... to an age-old question.
And there was much rejoicing.
(Via Volokh.)
UPDATE: I have had the Plasma Physicist Who Lives In The Basement Of My House* look at this, and she confirms that the numbers and stuff seem to check out. She doesn't do biophysics, though.
*Of course, from her point of view my girlfriend and I are The Robotics Engineer and General Researcher Who Live In The Top Floor of Her House. As she likes to say, it's all relative.
What qualifies as a laden sparrow?
Posted by: Harley | November 23, 2003 at 10:37 AM
There's a partial answer in the FAQ section, harley. :)
Posted by: Moe Lane | November 23, 2003 at 10:41 AM
Whoops! Found here.
Posted by: Moe Lane | November 23, 2003 at 10:42 AM
But that still doesn't tell us what your favourite colour is.
Posted by: James Casey | November 23, 2003 at 11:26 AM
More impotantly, some watery bint handed out scimitars is no basis for a system of government.
Posted by: spc67 | November 23, 2003 at 11:56 AM
As she likes to say, it's all relative.
So, she's your sister?
Posted by: Slartibartfast | November 23, 2003 at 04:18 PM
The swallows that live under my deck here in California can do 30mph laden and about 38 unladen. No wonder Europe and Africa are in the shape they're in.
Posted by: RDB | November 24, 2003 at 12:43 AM
General Researcher? What's that?
Whatever it is, it sounds like a cool job....
Posted by: Kevin Drum | November 24, 2003 at 07:04 PM
"General Researcher? What's that?"
Somebody who takes an almost-Masters degree in Library Science and uses it to get various research-oriented jobs at about 10K more a year than he would have gotten if he had finished said Masters degree*.
There is a lesson there. :)
"Whatever it is, it sounds like a cool job...."
It has its moments. Mostly in convincing coworkers that I am Research Man, when in reality I'm mostly Look It Up On Google Man.
Well, I do have the ability to think like the guy who made the database - first rule: you don't need to know what it is, just where somebody'd put it; second rule: you also just need to know the three most likely places a well-meaning idiot would put it; third rule: when in doubt, misspell the hard words and see where that gets you - but I had that going in to library school. I think.
Moe
*Because they won't hire a MLS, as they think they'd just leave within six months and go work in a library. A fallen librarian who won't be taking final vows, on the other hand...
Posted by: Moe Lane | November 24, 2003 at 09:23 PM
Dude! I was the proud participant in two semesters of library school. (Also outearning the librarians in the vicinity). I didn't realize it was actually a "career path." :)
Posted by: MattK/D1 | November 24, 2003 at 10:51 PM
"I didn't realize it was actually a "career path.""
What, you thought you were the only one who figured out that trick? :)
Posted by: Moe Lane | November 25, 2003 at 01:08 AM