How It All Began

Here we are, then: the first in the series of user-generated topics.  Glacial Till writes:

I think a post on your blogging history would be cool. What led you to blogging? Who are your inspirations and such. 

Oh, my.  Let's see if I can remember back that far...

Got me start on LiveJournal, actually, many years ago, babbling about writing with and for some excellent writerly friends.  Started me own (now-defunct) website after a bit, still writing on writing, but this was the height of the Bush regime and so some political rants crept in as my liberal tendencies were unleashed.  Because friends had forced me to sign up for a MySpace account and because it was easier to blog there, I migrated for a bit - you can still see it here, if you're that bored.

And those, you might say, are the prequels to ETEV.  So why did this blog start?

Because I couldn't take it any more.

The rampant political stupidity that made me want to howl from the rooftops.  The rampant IDiots, running about mucking up biology education and making hideous movies like Expelled.  Not to mention all of the other rank stupidity stampeding through the world.  MySpace wasn't a good platform for the full-throated rants necessary to counter it.

PZ's the one who inspired me to start this blog, and to celebrate science upon it despite the fact I'm no more than an interested layperson.  This post, right here, is one you should go read right now, because it explains everything this blog became.

Well, nearly.  Getting adopted by the rock stars of geology set ETEV on a whole new course.  Somehow, it had evolved from a foul-mouthed baby blog focused on political stupidity with a smattering of science into something that geobloggers recognized as one of their own, even if I couldn't see that.  But they inspired me to work me arse off delivering the goods.  And that's fostered my interest in science, which feeds back into my writing, and ever onward in an endless circle.

This is still very much an amateur effort.  Someday, maybe even sooner than I expect, I'll make the leap into full-time professional writing.  And I'll get there because of the bloggers like PZ and Bora who showed me the importance of this medium, and the geobloggers and other science bloggers who showed me that all it takes is hard work and passion to write something worthy of reading.  But they're only part of the equation.  I'll get there because of the inspiration provided by my favorite authors and fellow fiction writers/bloggers like Nicole.

I'll get there because of my readers.  Yes, you - the one sitting there reading this post right now.  Without you, do you think any of this would be possible?  Do you think I'd still be dedicating so much time and effort to these pages, if it wasn't for you?  Without you, I'd spend that time in front of the teevee, or tucked in bed with an improving book, or practicing karate with the cat, when I wasn't struggling on alone with a very difficult fiction novel.  And I'd be less of a writer because of it.  Not to mention, I wouldn't have half the motivation to go out and have adventures and take the very best pictures I can.

So, dear reader, when you ask where my inspiration comes from, the very first thing you should do is go find a mirror.

And now I shall take the opportunity to give a special shout-out to my geoblogging inspirations.  I read more geoblogs than I list here, but these are the folks who, combined, form the star I revolve around.  In no particular order, then:

Silver Fox at Looking for Detachment
Lockwood DeWitt at Outside the Interzone
Glacial Till at Glacial Till
Ron Schott at Geology Home Companion
Brian Romans at Clastic Detritus
Ann Jefferson and Chris Rowan at Highly Allochthonous
Dan McShane at Reading the Washington Landscape
Wayne Ranney at Earthly Musings
Elli Goeke at Life in Plane Light

I want to mention four bloggers in particular who have provided more support, encouragement, and food for thought over the years than I ever expected.  They're fantastic bloggers and even more fantastic friends:

Cujo at Slobber and Spittle
George at Decrepit Old Fool
Suzanne at Two Ton Green Blog
Woozle at The Hypertwins Memorial High-Energy Children Supercollider Laboratory and Research Center for the Inhumanities.  Okay, so it's not technically a blog, but who cares?  Especially with a name like that!

A special shout-out to the man who made me believe in bloggers, and who got me thinking and writing about politics so many years ago: Steve Benen at The Washington Monthly.  Before him, I didn't really take blogs seriously.  He's an incredible talent, a wonderful human being, and still the one political blog I turn to when I haven't got time for more.


And, finally, a very special shout-out to Karen, whose comments have so often given me that much needed prod in the arse necessary to keep me going.  How I wish you'd start a blog!

Impostor Syndrome

So, there's this thing I've been struggling with for a while, now.  Stephanie Zvan left me this comment:

Please do me a favor. Take your Sunset Crater post and another one that you love, and go promote yourself at Ed's. His pool needs widening, and it'll be good practice for you. :) 

At Ed's?  This Ed's?  Holy impossible missions, Batwoman!

I went there.  I looked at some posts and some comments, and then I fled like a right bloody coward.  I mean, you are talking to the woman who freaked out when the geobloggers claimed me for their own.  I spent days going to ScienceSeeker.org when they called for blog submissions, reading down the list of member blogs every night, trying to picture myself there and failing miserably.  You know why ETEV's up there now?  It's because Chris Rowan submitted the All-geo feed, which for some inexplicable reason I am on.  It sure as shit wasn't because I took my courage in my hand.  Couldn't find it.  Maybe never would have.

You see, I'm a layperson.   I troubleshoot phones for a living, people.  I'm not in college, and when I was, I was a bloody history major.  I don't have undergrad or grad student creds, I'm not a scientist, not a professional science writer, and I got my start on the intertoobz as a potty-mouthed political blogger.  So when people consider me part of the science blogging universe, I get this feeling like I'm a miniature pony trying to run in the Kentucky Derby.

Tiny Horse is Tiny

Yes, my darlings, I am suffering from Impostor Syndrome.  Big time.

Couple that with a native dislike of promoting myself to anyone at all for any reason, and you can see why it's a bit difficult for me to do anything so bold as to saunter over to Ed's and say, "Oy, I'm leaving links to two of my totally awesome posts."

What it comes right down to, I think, is that I've got this feeling that it's not for me to judge.  I could strut about believing myself to be the greatest writer evah, I could shout from the rooftops how incredibly awesome I am, but that wouldn't make it so.  It's not for me to judge.  It's up to my readers.  They're the only ones qualified to judge the worthiness of my words.  And when they deem something of mine worthy of their time and attention, I'm so shocked by it that I just sit paralyzed, wondering "How the fuck did that happen?"  It doesn't occur to me to then go forth and shout from the rooftops, "Oy - my readers have deemed me a decent read!  Y'all are missing out!"

Then again, if I fall to the ground wailing, "I'm not worthy!" when the geoblogging superstars decide that, despite short legs and a silly-looking forelock, I'm welcome to run with them, that's rather an insult to them, innit?  When incredible bloggers like Stephanie Zvan tell me I should go strut some stuff, isn't it a little rude to say, "Um, no"?  What a dilemma!

(Makes me worry about what shall happen should I achieve fame and fortune as an SF writer.  I'm afraid I'll be hunched down behind the table at book signings suffering from terminal embarrassment.)

And I put this out there not because I'm looking for sympathy and assurance - I'm not that neurotic, and you don't owe me a damned thing.  I'm spilling my guts because I know I'm not the only one.  I've run into plenty of people suffering Impostor Syndrome, and I know it's desperately difficult to overcome.  I haven't done it yet.  But the road to recovery begins with listening to your readers.  When I, as a reader, leave a comment telling a blogger that something they've written has moved me, I'm not doing it because I'm trying to bolster their self-esteem.  I'm saying it because I mean it.  When I link to something, it's because I felt it worth linking.  And I have to face facts: you guys are probably saying nice things about my writing for the same reason.

So when Stephanie Zvan tells me to go out and do the impossible, when she says "please do me a favor," despite the fact I'm a bloody coward when it comes to self-promotion, there's nothing for it but to sneak over to Ed's and quietly drop in a line saying, "Stephanie Zvan made me do it."  Then flee for my life.

And that, for any of you, my darlings, who are suffering the same uncertainty, is what you must do as well.  Trust your readers.  Trust their judgment, even when you can't bring yourself to believe you are what they say you are.  The readers are the final judge of the writer. 

Two Must-Reads You May Not Have Read

Whelp, Christmas is over.  We've got a bit o' breathing room before New Year's.  Time now to catch up on some of that great stuff you put off.

Brian Switek's got 6 Strange Fossils That Enlightened Evolutionary Scientists.  It's Brian, so I don't have to tell you how awesome it is.  Just get yer arse over there and read it if you haven't already.

And Bora's got an epic-length (by blogging standards) exploration of science and journalism that will probably tell you quite a lot you didn't already know.  And you'll be surprised by just how much the 19th and 21st Centuries have in common:

Apart from technology (software instead of talking/handwriting/printing), speed (microseconds instead of days and weeks by stagecoach, railroad or Pony Express, see image above) and the number of people reached (potentially - but rarely - millions simultaneously instead of one person or small group at a time), blogging, social networking and other forms of online writing are nothing new – this is how people have always communicated. Like Montaigne. And the Republic of Letters in the 18th century. And Charles Darwin in the 19th century.

The whole thing's well worth your time.  So I won't detain you here any longer.  Go.  Read.  Enlighten!

Suzanne and Sunset

If that doesn't take your breath away, you have no eye for beauty.  Two more where that comes from. 

Now do you see why Suzanne makes my heart sing?

Wupatki Wonders

I'm behind the times.  One Fly has had a gorgeous, photo-filled post on Wupatki National Monument up at his Picture Place up since November, and your own dear cantinera makes a cameo appearance. 

You geo-types will like to know that the monument's built from the sandstones of the Moenkopi Formation and the limestones of the Kaibab Formation, if I'm remembering my strata correctly.  Sometime after the new year, I plan to start an Arizona series at long last, so we'll discuss it in detail then.  Perhaps One Fly will send us a photo of a nice rock or two.

The snow-capped mountains in the background are the San Francisco Peaks, which get a mention in my post on Louis Agassiz, and I've done up a bit on Sunset Crater here. 

Crap in a hat.  Now I'm homesick... but it's a good kind of homesick.  Arizona's got some of the shittiest politicians and most nauseating laws in the country, but as far as her ruins and her geology, you'll hear no complaints from me.

Sit and Watch the Sunset

It's Monday.  Moreover, it's the Monday after a holiday.  I know all you all need a little something beautiful right now, so go over and watch the sunset at Suzanne's:

That's just the first of many gorgeous images.  Go on.  Go enjoy.  You've earned a beauty break.

Los Links

Bored on a holiday weekend, are ye?  Had your fill of turkey, football, annoying relatives, Black Friday, all that rot?  Well, that's good, because I've got lots o' interesting links I've been meaning to do something about but never managed to get round to blogging.

Pour yourselves a glass of something tasty and hopefully strong, and nibble away at some delights, my darlings.

The "Lost Women": science popularizers and communicators of the 19th century:  We sometimes forget that, even in the days when women were pretty much third-class citizens, a few of them broke out of the barefoot and pregnant mold and managed to make some impressive, not to mention important, contributions to science.  Here's a start on remembering them.  And, in case that wasn't enough for ye, here's my paean to a few of the Unsung Women of Science.

For those who might've missed it the first, second, and ten billionth time this got handed round the geoblogosphere, Ole Nielsen has an excellent explanation of How Drumlins Form.

And while we're on about glaciers, might as well go From end to end: Traversing the Terminal Lines of Long Island.  

Hannah Waters has the definitive post on Developing a scientific worldview: why it’s hard and what we can do.

Remember when we were all supposed to have flying cars?  How about this instead: Trees Infused With Glowing Nanoparticles Could Replace Streetlights.  Pretty damned awesome.

Here's an excellent read for anyone who loves reading, writing, or understanding how the brain works: This Is Your Brain on Metaphors. 

And, finally, Orac's got a thought provoking (and snarky) post up: So Al Gore didn't invent global warming? Who knew?

That should keep you busy enough.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch every single Harry Potter movie filmed to date because that's the sort of idiotic thing a writer does when they're blocked...

England's Libel Law is Liable to Bite Yer Arse

So do what Simon Singh says and sign the petition to reform it:

This week is the first anniversary of the report Free Speech is Not for Sale, which highlighted the oppressive nature of English libel law. In short, the law is extremely hostile to writers, while being unreasonably friendly towards powerful corporations and individuals who want to silence critics.
The English libel law is particular dangerous for bloggers, who are generally not backed by publishers, and who can end up being sued in London regardless of where the blog was posted. The internet allows bloggers to reach a global audience, but it also allows the High Court in London to have a global reach.

You can read more about the peculiar and grossly unfair nature of English libel law at the website of the Libel Reform Campaign. You will see that the campaign is not calling for the removal of libel law, but for a libel law that is fair and which would allow writers a reasonable opportunity to express their opinion and then defend it.

The good news is that the British Government has made a commitment to draft a bill that will reform libel, but it is essential that bloggers and their readers send a strong signal to politicians so that they follow through on this promise. You can do this by joining me and over 50,000 others who have signed the libel reform petition at http://www.libelreform.org/sign

Remember, you can sign the petition whatever your nationality and wherever you live. Indeed, signatories from overseas remind British politicians that the English libel law is out of step with the rest of the free world.

If you have already signed the petition, then please encourage friends, family and colleagues to sign up. Moreover, if you have your own blog, you can join hundreds of other bloggers by posting this blog on your own site. There is a real chance that bloggers could help change the most censorious libel law in the democratic world.

We must speak out to defend free speech. Please sign the petition for libel reform at http://www.libelreform.org/sign

Please sign and pass it along.

Some Things of Especial Note

Whilst you're waiting for me to get my arse in gear on the whole Discovery Park geo thing, here's some lively links to keep you busy.

Callan Bentley's moving!  He'll be joining the new American Geophysical Union's new blog consortium by the end of the month, so watch his space for directions to the new digs.  Congratulations, Callan!

(Ye gods - will we all be assimilated into networks?!)

Our own George W. has a fascinating post up on the powers of 10.  My mind, it is blown!

Marcelo Gleiser explains why science matters.  If you missed it the first few times it made the rounds, don't dare miss it now.

Carl Zimmer explores where e-Book publishing might take us.  Those who believe writing and reading are dead, take heart!

And (dum-DUM-dum!) Readers Beware!  Which says everything that needs to be said to arrogant asscrunches who think bloggers are unwashed, untrustworthy little pissants sullying the fine reputation of journalism.

Stuff Comes from Somewhere

Back before I distracted by the shiny new car and purchasing of same, our own George W. had a post up that really forced some thinking.  And it's all because he was up at 4 in the morning thinking about bolts:

Where’s the nickel (which plates the bolt) mined? What’s the state of mine-safety technology? Do mining companies pay lobbyists to keep the laws lax? Or more likely, does the manufacturer just buy the nickel salts for plating from some third-world country where the government doesn’t protect the workers or the rivers or the children who live along them? Is that why the bolts are so cheap? What’s the external cost of the carbon output from manufacturing the bolt? Maybe that’s the reason I saved the bolt that was left over from a project of years ago.  Or maybe I’m just really cheap.

Read the whole post.  It'll make you think about bolts, politics, change and resources all in one go, which is damned impressive for a short post brought on by insomnia.  This is why I love George's blog so: when I leave there, it's not with the same eyes as when I arrived.

Hey, Hoosiers!

There's actually interesting natural history in Indiana.  No, really!  And David Orr's out to prove it.  His new blog, Under Indiana, has an ambitious mission:

After I'd grown up a bit, I learned to appreciate my home state on its own terms. I think it's a common experience for lovers of natural history: a deepening appreciation of the world that goes beyond the biggest, the splashiest, the most touristy. From the fossiliferous limestone of the south to the glaciated landscapes of the north, from the humblest crinoid fragment to Arcdotus simus, Hoosiers have plenty of natural history to be proud of, to share with the rest of the world, and to inspire new generations. [emphasis added to denote my emphatic agreement with this statement.]

I have to admit, it's exciting to see my birth state getting some respect.  It certainly never got any from me.  Every time I go back there, I end up suicidally depressed.  It takes about 20-30 minutes before I'm willing to do something, anything, to get the fuck out of there and get back home to me mountains.   But my own dear mother lives there, and I'm fated to visit her, so it's good to know I'll have interesting things to look forward to.  Between Lyle and David's new blog, I do believe I'm set!

Go over and give David some love.  Don't forget to drop by his other home, Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs, too.

Geo Linkfest!

Since I'm traipsing all over bits of Oregon with Lockwood and ye olde intrepid companion, I'm having to rely on other geobloggers to fill in the gaps.  I'll use any excuse so's to have a chance to highlight some truly awesome geoblogging goodness.

When you're a professional geologist in western Washington, you can't always depend on the weather to cooperate.  But as Dan McShane knows, you can depend upon it to provide some lovely shots:

That's haunting, that is.  And there's more where that comes from, so do go enjoy.

Speaking of enjoy, if you missed Brian Romans's Unconformity at Point Reyes, head to his place forthwith.  Why do I live for Fridays?  Because of his Friday Field Photos, of course! 

Chris Rowan explores New Zealand's Alpine Fault, and shows why it could be a bit nervewracking to live in a country bisected by a plate boundary. 

Lockwood reminds us that conservation often clashes with consumption, and that there are certain compromises we have to make if we want to maintain our standard of living.

Callan Bentley shows us how field paleomagnetism is done.  After that post, I feel I understand a great deal more about both field work and paleomagnetism, which is no small feat for a blog post!  As always, his lavish photos have left me mopping drool from my chin:

And, finally, Silver Fox has the perfect photo for the long road ahead.  For the punchline, see here.

I can only respond with a quote from The Walking Drum: "Yol bolsun!"  May there be a road.  Preferably one with signs in.

Speaking of roads, I am wending my way back to you on one, possibly at this moment even.  See ye soon, my darlings!

Geoblogosphere Samplings

Yes, yes, I know most of you have probably read these already, but these selections will be new to some of you, and that's all the excuse I need.


Brian Romans wrote up the geology of Point Reyes National Seashore, complete with lovely pictures.  And for those who can never get enough pictures of sedimentary structure, he's got you covered.

Silver Fox has ancient seashores and a delicious dike from Oregon for ye.  You know you want 'em!

Chris Rowan discusses the fault that made a mountain range, and his co-blogger Anne Jefferson takes on intolerable heat.  Definitely using Anne's Intolerable Heat Index next summer!

Speaking of the Tetons, Callan Bentley shows us how to calculate offset on the fault.  Pay close attention to the Post-Its.  If math textbooks had been drawn up that way, I might be better at math today.

Do you love geology and horses?  Visit Dan McShane for a little bit of both.

Erik Klemetti discusses the detection of volcanism on extrasolar planets.

And this is just a small sampling of all the geoblogospheric goodness.  More to come.  Enjoy!

Science Bloggers in Motion

Yes, again.  Wired Science has launched a brand-new network, and for once in the new-science-blogging-network world, it actually includes geology!  Our own Brian Romans, in fact.  If you're looking for your Clastic Detritus, they've got 'im right here.

And that's not all they've got.  Brian Switek finally found a loving home for Laelaps.  Huzzah!

They've also landed Dot Physics, Neuron Culture, Frontal Cortex, and Superbug.  That's a stellar starting lineup by any measure.  Give 'em a visit!

Strata to Make Your Heart Sing

I don't go by Wayne Ranney's blog as often as I should (and he doesn't post nearly as often as I'd wish!), but when I do, I'm always treated to some of the most beautiful geological images available anywhere in the known universe.  Let me give you a sample:

This is from his rafting trip in Dinosaur National Monument, and there's a lot more where that comes from.  Go feast your eyes, my darlings.  Read the strata, and weep from the beauty.  Well, that and the envy - what a wonderful trip Wayne had!  Lucky barstard.

And lucky us.  At least we got to see it through his eyes!

The Poetry and Prose of Ellen Morris Bishop

One of my favorite science writers is Ellen Morris Bishop.  She wrote In Search of Ancient Oregon, which I've lavished much-deserved praise on here and cannot recommend highly enough.  If I could personally grab each of you by the lapels, give you a good shake, and scream "Buy this book!" in your faces, I'd do it.  You'll also need a copy of Hiking Oregon's Geology, dog owners need Best Hikes with Dogs: Oregon, and she's got a Field Guide to Pacific Northwest Geology on the way.

She doesn't update her blog often, alas - in fact, last I'd checked, there'd been no activity since 2008.  Silly me, I assumed that was that.  But I dropped by there the other night on the off chance that maybe, possibly, things might have changed, and there are two new posts!  Well, posts from summer 2010, anyway.  New enough, damn it!

I wish I'd known about "Energy and Entropy" when the BP oil spill was still leading the news, but better late than never, especially when a scientist takes on the laws of thermodynamics to explain why we need to get serious about green energy.  Here's a taste:

We can re-order things now by plugging the well. Period. And we can continue the rest of the system pretty much as-is. Not a lot of energy. Not much change. But also, according to thermodynamics, it will take a minimal amount of energy dysfunction to once again slip into chaos. If we continue offshore drilling without re-ordering our processes and priorities, if we invest minimal political and physical energy in fixing the system, then we will live with chaos on our doorstep. That's not my opinion. It's thermodynamics.

Or we can truly change the system. Energize a whole new order to energy and our use of it. It is in these convective overturns of an existing system where new orders are established and, for a time, entropy is driven back. This is an opportune moment to demonstrate mastery of the Second Law.

Once you're done with that, there's a poem for ye.   It's one of those poems that makes a person pause and consider.  And if by some bizarre circumstance I ever end up dying as a soldier, I want it read at my grave.

Now, my darlings, go pester Ellen.  The geoblogosphere needz moar Ellen!  Only, of course, not so much that it slows down the delivery of her books to our shelves.

Some Stunning Geology

I'm off to enjoy me new books and work on a post idea that struck me on the way to work.  In the meantime, here's some intriguing and awe-inspiring stuff from the world o' geoblogging.

Silver Fox has posted her Highway 50 links.  I wish more geobloggers would do what she's doing and post in-depth on a stretch of accessible geology they know well.  Looks like another field trip for moi will be in order, because after this series, I'll be wanting to sample the geology for meself.  Who's in?

Those who doubt the power of a mudflow need to watch this video:



Yes, that is a semi being floated off like a little leaf on a current.  I was going to do a little home experiment on the power of mudflows to move boulders, and still might if I remember to buy the damned chocolate pudding, but in the meantime this shall suffice.

Dave's Landslide blog has this image of the landslides caused by Pakistan's current monsoon woes:

Talk about yer debris flows.  The size of some of the boulders that came down in that thing is staggering.

Speaking of landslides, Dan McShane's not happy about finding the Whidbey Formation:

When it gets wet, it gets slippery, and then substantial bits of Seattle fall down and go boom.  As grim as this is, though, his description of it will probably crack you up, so do go visit.  And if you should ever move to Seattle, be sure to check out the geology underlying any home you intend to purchase, lest you find yourself sleeping with the fishes in the Sound.

Highly Anne has an eminently readable post up on social media, diversity and women in the geosciences. 

Callan Bentley has an absolutely delicious metamorphosed graded bed to show you:

His blog turns me into a drooling idiot.  Not that it's not filled with substantial science that gives my brain a good workout - it's got plenty o' that.  It's just that when I first click on, there's usually a picture like the above that gets me salivating, and my first comment is "WANT!" 

I haven't had time today to do more than skim it, but he's also got a post up about creationism that I commend to your attention.  I shall be settling in with it over dinner tomorrow night.  If you think it's only biologists who have to confront creationism, you haven't hung about the geology department lately. 

I think that's enough for now.  I've got books to delve in to, my darlings, one in particular which led to a sustained SQUEE! when I cracked it open this morning.  I even did a little dance.  The cat was not impressed, but then she wasn't even impressed by the dancing dog, so how the fuck can I compete?

Oh, and - happy Labor Day weekend!

Things That Caught My Attention

I actually had time to catch up on a little reading today.  Even updated me blogroll to include some of the geology blogs I've gotten addicted to recently.  I'm a little distracted just now with terminal PMS and Rocko's Modern Life, so now's a good time to share some finds.

Brian Romans at Clastic Detritus made me drool with this Friday Field Foto.

More drooling: Dan McShane shares Notes from the Metaline Formation.  Old, pretty rocks; lovely water. Mmm!

And Callan Bentley's guest blogger Filip Goc is responsible for some severe water damage to mah domicile - drooling turned to a gusher when I saw this post on the rocks of Glacier National Park.  Bonus drool: tension gash (which is a lot prettier than it looks). 

Lockwood found a box of crayons I dearly wish I'd had as a kid - oh, hell, I'd like them now.

I know most of you have seen this by now, but for those who haven't: Chris Rowan's excellent exploration of what lies beneath Yellowstone.

Courtesy of Ron's Geology Picks, a fascinating new look at plate tectonics.

In non-geo news, Orac explains what happens to herd immunity when the herd refuses vaccination, and lays the smackdown on bogus vaccine ingredient calculators.

For the one of you who doesn't read Pharyngula, PZ explains the importance of being a dick.

And Cujo's right when he says it's time for our better selves to show up - which has nothing to do with DBAD and everything to do with the horrific suffering in Pakistan.

We like to end with sunsets whenever possible, and thanks to Suzanne, we've got a beaut.  Go feast your eyes.

I know I'm missing some stuff.  However, my brain has been fried by hot flashes, and it's time to crawl into bed with me oceanography textbook (yes, I read textbooks for pleasure).  Let me know what I've missed!

Things I Found in the Twitterverse

I woke up to a slew of interesting links on Twitter this - um, well, afternoon.  Look, I work nights, all right?  The crack o' noon is my version of other peoples' 6 ay-em.  I once had to explain this to a scheduling manager at a former job who didn't understand why we night folk screamed whenever she scheduled us for an early morning shift due to "business needs."  I'm not sure she quite got it, but the requests to drag ourselves in at what amounted to 3 in the morning for us dropped off precipitously afterward.

Anyway.  On to the fun and interesting bits.

Via Ron Schott, we've got a fascinating NYT article on idiocy in our national parks.  Let me just go over a few things that came to mind as I was reading this:

1.  Parents who put their kids on wild animals in order to get a cute vacation shot should not have bred in the first place.  Now, those parents may be thinking, "But it's an herbivore!  What harm can it do?"  Take it from someone who grew up with horses: lots.  Being kicked, stomped, head-butted, bitten, thrown from, and rolled on by something that weighs over 2,000 pounds is no joke.

2.  People who use their little emergency beacon to summon search and rescue helicopters because their water tastes salty deserve to be charged for the cost of the rescue flight.  People who do it three fucking times in less than 48 hours deserve to be left out in the wilderness permanently. 

3.  Yes, you may want to get a good angle for your photograph.  Yes, backing up to get everyone in the shot seems like a good idea.  No, you shouldn't do it when standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon. 

4.  If you're one of those people who will ignore the signs regarding scalding hot water at Yellowstone and decide to take a dip in a geyser anyway, please be sure to cook your reproductive organs thoroughly, preferably before breeding, and do not ever adopt.  Thank you.

Yeesh.

Let's move on to happier subjects, shall we?  Also via Ron, I discovered the Arizona State Geologist's blog, in which I discovered that we still have a week to ensure Kartchner Caverns gets some much-deserved largess from Coke.  Go here to cast your votes!  Bonus - you can vote as many times as you like.  Now, Arizona's leadership is hideously stupid at the moment, but a national treasure like Kartchner shouldn't have to suffer for it.

Here's some incentive:

I've been there, and no photograph I've found is a patch on the real thing, but it's incredibly beautiful, supremely fragile, and wholly worth preserving.

I also learned a geologist has been appointed as deputy supervisor of the Coconino National Forest.  Considering how much geology there is in the Coconino National Forest, this strikes me as a very wise idea.

Speaking of much geology, Silver Fox has more delicious pictures up from her Oregon trip here, here and here.  I have three items on my agenda now: visit the Petersen Rock Garden, the Dee-Wright Observatory, and get adopted by Silver Fox.

If that proves impossible, I'll settle for being adopted by Erik Klemetti, who also visits some of the most beautiful geology on earth - in this case, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, plus a few others. 

Look, I'm proud to be an engineer's daughter, but the field trips aren't half as lovely!  Sorry, Dad.

And, practically in my backyard, Brian Romans of Clastic Detritus has found an undersea volcano going boom, complete with live feed!  Living in the Ring of Fire has its compensations.  Oh, yes it does!

Fangirl Gets Noticed by the Rock Stars, Freaks the Hell Out

And when I say rock stars, I mean geobloggers.  Y'know, the real rock stars.

My darlings.  Please put down the handy throwable objects.  I promise that's the last silly pun in this post.  Now stop aiming at my head.  Thank you.

Now, allow to 'splain, or at least sum up.  Earlier today, several geobloggers I admire (and some I'd never heard of) were discussing Scientopia's sad lack of geology on Twitter, and I threw in my two cents as a reader by telling them to storm the gates.  I happen to believe every good general science blogging network should have a hefty helping of geobloggers, and it's about damned time geology got some respect.  Leaving geology out of a science collective is Just Not Right.  It gives the impression geology isn't a hard science, or isn't science worthy of equal standing with other branches of science, and it makes it damned hard for readers like me to track down good geoblogging.  Travesties all.

Of course, I expected no response to said tweet.  I'm just an interested amateur egging on the professionals.  Do not consider myself a scienceblogger nor geoblogger.  Take no notice of me, folks, except as a fan cheering you on.  I went grocery shopping.  I lounged on the porch and debated knocking on the neighbors' door to ask them to please shut the window because their activities were a distraction.  Came back in, checked my email, and just about fell out of my chair, because Twitter was informing me that Actual Professional Geologists such as Ron Schott and Silver Fox were now following me.  Not only that, I had a comment from Real Live Geoblogger Lockwood welcoming me to the Geoblogosphere and saying he'd gotten here by way of Ron Schott's shared items feed.

It was about this time my mind said, "ZOMG WTF oshitoshitoshit."

I figured I'd given some poor souls the wrong impression.  I'm a potty-mouthed political blogger who sometimes pontificates poorly on science, but spends quite a bit of time ranting about religion, wanking about writing, and generally going off on whatever else catches my atten - ooo, shiny.  Where was I?  Oh, yes - there was a wild moment of terror in which I wondered if my next step would have to be applying to U-Dub for an actual degree.  Then I realized that Ron would've had to comb through all that other stuff to find the actual geology, that my welcome message gives some hints, and that my science posts are usually pretty well-hedged about with the "I'm no professional" and "I have no idea what the fuck I'm talking about" disclaimers, so I could probably stop the I'm-not-worthy routine.  Still, I feel a bit like I would if Neil Gaiman suddenly dropped by ye olde blog and then told his friends and fans that I'm an SF writer worthy of their attention.  I'd wonder if the poor bugger had gone completely mad.

And then I'd wonder what I'd have to do to really earn that esteem.

But, just in case some new folks swing by the cantina with certain expectations that I am, at this time, unable to meet, let's be clear: I'm a rank amateur whose amateurish attempts at blogging about geology, biology and whatever other bits of science caught my attention that day are buried amid the detritus of politics, atheism, catblogging, squees about music, and, in the right season, fiction writing. 

I've taken one (1) class in actual geology, a class in physical geography, and zero (0) in any other science.  All I know, I've learned from blogs and books.  And what I know ain't much.

Why, then, do I bother to blog about science at all?  Follow me after the jump, and I'll try to explain myself.