Monthly Archives: December 2013

Links 12/11/13

Posted on December 11, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: The real HPV controversy from Katie Couric’s show, her expert Can we avoid an antibiotic apocalypse? 23andMe Releases a Sample of Their New V4 File: First Look and Analysis (now they’re getting whacked by the geneologists) … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment

The Establishment Has Learned Nothing From Iraq: The Syrian Chemical Weapons Edition

Posted on December 11, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Does this sound familiar? Boldly rushing forward to the past, our intelligence agencies are (boldface mine): The NSA would of course monitor Assad’s office around the clock if it could, the former official said. Other communications – from various army … Continue reading →

Posted in CIA Spy Shit, Iraq, Syria | 3 Comments

Some Thoughts on “Die, Selfish Gene, Die”

Posted on December 11, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

I’m often reluctant to get involved in online debates over the philosophy of biology as they usually shed more heat than light. That said, I’m going to do something stupid and comment on David Dobbs’ recent Aeon article “Die, selfish … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution | 4 Comments

Links 12/10/13

Posted on December 10, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Increase in breast cancer gene screening: the Angelina Jolie effect 23 and You: Does that commercial DNA test you just bought violate somebody else’s privacy? Diet Drugs Work: Why Won’t Doctors Prescribe Them? The Pap smear … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 12/10/13

Higgs and No Slack in the System

Posted on December 10, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Peter Higgs, of the Higgs boson and Nobel Prize recipient, recently had this to say about the state of science (boldface mine): Peter Higgs, the British physicist who gave his name to the Higgs boson, believes no university would employ … Continue reading →

Posted in Jobs | 3 Comments

I’m Now Blue in the Face: It’s Not the Premiums, But the Co-Pays and Deductibles

Posted on December 10, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

I’ve written this many times before, but maybe people will believe it now that the NY Times writes about it (boldface mine): For months, the Obama administration has heralded the low premiums of medical insurance policies on sale in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Healthcare | 3 Comments

Links 12/9/13

Posted on December 9, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Anthropology After No Future Is Your Pee The Right Color? Standardized tests discriminate against the next Einsteins and Teslas Leaping Land Fish Has Perfect Camouflage, Is Not a Hoax Yep that’s an Australian Wedge Tailed eagle … Continue reading →

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Anti-Vaxxers Are Now Anti-Vitamin K-ers

Posted on December 9, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

When I started reading this article about the increasing number of parents who don’t want to give their newborns a vitamin K shot (this greatly reduces the chance of hemorrhaging from vitamin K deficiency bleeding), I said to myself, “Damn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fucking Morons, Vaccination | 4 Comments

Crazy Ants and the Hidden Collapse of Scientific Infrastructure

Posted on December 9, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

One of the ridiculous things about many depictions of science in TV and movies is the notion that there’s this huge infrastructure: shiny labs (which are always neat and spacious), high-tech this and that, and an army of workers to … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Insects | 6 Comments

Links 12/8/13

Posted on December 8, 2013 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Birds Will Attack Amazon’s Delivery Drones Researchers Link Earthquakes In Texas To Fracking Process This island life: The strange biology of island populations highlights the role of chance, not just selection, in evolutionary change Could Yellow … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | Comments Off on Links 12/8/13