Monthly Archives: February 2013

Links 2/28/13

Posted on February 28, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: There Should Be Grandeur: Basic Science in the Shadow of the Sequester (excellent, though you’ve heard it here before) The Social and Ecological Integration of Captive-Raised Adolescent Male African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) into a Wild Population … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 2/28/13

When’s the Last Time You’ve Heard a Bailed-Out Investment Banker or a Defense Contractor Say This?

Posted on February 28, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Money I have in existing grant for my summer salary will go to pay my students in absence of NSF funding. #studentsfirst #sequester — skullsinthestars (@drskyskull) February 27, 2013 I’m guessing never. Just saying. Anger is the appropriate emotion.

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Funding, I For One Welcome Our Austerity Overlords | 2 Comments

The People Prefer Plan C

Posted on February 28, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

No, that’s not a new form of contraception. Business Insider and Survey Monkey conducted a poll asking people to indicate which of three sequestration-avoidance plans they preferred (or letting the sequester happen), but they were very clever. They labelled the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Fucking Morons, News Media | 5 Comments

Links 2/27/13

Posted on February 27, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: “Shithead was a unique individual”….the quirks and foibles of Komodo Dragons A 3 Billion Dollar Mistake: Why the American government should think twice about a Brain Activity Map (BAM) Roger Highfield: ‘Raise your IQ instantly — … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment

Sequestration Will Be the New Normal

Posted on February 27, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

One thing about the sequestration (the across the board budget cuts that will take place March 1) that most people don’t realize is that they are supposed to be the new baseline, the ‘new normal.’ I suspect a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Fucking Morons | 2 Comments

So I Really Did Get Overcharged for a Saline IV

Posted on February 27, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

By now, you might have come across this Time article by Stephen Brill about the completely ridiculous price scheme in our medical non-system. Here’s one example (boldface mine): The top billing categories were $73,376 for Scott’s room; $94,799 for “RESP … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Healthcare | 2 Comments

Links 2/26/13

Posted on February 26, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Ecologists need to do a better job of prediction – Part III – mechanistic or phenomenological? (excellent) How to Build a Giant Dinosaur A simpler explanation for the sociality-haplodiploidy connection? In a Tiny NY Village, Bacteria … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 2/26/13

Boston Has Thieving Zombies

Posted on February 26, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

By way of Universal Hub, we come across the following Boston police report (boldface mine): The 27 year old female victim informed officers she was walking down Green Street near High Street when two white males asked her for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Boston, Crime Pays? | 2 Comments

What Sequestration Means to Me As a Scientist

Posted on February 26, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

For those who don’t know, on March 1, the sequester of the federal budget kicks in, which will reduce federal spending across the board by about eight percent for all non-military items (military spending is cut by about nine percent). … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, I For One Welcome Our Austerity Overlords, NIH | 2 Comments

Links 2/25/13

Posted on February 25, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: White House opens more federally funded scientific research to the public International Arbiter of Animal Names Faces Financial Woes Informatics Tools Underutilized in Prevention of Hospital-Acquired Infection NDM-1 Superbug Discovered in a Cat in the USA … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 2/25/13