Sorry to be so uninteresting of late. While waiting for me to hammer my thesis together, why not read some fine web comics:
These have all been mentioned here before, but may prove novel to those who haven’t been paying very close attention. Feel free to suggest more to one another.
For random thesis mutterings, follow this link:
On the continuing matter of the thesis: I have masses of book and journal sources for my fourth chapter – on remedy design – but I need to work to keep the focus on the role of science. As such, the big question is what role scientists and scientific organizations play in the design and implementation of remedies to environmental problems generally, and specifically those involving climate change and persistent organic pollutants. While it is clear enough in the case of technical solutions and the development of substitute and alternative technologies, it is a lot less straightforward when the chosen approach is based on managing behaviour through economic or legal means. Should scientists calculate the maximum allowable level of emissions and then walk away from the process? Should their expertise translate into any kind of influence on political or ethical decisions?
The hardest thing is thinking about climate change as a research problem, rather than as a policy problem. The requirements of each of those treatments are rather different, though the latter is clearly much more important.
As for comics and webtoons: Homestar Runner and Making Fiends (as well as Big Bunny and Muffin Films) are some of my favourites.
Making Fiends? Interesting…
PvP and Penny Arcade are obvious examples.
Many more are linked on Wikipedia.
The most recent xkcd is an Ender’s Game joke. Orson Scott Card should be proud.
Such inside jokes are much of the fun of reading certain web comics. They help create the sense that there is a cadre of people out there, somewhere, with similar cultural experiences to your own.
One thing most people who have submitted an Oxford thesis probably don’t know:
“You may discover the names of persons who have consulted your thesis by writing to the Keeper of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Library requesting this information.”
You can watch my ongoing hammering on this wiki page.