The Most Terrifying Internet Timewaster EVAH!
Category: Bloggity Blog
Fear the Attractors.
Posted by Mike at 11:20 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Mike the Mad Biologist
Mad rantings about politics, evolution, and microbiology
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Profile
Mad rantings about politics, evolution, and microbiology. Comment policy: say what you want, but back it up with an email address. I don't like anonymous trolls.
Recent Posts
- Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Thing You Don't Expect to Hear in Boston
- Influenza and Money
- Photo Contest: What's Your Workbench Look Like?
- SUVs: Not Schadenfreude, but Accountability
- Tristero: It's Not the Politics, It's the Collection Plate
- One Quibble with (One of) Angry Bear's Rules for Discussing Climate
- How to Buy 'Liberal' Media Pundits
- Creationism and Molecular Evolution
- The Silly Distinction Between CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA
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Recent Comments
- Amanda Marcotte on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Felstatsu on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- phisrow on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Esteleth on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Mark on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Felstatsu on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Robert Ward on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- drdrA on Thing You Don't Expect to Hear in Boston
- Esteleth on Amanda: "I Love Vaccines"
- Brandee Mcdougal on Pandas or Wombats?
Archives
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Blogroll
- All The World's A Stage, Act For Change
- MyDD
- Chris Mooney
- Thoughts from Kansas
- Pharyngula
- The Public Trust
- Keats' telescope
- Laughing Wild
- groupThink
- Dancing in the Divine
- Craig's Thoughts, Theories, and Tantrums
- media in trouble
- Neo Commons
- MajikThise
- Living the Scientific Life
- YoungFemaleScientist
- Respectful Insolence
- Everyone Loves Hedgical Trevor
- Salon.com
- The Gazetteer
- Nameless Rantings
- dadahead
- She Flies with Her Own Wings
- A Pondering of Fools
- Henry's Webiocosm Blog
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- The Thermal Vent
- The Burned Over District
- Mixter's Mix
- Lab Cat
- If I Ran the Zoo
- Rev. BigDumbChimp
- ... ponderings of a fool
- Drinking Liberally in New Milford
- Scientia Natura: Evolution and Rationality
- Middle Raged Punk
- Primordial Blog
- ... ponderings of a fool
- SuportVaccination.Org
- Aetiology
- Big Brass Blog
- driftglass
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- skippy the bush kangaroo
- The Scientific Activist
- Deep Weeds
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- Complex Medium
- This Human Project
- Left in the Heartland
- A Mind Occasionally Voyaging
- Nice Shoes, Wanna Fock?
- Societas
- Skeptico
- Tied To the Tenure Tracks
- The Raven's Gazette
- Studying Biology and Environmental Science
- postgenomic
- Welcome to Shakesville
- Military Religious Freedom Foundation Blog
- Mad Melancholic Feminista
- ¡Viva La Evolución!
- comment is free...
- Melissa McEwan
- Marisacat
- The Panda's Thumb
- King of Zembla
- are you effin' kidding me?
- Eccentricity
- A Concerned Scientist
- Utenzi Blog
- Graphic Truth
- Universal Acid
- Scriptoids
- phronesisaical
- Muton
- A Beginner's Mind
- Altair4 Redux
- PSoTD
- Liberal Street Fighter
- Jon Swift
- Tangled Up in Blue Guy
- Sorting Out Science
- The force that through...
- jobsanger
- no fish, no nuts
- The Barefoot Bum
- ywut
- miriam's ideas
- decrepitoldfool
- Philosophers' Playground
- Yhetti
- Endosymbiosis
- The Crone Speaks
- blue collar scientist
- Crinch Pin
- Moue Magazine
- Balls and Walnuts
- over the cliff, onto the rocks
- Argue With Everyone
- Passing Afternoon
- Centerface! Adventures in Post-Democracy
- La Casa de Los Gatos
- CultureVultures
- Lance Mannion
Science Links
These links do not indicate support of this blog's statements by these groups
June 30, 2007
June 29, 2007
So Why Don't We Steal the French Healthcare System?
In a previous post, I wondered why we don't just steal someone else's healthcare system instead of inventing some untried and untested system. In TNR, Jonathan Cohn asks the same question.
Posted by Mike at 11:40 AM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 28, 2007
About Those Missing WMD in Syria...
Jonathan Hari of TNR bravely went undercover and joined a cruise hosted by the National Review. That is a heroic sacrifice on behalf of the Coalition of the Sane, and no amount of satire could do that lunacy justice. But Norman "the blood of GIs is better than Viagra" Podhoretz brought up a tired canard of the Delusional Right.
Posted by Mike at 6:36 PM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
How Museums Teach Evolution...
...and the psychological brickwalls they run into. With all of the talk about the Creationist Museum, I thought it would be worth discussing a museum that is trying to teach evolution. In the June 2007 issue of Evolution, Diamond and Evans describe some of the responses to a revamped evolution exhibit, "Explore Evolution", at the Nebraska State Museum.
Posted by Mike at 12:05 PM • 19 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 27, 2007
Condolences
Category: Condolences
Lindsay Beyerstein of Majikthise lost her father recently. Some kind words couldn't hurt.
Posted by Mike at 2:14 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
More MA Budget Cut Madness
More ridiculous budget cuts in Massachusetts at the local level. This time it's schools, not libraries. In my grandparents' generation, it was assumed that once they retired, they would move into a smaller house or apartment because they weren't working. Cutting education funding to subsidize their retirement would have been anathema to them.
Posted by Mike at 11:49 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 26, 2007
Some Suggestions for Improving Biology Textbooks
Well, they're not my suggestions, they're David Hillis' But they are still pretty good....
Posted by Mike at 10:32 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 25, 2007
Shakesville Hit with Denial of Service Attack
Category: Bloggity Blog
The feminist blog, Shakesville (formerly Shakespeare's Sister), has been hit with a denial of service attack.
Posted by Mike at 5:50 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Cheney, the Fourth Branch, and Shoddy Journalism
With a 28% approval rating, what exactly are the Washington Post editors afraid of? Can we finally agree that the Mythical Center, as represented by the mainstream media, is nothing more than a subjective political ideology?
Posted by Mike at 1:59 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Archeology Influences Plant Community Ecology
In the June 2007 issue of Ecology, Dambrine et al. have a fascinating article demonstrating that abandoned Roman settlements still affect the local abundance of plant communities 1700 years later.
Posted by Mike at 12:15 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 24, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Category: Lotsa Links
Here are some links for you. Go read some science, you goddamn kids.
Posted by Mike at 8:51 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
What Does Henneberger Want?
Scott LeMieux exposes the illogic of Melinda Henneberger's NY Times op-ed about abortion and Democrats. What I can't figure out is what does Henneberger want?
Posted by Mike at 11:40 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 23, 2007
Tyson Chicken to Sell Antibiotic-Free Fresh Chicken
Anything that lowers the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in agriculture is a good way to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Posted by Mike at 11:18 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 22, 2007
Fumarase Deficiency and Gay Marriage
There is one type of marriage we should prohibit: incestuous marriage.
Posted by Mike at 10:41 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 21, 2007
We Didn't Create Hamas, But We Did...
...help them win the election. In any discussion of the Middle East, all sorts of things will be claimed, but there is one awful historical fact: American and Israeli pressure on the Palestinian Authority to change their electoral system helped Hamas win the 2006 elections.
Posted by Mike at 5:42 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
An Evo-Devo Kerfuffle
Category: Evo Devo
In the May edition of Evolution, Hopi Hoekstra and Jerry Coyne have an interesting commentary, "The Locus of Evolution: Evo Devo and the Genetics of Adaptation." They raise two points about "evo devo" (the fusion of developmental and evolutionary biology) that have always bothered me.
Posted by Mike at 10:56 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 20, 2007
The Bestest Exclusion Cage EVAH!
The Mad Biologist loves this experiment. So how do you create a "gull exclusion zone?" Here's how.
Posted by Mike at 6:40 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Scientists and Journalists, Part Deux
Having been encouraged by ScienceBlogling John Wilkins, I'm going to follow up on my post about science journalism, and, no doubt, get myself into further trouble.
Posted by Mike at 11:26 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 19, 2007
The More Voters Know About You, the Less They Like You?
Over at MyDD.com, there's some consternation about how a generic Democrat beats a generic Republican in opinion polls, but named Democrats do poorly against named Republicans. As you might imagine, everyone is arguing that this is the reason why his or her electoral strategy MUST BE FOLLOWED. I think the explanation is pretty straightforward.
Posted by Mike at 5:47 PM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
What Will Human Microbiome Metagenomics Tell Us?
Category: Genomics
NIH, in about six months will release a huge sum of money to fund the study of the human 'microbiome': those microorganisms that live on or in us. One of the things that will be done with this money is meta-genomics which is "the study of genomes recovered from environmental samples as opposed to from clonal cultures." So I have a question: what do we learn from meta-genomics?
Posted by Mike at 10:22 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 18, 2007
OK, That's Not the Analogy for Iraq You Want to Use...
If I were trying to convince people to stay in Iraq, I might refer to Japan or Germany as models of occupation. But General Petraeus picked a different place...
Posted by Mike at 5:24 PM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The Mad Biologist and Science Journalists
Category: News Media
If you call me out of the blue and ask to speak with me, you've just interrupted the work I was doing. Whenever I hear the phrase "Do you have a few minutes to talk?", I'm always tempted to respond, "Sure, because all scientists do is sit around in our offices and jerk off all day. Thank goodness you called to save me from devastating ennui."
Posted by Mike at 11:13 AM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 17, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Lotsa links. First, the science stuff:
Posted by Mike at 8:55 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Opiate Addiction and National Healthcare
There's an excellent article in the NY Times magazine about the problem of opiate addiction. One of the problems when distinguishing between patients and doctors who are trying to manage pain versus those who are dealing opiates is that there is no easy way to regularly track opiate prescribing.
Posted by Mike at 1:50 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Ambulances and MRSA
Here's a disturbing paper: "Can methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus be found in an ambulance fleet?" The answer?
Posted by Mike at 11:07 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 16, 2007
Jury Duty: Do Yours
Category: Jury Duty
Nobody likes jury duty: most criminal and civil cases involve some moron doing something they shouldn't have--and you end up have to waste time due to said moron. Nonetheless, having a jury trial is a cornerstone of our justice system. It's also useful in the 'smaller' cases, since the ability of prosecutors to say "I have a jury next door waiting to hear this case" often results in plea settlements. Unfortunately, Suffolk county, MA has a jury pool problem:
Posted by Mike at 10:54 AM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 15, 2007
Maybe I'm an Extremist?
Joe Klein was very angry last week at 'uncivil' bloggers, and in a storming fit of something that kinda looks like anger, only wimpier, came up with a list of attributes belonging to "left-wing extremists." I've gone through the list and added my own commentary.
Posted by Mike at 10:45 AM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Bush's Sartorial Splendor
I'll get to El Jefe Maximo in a moment, but to dive into even more trivial waters, the thing I've never understood about the whole Paris Hilton affair is how utterly stupid she was. Her personal stupidity doesn't shock me--it's a miracle she doesn't forget how to breathe. But rich people can hire smart people to think for them. Which brings us to Bush.
Posted by Mike at 10:01 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 14, 2007
FaithReligion-Based Earmarks
While this particular program on behalf of a religious organization is not nearly as bad as the government-sanctioned anti-Semitism run out of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives*, it still is yet another example of why government and religion require a strict separation.
Posted by Mike at 11:40 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
My Microbe Article About Cefquinome
The misuse of cefquinome has been a pet peeve of mine. Well, I have a commentary in ASM's Microbe about this topic.
Posted by Mike at 9:44 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 13, 2007
You Don't Need a Fence to Protect Western Civilization
I'm not the only one bothered by Mudcat Saunders' article about the Metropolitan Opera Wing of the Democratic Party; maha is too. That post is worth a read, but at the end of the post she makes a very good point about preserving culture.
Posted by Mike at 10:22 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 12, 2007
Mudcat's Complaint
Political consultant and Edwards political adviser Dave "Mudcat" Saunders touched off a little firestorm today by criticizing the "Metropolitan Opera Wing" of the Democratic Party. Let's leave aside his willingness to engage in Republican agitprop (he doesn't even offer anecdotal evidence of the Dreaded M.O.W.). And try to forget the faint whiff of anti-Semitism and anti-gay sentiment wafting from that phrase. What exactly does Mudcat want? Because I don't look to political figures for validation of my 'lifestyle.'
Posted by Mike at 10:58 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 11, 2007
Maybe Democrats Are Just Stupid?
I used to think that Democratic politicians were trying to be too clever by half, and consequently screwed things up. Then I started to think that many are actually quite conservative, so they're just reverting to form--most of them don't have a tiny liberal inside of them, struggling to be free. After reading this exchange with a Democratic canvasser (something I used to do), I think the party has been taken over by fucking morons.
Posted by Mike at 11:15 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 10, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Lotsa links for ya. First, the science:
Posted by Mike at 8:55 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Healthcare: Letting the Perfect Get in the Way of the Good
I'm usually loathe to rip into a top-notch economist like Brad DeLong, especially when he titles his post "An Unrealistic, Impracticle, Utopian Plan for Dealing with the Health Care Opportunity." But several things bothered me about that post.
Posted by Mike at 11:30 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 9, 2007
When I Wrote...
"Fellow liberals, never forget that fifty years ago, this man would have been lynched. Progressives and liberals are the reason he isn't lynched today", the picture below is exactly what I was talking about.
Posted by Mike at 11:03 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 8, 2007
Sex Scandal Hits Creationist Museum
When you do 'faith-based' science, you have problems when you don't follow the tenets of that 'faith.'
Posted by Mike at 2:15 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Some Interesting Talk About Religion
And no, it's not faith. It's called religion. That aside, there's an interesting internet exchange among Eric Sapp, Rabbi Andy Bachman, and Jameson Foser about the role of religion in the Democratic Party. I found it interesting that the only ordained participant was the most skittish about the embrace of 'faith'
Posted by Mike at 11:02 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 7, 2007
Rogue Elephants
Category: Humor
Who knew elephants would take up a life of crime?
Posted by Mike at 5:06 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Huckabee and Yglesias: Sometimes the Evolution 'Controversy' Is About the Science
I like much of Matt Yglesias' writing. But he still doesn't appreciate how science and evolution affect public policy issues. Sometimes the scientific particulars do matter--if the cornerstone of modern biology can be called a 'particular'. Sometimes the argument about evolution is just about ...evolution.
Posted by Mike at 11:18 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 5, 2007
Abortion Is Icky and Slutty
I've never understood Reverend Cutler's position: as long as women can get pregnant, some will think the most ethical decision based on their own individual circumstances is to get 'unpregnant.' Given this reality (after all, countries where abortion is illegal still have "decisions for abortion"), we will never reduce abortions to "zero." So, then, the issue is what number of abortions is acceptable, or more accurately, which abortions are acceptable.
Posted by Mike at 6:54 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Giant Freshwater Crabs
Category: Arthropods
Well, they're not giant, but, by way of Majikthise, I found this story about an isolated population of freshwater crabs that has been dwelling in Roman ruins for 3,000 years.
Posted by Mike at 4:31 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Never Go to a Chinese Restaurant...
...and order anything that comes with "assorted meats." You see...
Posted by Mike at 11:19 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 4, 2007
What Does Prayer Have To Do With It?
Recently, I took pious gasbag Senator Brownback to task for, among other things, arguing that 'faith' plays a role in scientific inquiry. In a NY Times article about 'ethically-challenged' doctors who take part in clinical trials, I found this little gem.
Posted by Mike at 4:50 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
A Disturbing NIH-Related Factoid
I was watching this video of a presentation by ScienceBlogling Matt Nisbet, and he related a depressing factoid about the NIH and scientific illiteracy.
Posted by Mike at 10:48 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 3, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Lotsa links. First, the science.
Posted by Mike at 9:01 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Edward Hopper at the MFA
Category: Museums etc.
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has an excellent exhibit of Edward Hopper's paintings, etchings, and notebooks. Go see it.
Posted by Mike at 2:55 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The Bestest eCard EVAH!
Category: Humor
This eCard was sent to me by a friend.
Posted by Mike at 10:17 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 2, 2007
Steve Gilliard, RIP
Category: Bloggity Blog
Awful news for the blogosphere: Steve Gilliard of the News Blog died today.
Posted by Mike at 4:41 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Is the Problem With Global Warming Framing?
Our Benevolent Seed Overlords have published an article by ScienceBlogling Chris Mooney about the need to reframe the global warming debate. I wonder if that's the real problem. I would argue the problem is that the solution to the problem hasn't been clearly defined.
Posted by Mike at 11:31 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
June 1, 2007
Senator Brownback Is a F-cking Moron
And in other news, dog bites man. Would the NY Times have printed an op-ed allowing a flat-earther to explain why he believes the earth is flat? Because that's what they did when they ran Brownback's defense of intelligent design creationism. And there's nothing original in Brownback's op-ed either.
Posted by Mike at 10:22 AM • 22 Comments • 0 TrackBacks