Monthly Archives: December 2012

Links 12/11/12

Posted on December 11, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Prehistoric rhino reveals secrets Dennis Kruse, Indiana State GOP Senator, Pushes Creationism In Schools Via ‘Truth In Education’ Bill Beware all you field researchers The Bedbug Bunk: How the New York Times Used Fear and Misinformation … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment

Kristof Is Missing the Point About Supplemental Security Income

Posted on December 11, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Sunday, Nicholas Kristof scribbled this on the NY Times op-ed page: THIS is what poverty sometimes looks like in America: parents here in Appalachian hill country pulling their children out of literacy classes. Moms and dads fear that if kids … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Conservatives, Education | 2 Comments

The Asymmetry of ‘Shared Sacrifice’: You Can’t Have Skin in the Game When You’ve Been Cut to the Bone

Posted on December 11, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

As all of our artificial fiscal crises reach full screech, you’ll be hearing a lot about ‘shared sacrifice’, the notion that we all have to pitch in and solve these (relatively) trivial problems. The problem is that some people have … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, I For One Welcome Our Austerity Overlords, Social Security | 1 Comment

Links 12/10/12

Posted on December 10, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: What koalas can teach us about human evolution and disease. Yassar Arafat and the Radioactive Cigarette GATK is a Research Tool. Clinics Beware. (a key thing to note is when outside groups run GATK, they don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 2 Comments

A Very Confused Cherry Tree

Posted on December 10, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

This cherry tree in Boston’s Public Garden really isn’t getting the whole concept of December–and it hasn’t been that warm recently: Maybe it thinks it’s a rose?

Posted in Boston, Plants | Comments Off on A Very Confused Cherry Tree

Texas Republicans Discover When You Stop Funding Birth Control You Get More Births–Why Conservatism Is Not a Serious Philosophy of Governance

Posted on December 10, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Paging Captain Obvious–please report to the Great State of Texas (boldface mine): When state lawmakers passed a two-year budget in 2011 that moved $73 million from family planning services to other programs, the goal was largely political: halt the flow … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Fucking Morons, Let's Talk About Sex, Baby, Public Health | 1 Comment

Links 12/9/12

Posted on December 9, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: City birds use cigarette butts to smoke out parasites: Lining nests with material from discarded cigarettes may help keep out parasitic mites. Physics Says No to Warp Drives, but NASA Says Maybe Cruel new fact of … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment

Some Advice for the GOP Secessionists

Posted on December 9, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

By now, you might have heard about the PPP poll in which twenty-five percent of Republicans wanted their state to secede from the Union, and another nineteen percent were on the fence. Never mind that secession is just emigration for … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Fucking Morons, Secession | Comments Off on Some Advice for the GOP Secessionists

The Divided Government Canard

Posted on December 9, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Hendrik Hertzberg makes a very good point about the canard of divided government: Actually, “people”—a majority of voters, or even a nontrivial minority—never “intend” divided government. Most people always vote straight Democratic or straight Republican, which means that most people … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Voting | 1 Comment

Links 12/8/12

Posted on December 8, 2012 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Developments in next generation sequencing – a visualisation What do drug dealers and drug reps have in common? Concerns arise in Chinese bid for genomics firm (I have no problem with a national industrial plan–these are … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment