Politics
pharyngula | October 29, 2008Big news: the editors of Seed have officially endorsed Barack Obama for President. OK, not surprising, I suppose…any organization that relies on or promotes scientific thinking has absolutely no choice in this election, so Obama is going to get the nod.
I do like one specific statement in the endorsement:
Science is a way of governing, not just something to be governed. Science offers a methodology and philosophy rooted in evidence, kept in check by persistent inquiry, and bounded by the constraints of a self-critical and rigorous method. Science is a lens through which we can and should…
clock | October 29, 2008Barack Obama for President - An endorsement from the editors of Seed:
Far more important is this: Science is a way of governing, not just something to be governed. Science offers a methodology and philosophy rooted in evidence, kept in check by persistent inquiry, and bounded by the constraints of a self-critical and rigorous method. Science is a lens through which we can and should visualize and solve complex problems, organize government and multilateral bodies, establish international alliances, inspire national pride, restore positive feelings about America around the globe, embolden…
hrynyshyn | October 29, 2008I know of no solid evidence that editorial endorsements have even the slightest effect on presidential campaigns. You might be able to find some correlations in some states, but that could easily be because the newspaper and magazine editors are good at following the general feeling of their readers, rather than the other way around.
But that doesn't mean editors should stop making the endorsements. And our overlords at SEED magazine are taking this first opportunity to officially sanction the candidacy of ...
Well, you know who. For a science-orientated publication, this was a no-brainer.…
gregladen | October 29, 2008My close personal friend John Kerry just sent me this letter:
Hey, Grego....
(that's what he calls me),
It is sickening. But not surprising.
Today's Republican Party is so depraved that they're running ads in Florida trying to connect a Democratic candidate to 9/11 attacker Mohammed Atta. They're in North Carolina attacking Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan's faith and character. And in Colorado, Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall is the target of a GOP robocall campaign making the insane accusation that he supports human cloning.
It's the same political strategy of fear and…
pharyngula | October 29, 2008Do I detect a note of anxiety in my Minnesota readers? Lately I've been getting lots of email from concerned locals who are worried about Tim Tingelstad, a candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court, who is a religious wackaloon.
"Everyone has an opinion or belief as to where absolute truth is and where it comes from, and that's what I'm telling people where I believe my rock solid foundation is," Tingelstad says. "I believe that absolute truth exists and that it comes from God."
And that's one of his milder statements. I've mentioned this guy before, but you all know how it is — judicial…
gregladen | October 28, 2008In one week from tonight, we will be hearing the results of the elections in the US. There is a widespread feeling of unease among Obama supporters, but the numbers are looking good. The house is likely to remain Democratic. The big question right now, however, is the Senate. For real change to happen over the next few years, a vindictive, mean spirited Republican party simply can not have the power of filibusterer. If they have it, they will use it, and they will do everything they can to hobble a Democratic majority. You know this is true.
So the Senate is the place to watch, as well…
oracknows | October 28, 2008Warning: Some of the links in this post go to hate sites. I include them because I think it's important for people to see exactly what white supremacists say in their own words, if they are curious to do so and thus learn how low these people will go. However, if you're at work you may not want to click on them.
Regular readers of this blog know that I have a major interest in World War II history and the Holocaust. Specifically, I've spent a fair amount of time writing about Holocaust denial. My interest in Holocaust denial derives from two sources. First, it's disgust at the racism, Hitler…
pharyngula | October 28, 2008McCain once again whined about studying bear DNA, and it's clear that the decrepit old man doesn't have a clue about the value of biological research. But the other interesting revelation is that while denouncing earmarks for studying bear DNA, overhead projectors, or fruit fly research, the complaint is not about earmarks, but about funding science.
How can we tell? It turns out that Sarah Palin was happy to lobby for earmarks to study recreational halibut fishing, the mating habits of crabs, and harbor seal DNA. Those all sound like legitimate science projects to me, but I doubt that Palin…
razib | October 28, 2008There has been a lot of talk of Barack Obama "expanding the map" this cycle for the Democrats. In mid-September when John McCain was at his polling-peak many were assuming that had just been a pipe-dream, and that the traditional Democratic strategy of winning big blue states was back in play. But with the Obama bounce not so fast! So where is Obama exactly expanding he map? Below is a map generated by Andrew Gelman comparing Kerry's 2004 election results with current averaged poll numbers.
More charts an maps over at Red State, Blue State.
drorzel | October 28, 2008The closing narrative of the McCain campaign is apparently going to be "Obama's a pinko commie socialist who wants to raise your taxes," which means it's time for all good liberals to bust out the graphs to show why this is false. Well, graph, singular. You know the one:
I don't remember who first posted it (I got it here), but it's been everywhere this campaign. It shows a head-to-head comparison of the consequences of the McCain and Obama tax plans for various income groups.
I hate this graphic.
Not because of the information it contains, mind-- that's fine. I hate this graph because it…
evolvingthoughts | October 28, 2008
As I feared, the internet filtering issue has now been taken up by special interests. The conservative Christian political party Family First, run largely by the Hillsong evangelical denomination, has one senator, but the balance of power is so tight they wield disproportionate power, and as PM Kevin Rudd and several of his cabinet colleagues are themselves religious, the FF interests are likely to be pandered to, as they were by the conservative Howard government. Senator Steve Fielding wants the filtering to include pornography and gambling, both of which are legal for adults in Australia…
drorzel | October 28, 2008There have been a whole bunch of stories written about the idiot skinheads who were busted for a ludicrous plot to kill a whole bunch of black people, including Barack Obama: the AP version, the Washington Post, the New York Times. They're all pretty similar, and they're all notable for one thing: the word they don't contain.
Terrorist.
By any reasonable definition of the word, these guys were wannabe terrorists. Their plan called for shooting 88 people and beheading another 14 (because idiot skinheads are big on Kabbalistic numerology, apparently)-- that's a terror plot. Not a terribly…
tqa | October 28, 2008
In today's Atlanta Journal Constitution, Army spouse Elisabeth Kadlec writes:
When we married our spouses, I am sure that none of us were signing up to be single parents. But in essence that is what we become. Many people I know, like my husband, have already been deployed more than three times, and will go again. Most of these deployments are to Iraq or Afghanistan. It always amazes me when people ask me if my husband has to go back. I even laugh at this question!
I think it shows that the public has no idea how many troops make up the armed forces and how many are deployed at a time.…
pharyngula | October 27, 2008Really low. Here's an anti-Al Franken brochure that's being mailed around here in Minnesota—that's aimed at kids, with childish illustrations, while accusing Franken of some contemptible acts.
"Come on in, kids... Senator Franken's going to tell a few jokes!"
"We shouldn't have to be ashamed of Minnesota's senator!"
Al Franked tackled a protestor at a political rally- and bragged about it
"We shouldn't have to wonder what he will say…"
Al Franken wrote a pornographic column in Playboy- and thought it was funny.
"We shouldn't have to apologize for his actions..."
Al Franken has written so-…
clock | October 27, 2008Just got this e-mail earlier today:
This Wednesday, October 29th, please join Barack Obama in Raleigh, where he will talk about his vision for creating the kind of change we need.
Early Vote for Change Rally
with Barack Obama
Halifax Mall
Government Complex
300 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Wednesday, October 29th
Doors Open: 10:00 a.m.
Pre-program Begins: 11:15 a.m.
This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; however, an RSVP is strongly encouraged.
For security reasons, do not bring bags or umbrellas. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners…