It’s damn cold outside, so here are some links for you. Science first:

1. ScienceBlogling Razib discusses the genetics and social construction of race.
2. On the technology front, Europe has a better information technology infrastructure than the U.S.
3. ScienceBlogling Darren tells us about soft-shell turtles.
4. ScienceBlogling Greg Laden has a good roundup of all of the ‘evolution is just a theory’ debunkers.
5. Here’s an excellent piece about the agricultural economics of obesity.
6. Once the rainy season starts in Iraq, get ready for the cholera epidemic.

Other stuff:

1. Jon Swift lays out the rules of journalism.
2. The Dark Wraith explains why confusing flat taxes with proportional taxes matters. Maha has more.
3. Here are some very interesting observations about journalism by Robert Niles.
4. driftglass: everything changed after 11/2(/04).
5. Being on top of the service economy isn’t so good if you don’t have motivated servants.
6. Eric Alterman discusses debating for dummies.
7. Here’s a brief history of just how bad the Bush Administration economy has been.
8. Shorter Thoughts from Kansas: anger at Bush is the appropriate response (or at least vigorous criticism).