s on blogs because they seem to be hijacking the peer-review process.”

and concluding

It is now essential for climate researchers to stand up for their science, he says. “[I'd] like to see the climate science community supporting the climate science more. Lots of them are trying but they’re being drowned out.”

Some points:

1- He was and still is vilified, not because we (the public) think he is a villain, but his actions made him one (in the public’s eye). As a scientist, I understand the process and understand what he might be going through, what takes us to the next point …

2- Open your data, let it be scrutinized, dissected, explored. I’m not the greatest supporter of Open Science/Research, but if you’re feeling this way, open up, show the methods, don’t go crawling into a cocoon with you fellow vil … climate scientists. I don’t trust bloggers too (including myself) but I have seen some wonderful science or science related material in blogs and by bloggers. Send us the data and we will publish some peer reviewed climate research. Want to bet?

3- You can only abstract from the concluding phrase the fact that climate researchers need is more support (go figure!) and maybe to become a tighter group. Summarizing, they need more money.

Intelligent design?

Paulo Nuin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:33:09 +0000

If God created everything “as is” 6000 years ago, why He/She didn’t give use enough knowledge to understand His/Her design right away? Every time I look at a gene network, I feel dumb (maybe that’s just me), and if the design was more intelligent (and made sense) everything would be easier.

Please stop …

Paulo Nuin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:17:49 +0000

… using ‘gate’ for every crisis, problem, scandal. ‘Throttlegate‘ for the Toyota recall? Really, are you sure? Sometimes I wish that the Watergate hotel was called Watercrap or something similar. But that’s only a wish.

London 2012, Vancouver 2010

Paulo Nuin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:47:39 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

I’m buying a front row seat to every event in the London’s 2012 Olympics, even at the simultaneous ones (I will figure out cloning by then), and I will report every small glitch th happens there. Still on the topic, how come a country/city/whatever that designed that logo can criticize anyone, ever, in any subject of modern and past life?

Gold for whining goes to… British reporters (calgaryherald.com)
UK/Canada Spat Uncharacteristically Crude, Penis-Related [Media Meltdowns] (deadspin.com)

Google Wave and Buzz

Paulo Nuin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:05:26 +0000

is a bust. So much hype, for nothing, useless piece of software (or website). Then came Buzz and the amount of crap increase ten-fold. And then the privacy problems came, something they apologized for, but will forget next time they release some new forever-beta product. Sometimes, I wish I was able to remove Google from my life, but then what I would use: Bing, Hotmail?

Books 2010

Paulo Nuin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:48:29 +0000

1 – The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story

2 – What Do You Care What Other People Think?: Further Adventures of a Curious Character

3 – Days Between Stations: A Novel

4 – A Bridge Too Far: The Classic History of the Greatest Battle of World War II

That’s basically it

Paulo Nuin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:45:16 +0000

Feynman summarizes everything I think about awards, prizes and societies in science. No, I never won anything, and if I do someday (remote probability) I will decline it.

This only reminds me more and more about some scientists websites that first mention their awards, prizes and interviews before any scientific content. You know who you are.