GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
Welcome to the second year of Carnival of the Liberals! I managed to gather together a wide array of essays that discuss various aspects of liberalism that you might enjoy reading and commenting on over the upcoming holidays. So, without further ado, let's get started;
The Fifth Column investigates how to curb the spread of fanaticism. Another essay from the same blog that will resonate with you asks if political smear campaigns are out of control?
Jen at One Plus Two writes about The American Dream, asking whether her life is truly fulfilled if yours is not?
My blog pal, Coturnix, nominated this essay from another blog for your reading pleasure; Johnny And The Golden Eggs where the author, Neil, argues that 2009 will present Democrats with a historic opportunity.
Zeno at Halfway There writes about tax cuts and how George Bush is no Jack Kennedy.
In response to a reader's comment, Cicero's Songs muses at length about what do Liberal Democrats stand for?
Hakim Abdullah talks about how nationalist ideologies are no different than the secular tribal orders and comes to the conclusion that muslims must move beyond tribal wars that are masked in diplomacy, because there are peaceful solutions to Palestine and Israel, they just have not been accessed yet.
The World Wide Webers contributed Meaning in the Constitution and the Bible, which discusses how thoughful reading of both the constitution and the bible are essential for deciphering the intended meaning of these documents.
Avant News takes some time to about how write the 3rd Iraq Study Group Report and calls for iterative -izations, which talks about political semantics that might be used to present the situation in Iraq to the people.
For something a little lighter, Mad Kane's Political Madness writes a limerick called Ode To Diminished Expectations.
The 29th issue of Carnival of the Liberals will be published in early January. Please use this form to submit an essay for consideration.
