September 4, 2007
Here's an excellent opportunity to use the hive mind to look for classic techniques of deception for political benefit on the question of the "surge".
Reading the news stories about the progress in Iraq, I can't help but notice a certain partisan nature to interpretation of events. You have the…
September 4, 2007
Genomicron has an excellent description for how to write a terrible popular science story. I agree 100%. And when he hit #10, I had to cheer.
10. Don't provide any links to the original paper.
If possible, avoid providing any easy way for readers (in particular, scientists) to access the…
September 4, 2007
Also this weekend we also made beer. So it's time for another alcoholic photo-essay, this time on beer homebrewing and a brief history of beer in America.
It all starts with a beautiful mixture of malted barley. Here's about 20 lbs of barley, in Rick's recipe there is a mixture of light and dark…
September 3, 2007
This was a good weekend spent making lots of different kinds of booze. A long hot summer led to some really nice chardonnay grapes at the parents' farm.
It wasn't a large yield, but the sugar, or brix were really high, hopefully yielding a nice end product. If you want to see how we make white…
September 2, 2007
For a scene of pure hilarity and joy, get ye over to Uncommon Descent as they try spin the rejection of a "Evolutionary Informatics Lab" by Baylor University.
Yesterday, the Baylor University administration shut down Prof. Robert Marks's Evolutionary Informatics Lab because the lab's research was…
August 31, 2007
I think Naomi Oreskes is being charitable when she calls denialists "contrarians", but to each their own. Stranger Fruit has her response to the latest nonsense being spread by these liars.
They've tried this before, and it was swatted down rapidly, basically the only way they can show any…
August 31, 2007
This is an accurate depiction of what is happening in my head when I see this commercial.
And you know, this idea that applying an analgesic to your forehead is just about the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Your forehead and your brain are separated by a thing called your skull, and they're even…
August 31, 2007
Leave it to AEI writing for the WSJ editorial page to allege a grand conspiracy of the government against pharmaceutical companies. Their proof? The government wants to compare the efficacy of new drugs to older ones to make sure they're actually better.
The reauthorization of the State Children'…
August 31, 2007
Granville Sewell describes the UD approach to science - in a word, quit early.
In any debate on Intelligent Design, there is a question I have long wished to see posed to ID opponents: "If we DID discover some biological feature that was irreducibly complex, to your satisfication and to the…
August 30, 2007
Ed Brayton's discussion of the historical validity of claims of Thomas Jefferson's support of a "Christian Nation" is illuminating.
Turns out, it's a myth. A story passed down third-hand to a pair of people who were under 10 years old when it happened (and substantial cause to misremember), and…
August 30, 2007
The NYT reports on the differing wait times between high-cost cosmetic procedures in dermatology, and low-cost potentially life-saving screenings for melanoma and other skin cancers.
Patients seeking an appointment with a dermatologist to ask about a potentially cancerous mole have to wait…
August 30, 2007
Reading You Are Dumb's take on Ben Stein and expelled, I found out they have a blog for the movie! I'm so excited, because it's clear that Ben Stein, in his introductory post, shows he's done his research and read the Crank HOWTO. Check it:
Some of the greatest scientists of all time, including…
August 30, 2007
Everybody head over to Aarvarchaeology for the 68th edition of the Skeptics' Circle.
And while you're there help me figure out what this picture is all about.
August 29, 2007
In a scathing attack on what he calls "gunpoint medicine", Mike Adams attacks the medical establishment for their supposed ability to imprison patients, force treatments on people against their will and generally be very very evil.
Health officials in Lawrenceville, Georgia have arrested and…
August 28, 2007
Sounds like Fisk had a stroke and started buying into Troofer nonsense this week. I'll get right to the relevant passage and in honor of Mr. Fisk I think we'll Fisk it.
But - here we go. I am increasingly troubled at the inconsistencies in the official narrative of 9/11. It's not just the obvious…
August 28, 2007
Ok, I can't resist. What do people think of Larry Craig's arrest for ostensibly soliciting sex in a men's room? He's denying he did anything wrong.
Tuesday, in his first public statement on the arrest, the Idaho Republican said he did nothing "inappropriate."
"Let me be clear: I am not gay and…
August 28, 2007
There's a nice little article in the Washington Post on mice in research. It's interesting the things you learn from a piece like this. For instance, I never realized the origin of the black 6 line was from essentially a hobby breeder in New England. I also like the little slide show of various…
August 28, 2007
Props to Nick Anthis and PZ for addressing the animal rights vs animal welfare issue in science.
In particular this statement from PZ, "Once we've defeated the creationists (hah!), we're going to have to manage the next problem: well-meaning but ill-informed animal rights activists."
That sounds…
August 28, 2007
It's that time again. Bora's got the scoop on this new organization PRISM (Partnership for Research Integrity in Science & Medicine). They purport to be the saviors of scientific publishing, protecting us from the evil of open access. But how much do you want to bet they're the same old…
August 27, 2007
Anyone who has been reading Scienceblogs knows that the creationists are all in a tizzy over their new movie expelled, which plans to unite the superstar power of Ben Stein with the superscience power of creationism.
My favorite part of the whole thing, based on my appreciation for quality…
August 27, 2007
Jason Rosenhouse links this excellent feature from Radar entitled America's Worst Colleges.
My favorite? The review of Liberty university.
Notable Course: Christian Womanhood IV. Because keeping your mouth shut is too rich a subject for just three levels of study.
Raw Data: Ranked in the lowest "…
August 27, 2007
Geek Counterpoint has done an excellent job going through Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.
The overall impression? Mostly right, some overblown links that are rather tenuous, but ultimately thorough coverage of the science behind climate change. Good job Lorne.
August 24, 2007
I've been trying to get some work done this week, hence the slow week.
In the meantime, please consider a visit to to the Unicorn Museum, soon to open up near another museum for other imaginary beliefs.
August 22, 2007
Go say high to Zooillogix, another two-brother team science blogging away here under the auspices of Seed. I will enjoy their blog, as long as they stay away from too many pictures of creatures with more than 4 legs (tentacles don't count). The African Booze tree should be your first stop there…
August 22, 2007
Multiple news outlets have been reporting on the sudden increase in cost for birth control prescriptions at health centers on college campuses.
The cause?
Health experts say the price bump for college students was inadvertent -- a byproduct of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, a federal law…
August 22, 2007
It's up at Google Video (and embedded here). Check it.
August 22, 2007
From the "my god these people are dumb files" is this clip from last night's History Channel documentary 9/11 conspiracies.
Ha! Good stuff. Don't worry, they're replaying it Saturday night in case you missed it, but it apparently has the troofers up in arms.
In more 9/11 troof news, Popular…
August 22, 2007
Our very own Tara Smith and Steven Novella have teamed up to write an excellent paper covering the state of HIV/AIDS denialism in the Public Library of Science.
I love the article, and Tara and Steve do a great job covering all the critical aspects of denialism inherent in the HIV/AIDS denialist…
August 21, 2007
It's so embarrassing when scientists use poorly-constructed studies to blithely reinforce societal stereotypes. Today, LPH at Second Innocence brings us the latest example.
A new study by scientists from Newcastle University gives substance to the old adage 'Pink for a girl, blue for a boy'.…
August 20, 2007
The debate is churning along at Monkey Trials, and I have to say it's pretty interesting. Hatfield is doing a great job in this titanic struggle between data and "raw intellect".
Check it out.
