Scirus: Google for Science Sites

I've just discovered Scirus, a search engine that indexes only science-related content, especially that contained in peer-reviewed publications.

The front page and basic-search are Google-like in their simplicity, but the advanced search is where the engine shines, giving you pulldown menu-powered Boolean operators and search narrowing by information type, file format, content source and subject area.

But why should we really use it? Because, "if you search on Dolly, Google finds Dolly Parton, Scirus finds the cloned sheep."

Using Electronic Journal Indices on the Macintosh

Some of the electronic academic journal indices I use for grad school, like EBSCOhost, don't seem especially Macintosh-friendly. Clicking on the link to download the PDF full text of an article doesn't generate a PDF, it gives you "ContentServer.asp," which launches Apple System Profiler. I noticed the file downloaded invariably matched the size of the PDF file EBSCOhost claimed to be delivering, so I just renamed "ContentServer.asp" with a PDF extension and POOF! -- a usable PDF.

Sex Sells ... Popcorn

"Honey, thanks for the Colby Ridge Popcorn. I'll be upstairs."

-- Actual Lincoln, Neb., Valentine's-week radio commercial
I can't make this stuff up, folks.

Can a Blogging Client Overcome My Busyness?

My loyal readers must be groaning in agony waiting for the next pearlescent issuance of wisdom from this, their favorite blog when there's nothing else to read. To satisfy them I've downloaded Ecto, an OSX blogging client I hope will make blogging a bit easier. I'm one of those heathen scum who love Movable Type but don't like the Web interface, at least as it appears in Safari.

Notable in Ecto is a spell-checker whose dictionary contains neither "blog" nor "blogging." "Pearlescent" isn't in there either, but that was to be expected. :-) The first suggestion for blog is "log," for blogging it's "blooding," and for "pearlescent" you get -- nothing. And just in case you think I'm making up that word, here's the definition.

Here are some coming attractions:

• The Stats Cookbook, a collection of step-by-step recipes for statistics equations intended to help those of us who like words more than numbers, and like both better than any equation containing sigma.


• Photos of me climbing at the UNL Climbing Wall. I'm now climbing 5.8+, working on 5.9 before taking the lead-rope class. I have now lost 20, count 'em, 20 pounds climbing. It doesn't feel like exercise and, contrary to popular misconception, upper-body strength is not a prerequisite. You climb mostly with your leg muscles, which are strong in just about any person who's learned to walk.


• An update on my master's degree studies. One of my professors has a great sense of humor, so I'll be posting a few of his gems for posterity.

I should be studying right now. You could kill a reasonably sturdy large mammal with my reading list.