With Christmas around the corner (and the continued rush for belated Hanukkah gifts), here’s my take on the very best pick for your friend or family member always lugging around a cumbersome laptop shoulder bag. (If they’re like me, they rarely leave home without it).

The North Face Surge is the coolest pack I’ve tried. I no longer have a sore shoulder walking to work or a power cord bulging awkwardly out a side pocket not meant to accommodate it. Instead, frequent walks through airport security are a breeze and the balanced pressure across my back makes me forget I have it on at all. On top of that, there are so many storage compartments, everything you need for a quick trip fits nicely inside, while the pack itself remains sleek. I have the asphalt grey/diamond blue version but it comes in four colors for women and five for men.

In short, it may look like just another daypack, but The North Face Surge has changed my life by making travel a bit easier. It’s a great gift for anyone who depends on their laptop as much as I do.

Thanks to readers for all of your great suggestions in comments and over email about burr removal.

Pup and I have persevered.

This morning David and I got up much too early to drive out to hill country in order to collect switchgrass. It was hot, sunny, and muddy, but mission accomplished! On the ride home, we noticed thousands of baby spiders crawling around the back seat, but fortunately, it was his car.

Now to clean up before the afternoon meetings. But first, a question:

During the adventure, our pup got covered in little sticky burrs. I’ve already pulled out several dozen by hand and begun the tedious task of removing the rest with scissors. So I turn to our dog experts out there…

Do you think it’s worth cutting them all out, or will they fall away eventually on their own? Advice welcome and appreciated!

Several long-time Intersection readers have emailed asking how I feel about being included on a list of “sexy scientists” at Common Sense Atheism. On that thread, someone named “Hansen” noted:

Oh dear, you may be in serious trouble now for placing Sheril Kirshenbaum on that list.

The link leads to Singled Out: My response from March 2009 to the hullabaloo and broader discussion in the science blogosphere after I joined the Discover Network.

Blogger Luke Muehlhauser followed up with a second post asking whether he’s sexist based on what I wrote back then. [The context on why I composed it could have been clearer.] Initially, I hesitated to get involved because it’s an area that has been discussed in detail here already. But Luke took the time to contact me himself and seems polite and genuinely interested in my perspective. I looked back at Common Sense Atheism and the growing discussion that’s now over 300 comments. It’s mostly a thoughtful discourse and you can follow along here.

Since so many people seem to assume they know what I’d say or how I feel, I’ve decided it’s worth weighing in myself. Luke appears to be open-minded, so I will think on this over the weekend. I’ll have a response on Monday, but please remember that I can only express my individual perspective, not serve as some kind of representative for any “camp.”

In the mean time, I invite our readers to share your opinions in comments. Would you call Luke sexist? Be offended or flattered to land on a “sexy” list? Do you feel these are harmful or harmless fun?

[Update: Luke's follow up post]

Two years ago Ed Yong wanted to find out about who was reading his blog and started a thread to see what kind of information he could gather. Now Ed’s revived the meme and science bloggers all around the interwebs are joining in. We think it’s a great idea, so here’s where you come in…

In the comments below, tell me who you are, what your background is and what you do. What’s your interest in science and your involvement with it? How did you come to this blog, how long have you been reading, what do you think about it, and how could it be improved?

But really, these questions are a rough guide. I’m working on the basis that what you have to say will be far more interesting than what I think you might say.

After eight years and just over 100,000 miles together, I must, sadly, donate my 2002 Honda CRV. The New England winters during grad school took a heavy toll. Rust is eating out the vehicle from the inside and various panels have fallen off from underneath. Nothing can be done. This year the AC stopped. The battery died. The caliper needed replacement.  The gear shift locked in park. Finally over the weekend, AAA came to tow the car away again..this time beyond repair. So it goes.

Now don’t get me wrong, I loved my Honda and it served me well. But I’m now in need of something new. I want a reliable model with good mpg, all-wheel drive, and most of all, a great safety rating. It must be affordable and sturdy enough to handle the occasional trip to an off-road field site. Not too large, yet able to carry heavy equipment (or at times, a feisty sun conure).

So I turn to the car experts out there… What do you recommend and what are you driving?

I’m glad to finally be able to announce that today I begin my new position at The University of Texas at Austin. I’m joining the Webber Energy Group as a research scientist at the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy.

Here at The Intersection, I’ll be exploring a myriad of related topics from renewables to fossil fuels (including oil spills) to thermodynamics, and so much more. I’m really looking forward to the discussions that will ensue.

As I wrote last week, if we want to establish better energy institutions, it’s up to us to make it so. Given the enormous challenges we face, improving public understanding of related issues is a big part of the solution and more important than ever.

Some readers have already requested energy topics in a previous thread and I continue to be very interested in your questions. Also, if there are specific subjects you’d like to see covered, leave ideas in comments below.

With that, I’m off to work… Hook ‘Em Horns!

Over the past three years, I’ve blogged nearly every day at least once. Today I’m going on vacation… without a laptop!

For the month of May, The Intersection will return to its roots as Chris Mooney flies solo once again, but he’ll be in excellent company: I’ve lined up a series of terrific guest bloggers that will appear throughout the month! Readers can look forward to diverse contributions from several terrific writers and scientists and I hope you’ll welcome them here and participate in comments.

By the time I return, I’ll be 30 times round that spectacular star of ours. So see you in June!

For those not already familiar with the original ‘mud flap girl,’ compare here. In my opinion, this one’s far more attractive.

Having now been here a couple of weeks, I can say that Austin is possibly the best place I’ve lived–or at least ranks alongside New York. I’ll wait a few months to decide for sure, as it doesn’t count until I’ve made it through the summer heat.

So far I’ve been exploring town on foot and meeting all sorts of friendly people. Breakfast tacos are the staple and there are fresh avocados everywhere. Dogs and bicycles are popular, flip-flops are ‘the Austin work boot’, and wildflowers abound thanks to Lady Bird Johnson.

I’ve been hanging out with a lot of great folks involved in energy and recently toured a coal power plant. I also visited Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge which offers great birding opportunities. And since it’s Austin, it was easy to find a group of talented guys to play music with. Something about this place already feels like home.

CM’s on the way over to visit, so I’m hoping the city inspires him to pick up his guitar again…