07 February 2007

And a-one and a-two...

Two bits today my blogger friends...

The first is an AP photo of Astronaut Lisa Nowak. She is the one with the coat on her head.



I can understand why some people, while leaving or entering court, cover their faces but honestly, Lisa Nowak? You are a freaking astronaut. It isnt like there's no footage of you out there. In fact, there are hours of tape where you are floating around the space station with an american flag behind you. You think covering your head now is going to somehow make you feel better? Make people forget what you look like or perhaps get them to think, "I cant see her face; it must be some other Lisa Nowak-NASA Astronaut"




Then, while browsing the interweb i read this article about Richard Leakey and the Turkana Boy.

This kind of article sets me off for a number of reasons, usually the ongoing (but lord only knows why-yuk yuk) debate of evolution v. creationism. However, today what really bothered me is that they described Richard Leakey as "one of the planet's best-known fossil hunters." Fossil hunters? Come on man. Leakey is a paleoanthropologist not just a guy just looking for old shit. This just reinforces the idea that we are all just out for some kind of treasure or adventure. Indiana Jones types...Something that this guy doesnt help with either...



Any archaeologist can tell you how boring and insufferable archaeology can be. Hardly ever do we go to places like egypt. In fact, most of our time is spent in place like this:



or this:



or this:





Needless to say, Leakey is a scientist and deserves respect...yes, just like the rest of us...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You said it, sister! I get so tired of people who, upon finding out that I'm an archaeologist, say things like, "That must be so much fun! I wish I could do that instead of my REAL job." Like all I'm doing is jet-setting around the world searching for treasure, having exotic sex in faraway places, and in general not working. When in reality I'm sitting in the lab washing dirt and unknown amounts of toxic heavy metals off of rocks using a toothbrush and bowl of water. A crew member last year came up with a good retort for those people. "Hey, why don't you go fuck yourself?"

Anonymous said...

Just ask this scientician. He'll tell you...

Anonymous said...

Hey, how come that person gets a fancy ass, hangs by itself screen, when I have to haul mine up everytime I use it? Not fair.

I also love when they start going on and on about dinosaurs. Maybe I should just go into paleontology and save myself a migraine ;D

Bird said...

But jackie...do you see how low that screen is? At least now you can semi-stand and shake. Not to mention sit on a bucket and let the dirt slide to you.