Romney Gives a Reason to Not Vote Republican
A well-developed sense of irony can be a very useful thing to a politician.
Posted by Mike at 4:25 PM • 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
- Jon Swift
- Divine Afflatus
- cannablog
- Independent Bloggers' Alliance
- 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
- Battlepanda
- Pandagon
- skippy the bush kangaroo
- The Scientific Activist
- Deep Weeds
- The Corpus Callosum
- 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
August 31, 2007
Some Helpful Advice for Boston Tourists
Category: Boston
Even though it's nearing the end of the tourist season, I was inspired by a letter to Boston's Weekly Dig, and thought some advice for out-of-town visitors would be helpful.
Posted by Mike at 10:29 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 30, 2007
Civil Unions: Let's Party Like It's 1399?
Tolerance of gay marriage...in 1399?
Posted by Mike at 5:28 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The Levee Broke
Category: Katrina
For me, the moment I discovered that the New Orleans levees had catastrophically failed is one of those moments that I will never forget. The night before (Aug. 29th), I went to bed a little after midnight, thinking that New Orleans had survived the worst of Katrina, and that the city's luck had held.
Posted by Mike at 12:50 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Four Words That Distinguish Liberals from Conservatives
No, "I think I'm pregnant" is a universal constant. The four words are "It can be better."
Posted by Mike at 11:10 AM • 19 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 29, 2007
The Hypocrisy of the Sen. Craig Scandal
No, not Senator Craig's hypocrisy. The conservative commentariat's.
Posted by Mike at 4:34 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Message to Senator Larry Craig
I think he needs to hear this.
Posted by Mike at 11:41 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
eigenFACTOR: Lots of Shiny New Buttons to Push!
A while ago, I posted about eigenFACTOR, a bioinformatics tool that can be used to calculate the relative impact of scientific journals. Well, the eigenFACTORials have developed a whole buncha new stuff you can do with the program.
Posted by Mike at 11:26 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 28, 2007
Beware the Icky Algae
First, gooseshit everywhere. Now 'rock snot.'
Posted by Mike at 4:38 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The Ontological Impossibility of Conservative Governance...
and one reason why most scientists oppose the Bush administration.
Posted by Mike at 11:03 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 27, 2007
Anne Kornblut, F-ck You
Glenn Greenwald catches Washington Post political 'reporter' Anne Kornblut impugning the patriotism of millions of Democrats.
Posted by Mike at 4:48 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The Majority of Iowa Republicans Hate America
Yes, I'm kidding. But there's a new poll which should make every Republican political operative and politician terrified.
Posted by Mike at 10:31 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 26, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Category: Lotsa Links
Here's your links. Science firstest:
Posted by Mike at 9:12 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Sunday Sermon: Anti-Imperialism Is Not Pacificism
The Very Serious Foreign Policy experts need to get that.
Posted by Mike at 11:20 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 25, 2007
Tara Speak. You Listen
ScienceBlogling Tara of Aetiology has co-authored a PLoS Biology article about HIV denialism and the internets.
Posted by Mike at 4:15 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
(The Iraq) War Is a Force That Gives Us Them Meaning
Yes, I've cribbed the title from Chris Hedges' superb, must-read book, War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. But Josh Marshall stumbles across a great insight about the Iraq War and Occupation, but doesn't quite carry through all the way. So the Mad Biologist will.
Posted by Mike at 11:23 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 24, 2007
'Ordinary' Influenza: A Public Health Failure
Stop worrying about avian influenza. Get serious about 'ordinary' influenza. Because trying to mobilize public support for avian influenza is a f-cking stupid strategy.
Posted by Mike at 10:42 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 23, 2007
Life on Mars?
Category: Aliens! I Seen 'Em!
No life on Mars? Not so fast. Cool it down, baby.
Posted by Mike at 5:57 PM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
A Patch for...Diarrhea?
Forget smoking cessation. This is a patch everyone can use.
Posted by Mike at 5:32 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Putting the S-CHIP Battle in Context
Maha does a great job of getting at the underlying issues in the Bush adminstration's opposition to expanding the S-CHIP children's health insurance program.
Posted by Mike at 11:02 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 22, 2007
ADL Reverses Its Position on Armenian Genocide
The Anti-Defamation League reversed its previous position that held the genocide of Armenians wasn't genocide yesterday. Sort of, anyway.
Posted by Mike at 4:21 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The War Criminal Wing of the Republican Party
These guys make Hezbollah and Al-Queda look like moderates.
Posted by Mike at 11:24 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 21, 2007
Why Democrats Matter: Public Health
Mitt Romney. He did such a great job for Massachusetts, imagine what he could do to the whole country.
Posted by Mike at 4:33 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
I See Stupid People: The George Stephanopoulos Edition
It's one thing to tolerate faith-based woo, but does it have to be part of a presidential debate?
Posted by Mike at 10:55 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 20, 2007
I Wouldn't Want to Attend His Journalism School
It's too bad that journalism professor Skube doesn't realize that, at least based on his op-ed, that he too, is just another guy with a blog.
Posted by Mike at 4:42 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
The Cost of Operation Iraqi Clusterf-ck...
...to me. Or at least, to the residents of my congressional district.
Posted by Mike at 11:19 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 19, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Category: Lotsa Links
Someone has to hold down the fort while the rest of my ScienceBloglings are frolicking in New York City.
Posted by Mike at 9:56 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 18, 2007
Shame on the ADL
The regional director of the Anti-Defamation League was recently fired by the national organization because he called what the Turks did to the Armenians in 1918 genocide. Shame on the ADL.
Posted by Mike at 11:36 AM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Did I Mention Something About Antibiotics and Viral Infections?
I've discussed before how the misdiagnosis of viral infections, typically respiratory illnesses, leads to massive improper use of antibiotics. It's a problem in the UK too.
Posted by Mike at 11:26 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 17, 2007
I'm a Nerd!
Category: Humor
A science nerd, to be precise.
Posted by Mike at 5:13 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
A Bit More on Pseudoconservatives
Maha responds to my previous post about pseudoconservatives.
Posted by Mike at 11:03 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 16, 2007
Our Kids Are Booze Hounds
Category: Public Health
The CDC's journal Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR)--there's something to leave on your coffee table--says that roughly 43% of 9th - 12th graders have had a drink of alcohol in the last 30 days, according to a 2005 study. And Nebraskans are weird.
Posted by Mike at 5:11 PM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Conservatives, Pseudoconservatives, and Governing
Category: Conservatives
I would argue that Nixon and Eisenhower both were essentially the right wing of the liberal consensus, and not conservatives as conservatives themselves understand conservatism.
Posted by Mike at 10:54 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 15, 2007
Inflation and Food
Category: Inflation
Double-digit inflation for basic food staples. But all is well according to Little Lord Pontchartrain.
Posted by Mike at 5:03 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Why You Should Always Run Controls
Because you'll look really stupid if you don't.
Posted by Mike at 10:36 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 14, 2007
The Secret Behind Huckabee's Strong Showing
For a long time, I've been privately telling people that Huckabee is a serious candidate that could pose real problems for Democrats. I wasn't surprised by his strong showing in the Ames straw poll in Iowa. What did surprise me was the issue that generated his support.
Posted by Mike at 4:53 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Zinc: Good for Colds?
Erm, maybe not so much.
Posted by Mike at 10:41 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 13, 2007
So Font Does Matter...
Category: Publishing
at least when it comes to road signs.
Posted by Mike at 5:06 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Confusing Brains with Sociopathy
Sometimes in blogging timing is everything. I had this post about Karl Rove all ready to go, and then he goes and resigns on me. Oh well.
Posted by Mike at 10:52 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 12, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Category: Lotsa Links
Merry Sunday! Here are some links for you.
Posted by Mike at 8:55 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Sometimes a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
From the back cover of The Wimp Factor is this illustration that explains so much about the rise of the modern conservative movement.
Posted by Mike at 11:32 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 11, 2007
Superb Poster Exhibit at the Boston Public Library
Category: Propaganda
The Boston Public Library at Copley Square has a great exhibit of World War II propaganda posters on display.
Posted by Mike at 10:10 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 10, 2007
Ellen Goodman and I Dwell in Different Blogospheres
Category: Bloggity Blog
Actually, she lives in the blogosphere, and I live in blogtopia.
Posted by Mike at 12:13 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
One Reason Why Democrats Are Outmanuvered
Because they don't know the rules.
Posted by Mike at 10:52 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 9, 2007
The Fitness Cost of Resistance Could Be...
the signal peptide? Interesting.
Posted by Mike at 11:08 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Self-Projection and Foreign Policy "Scholars"
Glenn Greenwald had a great post Wednesday about establishment foreign policy scholars, and how they delimit the 'acceptable' foreign policy debate:...
Posted by Mike at 10:34 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 8, 2007
Even More on Ignatieff
I don't mean to make this into an anti-Ignatieff blog, but there are two more great posts about his idiocy: one by ScienceBlogling and "embarrased" Canadian James Hrynyshyn, the other by David Rees.
Posted by Mike at 5:14 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
This Little Piggy Went to Market...
....this little piggy had MRSA up its nose.
Posted by Mike at 11:16 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 7, 2007
The Joys of Non-Profit Organizations: Crazy People
Maybe the crazy people are out to get me after I exposed Giuliani's Mistress of Woo. One of the interesting things about working at a health-oriented non-profit is that you occasionally receive letters and emails from people who feel the overwhelming need to convince you of their Overarching Pangalactic Theory of Everything.
Posted by Mike at 4:27 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
More on Ignatieff's Idiocy
Apparently, I'm not the only one who thought that Ignatieff's self-analysis was idiotic. He reinvents history and is confused about what academics actually do.
Posted by Mike at 1:24 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Sociopathy As a Political Movement
Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Boyda of Kansas recounts a conversation she had with a rightwing talk show host.
Posted by Mike at 10:40 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 6, 2007
From Now on, I Read Only Esquire
For the political articles only, I swear. What I can't figure out is how
a writer for Esquire can see through all the bullshit that the supposedly Very Serious People can't.Posted by Mike at 5:07 PM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Michael Ignatieff Is a Moron
Michael Ignatieff, in explaining his decision to support the invasion of Iraq, reveals that he harbors two misconceptions: that war is just another policy, and that the political is not personal.
Posted by Mike at 11:32 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 5, 2007
Some Sunday Links
Category: Lotsa Links
Here are your links, you damn kids. First, science:
Posted by Mike at 8:45 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
This Person Needs to Pay More Taxes
Nobody needs a nap house.
Posted by Mike at 2:43 PM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Sunday Sermon: R.J. Eskow on Bridges and Conservativism
Much has been said about the bridge collapse, but R.J. Eskow says it best.
Posted by Mike at 10:10 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 4, 2007
Democrats Disappoint with FISA
The Democrats rolled over on FISA legislation, giving Bush even more latitude in spying on his own citizens. Still the most hapless political party in recorded history.
Posted by Mike at 2:28 PM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
What's with Font Narratives?
Category: Publishing
All your Electra typeface are belonging to us?
Posted by Mike at 10:55 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 3, 2007
Dingell Hurts the Democratic Party
Once again, Michigan congressman John Dingell has decided to side with Detroit automakers who continue to resist entering the 21st century. The House has scrapped legislation that would raise fuel efficiency standards...to those less than Europe and Japan. Someone explain to me why we can't compete on a playing field that is still tilted towards the U.S. auto corporations.
Posted by Mike at 4:49 PM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
When Privatization Fails: College Loans
Last week, Joe Nocera had an excellent piece in the NY Times about how college loans became so exorbitant. He asks, "Why did student loans become more about shareholders than about students?"
Posted by Mike at 11:25 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
August 2, 2007
Nothing in Politics Makes Sense Except in the Light of the Evolution Controversy
Dobzhansky actually said, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution", but, as I've mentioned before, there's a lot to be learned from the sociopolitcal controversy surrounding evolutionary biology.
Posted by Mike at 4:43 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks