And speaking of

Well, and speaking of columnists, I guess, my favorite science whore Annalee Newitz has a new column March 2nd about women and science. Specifically, about the recent speech by Harvard president Larry Summers in which he pooh-poohed the idea that there is any kind of bias or discrimination or cumulative cultural effects behind the relative dearth of women in top-ranked science faculties. He puts it down to how women prefer to have children and how their minds just don't work like men's minds -- if they did, there would be more women in the sciences. Duh. Plus, the guys on the hiring committees just happen to prefer to hire guys just like themselves. They can't help this; it's I guess got something to do with how they are wired. Think about that for a minute -- especially the part with those two words "Harvard" and "president," right together. Coincidence? Ms. Newitz offers some useful advice to women seeking science gigs:

"So the next time a white guy is hired instead of you, just remember it's not really about discrimination or stereotyping. It's because the white guy interviewing you has a perfectly understandable – and probably biologically determined – taste for other white guys."

Whatever.

Newitz's Feb 9 column Henry Darger's Internet is also worth pointing out, as is -- oh hell, read her whole archive if you haven't already done so.