Weekend Updates

From the NIDA media guide

Jared Diamond and the New Yorker's parent company have denied all charges in the "Vengeance is Ours" scandal:"

The defendants' attorneys listed 34 reasons, called "affirmative defenses," why they should prevail in the lawsuit. Among them are the contentions that the plaintiffs were not defamed and had not suffered any harm or actual injury to their reputations; that Diamond and The New Yorker had not acted with "actual malice" or with knowledge that The New Yorker story was false; that the article was "substantially true" and thus protected under the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution; and that to the extent to which the plaintiffs did suffer any harm or damages, "it is the result of their own actions."

My friend John Ohab, host of Armed With Science, got a shout-out from David Meerman Scott on his social media/marketing blog, Web Ink Now:

Another great example of brand journalism in the military is Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military, a weekly podcast discussing the importance of science and technology to military operations and the Department of Defense. . . .Dr. Ohab takes questions to ask guests live on the show via Twitter. "If it doesn't compromise national security, I'll ask it," he says.

ScienceGeekGirl has a great post on science/art resources in Northern California:

One of the things that I miss most about the Bay Area is the intensive culture of geekery and delightful playfulness that goes with the unabashed celebration of membership in the pocket protector set.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released a new and surprisingly well-designed media guide, a plain-language illustrated resource on drug statistics, definitions, etc. for journalists and the lay public. I recommend the pdf (from which the image above is ripped).

Over at The Intersection, Sheril has put out a call for public input on a National Ocean Policy:

Go visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/ and tell the White House Council on Environmental Quality that you support a comprehensive national policy to protect, maintain and restore our oceans and coasts. The 30 day comment period ends on the 17th.

And finally, for anyone else who might be feeling a little down - either just a bit dreary as the weather turns bad, or dealing with serious depression - read this simple little letter from the ever-wonderful Stephen Fry. It made me cry.