Imagine if the very foundation of cutting edge research science could be streamlined using the real-time, online blogging community model powered by the open source format familiar to all of us? Sci-blogger and friend Coturnix has been tasked to develop the community aspect of this idea, and he’s asking for scientists and science buffs alike to see if that traditional peer review process can benefit from our novel methods at the Public Library of Science (PLoS). "PLoS is a nonprofit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. ... Everything we publish is freely available online for you to read, download, copy, distribute, and use (with attribution) ..." Coturnix is committed to helping you with any technical support or other issues/questions you may have. He can be contacted directly at coturnix-at-gmail-dot-com. Some background:
While scientists are secretive and shy by training, they are still people. The non-blogging scientists may have very high thresholds, but they do have thresholds! If they see a number of comments there and see something erroneous posted there, they will post a rebuttal, I hope. I need you - the bloggers - to bring the commenting threads up to the threshold levels at which non-blogging scientists will start kicking in. Then, hopefully, there will be a snowball effect ... read the rest
- July 14, 2007 is the cutoff for reserving a ticket to YearlyKos Convention 2007. On behalf of the entire YKC 07 volunteer staff, we'd like to thank you for your heartfelt generosity, commitment, and encouragement. You donated hard-earned money, precious time, and expertise, often while on a tight budget and juggling two jobs and a family. That some of you did so knowing you could not attend brings tears of both pride and admiration to our eyes. The volunteers managing the event have made it their number one priority to make the most efficient use of those resources, and their paramount goal is to produce a convention tailored not to the many VIPs and politicians, but specifically customized to serve your interests above all else. In our view, you are each and everyone a pioneer, a patriot, and a visionary. To be counted among you and entrusted with the grave responsibility you have made possible, is quite simply the greatest honor we have ever held.
- I sadly note that my friend, science blogger Lindsey Beyerstein, lost her father last week. Barry L. Beyerstein, 'was a scholar, an activist, and a devoted family man who believed in the power of reason, compassion, and humility.' In my early days, before I was allowed to contribute to UTI and Daily Kos, Lindsey provided me with encouragement, advice, and support. She always took time to help me with anything I asked of her. I’m lucky to count her among my mentors. Lindsey credits her father for nurturing many of her passions. Thus he touched many lives, and through his daughter I was fortunate to be one of the lives he touched.