We live in an age where nobody has time to read and few people even have the time to look at pictures. That’s why we live in a world of icons. I like the witty ones.
Those dreadfully clever people at Science Creative Quarterly pulled together a big group of them, then turned them into merit badges for their new society of scientist/communicators. This left-hand column shows three of my favorite badges, ones I hope to earn.
The group’s called the O.O.T.S.S.O.E.R.A.A.A.P., and if you want to know what that stands for you’re just going to have to Look It Up!, which coincidentally is the slogan of the devastatingly clever blog Librarian Avengers.
I mention them because the chief Avenger has compiled a set of icons to warn prospective moviegoers about abuses that occur onscreen. That’s the second (greener) column on the right, above.
In case you haven’t got their meanings completely worked out yet, here they are:
The”destroyer of quackery” badge
The “I may look like a scientist but I’m actually also a ninja” badge
The “I’m a freaking rock star who sings about science” badge
Rated B for British Accent Faked by American
Rated E for Escape-in-front-of-a-fireball
Rated K for Keyboard hacks Pentagon in two clicks
Rated R for Remake of a Better Film
and my favorite
Rated S for Scientific Content ≠ Reality
Now all we need is a set of Scribble icons to let you know whether new posts are worth reading or not… stay tuned.
In the meantime, please be advised that the comments button is now at the top of each post, just under the headline. I have received exactly ZERO comments since changing the page format. The lowly Scribbler has been trying to explain to Scribble High Command that the drop-off has nothing to do with Scribble Quality, but they’re having none of it.
So come on, folks, throw me a fricken bone here. (if only to show you know where that last sentence came from)
i’ve got some ideas for scribbler icons-one could be a dripping wetsuit, to denote that there was a prime surf session prior to blogging, or perhaps a chicken wing (in silhouette) to symbolize the role that late-night nutrition plays in blogging. Lastly, a magnetized technicolor structure signifying the multiple attempts at creating a lasting work of art…
Being a non-scientist interloper, I didn’t think it appropriate for me to comment before, but you asked for comments. I do have one question after reading this post-what’s the O.S.S.’s statute of limitations on “Exemplary Repute”?
I joke, I kid. But seriously, I do enjoy perusing the Scribble stories every now and then. Where else would I read (and hear) about the sound ocean vents make?
great icon ideas, charles – keep ’em coming!
And welcome to the mysterious interloper, o ye of the inscrutable e-mail and IP addresses. Please consider yourself cleared in hot for any and all future comments. Just because you don’t do science doesn’t mean you can’t talk about it. Thanks for reading.