Hahahaha. I have to laugh. You do, too, after you listen up to S4theB! episode 47, all about the Ig Nobel Awards. Our very own Vanderbilt Professor Randolph Blake has garnered one of these cherished awards, one of ten annually awarded for "achievements that 'first make people laugh, and then make them think.'" (Source, Wikipedia) The fantastic Melanie Moran at the Vanderbilt Register has graciously permitted me to rob her blind by sharing audio from her great online post about Dr. Blake's accomplishment, including sound files of scraping fingernails and a terrified chimpanzee (you'll just have to listen to understand!). This show's music is our first use of the fanTAStic Magnatune website, which offers free use of its catalog for podcasters and very competitively priced purchases of a vast array of independent music in just as vast an array of genres. And I love their tagline: "We are not evil." Simply put, elegantly stated. Songs today are from hammer dulcimer virtuoso Jamie Janover and Tennessee acoustic duo Heavy Mellow (LOL). And I lead out with one of my own tunes from my "Songs for Alaska" CD. Why? Because I CAN, silly!!! Listen up here or click the Podcast Pickle player uptop! Links: Vanderbilt Register Ig Nobel article by Melanie Moran (and VUCast Audio) Wikipedia Ig Nobel entry Improbable Research Worldstart.com

R.I.P., ya'll, and that doesn't mean "rest in peace," but rather the Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach "Research Internship Program," designed by our own Dr. Virginia Shepherd and Glenn McCombs and implemented by program director Dr. Christina Peterson. Episode 46 features some audio grabbed at a marvelous reception honoring the students and facilitators of the CSO's successful Research Internship Program that pairs high school juniors with Post-Doctoral and researcher mentors. Come to the party! Then, at your leisure, check out the pics of the original summer program's poster session at Picassa. Music today is from the Podsafe Music Network, a nice classical piece called "Overture, Suite from Les Fetes" by Rameau, performed by the stunning chamber group American Baroque, and a repeat from a favorite New Orleans rock band Brain Buckit, called "Rocket Science!" There's not much online about the program excepting the application and such at the CSO website, but check that out if you'd like to! Download Episode 46 here or click the Podcast Pickle Player up top to play. See the CSO website for all episodes! Cheerio, Scott