The Open Laboratory: The Best Writing on Science Blogs 2007

OK -- so, the million-dollar question is:

Is UMSF considered a blog? Are posts here eligible for submission?

-the other Doug

http://www.planetary.org/blog
Blog

http://www.badastronomy.com
Blog

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com
Discussion Forum

The word Blog seems to be deployed for anything involving words and a the internet, and that is incorrect. A blog is something very specific and more specifically not a forum. A blog is the writings of one person (or their guest contributors) with or without comments in response. A forum is a group discussion.

Now go and submit everything Emily and Phil have ever written

Sorry - rant over.

I wasn't trying to incite a rant, Doug -- honest! After Alan Stern's reference to this particular forum as "the bloggers," I figured it was a reasonable request for clarification.

-the other Doug

It's just one of those things that gets me worked up. can see why the word blogger would get used ( there isn't really a noun for a forum participant ) - but not blog to desribe the place - it's just wrong....sick and wrong. Like small dogs being dressed up in small clothes. Just wrong.

Doug

I wasn't up to it tonight, but I was sorely tempted to dress up my small dog in something outrageous with an UMSF logo. But you're safe for the time being.

The obvious question for for me is, "Which science blog has the best writing about the kinds of science I am typically interested in, and which teaches others about the things that interest me." As far as I am concerned. Emily's Blog deserves to be up front and center in that competition. The only reason I haven't yet submitted a candidate from her postings is that I am having trouble finding a favorite one.

I don't want to sound patronizing to one of our favorite members, but her blog is one of the URLs I check every day. I can't keep up with all of UMSF on a daily basis, even though most of the sub-forums interest me. Emily seems to do an amazing job of culling various sources available to her, and posting very interesting summaries.

God Bless The Internets

I also hit both Planetary and Bad Astronomy daily (I used to be very active in Phil's BBS before the merge with Universe Today), as well as quite a few on scienceblogs.com, such as Pharyngula and The Loom. I like Astrobio.net as well.

I recommend Riding With Robots for some nice podcasts and eye candy.

Podcasts, blogs, forums, rss feeds... what a delicious goulash of formats we have in this series of tubes! So ditto your rant, Doug.

There's also Geek Counterpoint - it's not limited to space exploration themes but it's all good and when he gets to space related items it's solid gold.

Okay, you owe me, Doug: I never snorted coffee out of my nose before until I read that... ...good thing it was already cold!

BTW, if anyone's submitting nominations from here, don't forget Juramike...he's only submitted, oh, ten or so thesis-worthy things on Titan with supporting original research thus far during the brief period he's been on UMSF...(yeah; makes me wonder what the hell I do all day...gotta love this place and the people! )