Monthly Archives: February 2013

A Question About Next Generation Sequencing

Posted on February 25, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

If you follow the science bloggysphere, especially after a genomics conference, you will often come across the phrase “next generation sequencing”, often abbreviated to “NGS.” It typically refers to sequencing technologies that can generate massive amounts of sequencing relative to … Continue reading →

Posted in Genomics | 4 Comments

Open Access Advocates, Welcome to Liberalville

Posted on February 25, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Because you too get to experience the awesomeness of sweeping incrementalism! By now, you might have heard about the White House’s new policy to make most federally funded research publications publicly available 12 months after publication. This is an improvement, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Conservatives, Democrats, Publishing | 1 Comment

Links 2/24/13

Posted on February 24, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Rethinking Grant Reviews PLoS Genetics blew it by publishing a 23andme paper What’s the Matter With Vermont? Anti-vaccine activists derailed a bill that could have blunted the whooping cough epidemic. Dear ENCODE…. Rare octopus breeding in … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment

The Political Press Needs Its Own Yom Kippur

Posted on February 24, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

From Ed at Gin and Tacos, this is brilliant (boldface mine): Last week was the tenth anniversary of Colin Powell’s speech to the UN Security Council about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction on February 5, 2003…. I propose that … Continue reading →

Posted in Fucking Morons, Iraq, News Media | 1 Comment

With Actual Republicans, Compromise Is Futile: Hatred Is Still the Base

Posted on February 24, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Though pundits can still write columns about imaginary moderate ones, I guess. Below the fold (since it’s offensive), I have what passes for humor among some Republicans. But this isn’t any Republican–it’s the GOP chairwoman of the most populous county … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Racism | 1 Comment

Links 2/23/13

Posted on February 23, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: NIH-Funded Researchers Begin Trial of Shigella Vaccine Candidates Pheidole cephalica – major worker. A Cardiac Conundrum A Statement from Ubiome and Some Final Thoughts Mislabeled fish a widespread problem Other: Actually, Mr. Brill, Fixing Healthcare IS … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 2/23/13

What Do You Mean ‘Our Taxes’, Kemosabe?

Posted on February 23, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

With the sequestration mess rolling on, Republican Congresswoman Martha Roby of Alabama declared: It’s unconscionable to use our military men and women in uniform as a bargaining chip to raise our taxes. I don’t think she realizes that with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Fucking Morons, Taxes | 5 Comments

An Inalienable Right to Not Be Insulted By Public Servants?

Posted on February 23, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Having lived in a few states, I find that the Massachusetts Legislature is actually one of the more competent legislative bodies in the U.S. Mind you, that’s mostly damning with faint praise. Nonetheless, we are typically spared the routine legislative … Continue reading →

Posted in Massachusetts, WhatEVAH! | 4 Comments

Links 2/22/13

Posted on February 22, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: What Kind of Dog Was Pavlov’s Dog? Association of Coffee Drinking with Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Is The uBiome Project Performing Human Subjects Research Without IRB Approval? If a $300K poo is left in the woods, … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 2/22/13

Two Issues With Null Hypothesis Testing

Posted on February 22, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

There’a PLoSOne article, “High Impact = High Statistical Standards? Not Necessarily So” that will probably get a lot of discussion. It describes the misuse of null hypothesis testing (“NHST”), which is: NHST starts by assuming that a null hypothesis, H0, … Continue reading →

Posted in Statistics | 2 Comments