Monthly Archives: February 2014

Will the Massachusetts Democratic Party Experience Democracy?

Posted on February 25, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Probably not. With Governor Deval Patrick leaving office at the end of this term, Democrats are jockeying to replace him. What’s unfortunate is the selection process for the Democratic nominee (boldface mine): Any statewide candidate who wants to be listed … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Massachusetts | 3 Comments

Leave No Child Behind, Except For Those In the Bottom Fifth

Posted on February 25, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Or, if you prefer, Race to the Top, except for the the slowpokes. From Chicago (boldface mine): Today we had a grade level meeting about the NWEA scores for the fourth grade students at my school. We teachers were all … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 2 Comments

Links 2/24/14

Posted on February 24, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Oxford Nanopore at AGBT 2014 No, GMOs Won’t Harm Your Health Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Why The Weather’s Been So Bad: As the U.K. floods and the U.S. freezes, blame it on increased … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Links 2/24/14

Sen. Marco Rubio Is an Economic Ignoramus Because He Hates the Arts

Posted on February 24, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

It would be nice if we could argue for the arts because, well, they’re the arts: civilization requires at the very least the veneer of acting civilized. However, this is not the 21st century America we have built, so everything … Continue reading →

Posted in The War on Art | 2 Comments

Guess What’s Linked to Increased Flu Hospitalizations?

Posted on February 24, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

You’ll never guess (boldface mine): “This year’s flu activity has predominantly been H1N1, the same strain that caused pandemic in 2009, and it hasn’t mutated substantially,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC in a press call Thursday. “It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Fucking Morons, Influenza, Public Health | Comments Off on Guess What’s Linked to Increased Flu Hospitalizations?

Links 2/23/14

Posted on February 23, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Sexism plagues major chemistry conference: Boycott emerges amid growing outrage Quantified Health Startup Exogen Bio Wants People To “Track and Hack” Their DNA Health AIDS TODAY: THE FACTS, FIGURES, AND TRAJECTORY OF A GLOBAL ILLNESS Innumeracy … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 1 Comment

One Boston Street That Doesn’t Get Plowed

Posted on February 23, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

It never occurred to me until I walked by it this weekend, but Acorn Street, one of the few cobblestone streets left in Boston, obviously doesn’t get plowed after a snowstorm: And:

Posted in Boston | 1 Comment

People Who Oppose a Living Wage Think Hunger Is Acceptable

Posted on February 23, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Image by Bettmann/CORBIS As we noted in “Flirting for food“, too often our political discourse (that is to say, we) erases real-world policy effects using sterile wonkish language. It’s worth remembering what opposition to a higher minimum wage means (boldface … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Links 2/22/14

Posted on February 22, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: No, Jane Austen Was Not a Game Theorist: Using science to explain art is a good way to butcher both Hanuman’s Bite: Temple Monkeys & Pathogen Swapping Failure to reproduce leads to retraction of Nature Chemical … Continue reading →

Posted in Lotsa Links | 3 Comments

(Some) Democrats Are Also the Reason Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Posted on February 22, 2014 by mikethemadbiologist

Commandante Atrios comments on another failed attempt by the Obama administration to cut Social Security benefits (the chained CPI–indexing; boldface mine): I’m not totally unfamiliar with various people in the White House. As Brian Beutler writes One of the White … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Fucking Morons, Social Security | 8 Comments