Evo Terra's Blog, page 46
August 4, 2013
Evo Terra was in a video call. #hangoutsonair
Evo Terra was in a video call. #hangoutsonair
A day out at Papago Park disc golf course with NJ.
Nothing like a little quality father-son time while...
A day out at Papago Park disc golf course with NJ.
Nothing like a little quality father-son time while chucking plastic in the desert. It was NJ's first time playing this course and my second. The first was when he was 4 months old.
This place is less than 2 miles from my house, yet I had completely forgotten it existed until a few months ago. Nice to see the addition of a little "stream". Which I was in twice fetching my kid's disc. The water is clean, as it comes out of the canal that ultimately winds up as our drinking supply here in Phoenix.
Nothing like a little quality father-son time while chucking plastic in the desert. It was NJ's first time playing this course and my second. The first was when he was 4 months old.
This place is less than 2 miles from my house, yet I had completely forgotten it existed until a few months ago. Nice to see the addition of a little "stream". Which I was in twice fetching my kid's disc. The water is clean, as it comes out of the canal that ultimately winds up as our drinking supply here in Phoenix.
Big DIPA from SanTan, at SanTan.
And it is as a double IPA should be!
Big DIPA from SanTan, at SanTan.
And it is as a double IPA should be!
And it is as a double IPA should be!
August 3, 2013
If a Russian imperial stout brewed in New Zealand by a Danish man and enjoyed in the USA isn't the ...
If a Russian imperial stout brewed in New Zealand by a Danish man and enjoyed in the USA isn't the epitome of International Beer Day, I don't know what is.
Breaking news in the ebook pricing scandal from... [Zzzzzzz]
Sorry, but I find the whole thing terribly...
Breaking news in the ebook pricing scandal from... [Zzzzzzz]
Sorry, but I find the whole thing terribly boring. And I probably shouldn't feel that way, but I do. None of this (damn, but am I gonna get slammed for this) impacts us. It's accountants and lawyers quibbling like politicians and special interest groups bickering.
And I'm fucking sick of it.
So I'll just keep on keepin' on until this dick wagging competition is over. And even when it is, I probably still won't care because it probably still won't matter to us.
Now, I'm going to open up a beer while I read about what a dumbass I am for my apathetic attitude. Have at me in the comments. These, I'm leaving open.
(H/t to +AC Cruz for the OP, and probably costing me a few thousand ciclers.)
Sorry, but I find the whole thing terribly boring. And I probably shouldn't feel that way, but I do. None of this (damn, but am I gonna get slammed for this) impacts us. It's accountants and lawyers quibbling like politicians and special interest groups bickering.
And I'm fucking sick of it.
So I'll just keep on keepin' on until this dick wagging competition is over. And even when it is, I probably still won't care because it probably still won't matter to us.
Now, I'm going to open up a beer while I read about what a dumbass I am for my apathetic attitude. Have at me in the comments. These, I'm leaving open.
(H/t to +AC Cruz for the OP, and probably costing me a few thousand ciclers.)
Someone get Sigourney Weaver prepped and ready to launch. Because it's a robot. Ash Kirobo is a god ...
Someone get Sigourney Weaver prepped and ready to launch. Because it's a robot. Ash Kirobo is a god damn robot.
(H/t to +Rich Thoma for the o.s.)
(H/t to +Rich Thoma for the o.s.)
Signal Vs Noise, Quality Vs Quantity
I've been meaning to write this post for a few weeks now. It ...
Signal Vs Noise, Quality Vs Quantity
I've been meaning to write this post for a few weeks now. It is based on my observations here on G+ over the course of the last month. Bear with me as I to put down my jumbled thoughts.
I have come to realize that when it comes to science outreach, engagement is the most important thing there is.
Why does engagement matter? Science is about asking questions, discovering the answers and then, most importantly, having that process lead to even more questions. Science doesn't have an endpoint, it is a continuous journey of discovery. How does this translate into science outreach via social media? It means when someone reads a science post and has their curiosity aroused, they engage by asking a question. In turn, the author should be around to respond, to kindle those first sparks of curiosity into a passionate discussion. That is the holy grail of science outreach
Posting science jokes all the time does not constitute science outreach. Posting copy/paste text without injecting what you think of an article or blog post does not constitute science outreach. Posting lazy, inaccurate sensationalized meme pictures does not constitute science outreach. So then, what is quality science outreach? To me, it means having someone who is knowledgeable on a topic write about it in a manner that I can understand, yet challenging me to explore what I do not know; and then being around to answer questions. Questions are the highest form of engagement to me, because it means someone wants to know more. Think about it - someone took the time to read something you wrote; absorbed it, and wondered enough about it to ask. Curiosity of that nature is what science thrives on. Evoking that is what science outreach means, to me.
The Suggested User List does not promote engagement
A few months ago, Google created a list of Suggested Users for Science (and Nature). Unfortunately it's broken. The Suggested User List does not promote engagement. It promotes numbers.
My own personal experience attests to this. A few months ago, as Google+ launched the Science and Nature Suggested User List, I was included on it. I noticed my follower count rise astronomically for a few weeks. However, what I did not notice was a rise in the level of engagement on my posts.
In contrast I've noticed a sharp increase in my engagement level in the past few weeks. The difference? Not the SUL, I'm no longer on it. I'm still seeing new people circle me, but this time the comments on my recent posts have been frequent, incredibly insightful, and many times you guys have given me ideas for new posts :) This is one of the biggest reasons why I stay on G+ and continue to produce the content that I do. I don't do it for the numbers and I don't do it for the fame, I do it because I love being able to share my passion for science and make people curious to learn more; and in the process, learn more myself because your questions make me think.
The way the SUL works, it promotes Noise over Signal. It promotes Quantity over Quality. It does not enhance engagement, and lately I notice a disturbing trend where sensationalized science gets an official platform by G+. This worries me. The only way to get engagement is by actually producing decent content and then sticking around to engage with the people whose curiosity you have aroused. This is up to the content-producer, not the SUL. We need to promote content over numbers. By promoting non-engaging users on the SUL, G+ is hurting science outreach and hurting itself, because it propagates the 'G+ is a ghost town' stereotype, which we know is a myth. We need to foster engagement. We need to have more signal, less noise. We need more quality, less quantity.
Image credit: http://goo.gl/YK5vgo
I've been meaning to write this post for a few weeks now. It is based on my observations here on G+ over the course of the last month. Bear with me as I to put down my jumbled thoughts.
I have come to realize that when it comes to science outreach, engagement is the most important thing there is.
Why does engagement matter? Science is about asking questions, discovering the answers and then, most importantly, having that process lead to even more questions. Science doesn't have an endpoint, it is a continuous journey of discovery. How does this translate into science outreach via social media? It means when someone reads a science post and has their curiosity aroused, they engage by asking a question. In turn, the author should be around to respond, to kindle those first sparks of curiosity into a passionate discussion. That is the holy grail of science outreach
Posting science jokes all the time does not constitute science outreach. Posting copy/paste text without injecting what you think of an article or blog post does not constitute science outreach. Posting lazy, inaccurate sensationalized meme pictures does not constitute science outreach. So then, what is quality science outreach? To me, it means having someone who is knowledgeable on a topic write about it in a manner that I can understand, yet challenging me to explore what I do not know; and then being around to answer questions. Questions are the highest form of engagement to me, because it means someone wants to know more. Think about it - someone took the time to read something you wrote; absorbed it, and wondered enough about it to ask. Curiosity of that nature is what science thrives on. Evoking that is what science outreach means, to me.
The Suggested User List does not promote engagement
A few months ago, Google created a list of Suggested Users for Science (and Nature). Unfortunately it's broken. The Suggested User List does not promote engagement. It promotes numbers.
My own personal experience attests to this. A few months ago, as Google+ launched the Science and Nature Suggested User List, I was included on it. I noticed my follower count rise astronomically for a few weeks. However, what I did not notice was a rise in the level of engagement on my posts.
In contrast I've noticed a sharp increase in my engagement level in the past few weeks. The difference? Not the SUL, I'm no longer on it. I'm still seeing new people circle me, but this time the comments on my recent posts have been frequent, incredibly insightful, and many times you guys have given me ideas for new posts :) This is one of the biggest reasons why I stay on G+ and continue to produce the content that I do. I don't do it for the numbers and I don't do it for the fame, I do it because I love being able to share my passion for science and make people curious to learn more; and in the process, learn more myself because your questions make me think.
The way the SUL works, it promotes Noise over Signal. It promotes Quantity over Quality. It does not enhance engagement, and lately I notice a disturbing trend where sensationalized science gets an official platform by G+. This worries me. The only way to get engagement is by actually producing decent content and then sticking around to engage with the people whose curiosity you have aroused. This is up to the content-producer, not the SUL. We need to promote content over numbers. By promoting non-engaging users on the SUL, G+ is hurting science outreach and hurting itself, because it propagates the 'G+ is a ghost town' stereotype, which we know is a myth. We need to foster engagement. We need to have more signal, less noise. We need more quality, less quantity.
Image credit: http://goo.gl/YK5vgo
On Honesty
You were taught to be an honest person. So ... why aren't you better at it? Are you afraid...
On Honesty
You were taught to be an honest person. So ... why aren't you better at it? Are you afraid of hurting someone's feelings? Probably. And in some cases, it's OK to lie your ass off. But that's the exception to the rule. On this Show Up Sunday, I'll talk about the damage good-natured people do when they fail to be completely -- though not necessarily painfully -- honest with those who ask their opinion.
About Show Up Sundays
For me, Sunday is part work, part relaxation, and part planning for the week ahead. I start early -- or rather I should -- to get the jump on the day.
Care to join me? Each week I'll choose a different theme, talk about that for a bit, and then answer your questions. Chances are, the topic will be around the three things I care most about: Publishing. Science. Craft beer. Not necessarily in that order.
Grab your mate/coffee/tea and put something on to cover your bed head, and let's see what happens.
You were taught to be an honest person. So ... why aren't you better at it? Are you afraid of hurting someone's feelings? Probably. And in some cases, it's OK to lie your ass off. But that's the exception to the rule. On this Show Up Sunday, I'll talk about the damage good-natured people do when they fail to be completely -- though not necessarily painfully -- honest with those who ask their opinion.
About Show Up Sundays
For me, Sunday is part work, part relaxation, and part planning for the week ahead. I start early -- or rather I should -- to get the jump on the day.
Care to join me? Each week I'll choose a different theme, talk about that for a bit, and then answer your questions. Chances are, the topic will be around the three things I care most about: Publishing. Science. Craft beer. Not necessarily in that order.
Grab your mate/coffee/tea and put something on to cover your bed head, and let's see what happens.
Can't wait for Circle K to install their food replicator pilot program next!
The UPS Store Makes 3D...
Can't wait for Circle K to install their food replicator pilot program next!
The UPS Store Makes 3D Printing Accessible to Start-Ups and Small Business Owners
But joking aside, this could be a watershed moment for 3D printing. The devil, as always, is in the details. But if the interface is simple enough, then you might pop in to your local UPS Store to replace your broken belt buckle.
The UPS Store Makes 3D Printing Accessible to Start-Ups and Small Business Owners
But joking aside, this could be a watershed moment for 3D printing. The devil, as always, is in the details. But if the interface is simple enough, then you might pop in to your local UPS Store to replace your broken belt buckle.
I assure you I do not have a drinking problem. It just looks that way on Facebook.
Over here, I keep...
I assure you I do not have a drinking problem. It just looks that way on Facebook.
Over here, I keep my craft beer enthusiasm mostly contained within the Craft Beer Community (http://goo.gl/WQ4iXq if you'd care to join us). But on Facebook, I've connected my Untappd app to my profile. I don't share every check in there -- just like I don't share every check in to +Gil Melo's community. But I do have it set to auto share badges.
Just my luck that four check-ins in a row over four days would result in the earning of new badge. I'm sure that my friends and family are planning an intervention.
Over here, I keep my craft beer enthusiasm mostly contained within the Craft Beer Community (http://goo.gl/WQ4iXq if you'd care to join us). But on Facebook, I've connected my Untappd app to my profile. I don't share every check in there -- just like I don't share every check in to +Gil Melo's community. But I do have it set to auto share badges.
Just my luck that four check-ins in a row over four days would result in the earning of new badge. I'm sure that my friends and family are planning an intervention.
