quoting from an email this afternoon:

Only 8% members of the Scientific Research Society agreed that “peer review works well as it is.” (Chubin and Hackett, 1990; p.192).
“A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and an analysis of the peer review system substantiate complaints about this fundamental aspect of scientific research.” (Horrobin, 2001).
Horrobin concludes that peer review “is a non-validated charade whose processes generate results little better than does chance.” (Horrobin, 2001). (Show me more…)

I am currently taking online lessions at the Strobist website after having ordered some light stands, reflectors and additional flashes.

Lighting 101
Intimidated by the idea of off-camera lighting?
Don’t be.
We are pretty much starting from scratch, so no worries. The first posts will be about what kind of gear you will need to do the minimalist strobe thing.

(Show me more…)

The non-epidemiologist will find the story about John Snow, cholera, and the removed pump handle at Wikipedia or at the UCLA site.
During my visit last week in London, Broadwick (former Broad) Street was under reconstruction – just in line with the old maps of waste water drainage.
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Here is a picture the original 1859 edition of the “Origins” while I still wonder if this book is about the origins or about the transitions of species.
That may be understandable as I am currently reading David Berlinski’s 2008 book “The Devil’s Delusion”. His (English) Wikipedia entry is not (Show me more…)