SciWo says...

Sadness, Peace and Joy

sciencewoman — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:02:43 +0000

Sadness, Peace and Joy

When I began to blog almost 5 years ago, I wanted to share stories of my graduate school experience with other women scientists in the hopes that we could form a virtual support network for each other. Back then it took me weeks to find even one other woman doing the same thing with a blog. Today, there is a whole community of women blogging about their experiences in science and engineering, from undergraduates to tenured faculty. A google search of "woman science blog" or similar will point to some prominent blogs and from there a newbie blog reader can use blog rolls and comment threads to find the panopoly of bloggers having more intimate conversations about life, work, and the precarious juggling act of "having it all."

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I really like my job. I love doing research with my students and on my own. I love reading papers, writing papers, and even writing proposals. I get so excited about my science. I love teaching my classes, even if I do have to give them grades at the end. I love mentoring my seven graduate students and the assorted others who stop by my office on a regular basis. I am finding more opportunities to work on mentoring and diversity issues as part of my service commitments. I have no doubt that I am truly in the right job for me.

I really love my daughter. Minnow is almost three. She is enormously enthusiastic and creative, and she is becoming more independent with each passing day. Her favorite things are books, puzzles, blocks, stickers, running around with her friends, and exploring the outdoors. She is growing so rapidly that her selection of favorite books and toys changes with each passing week. She loves to tell stories with me at bedtime - we cooperatively spin tales about the adventures we have had or the ones we will have soon. She loves dragons. She's decided that science is cool and can be heard multiple times per day calling for me to come do science with her. Of course, her definition of science is a little shaky, but it's a start. When she grows up, she's decided that she wants to be a "mommy and a teacher and a scientist" just like her mommy and grandma. I tell her she can be whatever she wants.
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I declared my theme for 2009 to be "Sustainability", as in "I'm going to focus on trying to live my life that is sustainable in the long run for my body, my mental health, my family and my career." While I wouldn't say that I've achieved total sustainable nirvana, I've made a series of small and large decisions over the past year that have put me on a path that is much healthier for me and those around me. Some of those decisions are associated with a great deal of loss, but oddly enough I am much happier now than I had been for much of the preceding five years.
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For 2010, my chosen theme is "Peace and Joy."

I want to embrace my current happiness and joyously luxuriate in all of the simple pleasures of life. A student thanking me for being a good teacher. Getting new data in hand that puts new ideas in my head. Minnow telling me that I am terrific. Phone calls and emails from good friends. The profound joyousness of having a job I like and a daughter that I love in a community where I am slowly setting roots.

There's a prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr that I've always liked:

God grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

I'm learning to accept that life doesn't always work out exactly the way I once planned. I need to keep making peace with my life that way it is, because that peace is what will help me stay joyous.
---
Over the past year, I've increasingly felt distanced from this blog space. I've chosen not to share some important parts of my personal and professional life here, and since my source material was originally my own stories, in some ways I've cut off my own tongue. I can still share less-personal things, but when that's all I write about, blogging becomes more of an obligation and less of a release. It becomes more of a droning chant and less of a lyrical melody. On top of that, I know that if my blog voice goes mute, there will still be a tremendous orchestra of people blogging about the common and diverse experiences of women in STEM and adventures in academia. And that's a supremely comforting thought.

This will be my last post as SciWo or ScienceWoman. I've come to peace with the realization that blogging as SciWo is no longer a source of joy for me. I treasure the true friendships I share with many of you, but I know that we can continue to revel in and grow those friendships even without this blog. For her own reasons, Alice has also decided to stop blogging in this space, and so sciencewomen will go dark. Our archives will be here for as long as it pleases the benevolent overlords, but you won't see new material in this space or with these voices.

The past five years have been a wonderful journey, and I am supremely happy to have shared it with you and to offer whatever little insights I have earned, but most of all to have become part of a large and diverse community of women and scientists who are also being the change we want to see.

sciencewoman Wed, 12/09/2009 - 04:02

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SciWo says...

Its awesome to see women who "do it all" As always, the women in this world never cease to impress.
http://peaceloveandnonarcissists.blogspot.com/

Thank you for sharing as long as you have, you will be missed.

*hugs*

This was a great post, thank you.
I will miss you, you were a great source of inspiration for me. I found your blog when I got pregnant the first time and I was looking for other women scientists facing the same experience and related doubts and challenges. I have been reading your blog every day since then and it has made a difference to me. Thank you for sharing your stories with us.

Thanks for sharing your blog. Yours was the first blog I started reading years ago, so today it feels like I am loosing a friend. Good luck, you will be missed.

I'd post a valentine for you, but I know you already got it.

Be well, live joyfully, peace to you.

Thank you for the change you have been.

I will miss you both. :(

Thank you both for such a wonderful blog. Good luck! You will be missed :)

I'm sad to see you go, but understand. Your blog was one of the first that I started reading and it really helped me feel less alone. Thanks for that. :)

*sniff* I'll miss you.

We'll miss you. Thank you for all of the wonderful posts.

Oh SciWo, how I will miss you and Alice. In fact, I don't have anything useful to write in this comment because I am just so at a loss right now. Your voice has been very important to me.

That said, I have found our friendship to be incredibly important to me outside of this blog space and I can't help but agree with you. You are smart and there is lots going on, and why continue to write in a space where you can't fully express yourself?

You are brilliant and well-loved by all of us, and I hope you'll continue to participate in the women in science blogosphere for many years to come :). You'll find your own way that makes sense for you.

Hugs to you and Minnow!

You and Alice will both be missed. I admire you both for your tenacity to blog from the thick of things - I couldn't even keep up my blogging beyond 2-3 modest posts.

Thanks for writing a great blog. I hope public communication will remain a part of our life and hopefully increase again in the future. As a dad whose daughter had a 6 month head start on Minnow, it's been fun hearing the milestones over the years.

Thanks for your great blog. You will be missed...but I totally understand. ((Hugs))and best wishes to you and Alic.

I totally understand your decision. Like many others have said, you and Alice were two of the first voices I found in the blogosphere that sounded like me, and who I wanted to be, and I have learned tremendously from both of you. Our research interests actually are fairly similar, it turns out, and I hope that I'll run across you both in the internet and in the broader science world in the future. Good luck in everything to both of you!

Oh noes! I must have missed your post coming up while I was writing my note to Alice. I had not been aware that you were both closing up shop.

This was a lovely post - although I've lost touch with you a bit, I've been sending you and Minnow good thoughts. I am so happy that things appear to be working out well for you in your academic position and that is bringing you job, even to the point of setting down roots. I wish for nothing more than happiness for you and the budding young scientist. The PharmKid and I look forward to our next afternoon of examining bugs and all manner of other creatures.

As I said to Alice, life evolves and different activities serve purposes for us internally and externally at different times in our lives and careers. You have a standing invitation to come over to blog at Terra Sigillata any time you have need to an outlet to share any of your stories or lessons for our community.

The Serenity Prayer has come to have a whole new meaning for me this year so it is lovely that you bring it up in the context of your departure from this blog. You have been an inspiration and I wish you great peace and happiness.

I'm sad to see you go! But, I understand and respect your and Alice's decision. I'm going to miss your blog. Best wishes to the both of you.

Its hard to blog when you can't use it as the release it was once intended for. I really enjoyed your posts. You've connected me with so many wonderful science bloggers. You've given me hope and honesty. I wish you well in your life. Lots of hugs to you, alice and minnow.

I've been with you (lurking usually, but here!) almost since the beginning. Your tales of grad school were helpful to me, still slogging it out but hopefully graduating soon, and it is so reassuring to know that it does all work out eventually. Maybe not the way we expect, but somehow. Best of luck in your career and family and we will miss you.

I'm saddened by this news, but I can understand why you both have decided to move on from this blog. Like many others have said, this was one of the first "women in science" blogs I started to read, and you both influenced my decision to start my own blog.

I will keep both of you in my thoughts, and appreciate all the advice and information you have given us all over the years. Good luck to you both.

I will miss your blog, but take comfort in knowing that it will be one less obligation for you to keep up. I understand your decision to keep personal issues close for the time being, but the day-to-day balance of being a mother/wife/scientist/human is what I enjoyed most. As I have struggled with all these things myself, it has good to see someone else navigating a similar path.

((hugs))

Peace and joy to you in all your endeavors! I'll miss you.

Thank you for the blogging you've done, and good luck with everything in the future. (hugs)

SciWo, I will truly miss your voice in the blogosphere. I always enjoyed your insights, your stories about Minnow, and just hearing that someone else was experiencing the same craziness I was. Best of luck to you and hope we keep in touch! And take care.

Thank you for your blog, your perspective has resonated deeply with me. You will be sorely missed round these parts.
*hugs* and best wishes though.

Thanks for all these years. Your blog was one of the first ones I read looking for female scientists in the world. Many thanks for all the thoughts, feelings and suggestion about how to do things, and stories about what you've done.

I wish you the best in life (and also a bit fasinated that I read you before the birth of Minnow ;) ) and family.

Happy holidays and a great life!

It's hard when we have to take our voice out of our blogging. I went through something like that this year, and it still feels like an unhappy choice.

(It's also one that needs interrogation -- I'm just feeling a bit too close to the problem to interrogate it properly just at present.)

Best wishes to both of you, and thank you for what you have accomplished here.

It was a pleasure sharing the interwebs SciWo and Alice. You two will be missed!

You both will be missed but it sounds like you're making great decisions for yourselves. Thank you for sharing your perspective with all of us.

I'll miss both you and Alice. Take care.

I'll miss you both, too!

You will both be missed! Thanks for all you have shared!

SciWo- I don't know you other than from your posts- but I will miss you terribly. At the same time, I totally understand what you so eloquently wrote above:

'Over the past year, I've increasingly felt distanced from this blog space. I've chosen not to share some important parts of my personal and professional life here, and since my source material was originally my own stories, in some ways I've cut off my own tongue. I can still share less-personal things, but when that's all I write about, blogging becomes more of an obligation and less of a release.'

Good Luck and I'll see you on twitter. You can guest post at BLC anytime the urge to blog returns... :-)

You were the first blog of a woman scientist I read, and from there I stayed hanging about in this corner of the blogosphere.
All the best to you and Minnow!

Aww shucks, SciWo, I'm sad to see you go too. I've enjoyed all your insights and I wish you the best in all your future endeavors.

This was a beautiful post and you've always done a wonderful job in this and other spaces. I wish you and Minnow much peace and joy. Take care.

*tear drops*

whoa ... crazy news! Sounds like you've mulled it over quite a bit and is the right decision for you, but we'll miss your voice nonetheless.

I've enjoyed your words in this and your past blog space. Your path as a female academic with a small child has been a continual inspiration to me. Your story and perspective will be greatly missed, but I do marvel at how many others are around to take up the blogging. Wishing you and Minnow much joy!

I am going to miss you hugely. I've really enjoyed your use of this space, your writing, and wish we'd managed to connect outside of commenting. It's a mark of how important the blog community is in filling some of the deficiencies in my local/real world support/scientist network that when people stop blogging it's emotionally exactly like losing a friend (except that at least bloggers say goodbye and don't just quit returning your calls/emails).

All best wishes for a happy and productive future, for both you and Minnow, and thank you for all you've shared.

A classy goodbye, SciWo. You know I'm right there with you, but it's still tough to see it in print. . . blessings.

jess

I will miss your posts as well and am grateful for the years you spent sharing your perspectives and important aspects of your lives.

I too will miss you both! This was one of the very first blogs I found and it really gave me a lot of hope. Thank you for sharing that time. Good luck with whatever the future brings.

De-lurking here to thank you and Alice for sharing so much and to wish you both the best. I started reading both of your older blogs while writing my thesis and it helped me through in no small part. You will certainly be missed.

This posts makes me feel sad. I'll miss you, and not only because of my strong feelings of nostalgia for the olden days of blogging. ;-)

I may email you with a few thoughts if my kiddos ever fall asleep.

Abel's comments here and on Alice's final post said it all for me. You will be sorely missed around these parts, SciWo.

Oh, my. I'm so sad. Your post brought tears to my eyes. I read Alice's post first, and then saw the title of yours. As I read, I prepared myself for your blogosphere departure, but then got my hopes up when you talked about your theme for 2010. So, then it caught me by surprise when you said you were leaving. For some reason I feel incredibly emotional about the retiring of ScienceWomen. I feel like I'm losing two mentors in the blogosphere. I completely respect both of your decisions. You need to do what's right for you. Thank you for all that you have shared with the whole wide web. I deeply appreciate all of your contributions and wish you all the best in your life without blogging.

(I can't help but wonder, though, if you weren't on scienceblogs would you just keep blogging but less frequently?)

As I said in the other post - farewell, take care and I do want to see Scientiae continue. Thanks for all you've been and will do.

I'm sorry to see you both go. SciWo, your honesty in the face of some difficult circumstances was both compelling and inspiring. Thanks for what you've shared with us, and good luck on your continued journey.

SciWo, you were one of the very first blogs I ever read. You and your fellow women science bloggers have helped me so much in my own path as a scientist, academic and woman (and hopefully soon, mother). You will be missed and I really wish you the best of luck in your life and your career.

so sad .. although i do understand that blog writing is a mechanism for self-expression and reflection that is often lacking in one's life. being unable to fully express oneself in this medium destroys the reason for its existence. good luck in the future and stay in touch.

I'm sad to see you leave, but I understand. I've had similar thoughts about my own blog. Thanks for all you've shared, and best of luck.

Thanks from me too for your wonderful blog! Like all the others, I was also shocked when reading that both of you stop blogging for now. I'll miss you and wish you all the best!

Thank you so much for your contributions to the (lady) blogosphere, and best wishes to you as you move forward.

You were the first blog I ever read a couple of years ago, and I've been following you ever since. You will be missed.

Although I rarely comment, I've lurked here often and enjoyed both your writing and Alice's writing. While I'm sad to see you shut down shop, I also do believe that blogging should come from an eagerness to share good things, or to vent out frustrations, but should never feel like a chore. The day it does, you are better off stepping away - either temporarily or permanently.

I am not sure what the sadness and loss that you went through was, but I wish you the peace and joy you seek, and the increased rootedness and contentment that you seem to be slowly nurturing for yourself and your loved ones.

goodby science women

I will miss your work and inspiration. Please come back when Minnow is a little older.

I wish you much peace and joy and relaxation in the coming year

I still remember the day (about 3 years ago) when Hubby said, "I found this blog I am not sure I should show you. So much of it will resonate with you that I am afraid you will spend days reading all the old posts!"

Through you, I have found this blogging community, and it has done wonders for me. So I am thankful both for that, and also for your blog, which I read every time I felt alone. I have grown so much as a woman in science in this time, and I understand that things have changed in your life as well. I am glad that the change has been a positive one for you, and I wish your life only continues to get better. Best of luck!

Dear Sciencewoman and Alice,
It's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us. Best wishes to both of you. You will be missed.

SW, I'll miss you, you've been a real inspiration to me for the last 5 years... blessings and much happiness for your future *hugs*

I am sorry to hear you are both leaving us... I really enjoyed your blog and would get excited to see new posts up. Thank you for everything!

Sciencewoman and Alice,

You will be missed! This blog is the first that I started following, and it's been an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

I'm all choked up! I have always loved your blog, but I understand that some things can go beyond the scope of writing it out there for all to see (even if it is anonymous). Please keep in touch!

Best of luck with everything. I hope our paths may cross sometime. I've been reading and enjoying your blog for years, but completely understand your reasons to leave.

Dear Sciencewoman - I've been reading and loving your blog for three years. I found it when I was a pregnant grad student and searching for some advice/stories from women who were traveling down that road. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll miss you.

I am really sorry to see you go. I understand needing to move on, but we'll miss you. A lot.

We'll miss you! But I understand, and good luck with all your other obligations and joys!

Yeah, whatever.
We all know that you'll just start blogging as a man in order to get paid better.

Rats.

Good luck on the next part of your journey.

Nooooooo ...... !

I've lurked on this blog for 3 years, and have always appreciated your candor and wisdom, especially through my own transition from grad student to junior faculty. Best of luck to you both, and thanks so much for all your advice.

like many others have said, this was the first blog I started reading during some rough times in grad school. You and Alice always had great things to say and through this blog I found many other great ones to read as well. Thank you.

Thank you so much for everything you have written in this space and your original one. Even though I'm not a scientist, your posts have been tremendously meaningful to me as a woman in academia and as a mother of a young child.

I'll miss your blog posts tremendously. I hope you plan to hang around on Twitter so that our paths will cross occasionally.

Dear SciWo and Alice thanks for every joy you put in my undergraduate life! I'll miss you.
Please tell us the url of the new Alice's blog.
Hugs.

I miss you. Hope all is well. :)

Inadwrimo is over, but the work never ends.

sciencewoman — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:04:36 +0000

Inadwrimo is over, but the work never ends.

I did a not-so-stellar job of meeting my not-so-stellar goals for writing and research in November, but I did get some stuff done.

Done! Accepted!!!!! ~~Finish revisions on the paper-that-won't-die (goal: November 13)~~
Done! ~~Internal release time application (due November 18)~~
Read some, but not nearly enough. Read around proposed grad student topics enough to ensure we're not reinventing the wheel/pursuing proven dead ends (amorphous, I know)
Made progress, not enough to strike-through. Finish GIS work left-over from 2008 AGU poster.
Done! ~~Draft abstract that is due in early December,~~ so that I can get my co-authors' approval.
Done! ~~Write the letters of recommendation that have piled up because of graduate fellowship season.<~~/li>

And, I did get some reflective clarity on what my research (and consequent writing) goals are for next semester.

Get 4 grads to the proposal defense stage, get one grad to thesis writing stage, get one grad's first paper out
Do a good job writing my first PI NSF proposal and submit in June
Write my side-project paper (or at least finish the analyses for realz)
Continuing laying groundwork towards a collabortive proposal pushing edges of PhD work
Women-in-geo paper and/or diversity grant coalition forming

More than an ambitious list given my teaching load and home-life responsibilities, but, hey it's good to have ambitious goals, right? And having them as an ordered list should help me cross some of them out, rather than having all of them turn out to be half-finished in May.

sciencewoman Mon, 11/30/2009 - 10:04

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SciWo says...

I enjoyed that post, and the interation of minnow.

SciWo's Storytime: Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days [Sciencewomen]

sb admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:43:53 +0000

SciWo's Storytime: Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days [Sciencewomen]

This week we are reading Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. This video was produced with a dedication to Kate, who explained to me why kids like this book so much even before they understand everything that's happening in it. She wisely told me that it's because kids rarely get to hear a story about a kid getting really mad, expressing their feelings, and without a neat fairy-tale or moralistic ending. Alexander just has a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day, and he's not afraid to tell us about it.

I'd also like to dedicate this post to all of my friends who've had terrible, horrible no good, very bad days in the past few weeks.

To A, who made a hard, but right decision,
To A, who had hir Thanksgiving plans turned topsy-turvy,
To B, who needs hir advisor just to help hir for once for crying-out-loud,
To C, who just needs some stinkin' data,
To C, who is facing yet another round of surgery and recovery,
To J, who needs in-laws that appreciate hir wonderful cookery,
To K, who put hirself in a tight spot by fighting for the thing zie knew was right,
To K, who is trying to figure out how to help a friend, while taking care of hirself,
To L, who fears for hir job and hir career,
To M and S, who were too sick to enjoy the day of feasting
To P, who is facing so much loss right now,
To S, who deserves more thanks for the wonderful job zie does caring for hir family, and
To everyone who's family dinner was less than idyllic yesterday.

Hopefully by talking about our big and small troubles, supporting each other through them, and offering the respite of compassionate friendship, we can help make things a little bit easier and kinder for everyone. As for Minnow and I, we're having very good days, thanks in no small part to knowing we have a network of supportive friends and family. Thanks to all of you for being part of that.

sb admin Fri, 11/27/2009 - 00:43

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engineering education

what did they say about "balance," again?

SciWo's Storytime: Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days

sciencewoman — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:43:53 +0000

SciWo's Storytime: Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days

I'd also like to dedicate this post to all of my friends who've had terrible, horrible no good, very bad days in the past few weeks.

To A, who made a hard, but right decision,
To A, who had hir Thanksgiving plans turned topsy-turvy,
To B, who needs hir advisor just to help hir for once for crying-out-loud,
To C, who just needs some stinkin' data,
To C, who is facing yet another round of surgery and recovery,
To J, who needs in-laws that appreciate hir wonderful cookery,
To K, who put hirself in a tight spot by fighting for the thing zie knew was right,
To K, who is trying to figure out how to help a friend, while taking care of hirself,
To L, who fears for hir job and hir career,
To M and S, who were too sick to enjoy the day of feasting
To P, who is facing so much loss right now,
To S, who deserves more thanks for the wonderful job zie does caring for hir family, and
To everyone who's family dinner was less than idyllic yesterday.

sciencewoman Fri, 11/27/2009 - 00:43

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When my older daughter was 2, she picked a small book off the shelf of a bookstore and insisted I buy it on the basis of the cover picture. It was called "Bad Mood Bear" and we read it together until the cover fell off.

I love how well-used that copy of the book looks. (And that's one of my all-time favorite kids' books.)

My labmates and I actually read this book aloud not too long ago - each of us hit a rough patch in 2009, and we just needed to decompress. This book came up in a conversation, one labmate checked it out of the library, and another labmate (who has the greatest reading voice) read it to a captivated audience. Even 20- and 30-somethings can relate! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

I can so identify with Alexander. I love this book, and my 4 year old does, too. (And he adores that his own brother shares a name with one of Alexander's brothers!) A good friend gave it to us and now I also give it as a birthday gift to his little school buddies. (My other fave gift book is Elise Broach's "When Dinosaurs Came with Everything")

OMG I loved this book when I was a kid!!!

Big, big smile :). I almost made this video for you with my daughter, actually! I'm really glad you did this one.

Thanks so much for this. It was one of my favorite books as a kid, and I have yet to get a copy for Lucas. That oversight will be corrected soon! :)

SciWo's Storytime: Little Squirt the Fire Truck [Sciencewomen]

sb admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:23:28 +0000

SciWo's Storytime: Little Squirt the Fire Truck [Sciencewomen]

I am not in charge of SciWo's Storytime. Sure, it might look like I'm the one reading the books and operating the video camera, but Minnow exerts the ultimate executive authority as editor-in-chief. Some weeks no videos whatsoever are allowed to be made, some weeks she's content to let me pick the book, and some weeks she is quite happy to make a whole string of videos, so long as she chooses the content.

With that proviso, Minnow presents this week's edition of SciWo's Storytime featuring the book Little Squire the Fire Engine by Catherine Kenworthy and illustrated by Nina Barbaresi.

Now there's nothing wrong with reading about fire trucks, I just don't think that this particular book rises to the level of other classics of the genre, like Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go or Wong Herbert Yee's Fireman Small books.

Anyways, I was in the process of contemplating Minnow's enthusiasm for fire truck books and wondering how I was going to get her to see a real-life fire truck when one came to us. Literally. Here's a photo of a fire truck parked at our house a few days after this video was made. No one had a fire, but an elderly neighbor fell and hurt himself and the firefighters/first responders were dispatched to help him up and to the hospital.

Minnow was very impressed, and also very relieved that the fire truck did not sound its siren on our tiny quiet street. When she was 1, the firefighters had come to her daycare for a demo and had sounded the siren for the kids. Minnow still talks about how scared she was.

We've got a wonderful book about pillbugs that I really want to make a video about, and we're still trying to track down some of the other great books requested by our DonorsChoose friends, so check back next week for another edition of SciWo's (and Minnow's) Storytime.

sb admin Fri, 11/20/2009 - 00:23

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engineering education

what did they say about "balance," again?

What would you do?

sciencewoman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:26:51 +0000

What would you do?

A few days ago I arrived at my office in the morning and was greeted with an unpleasant surprise...someone had scratched a cross into the bulletin board just outside my office door.

(Apologies for the terrible cell-phone picture.)

While I'm able to cover the image with a strategically placed advising schedule, I'm haunted by a terribly icky feeling in the pit of my stomach. Was someone trying to send me a message? Why a cross? Why my board and not the boards of my male colleagues along the corridor?

I'm not offended by images of crosses in general, but it is not something that I want outside my office door. I don't think it's appropriate for a faculty member at a state-sponsored institution to appear to endorse a particular region on state property. I am even more troubled because we've already had anti-semitic and anti-African-American incidents on campus.

But I am afraid that if I raise the issue with my chair or others in the administration, that this will be dismissed as trivial. Maybe it should be? But would the reaction be different if a student had vandalized "Fuck you" or some other swear word? Should I ask for a new bulletin board or just cover up the cross for the next 30 years?

sciencewoman Fri, 11/06/2009 - 04:26

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Hi,

I can't interpret this incident without knowing more about you than I do. This could be nothing more than a casual bit of grafitti. Or it could be a comment about your religious status, as an atheist or as a member of a conspicuous religious minority.

Personally, I would treat it as an unsightly bit of grafitti and replace the bulletin board. Even if I were convinced that it was intended as an anti-semitic statement, I would do nothing more than comment to my colleagues so that any further harrassment would not come as a shock to them.

Belt Sander. Roughen up the whole board. If the school doesn't like that, they can replace it.

At my university they keep the boards covered with cheap cork-colored fabric to prevent this sort of vandalism, and it's easy to replace if needed.

In my opinion, this is destruction of university property and should be reported. It doesn't matter (to the uni) what the "message" is.

I wouldn't worry about it as a message to you unless it happens again.

Where I work (in municipal government, with a large contingent of "believing" co-workers) I see this kind of graffitti all the time - on billboards, in stairwells, even on freeway overpasses. Seems like the faithful just can't resist the urge to vandalize for Jesus. I would not take this personally, or worry about it, unless you see it again. In any case, it doesn't hurt to document the time, place, and facts; then if this turns out to be a problem, you have something definite you can show the authorities.

What to do: Cover the bulletin board with a large piece of white paper, and use some of that paper to put up something interesting about science - it may even draw people to your bulletin board to look at the bulletins!

You are right to take this seriously. The Ku Klux Klan were notorious for burning crosses on the lawns of their enemies/targets, so this is not necessarily a religious message even if it is directed at you. I don't know enough about you or the religious or racial climate at Mystery U. or Mystery City to say more, other than to agree with Moses #4 that on GP you should report the destruction of university property to the appropriate authorities.

I think it's worth taking seriously, as a religious statement and as destruction of university property. I wouldn't be surprised if the vandal has no idea that this is vandalism, that it has potential to be anti-Semitic or otherwise unwelcoming of non-Christian folks. But that's EXACTLY why it needs to be reported. Folks who think it's ok to pass out Bibles but chafe at the idea that we should have Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah off (or be sensitive to fasting students during Ramadan, etc) need to understand their insensitivity. And they need to learn that destroying university property isn't something that makes them a good Christian, but a piss poor one.

Report up appropriate chain of command just in case this is more than some bored Christer idly doodling.

Replace if it bothers you, put up darwin fish or FSM if you want to respond or cover with paper if you are Meh about it.

Ignore unless repeated.

Tape a "Coexist" bumper sticker over it and watch what happens.

I think that someone needs to say that this type of thing is not okay. I'd report it as vandalism and request a new bulletin board, but otherwise I'd let it go and not take it personally unless it happens again.

Agreed. This is definitely vandalism, and should be reported. Religious issues aside, what if this was just a single, intentional horizontal line scratched into your office furniture (or, say, your car)? Still vandalism, still should be reported.

If it was me, I'd find it hard to resist sticking a "peeing Calvin" decal above it.

No less an authority than Supreme Court Justice Scalia has declared that this is a symbol of the resting place of the dead. Clearly this is a thread against your life, and the university ought to treat it as such.

At Scalia's suggestion, your University must therefore ban all crosses as unprotected speech.

I tend to agree with the first commenter - treat it like any other graffiti. I think you'd be well within your rights to ask for a new board, but covering it over in whatever manner you see fit would probably work just about as well.

I think it's creepy, and I agree with others who suggest replacing the corkboard.

Report it, if for no other reason than to ensure there is a record that YOU are not the one who put it there (and so are seen trying to send a religious message to others)

I lived in the university building I worked in for three years and every year had at least one incident involving vandalism. Regardless of it being a cross, profanity, or anything else, it's most likely the product of someone who was exceptionally bored.
My solution was to have a marker board up so that those who felt the need to write on things could do it without destroying property. It seemed to work well, and some of the students even commented that it gave them something to do while they waited for the elevator (on the 16th floor, you are always waiting for the elevator).
Additional plus side: you can leave messages for others on the board as well, and no wasted paper. :)
Good luck!

I would scratch an addendum to the cross to turn the whole into something else. Can't think what right off, but something artsy and sciencey at the same time. It would be a continuation of the 'conversation' on your own terms.

If it were a class setting and a comment was made, it would be simpler to engage a mind and move deliberately towards an appropriate outcome.

The invisible correspondent must not silence you. Looking forward to seeing the outcome! Take care.

Definitely document it, even if you decide against asking that facilities replace the board. That way, should anything like it recur, you will have evidence of a pattern.

I would get a replacement if it's easy or just cover it up with stuff. I see it as another anti-science person trying to 'save' your department. We once got a one-page manifesto against animal research outside the lab (stuck to a picture of some pro-vaccine poster). I just scanned it in for my own sake but I never reported it.

That would ick me out. My partner says, "frame it and sell it on Ebay."

I'm with the treat it as vandalism/graffiti crowd. Report it through the usual channels for such incidents. That creates an official record of the incident. If they choose not to fix it because it's so small, then cover it up. I wouldn't push them to do more and risk getting marked as an anti-religious trouble-maker. Don't do anything until you have it on record. If there is a second incident, then you have grounds to make a stink.

Update: I reported the incident to my chair (with photo attached) and immediate response was the offer to replace bulletin board. I also heard later that the incident was reported up to dean's office. Good for Mystery U.

I reckon you should cut out a little paper Jesus at the correct scale and use the thumbtacks to attach him to the cross at the appropriate points.

Points for creativity for pinning up a miniature school mascot or other irritating little fuzzy toy.

-The guy who crucified Barney the Dinosaur in college.

Reading these comments is very interesting. I know many young spiritual sorts who, while bored, would scratch crosses into walls (Christian-ish) or build cairns of rocks in the woods (pagan-ish) or wear jewelry, join groups, try to show everyone that they were spiritual and thus deep... it seems to be a phase of life for many young people. If you knew that it was an 18-year-old girl who was waiting for office hours and had been dumped by her boyfriend and was finding solace in Jesus, and was as entirely self-absorbed as most 18-year-olds, would it change your perception of its presence? (Statistically, most self-absorbed 18-year-olds in the US are Christian.)

The point above about crosses being burned by the KKK is certainly taken -- they're not a symbol without baggage. I do think it is fascinating, though, that I just assumed it was a kid waiting for office hours, while the majority of comments have assumed that it is a message. Now I'm mentally trying to compare and contrast this with the more usual "a guy says something and he thinks it's just an offhand remark but it really does carry the weight of the patriarchy and bias and etc." discussion. My thought experiment now is, To what extent is the graffiti of a bored kid a cultural message?

Getting a cross scratched on a cork board isn't so bad compared to the "F" word followed by "YOU, C-NT" deeply scratched by knife into the door of my office (in an all male department). I called the physical plant immediately, and they had someone over promptly, who sanded down and re-stained my door. However, I could faintly see it until the day the building was totally renovated. This experience haunts me still, 13 years later. My conclusion was that because the incident happened over a weekend and the building was locked, either a discouraged male student in my gen ed course who also was a security guard, or some really nasty colleague did the deed. Today, of course the route of choice to humiliate and defame a professor (especially women) via internet postings, especially "Rate Your Professor". I hope this is a thing of the past, but I doubt it.

Allocation of research time to thinking versus doing. Discuss.

sciencewoman — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:48:14 +0000

Allocation of research time to thinking versus doing. Discuss.

I'm preparing material for this week's class on experimental design and data analysis, and I ran across this paragraph which I thought was very interesting:

"The cost of analyzing collected sediment samples usually exceeds that of collecting them. However, the funds for the analysis are wasted if samples are collected at inappropriate locations or do not represent the study area. Further, the proper selection and use of sediment sampling equipment, sample handling, storage and transport are all equally important to the selection of sampling locations. Therefore, about 60% of the time allocated to the sediment sampling should be spent on detailed planning of where and how to collect the samples, including logistics associated with the travel of personnel involved in the sampling, shipping the equipment to the sampling location, and handling, preservation, storage, and transport of the collected samples." - Mudroch and Azcue. 1995. Manual of Aquatic Sediment Sampling. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Fla. 219 pp.

The bold part is my highlight, because I am struck by the authors' estimates of the amount of time to spend planning and doing logistics relative to the amount of time actually doing the science. A lot of weeks, I feel like this is an underestimate of the amount of time I spend planning and abetting science rather than doing it. I'm curious to know whether this ratio of planning + logistics to research is different from one field to another. It seems like a lot of the biomed-type bloggers I read spend a lot more time doing science, but maybe that's because the planning and logistics are done by others (PIs and techs, respectively?).

I'm also curious to know whether we could construct a ratio of the time spent thinking about science, including brainstorming, journal reading, proposal and manuscript writing versus the amount of time collecting and analyzing data. Would that ratio vary by research fields or career stages? Is there an optimum ratio?

Discuss.

sciencewoman Tue, 10/06/2009 - 11:48

Tags

in the field

SciWo says...

what did they say about "balance," again?

experimental design

Hmmmm...I'm glad you brought this up. It's something I've thought a lot about and I don't know that I've come to any conclusions.

I'm a grad student in a lab that does NOT use technicians and where the students are solely responsible for their own project and experimental design, even to the point of there being very few inter-lab collaborations. The theory behind this is that we learn the skills necessary to do *everything* ourselves. We are not allowed to get techs to do the nitty-gritty processing of samples even, in hopes that we will become proficient in these techniques so that they are transferable skills.

From this perspective, this management style is pretty effective. I am very proficient at the bench, and I can troubleshoot like nobody's business. However, so much of my time is spent on the nitty-gritty of sample collection and processing that might be better spent on analysis and future planning (assuming I have already gained proficiency at the technique). I think it would be very beneficial to my science to be able to pass these things off to a technician at this point.

While I am solely responsible for experimental design and execution and analysis (and I think that these are all good things!), I find it very difficult to switch gears sometimes, nor do I have as much time as I would like dedicated to *thinking* about the science, analyzing results, reading literature, considering how my findings fit into the big picture, etc. I feel like I am always scrambling to fit some thinking time into my day in between doing stuff that a trained monkey could do if they weren't so damn expensive.

I really do believe that this slows me down at this point. A have another grad student friend in a lab where the PI insists that students get "trained" to do new techniques by their very competent technicians, but who otherwise have the techs do the "mindless" parts of the protocols, so that the students are freed up expressly to read, analyze results, formulate new hypotheses, and be meticulous about experimental design. They know how to do all the techniques, and can do so if the techs get backed up, but are otherwise cultivating the "brain" side of their inner scientist, rather than the "hands".

I suspect both approaches have varying success depending on proclivities of the individuals. We'll have to see how this pans out as we take our next career steps. The other frustration is that comparing students in "hands-training" labs to students in labs were the techs do most of the "hands" work can lead to some pretty skewed perceptions of which students are making better "progress". Students that can use techs have more time to think, and can still have someone else producing data while they do so, therefore it is possible that they get more science done per student unit.

Oh boy, good question. I spend a LOT of time on planning and logistics compared to everything else. Preparation for field work swamps the time we actually spend in the field. Everything from designing the overall study, to deciding exactly where and how to take the samples, to making sure ours plans mesh with the work of others, to finding freezer space for samples once we get home. Then I spend a LOT of time planning exactly what to do with the samples back in the lab. It seems my advisor spends a large portion of her time on planning as well, so I wouldn't say it just because I'm new and learning how to do it.

Like AA, I wish I could have had more help with the nitty-gritty repetitive stuff, since after I did enough of it, I wasn't learning anything and it really took a lot of time.

I'd say at least 60% of my time in grad school has been spent on planning/preparation activities. I think my field is pretty similar to yours, though. Well, I think I do less field work than you, but we're more similar than either of us are to biomed types.

If the field work is sampling then I spend far more time planning than actual field work (unless it takes a lot to get to the site(s), of course) ... but, if it's collecting observations in the field (e.g., mapping, logging section, etc.) then it's quite different. Mapping and other such field work requires a lot more time to ponder the science while you are in the field (at least for me). It's difficult to put numbers on these w/out really sitting down and figuring it out (which I'm not gonna do at this moment). Probably would be a good exercise though.

Of some sort of relevance, one common whinge among bioinformatics workers is experimental scientists asking if their data could be analysed, after they've done the work, rather than approaching us before they start, when we could help with ensuring that meaningful datasets are gathered... (Really people are best to approach the bioinformatics/statistics/etc analysis aspects before writing the grant application, but in my experience it's common to see an "arm waving" argument used in place of a proper check of what's really needed.)

On the broader question at the end of the post, by my own estimates, I spend close to half my time doing backgrounding and finding new contracts. I'm an independent scientist, so this may just reflect that I get more time between contracts than I would like (!), but I'll still say that I think that people underdo this, although it's a reflection of the time pressures on most people. I think most people, given more time, would spend more time looking before they leapt as it were.

If you look at NASA planetary flyby missions, they spend decades designing the spacecraft and instruments, finding the optimal trajectory, working out the best order to run all their experiments in...

And the then all the data is collected in just a few days.

As a design engineer who owns his own business, I estimate I spend at least 60% of my time on logistics for custom projects. Often times the logistics is what impresses the customer. There are probably a handful of companies that can do what they need, but getting it to Alaska and ready for installation in two weeks is what impresses them.

Coming from a totally different perspective (I'm a former biologist, now a medieval historian, an independent scholar at somewhere around middle-grad-student level) I've learned the hard way that I DO need to spend considerable time planning and thinking before I go out to take my "samples."

The case I'm thinking of is a recent trip to Europe to take photos of my sources (artifacts, documents and paintings), most of which have never been published in the detail I need to see. I came home to discover how many opportunities I had missed to capture essential information because I did not think through exactly which things I needed to photograph, from what angles and at what distances, the need for special lighting in some cases, and so forth. I *should* have actually written the whole thing out in the form of a checklist. If I had, I would not have come home to discover that I had managed, for instance, to get excellent photos of _six_ out of the seven beads in a string... so I suspect you've got hold of a universally applicable principle here.

(I also discovered that I hate my camera and need to bring a laptop with me on such trips -- nothing like neglecting to test your equipment in advance.)

In fairness, I spent most of the month before the trip trying to recover from flu, bronchitis and a non-trivial medical procedure, and there was no way I could change the trip's scheduling. But still, I should have known better.

Before I recently retired, I was a field ecologist. Therefore I spent considerable time driving and hiking to study sites. I found it useful to talk into a voice activated recorder while hiking or to turn on a recorder while driving. That way I could finish "mapping" out revisions of my sample plan as I approached an unfamiliar site that didn't quite fit what I had envisioned before hand. On the way out, I could add after-thoughts and non-quantitative data. I also recorded thoughts about possible connections and implications, as well as sudden insights. This was especially important when my research involved a prolonged field trip. The BIG drawback was having to listen to my recordings and transcribe the worthwhile stuff later.

60% sounds high for environmental work (I'd have fieldwork that would take up to 6 months to complete), but really, the more time you sped getting it right before you go out there, the less time you waste with your rental equipment, your yucky weather, your impatient drillers, etc etc.

I absolutely agree with the planning to collecting abservations of the other commentors. But what about the time needed for analysis AFTER you collect your data. Maybe because I work at the confluience of science and engineering I see this aspect often solely neglected/discounted.

It seems that once we build and test/fly our widget most of the engineers think were done (other than to tinker to make it better). But its at that point where my work just starts. We need to find out if it works as designed, if we can actually use the widget, and how we can exploit it. Because this post-flight work isn't as visible or 'active' its often overlooked or discounted. But again, I work in an engineering environment, not a science one.

SciWo: A shorter, peppier pseudonym now official

sciencewoman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:05:41 +0000

SciWo: A shorter, peppier pseudonym now official

Don't adjust that dial. Starting ~ now, ScienceWoman is officially renaming herself SciWo. I've been trying out the name for some time, but have finally decided to make it official and change the way my posts are labeled, my comments signed, and my tweets delivered. Partly, this is an effort to combat Alice's invisibility that was created when our blog name was so close to my pseudonym. (You wouldn't believe the number of emails that we get that either think we are one person or that mix the two of us up.) But another justification for the pseudonym mutation is that I want my nym to reflect the continuing evolution of my life and my blogging. I want to celebrate my life and the shorter peppier 'nym seems a good way to do so.

sciencewoman Wed, 09/23/2009 - 11:05

Tags

Blogging

SciWo says...

Awesome, SciWo. :-)

Any idea what the origin of the SciWo nickname may have been?

The boots stay the same?

Ok.

Just be sure no-one adds an extra "o". (Ducks and runs)

Righty-o, SciWo! I like it. :)

I always read it as: Sci-Whoa (time to stop for science! or life in science). Gotta keep the Wo so you don't get confused with Sci(curious)

Is this pseudonym evolution or is it intelligent design? More importantly which should be taught in class?

Any idea what the origin of the SciWo nickname may have been?

I think it came from Abel Pharmboy, but it could have come from some curmudgeonly d00d with a long pseudonym.

I always read it as: Sci-Whoa (time to stop for science! or life in science)

I like it!

Is this pseudonym evolution or is it intelligent design? More importantly which should be taught in class?

The motto here is "being the change we want to see," so perhaps it is intelligent evolution.

great idea to make it official, and I'm glad that you are celebrating your continually evolving life.

is Minnow getting a new name too? :)

Settling into the semester a few weeks late

sciencewoman — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:15:02 +0000

Settling into the semester a few weeks late

Those following along on Twitter know that late August became my #weeksofdoom in which I triumphed over three major deadlines on top of the beginning of classes and starting Minnow in a new school. (Hence, the unexpectedly long bloggy absence).

Now that the weeks of doom* are over, I'm finally trying to settle into a productive but sane rhythm for the semester. It was such a blessing to have a long weekend to just hang out and play with Minnow (we tented in the backyard and baked an apple pie), and for the first time this semester, I feel mostly prepared for my new prep EDDA class tomorrow. This week, I'm starting to meet with each of my grad students individually and as a group. I also know I need to put in some solid time on yet another grant proposal, a co-authored manuscript, and a couple of reviews.

In the throes of the weeks of doom, my to-do list consisted only of the big things I was working on. Nothing else was anywhere near as urgent or important as those tasks and so everything else fell off the list completely. Now my list has expanded to its normal length, but it feels pleasantly full rather than daunting. I feel like I've proven my super-human abilities and now I can just use my normal human strength to enjoy checking smaller things off the longer list.

And now blogging is checked off my list for the day and I can go to bed. Good night, my lovely readers.

*I totally stole the "doom" moniker from Kate.

sciencewoman Tue, 09/08/2009 - 17:15

Tags

SciWo says...

what did they say about "balance," again?

Good job SW for getting a major milestone done! And for camping with Minnow. Glad you're back...

Congrats on getting through your week of doom! I originally stole my "doom" from GayProf's Neverending Project of Doom. So I only get partial credit ;).

i envy your muddy legs, your settled-in semester and your happy outlook. i'm afraid it's too late to go for a life like yours and possibly anything in science. the past month of my life i've spent in battle with an adjunct instructor at a vet tech school to keep from losing out on an entire summer's worth of work - just on a technicality because she didn't like me. if you have any 'difficult' students who are possibly shy or uncertain of themselves, please try to get them INTO the class, not out of it. and if you get a PhD please don't lord it over everyone and demand you be called Doctor. and IF you get a student who is older, remember these tough years of yours and think how they probably already went through similar things and still trying. have a great day.

Open letter to unencumbered business travelers

sciencewoman — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:28:22 +0000

Open letter to unencumbered business travelers

Dear asshat,

When you are only carrying a small garment bag and attache case, and you encounter a mother struggling into the airport parking deck elevator with a toddler in hand, giant carseat over one shoulder, suitcase rolling behind and attache case over the other shoulder, the correct thing to do is NOT to say: "Boy, you sure don't believe in traveling light." and then get off the elevator, striding toward the shuttle bus stop with nary a backward glance. The correct thing to do is say "Would you like a little help with your load?" and then help her carry something to the bus stop. It wouldn't have cost you more than a few seconds, but it would have saved the mother's shoulder two days of achiness.

So glad you are not my husband.

SciWo

Dear Nice Guy,

Thanks so much for helping me get the carseat on and off the shuttle bus. You made my day.

SciWo

sciencewoman Fri, 08/14/2009 - 06:28

Tags

motherhood

SciWo says...

travel

What a butthole! My husband recently traveled alone with our son and stroller and carseat and was helped out by male business travelers, like your Mr. Nice Guy.

He was criticized and complained about (why do we always get the baby? why didn't he get a seat for his baby-- so inconsiderate. we're going to be miserable thanks to him...) in Dutch by two seatmates. They didn't consider that he might be Dutch, and he got his revenge by wishing them good travels in Dutch at the end of the flight.

My sister lives on the west coast but our family and her in-laws are all on the opposite side of the country (practically). She often travels with 2 kids, 2 carseats, 2 kid suitcases (carry-ons with toys), her own small carry-on, a lightweight stroller, and the largest suitcase I've ever seen. Of course, only the suitcase gets checked at the ticket counter - the car seats and stroller are gate-checked. When she's not traveling with her husband, before she gets to the airport, she orders up a porter to help her get from the rental car return counter (or the ticket counter) to the gate. She learned through past experiences like yours that the porter is worth every single dollar.

Daggone it, if only you'd heed some simple time-tested frequent traveler tips. Try this: next time you are about to travel, lay out everything on your bed you are planning to take, then look it over. Ask yourself, do I really need to take a toddler with me this time? And if I do, is it absolutely necessary that she have a carseat? Would an alternative, more flexible and lighter arrangement work, something like bungee cords that could easily fit into your purse once you've arrived at your destination? Once you start thinking outside the box like this, your travels will be much less filled with travail.

Actually, it is funny how you are mentioning this when I listened to a Mannerscast podcast today where this exact sort of scenario is discussed. Episode 37.

I can mildly sympathize, having air-traveled with an 8 month old, but I had a child-less sister accompanying me to help. I caused other troubles by being severly allergic to their planned snack - so severe they couldn't serve it. Why didn't I mention it before I got on the flight? Because who would think they would serve shellfish on a flight?

The wine I've had this evening is now clouding other coherent thoughts, so I'll leave it there.

Next time you travel with toddler et al., immediately upon entering the terminal look for a skycap/personal assistant, usually lolling around near the entrance or sprawled out on a nearby chair, though possibly near the boarding pass machine. Ask for help and be prepared to give a $5 tip. This lady or gentleman will help you to the check-in machine or luggage check counter,through security, and all the way to the gate. Some airports (such as Charlotte NC) have the helpful people dressed in red sport coats. In your particular case there probably were such people around once you got into the terminal proper and near the counter or main entrance. Be prepared in advance with $1's and $5's in your pocket. If confronted with a jerk on the elevator rudely commenting on your load, you also might smile and ask for help.

I'll ask the obvious question: is there any weirdness with being offered help when a single woman is traveling alone with a small child? Any concern that offerer will take opportunity to grab purse or worse? Maybe I just come from a particularly hostile part of the country (well, I know I do), but ...

As always I applaud the efforts of parents traveling singly with children! I've been there many times and I know how difficult it can be.

After a trip last week all by myself with only a carry-on bag, experiencing the wonders of traveling alone and lightly, I found myself missing traveling with my daughter or my family. Aside from carrying all the necessary crap, I felt lonely and I keenly felt the absence of my daughter's wonder at the airport, or the airplane, or whatever. Traveling without my family was more relaxing, but much less fun.

Once I was traveling with my then 8 month old daughter from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt airport by train. Normally there was no problem in finding a seat even if you have not reserved a seat but that particular day my stars were not so good and train was packed with commutators. Can you imagine, I carried my baby on my hand for 2 hours of travel standing in the open space between the seats and not a single gentleman/woman got up from his seat to offer me to sit down? I was shocked and surprised.

Once when travelling around the world with the kiddies, and despite being overburdened with loads of crap while juggling a young baby and a 2 y.o., it was me who helped a brand new mum flying for the first time with her very young newborn (to the extent of giving her a t-shirt when the newborn projectile vomited, which always happens just when you least want it). Everyone else in the plane frowned and tut-tutted. It's stressful enough without the waves of disapproval!

Just to stir things up, seen this event?

http://blogs.reuters.com/oddly-enough/2009/05/04/change-at-the-white-ho…

read the haters?

http://www.refugees.bratfree.com/read.php?2,73390,73483

When the TSA was first created and they started being super obnoxious my mother witnessed the following standing in line to go through the metal detector:

A businesswoman with a tiny infant was trying to get through the metal detector and the TSA was giving her a very hard time about the baby carrier and her shoes. The baby was small enough to need both hands to hold and there was no where to put it (the carrier had already gone through the Xray). Finally the woman turned to the man standing in line behind her and said "Here", handed him the baby and took off her shoes. The man froze but didn't drop the baby. Sometimes you just have to hope that people will do the right thing when you push them.

If you are a resident of California, rejoice, because the Supreme Court let stand a decision in the 9th Circuit finding that SB 1 (California's Financial Information Privacy Act) was not preempted by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. In plain English, this means that