Politics
The Quantum Pontiff
Category archives for Politics
Earth to Republicans: Curing STDs Would Probably Be a Good Thing
Posted by Dave Bacon on February 27, 2009 On Morning Edition this morning, there was a story about the annual Conservative Political Action Conference which contained a line which made me guffaw: Representative Paul Ryan: “[rant on spending in stimulus plan]…$400 million dollars to study sexually transmitted diseases!” [rant on about how his daughter is more responsible that President Obama] Oh my! The…
Stimulating Morning
Posted by Dave Bacon on February 12, 2009 The Computing Research Policy Blog is reporting possible good news for science funding: Speaker Pelosi’s office just released a fact sheet on the conference agreement for the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act and, wow, it looks good for science agencies in the bill. Here’s the relevant bit: Transform our Economy with Science and Technology:…
The Risk-Takers, the Doers, the Makers of Things
Posted by Dave Bacon on January 20, 2009 My favorite line from today’s inauguration speech: In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work,…
Laser Cooler Next Energy Secretary
Posted by Dave Bacon on December 11, 2008 Well I’m sure the physics blogosphere is abuzz with the news that Steven Chu is expected to be named by President-elect Obama to head the Department of Energy. Wait let me look. Yep: heisendad, varyingsean, chunothsu, angryphysicist, nanodude, lubotic, toinfinityandbeyond and thedeterminantsnotzero. (OK that last comes from non-physicists, but I couldn’t resist a linear algebra…
A Bit Unclear on History
Posted by Dave Bacon on December 10, 2008 Guffaw! Mr. Blagojevich seemed not to mind earlier news reports that his conversations had been recorded. “I should say if anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it,” he said, though he added that those who carried out such recordings sneakily, “I would remind them that it kind of…
And I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Overlords
Posted by Dave Bacon on November 5, 2008 “Local” politics.
Today’s Keyboard Letter of the Day
Posted by Dave Bacon on November 4, 2008 Random Question of the Day
Posted by Dave Bacon on November 3, 2008 A common refrain among members of the left in the United States in the last two presidential elections has been that if the right wins then they would “move to Canada.” This was, of course, recently one-upped by Tina Fey who quipped that if McCain-Palin won this year, she would “leave the Earth.” Today I…
Grassroots
Posted by Dave Bacon on October 3, 2008 That’s it! The VP debate sent me over the edge. I’m running…
John McCain v RIM
Posted by Dave Bacon on September 16, 2008 This morning, John McCain’s top economic adviser made a bit of a mistake: Asked what work John McCain did as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee that helped him understand the financial markets, the candidate’s top economic adviser wielded visual evidence: his BlackBerry. “He did this,” Douglas Holtz-Eakin told reporters this morning, holding up his…