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.
mikethemadbiologist
Posts by this author
August 19, 2010
At least if we're talking about microbes.
Nick Loman has a good piece summarizing the state of genome sequencing technologies. It's pretty accurate, although I'm always skeptical about capabilities until I've seen it function. But from my point of view, which is focused on microbial genomics,…
August 19, 2010
Tuesday, I criticized the LA Times' use of the 'value-added' approach for teacher evaluation. There were many good comments, which I'll get to tomorrow, but Jason Felch of the LA Times, pointed me to the paper describing the methodology. I'm not happy with the method used.
First, I was right to…
August 18, 2010
Links for you. Science:
Cato's Pat Michaels admits 40 percent of funding comes from big oil.
Data release (blogwar or pillow fight?)
Survey Shows Many Are Clueless On How To Save Energy: People Turn Off Lights in Vain, Ignoring Real Efficiencies
Other:
Free Parking Comes at a Price
The Citizens…
August 18, 2010
'Progressives' are getting all gooey over Obama's stern declaration that he will prevent Republicans from privatizing Social Security.
So why am I being so harsh towards Obama? Because this is a sucker play. Given Obama's track record on most issues so far, it's pretty obvious what will happen…
August 17, 2010
After l'affaire Heffernan, I was curious to see what, if any, letters to the editor would appear in the NY Times. The Sunday Magazine printed two letters, both critical of Heffernan, which suggests to me, that there were very few, if any, supporters of Heffernan's position (An aside: anyone know…
August 17, 2010
The LA Times has taken upon itself to rate school teachers in Los Angeles. To do this, the LA Times has adopted the 'value-added' approach (italics mine):
Value-added analysis offers a rigorous approach. In essence, a student's past performance on tests is used to project his or her future results…
August 16, 2010
Alford: What Kind of Science Should Economics Be When It Grows Up? (actually mentions physics envy among other things)
Why are there so few female chess grandmasters?
Living fossils don't exist...
Other:
Michal Kalecki - The Political Aspects of Full Employment (long, but very good)
Identifying…
August 16, 2010
Well, someone at ScienceBlogs had to draw down on Scientopia, and it might as well be the Mad Biologist. I was going to respond to this post by proflikesubstance about genomics and data release in a calm, serious, and respectful manner, and, then, I thought, "Fuck that. I'm the Mad Biologist. I…
August 15, 2010
Links for you. Science:
Yay! J. Neuroscience Agrees with Me that "Supplementary Materials" is BS and Ruining Science!
NU prof David Hull invented his field
The aurochs: due for a comeback?
Other:
Morning in America
2. Sewers and storm drains
Which side are you on?
Why museums need more art lending…
August 15, 2010
For those of you who have been blissfully out of the news (not a bad thing to be doing in the summer), Harvard professor Marc Hauser has been accused of scientific fraud. It now appears that Harvard had concluded its investigation and swept the findings under the rug for months/i>:
Marc Hauser'…
August 14, 2010
Some links for you. Science:
"Just-so stories" driving me crazy
Warning: Racism Is Bad for Your Health: Harboring prejudice, it seems, may be bad for your health.
Fallible DNA evidence can mean prison or freedom
Science Bloggers: Diversifying the news
Other:
NEW SUPERBUG IS FOREIGN AS WELL (humor…
August 14, 2010
While people often view academic tenure either as a boondoggle for hoity-toity professors or as a critical bulwark of academic freedom, I've always viewed the justification for tenure as mostly an economic one:
Consider an undergraduate who might have loans to pay off. Then add five to eight years…
August 13, 2010
Merry Friday! Links for you. Science:
Why Scientific Research on Animals Is Worthwhile
The Palin Effect
Reading the Coverage of a Retraction: Failure to replicate is not evidence of fraud
Other:
Behold The Power Of My Mighty Blogs
Gibbs: People who are upset with Obama don't live in real America…
August 13, 2010
In an otherwise excellent article about the Breitbart scandal/Sherrod non-scandal*, Eric Alterman writes the following:
To be fair, Kurtz does come up with one legitimate example [of liberal excess]. He quotes MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, observing that Sherrod's reputation had been "assassinated by…
August 12, 2010
By way of Digby, I came across this poll of white attitudes towards various ethnicities (including whites) based on self-identified Tea Party support (note: respondents were only from four states, NV, MO, GA, and NC). One of things that struck me while looking at the data (pdf and pdf) was the…
August 11, 2010
Shaq, the newest Boston Celtic, described the Boston accent as 'sexy' yesterday. In that spirit, I offah yuh some wicked smaht links. Science:
Christian Right Lobbies To Overturn Second Law Of Thermodynamics
Why did the Tasmanians Stop Eating Fish?
More Urban Species: House Pseudoscorpion
Tiny…
August 11, 2010
Or I suppose I could have used a monosyllabic word, such as lies. I realize Glenn Beck lying, to children no less, is hardly news, but it is worth knocking down one ludicrous claim:
"I learned on your show that Thomas Jefferson actually signed a lot of his documents 'in Christ,' but a lot of…
August 10, 2010
Happy Tuesday! Links for you. Science:
Bad News for the Genetics of Personality
Unintended consequences: C. diff death after extended Lyme treatment
Fructose and pancreatic cancer
Hands Off My Bone!
Global hunt begins for 'extinct' species of frogs
Other:
Strippers Give Church Ladies a Taste of…
August 10, 2010
Apparently, the Obama Administration is very upset with the "professional left":
"I hear these people saying he's like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested," Gibbs said. "I mean, it's crazy."
Actually, when it comes to the expansion of presidential power, Obama has been worse than Bush…
August 10, 2010
Reporting on the human microbiome--the microorganisms that live on and in us--is quite the rage these days. As someone who is involved in NIH's Human Microbiome Project, it's a pretty exciting time because the size and scale of the data we're able to generate is unprecedented.
This also means we…
August 9, 2010
8...9...10? Were I Deepak Chopra, I would, no doubt, find some deep, mystical significance in today's date. But I'm the Mad Biologist, so I'll just leave you with some links. Science:
Save the Whale Poop
An introduction to the microbiome
'Poo-powered' car seen on the streets of Bristol. But is…
August 9, 2010
I don't know whether to laugh or cry over this recent speech by Fed Reserve Chairman Bernanke:
A report last week showed that the American economy, recovering from the worst recession since the 1930s, slowed to a 2.4 percent annual rate in the second quarter, less than forecast, as a scarcity of…
August 9, 2010
As the slow-motion destruction of our nation's infrastructure continues due to deficits über alles hysteria, we find this very depressing article from Camden, NJ about the proposed eradication of its public library system:
Camden is preparing to permanently shut its library system by the end of…
August 8, 2010
Hopefully, I won't be attacked by Digg 'Patriots.' Just in case, though, I've stocked up on some links! Science:
Does Coffee Work?
Why prediction is a risky business
Translational bioinformatics in the cloud
Manufacturing The Coffee Culture
Genetically Modified Crop on the Loose and Evolving in U…
August 8, 2010
Which is to say, none at all. It's really interesting in a sick, twisted way to watch economist Paul Krugman's head go boom , as he sees his life's work ignored when it is highly relevant to the circumstances at hand. So when he uses the term 'flimflammer' to describe supposed Republican…
August 7, 2010
Some links for you. Science:
DNA test finds Worcester link inconclusive, or, how Colin took on the USDA
Scientists: your publishers think you are patsies.
No Problem!
Persistent ethnic differences in test performance may be entirely an artifact of the method used to 'adjust' the test
Other:
Learn…
August 7, 2010
Can we once and for all recognize that movement conservatives do not believe in the fair exchange of ideas?
A group of influential conservative members of the behemoth social media site Digg.com have just been caught red-handed in a widespread campaign of censorship, having multiple accounts,…
August 6, 2010
Thank the All-Father it's Frejyasdaeg. Celebrate with some links. Science:
Science Blogging Networks: What, Why and How
If you're predicting disease, you should be regulated
A warmer ocean is a less green one
One epidemic, two problems
When Should You Open Your Car Windows? An Experiment
Other:…
August 6, 2010
Of course, some of us are already there. A long time reader has been saying ever since the first unveiling of the stimulus package that Larry Summers' poor advice was going to kill the Democrats--and be crappy policy. He's not the only frustrated one, as word is that Christine Romer, chairman of…
August 6, 2010
So much for that "Don't Be Evil" Google bullshit:
Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content's creators are willing to pay for the privilege.…