Monthly Archives: October 2011

Links 10/26/11

Posted on October 26, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Trouble in the algae lab for Craig Venter and Exxon Nature Adds Water, and Everything Mushrooms Guest Post: Love the Tyrant, Not the Hype The Fading of Fall: Why the bright red leaves of New England … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 10/26/11

This Is Not Helping the Future of Science

Posted on October 26, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Because Science with a capital S doesn’t happen without individual scientists: Text: I want to be a successful scientist, but if I can’t afford the required education I’ll have to settle for less. I’m having a very hard time finding … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Funding | Comments Off on This Is Not Helping the Future of Science

How Much Should Money Cost? And Who’s Making the Profit?

Posted on October 26, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

As we move towards electronic financial transactions–which also means the de facto privatization of money–we increasingly run the risk of rent extraction. That is, we will be charged exorbitant fees for using our own money. Actually, it doesn’t seem like … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Economics | Comments Off on How Much Should Money Cost? And Who’s Making the Profit?

Links 10/25/11

Posted on October 25, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: ‘Huge’ shark massacre reported in Colombia No pollen grains were harmed in the writing of this dissertation. Scathing Report: Polio Eradication “Not… Any Time Soon” Other: Why Are You Hitting Yourself? An intro to System Justification … Continue reading →

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We Defeat Them When We Win: The Failure of Evidence and Rhetoric

Posted on October 25, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Having disagreed with Chris Mooney over this subject in the past, I’m pleasantly surprised to read this in a post about a quasi-former climate skeptic’s inability to debunk global warming (boldface mine): So whatever “data” come out, hard core “skeptics” … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Environment, Global Warming | Comments Off on We Defeat Them When We Win: The Failure of Evidence and Rhetoric

When Education ‘Reformers’ Are Willfully Ignorant

Posted on October 25, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Matthew Yglesias seems to have created a cottage industry of willfully misunderstanding the role of poverty in education. His latest (emphasis his; boldface mine): Erik Loomis stands up for teachers by asserting that their professional skills are irrelevant to poor … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 1 Comment

Links 10/24/11

Posted on October 24, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: The economics of science blogging. Economics of open-source publishing Major study on schizophrenia, bipolar 25 Dead From Melons: FDA Points to Packing Facility (my thoughts here) Other: First look at US pay data, it’s awful How … Continue reading →

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The College Tuition Is Too Damn High (And How to Lower It)

Posted on October 24, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

One of the key underpinnings of the broad support for the Occupy Wall Movement is the massive amount of student debt many people have incurred–and unlike other debt, this debt can’t be discharged in bankruptcy (as far as I can … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Taxes | 2 Comments

Links 10/23/11

Posted on October 23, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Think it through all the way, “seasoned” reviewer…. Alternative Vaccination Schedules Beware the Long Tail: Economic models of risk don’t add up, cadre of researchers caution (nice discussion of power laws) Lopped Off: Removal of top … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 10/23/11

So When Will It Be Fashionable For Biologists to Tell Everyone What to Do? (And Screw It All Up?)

Posted on October 23, 2011 by mikethemadbiologist

Warning: heavy snark content. Kevin Drum has an encouraging post about how a major global warming denialist skeptic has been forced to conclude that global warming is real (although, like Atrios, I think the lighting-stuff-on-fire industries will just find someone … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Comments Off on So When Will It Be Fashionable For Biologists to Tell Everyone What to Do? (And Screw It All Up?)