In this post: the large versions of the Environment and Humanities & Social Science channel photos, comments from readers, and the best posts of the week.
Environment. From Flickr, by *higetiger
Humanities & Social Science. Michael Phelps touches the pool's edge just ahead of Milorad Cavic in the mens' 100m butterfly. From Flickr, by M@rcopako
Reader comments of the week:
In Image Repair? Exxon Mobil Lets Scientists Tell Its Story, Matt Nisbet of Framing Science questions the implications of a new Exxon Mobil ad series. Scientists in the ads discuss research being conducted by Exxon in such areas as tropical disease and renewable energy, and Matt worries that even as they lend the oil company a certain credibility, they may be effecting a change in the opposite direction for the public perception of science.
Reader Hank Roberts affirms that the ads only benefit the company:
Well, duh!
The fossil fuel position all along has been to discredit the sciences.
Putting scientists up as talking heads and sock puppets can only further that.
$$Profit!$$
Has anyone started a list of the people used in these commercials, with anything they've published in refereed journals? Let's have a look. Because that's science. Not PR spots.
John Wilkins of Evolving Thoughts tackles a most mysterious enigma in Neither does "diairesis". A cartoon character in his post asks wants to know "Why doesn't the word 'umlaut' have an umlaut?"
His question gives rise to such creations by John's readers as "apo'strophe" and "ellip...sis." Reader Bob O'H says he's "a big fan of abbrev." And jeff points out:
the word "vowel" does indeed have vowels, so at least some self-referential order is restored in the universe. Why separate form and substance if you don't have to?
Some other Environment posts we thought were cool this week were:
Oil Drilling: It All Makes Sense Now.
Cheney's energy industry mole to fashion climate change policy?
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
JUNK RAFT Days Away from Hawaii!
And from the Humanities & Social Science channel:
Undecided voters aren't really undecided - the hidden side of decision-making
Campaign Ads Of The Internet Age
Look for highlights from other channels coming up!