The Art of Science exhibition has many lovely pictures in the galleries, but I think my favorite is this image of Nodal expression in zebrafish.
You may be thinking that Pharyngula is going to be awfully quiet this weekend, what with the proprietor gallivanting off to that liberal hotbed of iniquity, New York City. Well, yeah, I probably am going to be rather busy, but I think I’ll be able to squeeze in a few things, especially since this tendinitis I’ve got is going to restrict my mobility a bit. Also, if any New Yorkers want to meet up, my schedule is little bit tight, but I might be reachable at a few times. I’m staying at the Grand Hyatt New York, Park Avenue at Grand Central Station, at (212) 883-1234. Late Saturday morning I’ll be at the AMNH (of course!) touring the Darwin exhibit, and that evening at 8 we’re going to be on Broadway, attending a musical…but late afternoon and early evening are free. I’m also probably going to be hobbling about the Bronx Zoo on Sunday, before my plane whisks me back to the desolate plains of Minnesota.
Do I believe that George W. Bush stole the last election and that the Republican party is run by criminals and traitors? You betcha. With his record of sloppy analysis, though, I just wish someone more trustworthy than Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. had authored that report.
I also don’t see much in the way of productive suggestions about what to do to prevent it from happening again. If Republican operatives are in a position to commit such sweeping acts of anti-Democratic corruption, what’s to prevent it from happening again this fall? What are we going to do if it does happen again?
Will I sign th’ Pirate’s Compact? Arrr. It be like askin’ Blackbeard if he wants a tot o’ rum before plunderin’ yon fat merchanter.
Which reminds me…on me mission to New York tomorrow, I need to be askin’ about Pirate Mode. Maybe a little proddin’ with the cutlass will help.
I’m glad Sean has cleared that up.
After writing about the dilution of those “dangerous” kids’ chemistry sets, I find that Nature has just published a news article wondering how dangerous chemistry actually is.
My day has not been off to a good start. I’m supposed to fly off to New York tomorrow morning, and just to inspire worry in me, my car had a flat this morning. When just getting to the airport is a three-hour drive, hints of unreliability in the vehicle are not reassuring.
Worse still, I’m having a flare-up of Achilles tendinitis. Every step sends piercing pains shooting up my leg, and unfortunately I know from past experience that not continuing some gentle stretching and exercise will lead to my whole ankle seizing up and rendering me immobile. So, I’m going to be hobbling about New York City in pain this weekend. If any of you New Yorkers notice a guy who reminds you of that irascible gimp, House—only shorter and pudgier—that’s me.
Some days, I just have to get the cephalopod obsession out of my system with a quick purge of links from the mailbag.
Robot tentacles (via Amygdala)
Ancient octopus cartoon (via Holbo)
How about another sample of creationist nonsense from my mailbag? I wrote about Caroline Crocker back in February—she’s the Intelligent Design creationist who was released from her job teaching biology at George Mason University, and I said she had demonstrated incompetence in the discipline, and deserved to be let go. That article seems to elicit regular bursts of outrage from the creationists, who don’t seem to have been able to comprehend it.
