Archives for August, 2009
Swine Flu Information from PLoS and Google
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 PLoS Currents … is a Google/PLoS collaborative effort using Knol to consolidate and organize info about H1N1 novel influenza flu. The key goal of PLoS Currents is to accelerate scientific discovery by allowing researchers to share their latest findings and ideas immediately with the world’s scientific and medical communities. Google Knol’s features for community interaction,…
Krugman on Public Option: Republicans = nonsense
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 The middle twenty senators are all Democrats.
The West Wing Parody
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 The only TV series I ever watched (sine being a kid) was The West Wing. I didn’t watch the West Wing either. But then I met Amanda, and she was into watching the show, so the two of us took in the last year as it happened, then rented the whole thing and eventually saw…
Mech On Wolves
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 Mech originally characterized the “Alpha” pattern of behavior, and has subsequently (over the last forty years) modified this considerably. Science does indeed progress. However, I hasten to point out that this is a case of inverted skepticism. The change in how we view animal behavioral biology since the 1960s to now has changed in all…
I can’t believe what a total chump you are. Yes, you.
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 Corporate America removed Bush from office for the pragmatic reason that civilization would have collapsed had they not. Now, with Democrats resting on their laurels and drunk with power, Corporate America seeks to restructure the economy, the regulatory system, and society as benefits them most. Are you going to just let that happen? Stephanie Zvan…
ToDo List Item: Kill child because she converted to another religion.
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 Traditional Islam is so cool because it really sticks with the old ways, and that’s quaint. But it should be allowed to do this only in a museum where it might be safely kept away from actual people. Fathima Rifqa Bary is the 17-year-old girl who converted from Islam to Christianity. She packed up her…
Humans are no longer subject to Natural Selection (A falsehood)
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 Another look at falsehoods about evolution.
Happy Birthday Carr2D2
Posted by Greg Laden on August 24, 2009 A few months ago I was contacted by a person I didn’t know (but vaguely knew of) about being on a panel to discuss evolutionary biology and blogging and so on. Her name was Carrie Iwan. In fact, I think that still is her name. We had a number of professional and pleasant interactions via…
I am, like, really smart and stuff
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Take the Pew Research Center Interactive Science Quiz
Yet Another Over The Top Teabagger
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 This is crazy shit, man. The Heil Hitler Lady who “believes in Biblical values”, proves that she is a moron: Hat Tip Kristine, who has quite a bit more on her post at Amused Muse.
Rich on Conservative Violence
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Some time ago I mentioned that there would be an OpEd piece in the New York Times in a couple of days relating recent astroturfing and teabagging activities to a broader, more historical context. Well, the OpEd is out, and as expected, it is quite good.
Florida Governor Successfully Fends Off Hurricanes with Prayer.
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 There is a good argument here for closing down government programs for monitoring weather. And volcanoes. And stuff. Lou has all the wonderful amazing details here.
Scienceblogs.com in Beta!?!?
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Through a strange twist of fate, we have discovered this early version of Science Blogs. Have a look! I had commented on Facebook that I had run out of things to do on the Internet. So John Wilkins suggested I have a look at the Internet Archives, I suppose so I could do it all…
The anxiety of the threes
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 So, bad things come in threes, right? Well, no, we don’t believe that. This discussion came up after the recent death of Michale Jackson. A rumor of the death of another celebrity came along (that rumor was incorrect) and this somehow sparked a discussion of there “needing to be” a third death to fulfill the…
An Open Letter to Rachel Maddow
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Dear Rachel, Apropos this story: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy Rachel, you know I love you, but I have to tell you that you must have your staff put a little more effort into the details of reporting these vitally important stories. In Minneapolis, we (and when I…
Republican Party Leader Used Pistol to Intimidate Old Man
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Teabagger and GOP party chairman Charles McAffee pulled out his piece to intimidate a man who’s home he was photographing. McAffee was photographing the man’s house on behalf of Wells Fargo bank because of a mortgage related problem. When the man came out to find out what was going on it is said that McAffee…
Betsy McCaughey Bags 30K Bribe Source To Fix Image
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Betsy McCaughey (see this) has been receiving $30,000 per year from a medical supply company to be on their “board.” This is of course totally unrelated to her efforts to kill health care reform under both the Clinton and Obama administrations. And Pink Unicorns can fly. The name of the company that has been paying…
Glendon Mellow Arts Blog (must see)
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 Glendon Mellow has been blogging his art for some time, at The Flying Trilobite. But lately he “arted his blog” in the sense that he made a picture based on a statement which he had made in response to a bunch of blog posts. “…. accommodation of religion is akin to letting someone take your…
Internet Bully Jailed
Posted by Greg Laden on August 23, 2009 A TEENAGER who posted a death threat on Facebook has become the first person in Britain to be jailed for bullying on a social networking site. It appears that Keeley Houghton is a bully in real life, and has been bullying one Emily Moore for a few years. In fact, this is her third conviction.…
the electric field of a chirped pulse in a dispersive medium
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 What the heck is that? Who cares!?!? Just go look at the totally rad graphics Matt has invented out of pure theory.
Skepchick Karen Totally Sokalizes Haunted America Tours Blog!!!
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 Karen Stollznow Soks the Haunted America Tours Blog. Karen came up with a totally lame (yet nonetheless titillating) explanation for sexual arousal, wet dreams, and AM erections, made up a totally fake academic cover, and sent a writeup of this explanation to the ghost blog which, in turn, took the bait hook line and sinker.…
Change of plans. We’ll be at Crane Meadows Looking for Cranes
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 I had responded to the general in query “Where are you going to look for birds this weekend” by simply noting that we’d be going to “The Lake” (Minnesotan for a particular lake, the exact lake determined by context). But on the way up Amanda had the idea of going into Crane Meadow National Wildlife…
Nature Blogging Info
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 Don’t forget to make use of the Nature Blog Network’s blog, which recently posted a list of new nature blogs, and a community bulletin board. Also on NBN you’ll find a list of upcoming carnivals and an interview/highlight of a featured blog (currently, Southern Fried Science).
Blogospherics
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 Did Hominid STW 431 have Brucellosis? Afarensis wants to know. A Few Things Ill Considered looks at Ian Plimer’s novel ‘debunking’ Anthropogenic Global Warming. How wrong does Plimer have to be? A review of a new film: District 9: The future in the shadow of the past that is today Get an update on the…
When the big cat eats the black man
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 It was important that this man was thrown in jail. It is very bad that he is not spending more time there. Let me tell you why. The South African man convicted of feeding one of his ex-workers to the lions is due to be freed on parole shortly, after three years in jail. Mark…
Rachel Maddow Does Michele Bachmann
Posted by Greg Laden on August 22, 2009 It’s a quickie. Below the fold.
John Stewart pwns Betsy McCaughey
Posted by Greg Laden on August 21, 2009 Betsy McCaughey is the wackaloon who invented the idea that the Obama Health Care Plan would involve killing off all the old people. John Stewart and she spent a little time with a draft of the plan, going over details. Below the fold. (This video will probably start automatically)
Bachman Calls for Civil War over Health Care
Posted by Greg Laden on August 21, 2009 Last night on a conference call she asked for radical action on a state by state basis, implying that states who do not want health care reform should take arms against the government. Or something like that. Source: Rumor. So far. If I get more I’ll let you know.
, which is now available for the 
